Tag: Non Fiction

Podcast - Stories of American History, Timeline of United States History

General Charles Cornwallis Arrives America

General Charles Cornwallis, along with squadron of about ten warships accompanied by a fleet of thirty transports, arrived off the coast of Cape Fear on May 3, 1776.
Fleet Disbursed
The fleet had departed Cork, Ireland on February 12, but had run into storms five days after departure. The storms scattered the fleet, which included Ethan Allen, held prisoner below deck of HMS Soledad. The Fleet, commanded by Commodore Peter Parker, was still incomplete, as many ships were still at sea.
Charles Cornwallis – (December 31, 1738 – October 5, 1805)
The son of Charles Cornwallis, 5th Baron Cornwallis and Elizabeth Townsend, Charles was native to Governor Square in London, England. Cornwallis received his secondary education at Eton College and Clare College, Cambridge. Continue reading General Charles Cornwallis Arrives America

Exploring Indiana Series, Podcast - Indiana Places and History

Visiting Indiana’s Public and Botanical Gardens

Indiana possesses a wealth of botanical gardens, allowing plant researchers to study the plants growing there as well as provide casual visitors a place to learn about, and enjoy, them. Readers of Indiana Botanical Gardens will discover the history of botanical gardens in addition to listings of the world’s, United States and Indiana’s botanical gardens. Continue reading Visiting Indiana’s Public and Botanical Gardens

Podcast - Stories of American History, Podcast - United States History Timeline, Timeline of United States History, United States History Series

Britain Hires German Mercenaries

To help buttress their Army the British imported large numbers of German mercenary troops to fight. Prince William of Hesse-Hanau had agreed to send troops to America in early February. On April 20, 1776, Prince Frederick Karl August, prince of the German principality of Waldeck, agreed to send 670 infantrymen to America. Continue reading Britain Hires German Mercenaries

Podcast - Stories of American History, Timeline of United States History

War Between the Colonies – The Yankee and Pennamite War

Greetings, in this episode I discuss a dispute over land erupted between the Yankees and Pennamites in 1775.
The Wyoming Valley in the Appalachian area of northeastern Pennsylvania became the focus of warring factions from Connecticut and Pennsylvanians after the French and Indian War ended in 1763. The colonists had driven the Delaware tribe out of the coveted valley after the death of Teedyuscung, King of the Delaware in 1763. Problems among the white colonists arose because of a mistake made one hundred years earlier by King Charles II. Continue reading War Between the Colonies – The Yankee and Pennamite War

Sample Chapter, United States History Series

Classification of the Colonies

The classifications of the colonies the British established in the New World consisted of 3 types, proprietary, charter and crown colonies.
Proprietary Colonies
Most of the colonies began life as a proprietary colony. Theoretically, the Crown owned all the land in the colony. Under the proprietary system, the monarch granted a man, or group of men via a charter, the rights to manage a defined region of land. The man, or group, were known as proprietors and the group was called a corporation. He/they had the right to appoint governors, set up courts, organize assemblies and otherwise manage the colony. This was the earliest type of colony. Many of the proprietors did not live in, or even visit, the colony they managed. This type of colony proved inefficient, and most were later converted to royal colonies. Continue reading Classification of the Colonies

Podcast - United States History Timeline, Timeline of United States History

British Evacuate Boston

The British evacuation began at four o’clock AM. By ten o’clock AM they had loaded 10,000 troops and about 1500 Loyalist citizens that wished to depart Boston on ships. Howe issued orders when the evacuation began to burn the city if the rebels interfered with the evacuation. The British had 120 ships on hand to use to transport the people and soldiers to a temporary sanctuary in Halifax, in Nova Scotia. They left a large quantity of supplies behind. A short time after the Union Jack had disappeared; soldiers of the Continental Army marched into Boston, flags flying and fifes playing “Yankee Doodle Dandy.”
A wary General Washington, fearing British attack on New York, dispatched five regiments of his troops towards that city with General William Heath in command. Continue reading British Evacuate Boston

