Washington in London?!

One of the most surprising sights that I encountered the first time I was in London was a statue of George Washington in Trafalgar Square.  This was the last figure I would have thought to be captured in bronze in the middle of the most famous square in Great Britain.  Apparently it was a gift from the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1921 and modeled after a marble one in Richmond.  It is rumored that because Washington said he would never set foot in London again after the Revolutionary War that soil from Virginia was placed under the statue.  It is also interesting to note that around the corner from Trafalgar Square is the only remaining, in-tact home of Benjamin Franklin.

First Valentine

After reading an overview of the Valentine holiday on history.com, I was intrigued that they had attributed the first Valentine to Charles the Duke of Orleans in 1415.  Charles was captured by the English after the Battle of Agincourt and sent to England to be imprisoned in the Tower of London.    There he wrote the following poem to his wife:

Original French	English
Je suis desja d’amour tanné, Ma tres doulce Valentinée, Car pour moi fustes trop tart née, Et moy pour vous fus trop tost né. Dieu lui pardoint qui estrené M’a de vous, pour toute l’année. Je suis desja, etc. Ma tres doulce, etc. Bien m’estoye suspeconné, Qu’auroye telle destinée, Ains que passast ceste journée, Combien qu’Amours l’eust ordonné. Je suis desja, etc.	I am already sick of love, My very gentle Valentine, Since for me you were born too soon, And I for you was born too late. God forgives him who has estranged Me from you for the whole year. I am already, etc. My very gentle, etc. Well might I have suspected That such a destiny, Thus would have happened this day, How much that Love would have commanded. I am already, etc.

*This original Valentine still exists in the British Library Manuscript collection.

Here is another source to explore this beloved holiday:
Love and Romance Through the Ages by the Virtual Museum of Canada

Mr. Bean & House do History

I have always been impressed by those who can cover up their natural accent, and sound like someone totally different.  Most Americans who are fans of the show House would not believe that Hugh Laurie was British.  I start with this observation because everyone needs to see clips of one of his earliest works called Blackadder.  He was in the third and fourth seasons of this highly regarded British Comedies from the 1980s that starred Rowan Atkinson before he was Mr. Bean.  The comedy follows a family through four eras of British History from 1485-1917.  I find it similar to America's MASH.  It is a laugh out loud comedy that still shows the drama of history.  The following are two of my favorite clips from the fourth season dealing with the trenches of WWI.

How did the war start?
Over the Top

Labeling Wars

When I went to visit a friend teaching at a boarding school in England I took one central question with me: what do British students call the American Revolution? As I went through the town of Uppingham I felt like I was being taken to Harry Potter Land. The students even wore scarfs that represented the houses where they lived. Even though I did get a stereotypical boarding school experience I did not get the answer to my question that I thought. I assumed I would get something completely different from what is used in the US, but for the most part students know the war as the War for American Independence or just part of the colonial wars. They do stay away from labeling it a revolution. Frankly the Brits get a little boring in naming their wars (except maybe the Boer War). For example the War of 1812 or Seven Years War or how the Irish War for Independence is just the Anglo-Irish War.

I am really interested in some of the best war names in history. Comment if you have an opinion.

Famous Names

I often find myself referencing Jonny Cash in my classroom and students are confused because a musical reference does not follow. My parents did not realize that by naming my little brother Jonathan Cash he would forever face people shortening his first name. As a loving older sister, I often tell stories of the antics of Jonny Cash to explain what not to do as a student. FYI sticking paper clips in a chemistry electric socket does give a shock and does major damage to the system.

Having a famous musician name would be awesome to some, but I find historical names even better. After watching a recent episode of Downton Abbey I realized I know very little about the Irish War for Independence and the Irish Civil War. So after doing some digging I found that my father in law was a leader in both conflicts. Of course the timeline does not work, but Richard James Mulcahy was an instrumental figure in developing the military forces for Irish independence in the early 20th Century. He helped establish the original IRA and survived to old age, which was uncommon for Irish revolutionaries. Even though my father in law did not lead a movement against a major world power he did help raise six amazing boys. Many consider the latter to be just as difficult of an accomplishment.

Not boring archives

One of the best resources for bringing actual history to students are the National Archives of both the US and UK. They have lessons, activities, simulations, and most importantly the primary sources that brings history to classrooms across time and space. From taking a look at William the Conquerors Doomsday Book in the UK to US WWII letters these two online locations are an amazing cross-Atlantic resource.

http://www.archives.gov/education/
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/

History of the Holidays Resources

Teachers if you did not know the History Channel has a great series on the history of the holidays.  They are wonderful especially if you are teaching Ancient and Medieval World History.  Each clip gives the origin of traditions but then connects it to modern day activities.  There are even readings that students can do to better understand what they see around them and participate in during various holidays.

Here is the link to the Christmas page:
http://www.history.com/topics/christmas