The Marquis de Lafayette Tours Hampton Roads
On October 22, 1824, Lafayette and his party arrived in Norfolk. This began a 3-day visit to Norfolk, Portsmouth/Gosport, and Fort Monroe.
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Here is where we publish articles about the social, political and military history of American society during the Colonial and Early Republic Eras. Where we feel it is needed, we also examine the origins of the subject. From time to time, we will also publish articles regarding Living History interpretative skills.
Please let us know in the comments if you enjoy our posts.
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Jan 255 min read
Native American Medical Practices and Uses of Plants
Editor’s note: The information in this article is strictly for educational purposes and is not a recommendation for the use of any of...
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Dec 14, 20239 min read
The Ghosts of Christmas Puddings Past
Hallo! A great deal of steam! The pudding was out of the copper. A smell like a washing-day! That was the cloth. A smell like an...
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Nov 29, 202318 min read
Healthcare and Medicinal Plants in Early North America
Editor’s note: The information in this article is strictly for educational purposes and is not a recommendation for the use of any of...
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Aug 10, 202314 min read
Where There's Smoke, There's Barbecue
Man has grilled meat over open flames since he first discovered how to make fire. As a result, outdoor cooking has been a part of every...
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Jul 20, 20237 min read
The Origins of the American Picnic
“One of the pleasantest forms of entertainment is a well-arranged picnic (if only a fine day be selected), while nothing is calculated to...
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Apr 7, 202311 min read
Beverages of the 18th and Early 19th Centuries – Part 2 - Coffee
“Coffee fortifies the Stomach and Brain, promotes Digestion, allays the Head-ach, suppresses the Fumes caused by Wine, and other...
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Dec 16, 202211 min read
Eggnog – Origins, History, and How it Caused a Riot
Christmas is just over a week away and so; it is time once again to think about “Christmas traditions.” One of those traditions...
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Jul 2, 202217 min read
Celebration: Patriotic Holidays in Colonial America and the Early United States
On June 17, 2021, President Biden signed legislation making Juneteenth (June 19th) our 11th Federal holiday. Of these there are four...
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May 6, 202211 min read
Outdoor Entertainments – Quoits, The Sport of a Virginia Gentleman.
As a child growing up in the Ohio River Valley, I remember being given a game of “quoits” to play with out in the yard. It consisted of...
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Feb 11, 202213 min read
Every Gentleman's Duty - Toasting in the 18th and Early 19th Century
“A Toast or Sentiment very frequently excites good humor, and revives languid conversation; often does it, when properly applied, cool...
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Jan 28, 202210 min read
The Most Popular Beverage in Early America
Throughout the late summer, fall, and early winter, apple cider (also known as cyder in the past) is everywhere. It is a mainstay of...
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Dec 17, 202111 min read
Christmas Carols in the Early 19th Century
Due to our video-centered culture today, almost any adult, and many children, are familiar with the scene from Charles Dickens’ “A...
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Dec 3, 202121 min read
Personal Honor and Dueling in the Early United States
Introduction Early on the morning of July 11, 1804, Alexander Hamilton boarded a boat with his Second and a physician and set sail from...
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Nov 19, 202113 min read
An Evening Out: Etiquette for the Street, House Parties, and the Dining Room
As we pointed out when we began this series, Regency/Federal Era period etiquette is an extremely broad subject, and we cannot cover...
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Nov 5, 20219 min read
The Formal Visit and the Calling Card
In our last posting, we talked about the Etiquette of the Ballroom in late-18th and early-19th century America and how it was both...
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Oct 21, 202120 min read
Federal Era Ballroom Etiquette – It isn’t all that clear cut.
Our friends at the Regency Society of Virginia are having their annual Trafalgar Victory Ball this coming Saturday October 23, 2021, and...
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Mar 13, 202113 min read
Lotteries as Public Finance
These days, when we want to fund building a public project such as roads, bridges, schools, etc., governments usually to look to issuing...
320 views0 comments
Jan 18, 202115 min read
EDUCATION IN VIRGINIA DURING THE COLONIAL ERA AND THE EARLY REPUBLIC
Throughout 2020 and into the new year, our ideas of what education should look like here in Virginia have been challenged by the effects...
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Jan 4, 202117 min read
Let Us Share a Bowl Together – Punch, the Forerunner of the Modern Cocktail
“A merry Christmas, Bob!” said Scrooge, with an earnestness that could not be mistaken, as he clapped him on the back. “A merrier...
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