Category Archives: History
America’s birthday is TODAY!
Not July 4, 1776? Right. Not. A group of nine relatively friendly, independent former colonies of England became the United States of America on June 21, 1788—22 years later! Into the world was born a new country (as I wrote … Continue reading
. . . . with freedom and justice for all
Included below are the words of the next-highest official both authorized and sufficiently informed to speak for the Confederate States of America (CSA), Vice President Alexander Stephens. It may strike you as contrary to the picture of a noble southern … Continue reading
America’s risk of autocracy
America’s worrisome step by step slide toward authoritarianism continues with each news cycle. Trump’s paranoia and mendacity are reasons, as is Americans’ vulnerability to any frog-in-heating-water gradualism. There is plenty of blame to go around, as my reading the entire … Continue reading
Happy anniversary, Bill of Rights!
Today, December 15, is the 227th anniversary of the Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution. The first of these ten began with the following words: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or … Continue reading
Tennessee’s monkey trial revitalized
Due to a 1960 movie, Inherit the Wind, many Americans are familiar with the 1925 trial of high school teacher John T. Scopes in Dayton, Tennessee, just north of Chattanooga. Because Scopes had violated the state law against teaching Darwinian … Continue reading
America’s birthday is next week
Not July 4, 1776? Right. Not. A group of nine relatively friendly, independent former colonies of England became the United States of America on June 21, 1788! Into the world was born a new country (so I wrote June 17, … Continue reading
That was then, this is now
When confronted with historical, horrific acts by Christians in the name of Jehovah and Jesus, today’s faithful frequently point out that civilization in general was harsher, more violent, and uneducated than now. Their argument is that previous mayhem was a … Continue reading
Merry Krismas!
I like Christmas. My wife and I normally have a tree and exchange gifts. When our granddaughters were young—and geography and travel permitted—Christmas in alternate years we gathered with my daughters, their husbands, and their kids, with the usual overeating … Continue reading
Our debt to Roger Williams
If you’ve ever held an old and rare book in your hands, you know the thrill I enjoyed for a few hours on August 23. I’m writing this in the Rare Books reading room in the Library of Congress in … Continue reading
Happy birthday, U. S. A.!
Yes, happy 225th birthday on June 21 this month! This date in 1788, not July 4, 1776, was the day the United States became a lawfully constituted new nation of nine states. Into the world was born a unique new … Continue reading
John just thinking . . . . 