http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/george-washington-dies
Teresa L. Watts
Modern society holiday traditions are marked by lights, lighted trees, gifts, parties, and fattening up the fourth quarter of retailers bottom lines. Where did it come from? How did it all begin? With so much focus on the birth of Christ the meaning of Christmas lost the real meaning of the Holiday Season. Through the research of this writer, well the mention of the bible wasn’t the only focus of the season. There were other sides to celebrating the holiday’s. Of course Church was a primary focus of how people lived, but celebrating the holiday had other meanings as well. (I’m not trying to debunk the meaning of Christmas so don’t start blasting me with religious beliefs and I’ve lost my way comments. Each person has their own meaning of the holiday’s, this post is about the HOLIDAY SEASON not Christmas Day. I’m just a curious person who seeks American history traditions)
There are many stories and theories of how the holiday’s marked the mid-winter festive season. When did Santa Claus come about (American Tradition) How did the Christmas tree with a star on top come about? (German, then became widespread around the world from a photo in Windsor Castle in 1848) and why do we display a circle greenery of garland on our door? (Dated back as far as the ancient Romans). Source:(http://www.history.org/almanack/life/christmas/hist_customs.cfm)
The holiday season meant celebration of balls, fox hunts, and festive socializing. Since the mid-winter season is bleak and dreary adding greenery with berries spruced up homes and towns adding joy. Candles placed on town trees and in the windows provided a cheery glow.
In modern society we get the ball rolling early, the day after Thanksgiving let the festivities begin! Well okay now the day before, well no actually doesn’t it start in October now?
In Early America the holiday season began on December 25th, marking the 12 days of Christmas concluding on January 6th. Early America didn’t celebrate New Year’s as we do today. It really comes up as just another day on the calendar, writer Lou Powers commented “these were the days before Times Square and Guy Lombardo wasn’t born yet”… (loved that line). The song The Twelve Days of Christmas it has been said didn’t have anything to do with the holiday’s, the song came about to teach children how to count… (this before Count Dracula and Sesame Street)
One of the holiday traditions that started in Early America and still happens to this day are candles in the window. The candles were lit at 5:00 pm and flickered until 10:00 PM from December 25th until January 6th.
My home in 2010, photo by Teresa Watts
For me, this is the best tradition and gives me the holiday spirit. During my research road trip last fall the discovery of Deborah Sampson putting a lighted candle in every window of her home was how she decorated for Christmas, all 37 of ‘em. On our way back west I started noticing candles in the windows alongside the roads we traveled. I found this fascinating! Putting a lit candle in your window is a fire hazard, hands down no one can argue with that. As modern technology now provides battery and electric candles for your safety. To me this is more decorative and festive for the holidays than blasting your house with strings of lights, not to mention the power bill (eeks).
Gift giving good ‘ole American tradition. Christmas gift were not “exchanged” but servants and children were given a special treat and it was only one sided.
So why was this time of year for celebration? Well harvesting was done, planting seeds were done, the ground was covered with snow so you really couldn’t do anything, maybe it was the time of year that everyone took a break and got together to catch up and rest. Gathering for balls, feast and socializing was the perfect way to end the year. That’s my theory.
The Holiday Season is about being thankful for all that we have; family, good health, good food, and good friends. Enjoy and Good Cheer!!
Teresa L. Watts
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It’s no wonder Nevada is a gambling state. President Abraham Lincoln granted Nevada statehood on October 31, 1864. On this day November 8, 1864 President Abraham Lincoln was re-elected.
The gamble? The president seeking re-election needed the three Electoral votes and with only eight days left until the Presidential election, it was a gamble and he came out victorious.
At the July 4th convention in Carson City in 1864 the Nevada Constitution was created and approved by the end of the convention on July 28th. Union sympathizers were so eager to become a state they telegraphed the constitution to Congress instead of sending it by train out of concern it would not make it in time for the presidential election. The cost to send the 16,543 word document, $4,303.27. The costliest telegraph in history. A record held for 17 years until 1881 when the English Standard Version of the New Testament knocked us right off the grid with 118,000 words. (the irony of Good vs. Evil)
Page one of the Nevada Constitution 
The signature page.
