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fictionadventurer · 1 year

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People will often say, 'If you could be with Lincoln for dinner, what would you want to ask him? What would be the unanswered question?' And I know I should be asking him, 'OK, suppose you had not been killed, how would you have dealt with the South? How would you have dealt with Reconstruction and all the controversies that arose?' But I know that if I really had him for dinner one night, I would simply ask him, 'Tell me a story, Mr. Lincoln.' Because then I would see him coming alive. He laughed so hard when he told one of his funny stories, his eyes would twinkle. And then I'd know that the Lincoln I knew -- who was somehow able in the worst days of the war to dispel the anxiety of his Cabinet members by his humor and his life-affirming sense of storytelling -- then I’d know I would have seen him alive.

-Doris Kearns Goodwin, Presidential Episode 16

This was where I had to stop the Lincoln episode at the end of my commute, and as I pulled into the parking lot I said to myself, "Wow, that's lovely." A little schmaltzy, perhaps, but I think it gets to the core of why people study history. Sure, there's the intellectual impulse to analyze and understand events with the benefit of hindsight, but deep down, the heart of historical study is a desire to connect with people. To bridge the gulf of time and space and get to know people despite the fact that they lived in a completely different century.

History's not just dry lists of dates and names and theories. It's people. It's personalities. It's quirks and memories and stories. It's knowing that a historical figure isn't just a face on a monument, or a source of information, but a guy who can tell really funny stories. And I wanted to share this quote because it really understands the humanity of history in a way I rarely see expressed.

#history is awesome #presidential talk #i had this woman's lincoln book rented on libby #cuz the library happened to have it and i thought i recognized her name from podcast ep descriptions #with no real intention of ever listening to it but now i may just have to give it a try #it's crazy how i keep thinking 'this era of history's so interesting i don't think i want to move forward in the podcast'#but then i hit the next ep and it fires me up to find out what's next #i thought the lincoln ep would be relatively boring but they take an interesting angle with it #and after all the buildup to pre-civil-war #i'm now desperate to see how they can possibly build things back up now that they finally broke apart #look at me treating american history as if it's a tv show #(of course i know the broad outlines but i'm specifically not refreshing my memory on later details to avoid 'spoilers')#anyway i didn't want to make the main point of the post about catholic things #but i do want to mention here in the tags that this approach to history #is one of the greatest proofs we have of the communion of saints #we have a drive to connect with each other despite coming from different times #we are timeless beings caught up in the flow of time #enough rambles time to post

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tipsywench · 4 months

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I know I've posted it before but I'm such a big fan of this photo of General Sherman. The pose and the way he looks so chill with his book. Perfect photo. Love it.

#william tecumseh sherman #american civil war #historic photos #ive said it before but I LOVE props in these old photos #give that man a book and let him act interested in it

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allysah · 28 days

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he’s so fucken silly help

#thomas lawrence #gettysburg (1993)#gettysburg #american civil war #acw #i’m inching my way through this film at a snails pace #took a pause from book reading (team of rivals) for some film watching

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invincible-selfxmade-punk · 4 days

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PSA #2: BLOOD MERIDAN

If you have ever wondered about the hype over the Cotmac McCarthy book Blood Meridian ----at once hailed as the greatest historically accurate western ever written, and a novel so gore soaked and violent that all attempts to adapt it into a film have completely failed--- and want to know more before you read, or if you are like me and already know you cannot handle the violence, cruelty, and utter desolation of the novel but still want to know what it is about,

THIS IS FOR YOU.

youtube

Watch a little or watch a lot if you are interested into this novel at all this is the video for you.

This channel offers also the greatest analysis of TV movie, and video game villains I have ever seen and I am completely addicted.

Any and every villain you can imagine is analyzed and broken down for their motivations and everything else, in videos that spanned between 20 minutes and 4 hours!!

