This week at In The Past Lane, in honor (if that's the right word) of Tax Day, we take a close look at the history of the fraught relationship between Americans and their taxes. This episode features three segments: 1) an interview with historian William Hogeland about his terrific book on one … [Read more...]
Episode 009 Taxes and Tax Revolts in US History and More
Hercules Mulligan, Patriot Mentor and Spymaster
Who was Hercules Mulligan? Well, he certainly was a man with one of the great names in American history. Hercules Mulligan – you can’t make up a name like that. But beyond that great name, Hercules Mulligan has existed as a mere footnote for the last 200+ years of American history. That is, until … [Read more...]
Of Plague and Pilgrims: The Grim Story Behind the First Thanksgiving
As Thanksgiving approaches, we can expect many newspaper articles and television programs detailing the story behind the holiday’s origins. The accurate ones will explain how the first Thanksgiving in 1621 bore little resemblance to the scenes represented in paintings—e.g., Pilgrims and Native … [Read more...]
What Have We Got to Hide? The Origins of Secret Balloting in America
This month, when Americans head to the polls to elect men and women to public offices, they will cast their ballots in secret, beyond the watchful eyes of their fellow citizens. Few Americans would have it any other way. We are accustomed to think of voting as a very private matter, akin to a visit … [Read more...]
How Mosquitoes Helped Win the Battle of Yorktown
Every summer Americans spend millions of dollars to destroy, or at least repel, the pesky mosquito. As a people, we hate mosquitoes. But we might be a little less hostile toward these creatures if we realized the role mosquitoes played in winning the American Revolution. Certainly the … [Read more...]
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