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A Deeper Look at the Gettysburg Address
Teaching the Gettysburg Address: Structure, Meaning, and Purpose On November 19, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address at the dedication of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The ceremony honored the Union soldiers...
The 3 Inch Ordnance Rifle – Civil War Artillery
If the 12-pounder Model 1857 Napoleon Gun-Howitzer was the premier smoothbore artillery piece used during the American Civil War, the 3" Ordnance Rifle was the most widely used rifled artillery piece. Another common rifled piece was the 10-pound Parrott Rifle. It can...
William Henry Johnson – Abraham Lincoln’s Valet
On November 19, 1863, President Lincoln's visit to Gettysburg was a whirlwind affair, lasting just 24 hours, yet packed with a relentless schedule. Despite retiring to bed late, Lincoln rose early on the 19th, embarking on a guided tour of the battlefield. The pivotal...
Thomas Nast’s Christmas Eve
Thomas Nast created “Christmas Eve” for Harper’s Weekly in which he portrayed a wife separated from her soldier husband on Christmas Eve 1862. The sketch shows a family split apart by the Civil War. It is also one of the earliest images of Santa, in a sleigh, being pulled by reindeer.
The Story of ‘Jingle Bells’ by Oliver Ditson
One of the cherished tunes that fills the air during the Christmas season originated not as a holiday anthem but as a humorous ditty performed in minstrel shows in the 1850s. “Jingle Bells” is among the most popular American songs of all time. Although it is strongly...
Thanksgiving in 1865
The following woodcut by Winslow Homer depicts the inaugural celebration of Thanksgiving as an official national holiday in the aftermath of the Civil War. In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving as a nationally recognized holiday, marking this...
The History of Thanksgiving in the United States
The History of Thanksgiving in the United States In the early days of the United States, Thanksgiving was declared by Presidents George Washington, John Adams, and James Madison, but it was primarily observed on a state or territory level in the following years....
Laura Keene
Laura Keene, a renowned British-American stage actress, is celebrated for her pivotal role as the first influential female theater manager, instrumental in establishing New York City as the premier theatrical hub in the United States. Her legacy is forever intertwined...