#cormac mccarthy #blood meridian #histiry #western #pre-civil war #great American fiction #books #reding #bookeornm #every trigger warning you can thibk of #video #bopk analysis #literature #Youtube

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newhistorybooks · 1 year

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"An innovative, astute, and beautifully crafted study of the Jewish experience in the Union Army during the Civil War. Mendelsohn offers original—and often surprising—observations about antisemitism in the army and Jewish attitudes towards military service, religious observance in the field, slavery, and Emancipation. Jewish Soldiers in the Civil War has a broad comparative sweep, employs meticulous scholarship, and is a pleasure to read."

#uwlibraries #history books #american history #jewish history #civil war #military history

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authoradampowell · 13 days

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The Single Hour series is an ongoing series.

The first book is The Single Hour: A Heroic Silver Age.

Dive into a captivating saga of love, loss, and resilience spanning decades. Join an immortal Civil War veteran on his remarkable journey through history's twists and turns, from the battlefields of America's past to the vibrant streets of Germany. Experience the enduring bonds of family, the thrill of heroism, and the chilling specter of a sinister foe from the shadows. With unexpected alliances and heartpounding suspense, this tale will keep you on the edge of your seat.

The second book is The Single Hour: New Hero Age.

Embark on a journey into the heart of mystery and courage with Nolan, the enigmatic guardian of Hartville. In a town where darkness threatens to overwhelm, Nolan emerges as a beacon of light, wielding time limited powers to defend the innocent. From the depths of the woods to the hidden corners of the town, follow his relentless pursuit of justice and protection. However soon Nolan finds himself in an unbeatable situation. Will Nolan's unwavering resolve be enough or will he lose?

There are currently two other books being worked on with a few more planned in the future. This writing is very near and dear to me. I am currently am accepting early sign ups for the third books E-ARC. Please keep an open mind for these books. I promise a lot will make sense as you read further along.

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personal-blog243 · 4 months

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The Book of Mormon musical:

. Portrays black people as stupid, uneducated, dirty, unhygienic, violent, baby-raping, primitive, savages, who thing raping babies is a magical cure for AIDS and have maggots in their scrotums and have never heard of Disney or texting even though white western missionaries visit their town EVERY. SINGLE. FUCKING. YEAR.

. Makes fun of African accents.

. Portrays white supremacist colonialists and imperialists as harmless, innocent, charming, lovable, naïve, well-meaning, nice, goofballs, with individuality and complex personalities and character arcs. (And significantly more lines and stage time).

. Is directed and produced by an almost entirely white crew who did not hire a single African consultant.

. Doesn’t properly subvert the white savior narrative and instead just plays the traditional trope vaguely “ironically”

. Only includes cis-het, abled, white men in all advertisements so you don’t know it’s about Africans until you’ve already bought your ticket. Instead the ads just have a picture of a random doorknob???

Eclipsed: play by Danai Gurira

. Is a powerful play about the Liberian civil war told from the perspective of Liberian women (writtten by Danai Gurira of The Walking Dead and Black Panther). Starring Lupita Nyong’o from Black Panther, The Woman King, 12 years ago slave, and US; it’s historically and culturally accurate and has a message about the ethics of different strategies of activism.

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cmanateesto · 1 year

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A War of Misinformation

Public School taught me that the Mexican-American war was an intervention. To save the country from a dictator, Santa Anna. The US Army rallied to save the oppressed people of Mexico as Santa Anna had taken Texas by force.

Counterpoint: The Mexican-American War was a war supported by false and misconstrued information.

Santa Anna had rallied an army to take Texas. These 300 families of Austin would not stop importing slaves into Texas. The problem is that slavery was illegal in Mexico. Yet these American immigrants insisted upon it despite Mexico's stance.

Mexico would offer opportunities for emancipation. They banned the purchasing and selling of people in 1823. Mexico also passed a law that gave blacks born in Mexico automatic citizenship. This meant that these Anglo-Texan immigrants wouldn't be able to own a slave's child. A custom often practiced in the United States. Yes, if you were a slave and had children, they weren't your children. They were your master's children.

