Posts by Marc Liebman
One of the World’s First Successful Meritocracies
In 18th Century England, if one was not borne to wealth and privilege, there was another way to win fame and fortune. It was called the Royal Navy. If one…
Read MoreThe Politics of War in 1780 Are Similar to Those in 2021
The machinations of politicians in democratic legislative bodies to stay in power often put them out of touch with what is happening on the battlefield. During the American Revolution, the British government faced the same disconnects between what the generals in the field were telling them and their own political ambitions.
Read MoreValue of Rum in London in 1781
The high profit margins meant there were fortunes to be made by selling rum, sugar and molasses in London in the late 18th Century
Read MoreOrigins of the U.S. Post Office
My bet there’s not one of you who have not cursed the U.S. Postal Service whether you are standing in line. Or, when the cost of postage went up. Or…
Read MoreFar Reaching Impact of the First Militia Acts
Fear that Army officers who were members of the Federalist Party would oppose his actions even take power, Jefferson gets legislation passed that would reduce the Army by 50%.
Read MoreA Well Regulated Militia and the Citizen Soldier
Today, the Army and Air Force National Guard are often called out by either the state’s governor or the President of the U.S. to help in domestic emergencies. The recall…
Read More“I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing …”
It’s 1786, two years after independence was won and in the western part of the Massachusetts, farmers scratched out a living. Barter was the economic model. Farmers would trade farm…
Read MoreWhiskey Tax Leads to Rebellion
Whiskey in the late 18th Century was not only a drink, but a commodity. Outside the towns along the Atlantic Coast, farmers turned surplus corn, wheat, barley, and rye into…
Read MoreImmigration First Became a Political Football in 1798
The fight for independence was almost 15 years in the rear view mirror. Elections under the newly ratified Constitution and Electoral College worked as designed, and George Washington handed over…
Read MoreProblems of Remaining Neutral in 1798
The French Revolution which began in 1789 presented a series of difficult foreign policy challenges for the United States. One of the clauses in the Franco-American 1778 Treaty of Friendship…
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