Augusta Ada Byron was born on December 10, 1815. She is the only legitimate offspring of the poet, George, Lord Byron and his wife, Anne Isabella (“Annabella”) Milbanke, Lady Wentworth. According to 10 Things You May Not Know about Ada Lovelace, the first words her father to his infant daughter were, “Oh! What an implement [...]
Looking into the Victorians and how they influenced our modern Christmas celebration was so much fun that stopping at five was just not possible! So, here are five more interesting observations. The first of our observations is that the singing of Christmas carols was revived and popularized during the Victorian era. Old words were paired [...]
Christmas celebrations at the beginning of the 19th century were very different from the way we celebrate today. Here are some interesting facts on the evolution of the Christmas holiday and how the Victorians shaped what we now consider a tradition. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert are integral to the evolution of the modern Christmas [...]
No other author conjures thoughts of Christmas like Charles Dickens. His story, A Christmas Carol, has been told and told again each year during Yuletide. It is a classic tale or redemption we enjoy experiencing as part of our holiday tradition. But while most people may be able to discuss the basic plot of the [...]
November 29, 2016 marks Louisa May Alcott’s 184th birthday (1832). Today, she is best remembered for her book, Little Women. Here are some interesting tidbits you might not have known. Louisa May Alcott started publishing poems, short stories, thrillers, and juvenile tales in 1851 under the pen name Flora Fairfield. She also wrote under the [...]
Thanksgiving is probably nearly as old as mankind. From the time we started cultivating crops, farmers have been grateful for the sun, rain, and a good harvest. Its roots can be seen in the harvest feasts of the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. It also is similar to Sukkot, the ancient Jewish harvest festival. Long [...]
Victoria Claflin Woodhull was born on September 23, 1838, the seventh of 10 children born to Roxanna ‘Roxy’ Hummel Claflin and Reuben ‘Old Buck’ Buckman Claflin. Her mother was illegitimate and illiterate. Her father was a con man and snake oil salesman. The family lived in rural Homer, Licking County, Ohio. Life was not easy [...]
Nothing challenged Victorian ideology in the United States more than the Civil War. Women living during Antebellum America were the epitome of domesticity. The industrial revolution changed the way men worked. Men increasingly spent their work time away from home, moving into factories, offices, and shops. In what historians call ‘the Cult of True Womanhood,’ [...]
Sarah Josepha Hale – Poet, Novelist, Editor Within five years of David's death, Sarah published a novel, Northwood. In the novel, she describes the character and manners of New Englanders. One of the traditions she described in her book is very familiar to Americans. Baker shares Sarah's words with us. ”The table, covered with a [...]