About.com 19th Century History

Lincoln's Proclamation Made Thanksgiving Official

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 10:13:46 +0000

Thanksgiving was celebrated in America throughout the early 1800s, but it was a regional holiday, with states in the northeast observing it but often on different days. That all changed in 1863 when Abraham Lincoln, after some urging, issued a proclamation making Thanksgiving a national holiday.

The woman who convinced Lincoln to issue his Thanksgiving proclamation was Sarah J. Hale, the editor of a popular woman's magazine, Godey's Lady's Book. She had campaigned for years to make Thanksgiving a national holiday, and a letter she sent to Lincoln in September 1863 seems to have convinced him.

Lincoln, who was no doubt thinking of ways to unite the nation during the height of the Civil War, issued a proclamation in early October 1863 specifying that the last Thursday in November would be a national day to give thanks. Newspapers in the north printed the proclamation, and thus began the tradition of a national Thanksgiving holiday.

Image: Editor Sarah J. Hale, who urged Lincoln to issue a Thanksgiving proclamation/courtesy New York Public Library Digital Collections.

Lincoln's Proclamation Made Thanksgiving Official originally appeared on About.com 19th Century History on Thursday, November 26th, 2009 at 10:13:46.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Anniversary of Darwin's On the Origin of Species

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:35:05 +0000

This week marks the 150th anniversary of the publication of On the Origin of Species, Charles Darwin's landmark treatise on evolution. In London bookshops on November 24, 1859 history was changed forever when curious people arrived to buy the new and startling book.

Charles Darwin had spent decades preparing to write his great work, amassing evidence in solitude as well as sailing around the world on a research vessel, H.M.S. Beagle. When the book finally appeared it sold out almost immediately and another edition was soon being printed.

On the Origin of Species generated countless controversies as, among other things, it contradicted the literal interpretation of the Biblical story of creation. Darwin remained mostly aloof from the firestorms, preferring to continue his research and writing.

Despite furious opposition to Darwin's ideas, his theories were vindicated. And when he died in 1882 he was hailed as a great scientist and was buried with state honors at Westminster Abbey.

Illustration: Charles Darwin/Library of Congress

Anniversary of Darwin's On the Origin of Species originally appeared on About.com 19th Century History on Monday, November 23rd, 2009 at 10:35:05.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Anniversary of the Gettysburg Address

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:35:34 +0000

Today marks the anniversary of one of the most quoted speeches in history, Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.

The speech was brief, and Lincoln only needed a few minutes to deliver it on November 19, 1863 during a ceremony to dedicate a military cemetery at the site of the Battle of Gettysburg.

At a time of great crisis, with the Civil War grinding on at enormous cost in human life, Lincoln desired an opportunity to make a statement about the war and its purpose. And when invited to speak at the event in Gettysburg, Lincoln crafted a profound text.

In less than 300 words, Lincoln gave a moral justification for the Civil War and presented his ideal image of an American government "of the people, by the people, for the people..."

The Gettysburg Address was distributed widely throughout the north, and it became an iconic statement of American purpose.

Photograph: Abraham Lincoln, portrait by Alexander Gardner, November 1863/Library of Congress

Anniversary of the Gettysburg Address originally appeared on About.com 19th Century History on Thursday, November 19th, 2009 at 10:35:34.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

The War in Afghanistan, Circa 1870s

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:35:08 +0000

Stories of foreign troops battling in Afghanistan while diplomats try to find a strong leader for the remote and rugged country sound like today's headlines. Yet they perfectly describe Britain's war in Afghanistan in the late 1870s.

When the British invaded Afghanistan for the second time it wasn't to fight the Afghans so much as it was to thwart the Russian Empire. The feeling in London was that Russia wanted to eventually move southward and seize Britain's prize possession, India.

When the British Army marched into Afghanistan in late 1878 things actually went too well at first. A weak Afghan leader agreed to conditions he couldn't enforce, and the British soon faced a disaster in Kabul that could have rivaled the horrendous winter retreat from the Afghan capital in 1842.

After a year of both miscalculation and heroics, the result of the Second Anglo-Afghan War was that Britain installed an Afghan leader who would keep the country stable. And the Russians were denied a stepping-stone to the riches of British India.

Photograph: General Roberts, hero of Kandahar/Library of Congress

The War in Afghanistan, Circa 1870s originally appeared on About.com 19th Century History on Monday, November 16th, 2009 at 11:35:08.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

The 19th Century Is Now the Height of Fashion

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:46:28 +0000

A report in the Fashion and Style section of the New York Times makes it official: the 19th century is the current big trend. Seriously. Apparently fashion is looking backward, and what's trendy today are designs with their roots in the 1800s.

As the Times puts it:

As with home design, where curio cases, taxidermy and other stylish clutter of the Victorian era have been taken up by young hipsters, many of today's popular men's styles have their roots in the late 19th century. There are the three-piece suits once favored by mustachioed Gilded Age bankers; the military greatcoats and boots of Union officers; and the henley undershirts, suspenders, plaid flannel shirts and stout drill trousers worn by plain, honest farmers.

The article notes that "obsolete hobbies" such as wet-plate photography are "finding new enthusiasts." And deer hunting with muskets is even catching on.

As someone who spends a lot of time thinking about the 19th century, I'm amused, and even happy, to hear all this. I love the 1800s, and would like to think everyone else does.

