Archive for the ‘Monday History’ Category
Monday, December 24th, 2007 |
Merriam-Webster Online recently announced the 2007 Word of the Year. The the surprise of many, this year, the word is “w00t.”
For those of you who don’t know what that means, here it is:
w00t (interjection)
expressing joy (it could be after a triumph, or for no reason at all); similar in use to the word “yay”
Why does this have anything to do with history?
Our history is defined by words. The entire history of a battle can change by the inflection in the words that are used to describe it. The selection of w00t by internet voters shows the changing of social lines and the many revisions and gradations of our language over time.
Besides, it’s a holiday and you really don’t want something depressing to read.
So remember, when opening your presents this year, make sure to a W00t!
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Monday, December 17th, 2007 |
We all know the tale of how Abraham Lincoln set out to free the slaves in the South. Along with this goal was the much more practical one of keeping this nation united rather than dividing the economy and setting a precedent for division. However, all that is rather well documented, researched, and debated endlessly. So lets look at a rather more forgotten corner of Civil War history that I found on Wikipedia.
While we were fighting for lofty goals, some generals were not so high minded about all people. General Grant was not the most equal minded person when it came to Jewish communities. One notable example was General Order № 11.
General Order № 11 decreed as follows:
The Jews, as a class violating every regulation of trade established by the Treasury Department and also department orders, are hereby expelled from [the “Department of the Tennessee,” an administrative district of the Union Army of occupation composed of the portions of Kentucky and Tennessee west of the Tennessee River, and Union-controlled areas of northern Mississippi] within twenty-four hours from the receipt of this order.
Post commanders will see to it that all of this class of people be furnished passes and required to leave, and any one returning after such notification will be arrested and held in confinement until an opportunity occurs of sending them out as prisoners, unless furnished with permit from headquarters. No passes will be given these people to visit headquarters for the purpose of making personal application of trade permits.
From Wikipedia
Always remember. It is easy to gloss over the bad events when the overall goal is good. So make double sure to investigate the those events, they serve as great lessons. Or a nice factiod you can use at the next bar you visit.
Posted in Monday History | 1 Comment »
Monday, December 17th, 2007 |
I would like to announce a new type of weekly blog post that will start appearing (as of today, in fact) on Sustainable Democracy.
Monday History
This will be a post dedicated to random US History that I come across. I have decided to include this because I love facts. I have an almost unhealthy obsessions with gathering useless tidbits wherever I go. So since you take the time to come here, I want to give you access to things I come across in my internet stumbling. After all, sustaining and renewing democracy is as much about looking forward as it is about remembering the past.
So please make sure to give the first Monday History post a look!
Posted in Monday History, Updates | No Comments »
