Algarve, the southernmost province in Portugal, was the first stop on our cruise around the Iberian peninsula and I have to admit I did zero research on the history before we left. That was a mistake. Besides being beautiful, the land has a truly interesting history....
After our recent cruise around the Iberian peninsula, the story I’ve told people the most concerns an unfortunate experience with a creative, foul-smelling pickpocket ruse in Málaga, Spain. However, what I personally hope to remember most from the trip was my wonder...
The Battleship North Carolina, more than 36 tons of steel boasting powerful guns and unexpected speed, engaged in every major offensive in Pacific theater during World War II. Now, of course, the guns are quiet, and instead of racing around the Pacific to protect...
In 1774, Philadelphia botanist William Bartram was in the midst of a five year exploration of the southern British colonies of North America, spending most of his time in Florida and Georgia. His descriptions and drawings, later published in a travel journal, inspired...
It usually does not take a lot of historical investigating to find a pagan origin to many of the most sacred Christian holidays. Don’t get me wrong, I believe Easter is a tremendously important and holy celebration. But the timing of the holiday and traditions such as...
Today we celebrate Epiphany, commemorating the moment when the three kings/wise men/magi knelt before the manger to pay homage to baby Jesus. The message of the story is tremendously important, even if most of the historical details are questionable. Were There Three...
The Romans were the first people on record to celebrate Christmas on December 25. Why? After all, many scholars believe that the incidents around the nativity indicate that Jesus was most likely born during spring or late fall, rather than the darkest days of winter....
Halloween originated with the Celtic pagan rituals of Samhain, so it is not a Roman holiday. However, Romans celebrated two days in honor of the dead, and when the Catholic Church started imposing their own holidays on top of existing pagan holidays, they ended up...
You know you’re a true history geek when you want to know about the history of a fake historical thing. Last year, I researched the history of fanciful tiki culture and this year, I started wondering about the origin of the Renaissance festival. Yes, the origin of the...
Dogs often do not appear to enjoy the dog days of summer. It’s hot, and they’re stuck wearing a fur coat that they can only shed one hair at a time. They can’t even sweat to cool off. But the term “dog days” has nothing to do with fur or even dogs. The origin of the...