If you're familiar with Reactionary sentiment, they don't take too well to the word "no." So to make concessions for these adult toddlers, Mexico exempted Texas. Texans could own slaves until 1830. The abolitionist sentiment was prevalent within Mexico. It was so prevalent that slavers would force slaves to sign contracts. "No, no they weren't slaves. They were working to pay their debt off."

What I am saying is that if you had to report the crime rate in Texas around the 1830s. White American immigrants would be the biggest sources of crime. They were a backward group of people. While Mexico progressed and attempted to dismantle slavery, White Americans would insist. They would insist upon their draconian and archaic customs despite their surrounding conditions. Would defy the face of a modernizing world in favor of their Manifest Destiny. Manifest Destiny, a crusade against non-Americans. The goal is to gain exclusive ownership of land by any means necessary. Yet it was Mexico who needed an intervention?

I'm only pointing out that some more Conservative media outlets will demonize Mexicans. Some older sources would demonize Catholics. Yet it was Mexicans that founded a country that would abolish slavery before the US.

Slavery was a practice that was becoming irrelevant in the mid-19th century. A practice that would become an issue that killed millions of Americans in a civil war. Yet Mexico needed the intervention?

Because American immigrants were becoming the biggest source of crime in Mexico. Mexican Congress took action to enforce its abolition policy. Congress would reintroduce property taxes which discouraged further immigration. Import Tariffs would slam down on American-imported products. If you're going to insist upon your archaic practice, you can at least pay for it. It's not like you're paying your slaves.

In response, the Texans would declare independence from a country they immigrated to. So yes, Santa Anna brought an Army to suppress an insurrection in Mexico’s country. If Mexicans tried to do the same thing in Texas, New Mexico, or Arizona, the response would be just as forceful. Tucker Carlson would be freaking out in an “I’m not racist but” line of dialogue.

Douglas Hales, "Free Blacks", Handbook of Texas Online, accessed 12 Aug 2009

Douglas W. Richmond, "Vicente Guerrero" in Encyclopedia of Mexico, Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn 1997, p. 617. Santoni, "U.S.-Mexican War", p. 1511.

After Santa Anna had taken the Alamo, the Texans would defeat and capture him. This was what these terrorists explained to Santa Anna. Sign the treaty to confirm Texas' sovereignty or get shot. Under duress, Santa Anna would sign the treaty. Now, remember: U.S. propaganda portrays the Mexican Army as bloodthirsty or cruel. They would never surrender or see reason. So Santa Anna signing the treaty is quite uncharacteristic to what the US said. James Polk insisted that the bloodthirsty Mexicans came over to shoot them. That they only wanted war and conquest, like their Conquistador ancestors. I'm joking, I doubt most Americans could pronounce Conquistador.

Santa Anna brought this treaty back to Mexican Congress. Congress denied this treaty. Now, if you're following American propaganda, of course they denied it. Those bastards will never give up. They're sneaky and two-faced and only want American blood...no, that's not what Congress said.

Yes, many express frustrations about rebels taking Mexican territory that wasn't theirs. The main reason are the conditions in which the treaty took place. Santa Anna signing the treaty was not the negotiation of two nations. Santa Anna signing the treaty had done so ONLY by threat of force. You'll find the United States using this method for many more "treaties." This treaty was not a treaty validated by two nations, this was a hostage situation.

On top of that, the Texas Revolution wouldn't stop in Texas. These militias would send excursions into Arizona and New Mexico which. The Mexican Army had thwarted. Oh...and as far as Santa Anna being this totalitarian snake who ruled Mexico with an iron fist.