Podcast - Indiana Places and History, Road Trip Indiana Series

Congressional Medal of Honor Memorial

Landscape architects Ann Reed and Eric Fulford received the commission to design the Memorial. Workers began preparing the site in November 1998 with actual construction beginning in January 1999. The memorial consists of two overlapping circular arcs. Access to the memorial is by concrete ramps and stairs. It is about 800 feet long and 48 feet wide. The dedication took place on Memorial Day, May 28, 1999. The Memorial honors the nations Medal of Honor’s recipients. Continue reading Congressional Medal of Honor Memorial

Podcast - United States History Timeline

British General Howe’s Unpleasant Surprise

March 2, 1776 – Americans Begin Shelling British Troops In Boston
At the beginning of 1776 the situation at Boston in the early stages of the American Revolution was an uneasy draw. British troops controlled the city and the harbor. American troops surrounded the city. The high hills of Dorchester Heights commanded the city, but neither side wanted to occupy them. The British commander, General William Howe, remembered the results of the earlier battle, the Battle of Bunker Hill. Though the British won that battle, the results were horrendous. British losses had been high as they suffered 226 killed, 828 wounded, these mostly officers. Howe decided another victory like that would ruin him.
General George Washington wanted to take the hills, but his army was under equipped, having little artillery. About 2000 of his 9000 man army had no muskets. The Continental Army was not ready for such a maneuver. Continue reading British General Howe’s Unpleasant Surprise

Podcast - Indiana Places and History, Road Trip Indiana Series

Visiting Hayes Arboretum

The Nature Center, located in a former dairy barn, offers plenty to do for an afternoon’s relaxation. A bird viewing room is equipped with comfortable chairs and a large window overlooking a bird feeding station. Birds of all kinds and squirrels can be seen actively feeding at the various types of bird feeders. The Nature Center is located in an old renovated dairy barn that was originally constructed in 1833. Continue reading Visiting Hayes Arboretum

Podcast - Indiana Places and History, Road Trip Indiana Series

Madonna of the Trail Monument

Forming a Committee
The DAR National organization appointed a committee to come up with an idea to honor the hardy pioneer mothers that journeyed west with their families to settle the west. The committee first proposed to have painted wooden markers along the route of the National Road Trail honoring the women. This idea was superseded by the concept of placing 12 statues in various states along the route. The DAR commissioned August Leimbach to sculpt the statues. Composed of Missouri granite, the statues are identical and are 10 feet high and weigh 5 tons. There is one statue in each of state, each of which is along the National Old Trails Road. Continue reading Madonna of the Trail Monument

Podcast - United States History Timeline, Timeline of United States History, United States History Series

1776 – The Week of February 1 – 7

King George Appointed Admiral Richard Howe as Commander of North American Operations on February 2, 1776. After completing his studies at Eton Coollege, he entered the British Navy in 1740 at the age of 14. He rose in rank, attaining the rank of Rear Admiral in 1765. Sympathetic to the colonies, Howe had opposed many of the provisions of the Stamp Act. He collaborated with Benjamin Franklin, whom he had become acquainted with while Franklin lived in London, with a peace plan that failed. Continue reading 1776 – The Week of February 1 – 7

Podcast - Indiana Places and History, Road Trip Indiana Series

Visiting the Joseph Moore Museum at Richmond Indiana

Joseph Moore (February 29, 1832 – July 09, 1905)
The son of John Parker and Martha Cadwalader Moore, Joseph was native to Washington County, Indiana. After completing his elementary school education he attended the Friends Boarding School in Richmond, Indiana 1853. He would serve as an assistant teacher while attending the school. After graduating he worked as a teacher in various schools until 1859, when he enrolled at Harvard. He graduated from Harvard with a Bachelor of Science degree. Continue reading Visiting the Joseph Moore Museum at Richmond Indiana

Podcast - United States History Timeline, Road Trip Indiana Series

Pivotal Event in American History – Thomas Paine Publishes Common Sense

January 10, 1776 “Common Sense” By Thomas Paine Published
Few men were as influential to the cause of American independence as Thomas Paine. His forty-seven page pamphlet “Common Sense,” published in 1776, became the most read pamphlet in the colonies. Many historians feel that most of the 2.5 million Americans either read it, or had it read to them. Many estimate that printers published over 400,000 copies. Many newspapers at the time printed the entire text of the document. Continue reading Pivotal Event in American History – Thomas Paine Publishes Common Sense