Social and Economic
The Origin of the U.S. Dollar
In the 18th Century, there weren’t official exchange rates for currencies. Before and during the American Revolution, in the Thirteen Colonies there were at least 17, that’s right, 17 different…
Read MoreNot Worth a Continental
Before the Battle of Lexington and Concord, currency (paper money) and specie (coins) were regulated by the British Parliament. In 1751, 1764 and as late as 1773, British Currency Acts…
Read MoreTwo Proclamations With Unintended Results
When the American Revolution began, the British knew that to win, they had to disrupt the economy of the Thirteen Colonies which was heavily dependent on exports – lumber, dried…
Read MoreSmallpox, Variolation and George Washington
In the late summer of 1775, two U.S. forces entered Canada. One, led by General Richard Montgomery came north from what is now Vermont and captured Montreal and then headed…
Read MoreEconomic Crisis of the 1780s
Once the celebrations over the signing of the Treaty of Paris were over in the new United States, reality set in. The government was deeply in debt to its citizens…
Read MoreBeer and Freedom
Most people would never associate the two words, but they are closely related. Ben Franklin wrote “in wine there is wisdom, in beer there is freedom and in water, only…
Read MoreInternational Communication Cycle Times in the 18th Century
The pace of life was so much slower in the 18th Century than it is today. There’s no better example than in the time it took to go from Philadelphia…
Read MoreA Duel Takes One of Our Best
In the early days of our country, several national leaders fought duels. Alexander Hamilton’s life was cut short by Aaron Burr and Andrew Jackson survived with a ball carried in…
Read MorePace of Things in 1776
In 2018, we take for granted things such as highways, telecommunications, even something that everyone says they want to get rid of, paper. Hark back to 1776 when the American…
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