The Presidency had changed 4 times, the War Ministry 6 times, and the Finance Ministry 16. Mexico was a volatile country at this point. Politics were getting heated and it was affecting the people living within it. One thing that did unite Mexican politicians was the cession of Texas. They weren't willing to do it. As far as they're concerned, the militias are terrorists fighting for slavery.

Donald Fithian Stevens, Origins of Instability in Early Republican Mexico (1991), p. 11.

Rives, George Lockhart (1913). The United States and Mexico, 1821–1848: a history of the relations between the two countries from the independence of Mexico to the close of the war with the United States. Vol. 2. New York: C. Scribner's Sons.

James Polk decided that the U.S. should go to war with Mexico. It was not a popularly-supported decision at the beginning. Many members of the Whig Party were abolitionists. They knew that by accepting Texas as a part of the United States, Texas would come in as a Pro-Slavery territory.

The Democrats held a strong belief in Manifest Destiny, citing it as a reason to take Texas. The Monroe Doctrine was a policy motivated by Manifest Destiny. This doctrine would claim dibs on North America. This was in response to European powers encroaching on modern-day Oregon. The United States didn't want to contend with European Empires for the land they wanted. Manifest Destiny was a sense of entitlement for these White Americans. God himself had defined this land as theirs. This nationalist mythology would set the West Coast as the final destination. As the world knows, that wouldn't be the end of American exceptionalism.

The Whig opposition to the war wouldn't last. Senators like John Quincy Adams and Abraham Lincoln would debate the validity of the war. Lincoln went as far as to ask Polk for the exact location of the skirmish. Can Polk point out on a map where the Mexican soldiers shot the Texan settlers? If these was to be a cassus beli, the least he could do is provide proof. Polk couldn't produce the proof, so him and his War Hawks turned to more misinformation.

Despite the anti-war rhetoric, the Whigs would vote for the war. Good to know that politicians voted for war even back in 1840. It's a relief to know that politicians then weren't any different than now. So when one says "this is the worst it's ever been" it wasn't. We have fancier toys, but the human condition is still the same.

There were some principled people against the war and they weren’t politicians. Law enforcement arrested Henry David Thoreau for refusing to pay a tax for the war effort. He wrote an essay known as Civil Disobedience, an influential work.

See O'Sullivan's 1845 article "Annexation" Archived November 25, 2005, at the Wayback Machine, United States Magazine and Democratic Review. https://xroads.virginia.edu/~Hyper2/thoreau/civil.html

“I heartily accept the motto, "That government is best which governs least"; and I should like to see it acted up to more rapidly and systematically. Carried out, it finally amounts to this, which also I believe- "That government is best which governs not at all"; and when men are prepared for it, that will be the kind of government which they will have. Government is at best but an expedient; but most governments are usually, and all governments are sometimes, inexpedient. The objections which have been brought against a standing army, and they are many and weighty, and deserve to prevail, may also at last be brought against a standing government. The standing army is only an arm of the standing government. The government itself, which is only the mode which the people have chosen to execute their will, is equally liable to be abused and perverted before the people can act through it. Witness the present Mexican war, the work of comparatively a few individuals using the standing government as their tool; for, in the outset, the people would not have consented to this measure.”

I'd recommend further reading. In another part he compares voting to wishing for change to happen instead of being the change. This essay would influence Martin Luther King Jr and Gandhi. It would also influence lesser-known figures like Alice Pauls. Pauls had campaigned for Women's Suffrage in the United States. This essay also influenced Tolstoy when he wrote War and Peace. It inspired Upton Sinclair when he exposed the lack of sanitation in meat packing.

Maynard, W. Barksdale, Walden Pond: A History. Oxford University Press, 2005 (p. 265). .