But of course I'm also skeptical, and part of me just assumes that the trend seekers are passing through, picking up on some things that seem fascinating before losing interest and finding something else to obsess over. But, for however long it lasts, it's nice to know that the 19th century is trendy.

The 19th Century Is Now the Height of Fashion originally appeared on About.com 19th Century History on Thursday, November 12th, 2009 at 23:46:28.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

The Election Denounced as "The Corrupt Bargain"

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:10:07 +0000

If you think overheated political rhetoric is something new, consider a classic controversy that rocked American politics long before the appearance of cable channels. The presidential election of 1824 featured four candidates, and when the voting ended in November there was no winner.

The Constitution provides a solution, a presidential election to be held in the House of Representatives. In early 1825 that turned into a monumental drama with three strong characters, Andrew Jackson, John Quincy Adams, and Henry Clay, who happened to be the speaker of the house.

When the dust settled, John Quincy Adams was the new president. Andrew Jackson, never known to miss a chance to erupt in anger, denounced the entire affair as "The Corrupt Bargain." Jackson accused Clay of throwing the election to Adams in return for the position of secretary of state in the new Adams administration.

Jackson's accusations could never be proven, but his rage fueled his campaign against John Quincy Adams in the election of 1828, which was arguably the dirtiest campaign ever waged for the American presidency.

Image: Andrew Jackson/Library of Congress

The Election Denounced as "The Corrupt Bargain" originally appeared on About.com 19th Century History on Monday, November 9th, 2009 at 11:10:07.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Anniversary of Lincoln's Election

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:12:52 +0000

On November 6, 1860 Abraham Lincoln was elected president in one of the most significant elections in American history. Lincoln, who had barely been known outside Illinois a year earlier, had engineered a brilliant campaign which took off after he gave a speech in New York City that made him a suddenly prominent voice against slavery and the politicians who accepted it.

Lincoln was elected without a single electoral vote from the south. And the news of his election as president prompted a number of southern states to make good on their threats to secede from the Union. By the time of Lincoln's inaugural address in March 1861, the first cannon shots of the Civil War were only weeks away.

The 1800s could boast a number of significant elections, but the campaign and election of 1860 will always stand apart. A candidate came from obscurity, stunned a number of more prominent politicians, and won a triumph that would forever resonate.

Photograph: Abraham Lincoln in 1860/Library of Congress

Anniversary of Lincoln's Election originally appeared on About.com 19th Century History on Friday, November 6th, 2009 at 22:12:52.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Why Do Americans Vote on a Tuesday in November?

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:27:12 +0000

Americans in various places will go the polls and vote on Election Day tomorrow. Ever wonder why a Tuesday in November is designated as Election Day?

The tradition is a throwback to the way people lived more than 200 years ago. Early November provided a chance for people to travel to the polls between bringing in the harvest and settling down for the worst weather of the winter. As for Tuesday, there were concerns about people not having to travel on the sabbath.

In 1845 the US Congress made a tradition the law, mandating that the presidential elections would be held every four years on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.

And state and local governments still generally follow the 19th century Election Day tradition, which is why a number of elections around the country will be held tomorrow, on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.

Why Do Americans Vote on a Tuesday in November? originally appeared on About.com 19th Century History on Monday, November 2nd, 2009 at 10:27:12.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Photography of the 19th Century at the British Library

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 22:07:27 +0000

The British Library is unveiling a major exhibit of 19th century photography designed to show off a sampling of the library's vast photographic collection. The exhibit, titled Points of View, has an online component which can be enjoyed even if you can't get to London.

The exhibit contains several main sections, which focus on such topics as portraits, scientific photographs, and foreign scenes. As might be expected, there are striking images, such as an 1867 photograph of Stonehenge, a portrait of Oscar Wilde staring at the camera, and a classic shot of the hippo which arrived at a London Zoo in 1852 relaxing in its enclosure.

The focus is generally on British subjects, but the travel section naturally includes photos from exotic locales, and there are even some American subjects, such as an Alexander Gardner photograph taken following the Battle of Gettysburg.

The online exhibit will apparently expand beyond what's presently available, with an interactive timeline yet to be unveiled. And the exhibit boasts its own blog.

Points of View, which officially opens at the British Library on Friday, October 30, has already received favorable press coverage, including a rave review in The Times of London.

Photography of the 19th Century at the British Library originally appeared on About.com 19th Century History on Thursday, October 29th, 2009 at 22:07:27.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

The Spooky 1800s

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:47:08 +0000

The 1800s may be remembered for science and industry, but the century also had a very weird supernatural side.

A pair of young sisters in a village in New York State kicked off an international craze for spiritualism, a legendary and very nasty spirit terrorized a farmer and his family in Tennessee, and a First Lady of the United States not only encountered ghosts in the White House, she invited more to visit.

And then there was also poor Joe Baldwin, a railroader who lost his head in a horrific train accident but kept swinging his lantern along the tracks for years afterward.

Darwin's ideas and Morse's telegraph may have been changing the world, but people in the 1800s could put reason and science aside. It was a very supernatural century.

Illustration: Maggie and Kate Fox, who heard the rappings of spirits and began the spiritualism craze/lithograph by Currier and Ives, courtesy Library of Congress

The Spooky 1800s originally appeared on About.com 19th Century History on Monday, October 26th, 2009 at 00:47:08.

Permalink | Comment | Email this