At the time to be considered a state, a population of 40,000 was required, Nevada had less than 20,000. Then and in today times that would be considered one shady deal. Lincoln was not challenged on his decision to grant Nevada statehood. Our country was four years into the Civil War, how our motto of the “Battle Born State” became, and the west held high prosper hopes with the discovery of Silver and Gold in the mountainous regions for settlers and the countries desire to end the War.
Before 1858 Mormon settlers controlled then Utah territories and communities were ran on faith, the accidental discovery of Silver in the hills of Virginia City by James Finney, known as the Comstock Lode, (the first discovery of silver ore in the United States) meant boom towns and prosperous fortunes. Come one come all! By 1870 Nevada population grew 562% to over 42,000 people.
Nevada is known as Sin City and the constant struggle of Good vs. Evil existing since the beginning of our history. Nevada is the 4th largest producer of Gold, ranked 7th of the largest states with 110,562 square miles and number 35 on the highest populated states with 2.7 million residents. 1.7 million residing in the Las Vegas Valley according to the 2010 Census.
I normally write about women in US History. Today on the anniversary of President Abraham Lincolns re-election and the connection to Nevada well it seemed a good fit for writing about this portion of our American History.
Happy Writings!
Teresa L. Watts,
Author
In 1920, Tennessee ratified the amendment to the constitution with two-thirds majority vote, making it law. The women’s suffrage movement organized 70 years earlier worked to win the right to vote one state at a time. In 1848, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott organized 200 women to Seneca Falls, NY to speak on the importance of women to receive the right to vote. The most noted Seneca Falls Convention. The women’s suffrage movement was created.
I am an amateur historian intrigued with women in our history. I disagree with the historical notes of women deciding to take a stance on the right to be heard as early as 1848.
Today I’m going to step back further 282 years prior to 1920 to the 1600s, 1638 to be exact.
Lord Baltimore, the proprietor of Maryland, solicited the wealthy Brent Family to his colony with a promise of large land grants and to live free of anti- Catholic discrimination. The family consisted of two daughters and two sons. You have probably never heard of this family because the sons are not the power players in the settling of Maryland. The eldest sister Margaret however is.
Mistress Margaret Brent, Spinster ran her own plantation without the help of her brothers. Sister Mary also had her own. Business minded Margaret often handled the collection of monies due to her and her brothers. Before bar and medical associations anyone who had knowledge was considered a lawyer or doctor. Margaret Brent took 134 cases to court with the percentage of wins far exceeding losses.
Her knowledge of the law, quick wit and business savvy organization caught the attention of Lord Calvert, Maryland’s Governor. A strong friendship that lasted many years with Margaret often his political advisor. (What did she just write, a powerful woman behind a political figure. Before First Ladies women had great influence over political heads.) This friendship put Margaret center stage in an all male world of politics, what could they do but listen to her. She was appointed by the Governor of the colony. Can’t argue with that. To really topple society’s rules in 1647 on his death bed Lord Calvert with witnesses present made Margaret Brent his sole executrix.
Margret’s powerful political position wasn’t so widely accepted with the power players of the colonies. This did not bother her. She had a job to do and she did it. Maryland was in a state of unrest and she fulfilled her request as instructed by Lord Calvert. He appointed Thomas Greene to the governorship which Calvert’s enemies hoped to unseat and take over the colony and organized a revolt. Brent stepped it by selling of some of Baltimore’s cattle and paid the military their back wages. This ended the revolt. Many felt Brent should have been seated over Greene.
Although she did not seek the political position, she did as a first in the colonies and first in history, went before the Maryland Assembly asking for two votes. One, to be recognized as Calvert’s executrix and two, to be named as Lord Baltimore’s attorney. Greened denied both votes.
Margaret Brent completed her task as executrix and attorney sort of behind the scenes. Then selling her plantation and moving to Virginia and established a second plantation, named Peace. She continued successful business ventures, but refrained from becoming involved in politics.
It was later the assembly told Lord Baltimore,If it hadn’t been for Brent’s action “all would have gone to ruin.”
Today in history 91 years later, we celebrate the ratification of the 19th Amendment with the law giving women the right to vote and the right to hold office. As with all the women I write about in American history, the unrecognized, the forgotten ones who set the foundation for our accomplishments of today. I celebrate Margaret Brent for her outstanding tenacity and dedication in getting the job done. Standing for what her beliefs were regardless of the barriers before her. With the simple mindset of “I know what needs to be done, so let’s get it done.”