My point on leaving this on Civil Disobedience. Many feel limited by their surrounding conditions. It's very easy to do. The United States would commit the public to a war of annexing Mexican territory. It's because they didn't do enough to counter the misinformation. It's because we fear we'll waste our time. We treat our nations as if we have no stake in them. We treat the politicians as another body separate from the people. We slump our heads thinking the nation will act with or without our consent The process of revolution is not narrowed down to a single war or battle. You can achieve a meaningful difference with a holistic approach. Revolution isn't only cannon fodder and blood. Revolution is a mindset. This is why nations try to censor information. This is why Propaganda exists. It doesn't exist to inform, but rather the opposite. If the collective knowledge of the public wasn't important it wouldn't receive funding. The United States defunds its education while pouring money into News outlets. Europe enacts vehement scapegoating of Reactionaries while riling anti-Russian sentiment. They depend on our fear for us to do their bidding. Knowledge is an axe to these intentions. Debate is a grindstone to sharpen our axe. Groups and communities are the forges that provide us with the tools we need.

You are all capable of action. You're all brilliant in your ways. You'll devise solutions that nobody else can think of. Thomas Paine didn't fight one battle in the American Revolution. John Adams didn't have the Military career Alexander Hamilton did. It was Adams who chartered recognition from European powers.

American Council of Education. (2019, March 11). White House proposes significant cuts to education programs for FY 2020. News Room. Retrieved November 25, 2022, from https://www.acenet.edu/News-Room/Pages/White-House-Proposes-Significant-Cuts-to-Education-Programs-for-FY-2020.aspx

bureaus, M. V. I. A. T. T. E. A. U. with A. F. P. (2022, March 11). 'get the hell out': Wave of Anti-Russian sentiment in Europe. Barron's. Retrieved November 25, 2022, from https://www.barrons.com/news/get-the-hell-out-wave-of-anti-russian-sentiment-in-europe-01647018307

Camera, L. (2022, March 9). Congress set to cut funds that made school meals free - US news & world ... US News. Retrieved November 25, 2022, from https://www.usnews.com/news/education-news/articles/2022-03-09/congress-set-to-cut-funds-that-made-school-meals-free

Conte, M. (2021, December 8). US announces funds to support independent journalism and reporters targeted for their work | CNN politics. CNN. Retrieved November 25, 2022, from https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/08/politics/blinken-summit-democracy-journalism/index.html

Rob Portman Press Release. (2016, December 23). President signs Portman-Murphy Counter-propaganda bill into law. Senator Rob Portman. Retrieved November 25, 2022, from https://www.portman.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/president-signs-portman-murphy-counter-propaganda-bill-law

Ferling, John E. (1992). John Adams: A Life. Knoxville, TN: University of Tennessee Press. ISBN 978-0-87049-730-8.

Thoreau argued against any revolution coming “too soon.” Be realistic, what can you finish? Acting reckless without real support does nothing but cause unnecessary risk. Finding truth outside propaganda is our responsibility. We'll inevitably fall prey to one form of propaganda. There are many factions we're a part of. This will come with many biases. Instead of denying bias, be cognizant of it when you approach a topic. Find out what's supported by fact and what's propped by bias.

Thoreau acted when the surrounding society wouldn’t substantiate his belief. This doesn’t make him wrong. You don't owe apathy a consideration. You don't owe a palatable approach to those that have a problem with your conviction. You will take the time to consider all angles while they only accept their confirmation bias. The time for apathy needs to meet its end. We can do so via a fervent pursuit of truth. Do not let them discourage you, keep marching. They'll pick a tune and flag to march to in the end.

Also, let me recommend Howard Zinn’s book People’s History of the United States. He does more justice to American history from the people’s perspective than I ever could.

The Chapter referring to the Mexican-American war is “Thank God it wasn’t taken by Conquest.”

Origins of Instability in Early Republican Mexico (1991), p. 11. Rives, George Lockhart (1913). The United States and Mexico, 1821–1848: a history of the relations between the two countries from the independence of Mexico to the close of the war with the United States. Vol. 2. New York: C. Scribner's Sons.

See O'Sullivan's 1845 article "Annexation" Archived November 25, 2005, at the Wayback Machine, United States Magazine and Democratic Review. https://xroads.virginia.edu/~Hyper2/thoreau/civil.html

Maynard, W. Barksdale, Walden Pond: A History. Oxford University Press, 2005 (p. 265). Ferling, John E. (1992). John Adams: A Life. Knoxville, TN: University of Tennessee Press. ISBN 978-0-87049-730-8.

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uwmspeccoll · 2 years

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Science Saturday: Comparing two editions of Gunn’s New Domestic Physician

In keeping with our focus on book history here in Special Collections, when the library holds multiple editions of the same book, I try to pull them all, note changes, and try and place those changes in their historical context. When looking over our two copies of Gunn’s New Domestic Physician, (Gunn’s New Domestic Physician or, Home Book of Health [Cincinnati: Moore, Wilstach & Keys & Co.; 1861] and Gunn’s New Domestic Physician or, Home Book of Health [Cincinnati: Moore, Wilstach & Baldwin; 1864]) I immediately noticed the added emphasis on home nursing care and “the sick room” in the 1864 edition. By 1864, the nation had been steeped in several years of Civil War, and a publishers note confirmed my hypothesis that the addition of information on home nursing care was spurred on by the war:

“an entirely new treatise is given, forming a complete guide to the management of the sick room” . . . “to relieve the suffering, perhaps of those who have sickened in camp, or been stricken down on the field of battle, is certainly a noble mission!”

Relatively forgotten today, the physician John C. Gunn (c. 1800 - 1863) was a household name for many 19th century Americans, particularly in the South, and especially in rural and frontier communities where a trained medical professional was often out of reach. While some contemporary reviews of the book by the medical establishment chided Gunn for “attempting to impress upon the reader that the grave responsibility of human life and health may be assumed by any person of common sense,” many 19th century Americans simply did not have access to trained doctors, nor was training and licensing of physicians standardized until the early 20th century. That might help explain the enduring popularity of Gunn’s work. Written in plain language for an general audience, the book was first published as Gunn’s Domestic Medicine or, Poor Man’s Friend in Knoxville in 1830, and 234 subsequent editions followed, the last published in New York in 1920.

Both of our editions are based on the first major revised and enlarged edition, marking the title change from Gunn’s Domestic Medicine to Gunn’s New Domestic Physician, first published in 1857 by Moore, Wilstach & Keys & Co. of Cincinnati. While the anatomical and botanical prints are consistent between the editions, an assortment of etchings also accompany the text, none of which are repeated between our two editions. Those shown above (images four and seven) are at least related to the subject matter. Others, with captions like “Charity,” “Cheerfulness,” and “Hope,” seem more aligned with this 1858 review (presumably of the 1857 revised edition on which are two copies are based) in The Western and Southern Medical Recorder that observers:

“adorning the book, is a gallery of pictures, which do not seem to have any particular connection with the reading matter, but, as we suppose, were introduced to use up some old stock of prints that the publishers had left from some other enterprise.”

For any researchers (or 19th-century medicine enthusiasts) local to Wisconsin looking for a deeper dive on this piece of Americana, the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire holds a facsimile of the first edition of Gunn’s Domestic Medicine or, Poor Man’s Friend, published in Knoxville in 1986 by the University of Tennessee Press. The University of Wisconsin - Madison holds a 1866 German language edition, Gunn’s Neuer Hausarzt, oder, Handbuch der Gesundhheit, also published by Moore, Wilstach & Baldwin.

Find more Science Saturday posts here.

-Olivia, Special Collections Graduate Intern

#Science Saturday #Gunn's New Domestic Physician #Gunn's Domestic Medicine #Poor Man's Friend #Home Book of Health #John C. Gunn #19th century publishing #Moore Wilstach & Baldwin #Moore Wilstach & Keys & Co.#19th century books #rural medicine #frontier life #American Civil War #frontier medicine #olivia

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