Happy Writings and readings,
Teresa L. Watts
Author
August 7, 1782 George Washington created the purple heart in Newburgh, New York. The commander in chief of the Continental Army created the “Badge of Military Merit” out of purple silk in the shape of a heart. He awarded only three known soldiers during the Revolution, Elijah Churchill, William Brown, and Daniel Bissell, Jr..
The record “Book of Merit” was lost and the decorated honor forgotten about until 1927, when US Army chief of staff General Charles P. Summerall drafted a bill to congress named “revive the Badge of Merit” – it never passed.
In 1931 Summerall’s successor, General Douglas MacArthur involved the Washington Commission of Fine Arts and together reopened the cause and redrafted a second bill to congress urging them to pass in time to commemorate the bicentennial birth of George Washington.
The honor to design the Purple Heart was awarded to Elizabeth Will, an Army heraldic specialist in the Office of the Quartermaster General. She received specific general directions and sketched a bust of George Washington on the purple heart shaped medal. Sculptor, John R. Sinnock of Philadelphia Mint, created a plaster mold from the sketch in May of 1931. On the reverse side in a raised bronze heart are the words MILITARY MERIT.
On February 22,1932, the US War Department announced the creation of the “Order of the Purple Heart.” By Executive Order of the President of the United States and by the War Department General Orders No. 3, George Washington was honored out of respect to his memory and for military achievements.
The Purple Heart is the oldest American decoration awarded for military merit to any and all US armed forces who are wounded or killed during combat.
Author’s Note: As an author of American History I would like to honor the 30 military personnel who were shot down during a mission in Afghanistan as reported on Friday August 5,2011 with my virtual Purple Heart. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of our honored heroes.
Teresa L. Watts
Author
July 26, 1775 marks the official date the United States established their own postal service separate from the crown. One of many first steps for America’s Independence. The Continental Congress appointed Benjamin Franklin as the first official Postmaster General. He established the route from Maine to Florida and then called as it is today Route 1.
When George Washington died on December 14, 1799 it took seven days to reach everyone in our country. By then his funeral had already taken place on December 18th in Mount Vernon Virginia and Mrs. Washington had burned all the letters of correspondence between the two of them.
In colonial days correspondence was dependent on friends, family and Native Americans to deliver your written words. That was in America, now some correspondence had to be delivered by ship to another country. Probably why families lived together during their lifetime, otherwise how the heck would you know what was going on?
When William Bradford anchored the Mayflower in Massachusetts and his wife died from drowning he “immediately” sent a proposal of marriage to widow Alice Carpenter Southworth in England. There was a whole lot of time to pass waiting to find out if your to be wife accepted and arrived.
Imagine the time frame it took for our country to learn who was the next president? Or the night Lincoln was shot? Think about how families continued on with their day to day lives only to gasp in disbelief days or even weeks later?
Today we have instant messaging, email and of course Facebook and Twitter to know instantly what happened all over the world. I read on twitter that Amy Winehouse died before the news even announced her passing.
The publishing world is taunted as one big mess with e-books taking over the mainstream. But let us take into account, although the written word is instant, having a physical device to read it on is still a service needed by truck or air. We are not Jennie or Bewitch to nod and twitch the product to appear. So not everything is instant access. As Literary Agent Jennifer Weltz of Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency stated in her keynote speech at the Historical Novel Society Conference. “More people are reading because now they can read a book on their blackberry, iPhone, and e-reading devices.”
Imagine how people rallied over the creation of the Postal Service in 1775. Now they had a dependable service to deliver the written word.
In my WIP novel Masque of the Revolution, Anella Bradford is a Culper Ring Spy who has been reactivated after the war. It took the messenger near a week to deliver the news to her. By then her asset could have been killed and she wouldn’t have a clue why. Let’s take a comical note on this. Anella is attending the funeral of someone she knows and the messenger shows up to inform her she was supposed to protect them? She responds “Yeah about that.”
The Postal Service having it’s celebratory days and near non-existence days of today, take a moment to thank our founding fathers of our great country for coming up with idea to begin with. When you are standing in line complaining how much of your day you have to devote to getting happy gifts to your loved ones in two days or less, remember the early days when you had to organize this affair MONTHS in advance.
Happy Writings and Reading
Teresa L. Watts
