I hope you all had a safe and pleasurable evacuation day! For those of you who don’t know St. Patrick’s Day coincidentally happens to fall on the same day General Howe evacuated his troops from Boston, effectively lifting the 11 month siege of the city and marking George Washington’s first major victory in the Revolutionary War! 
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I hope you all had a safe and pleasurable evacuation day! For those of you who don’t know St. Patrick’s Day coincidentally happens to fall on the same day General Howe evacuated his troops from Boston, effectively lifting the 11 month siege of the city and marking George Washington’s first major victory in the Revolutionary War! 

The Standard Oil Trust portrayed as an Octopus in an early 20th century political cartoon. Standard Oil was a well known example of a monopoly known as a horizontal combination. This cartoon was meant to express how much power they had over the oil industry and even over Washington, which eventually led to popular sentiment aligning against them, which led to the more aggressive enforcement of laws such as the Sherman Anti-Trust Act. I guess more things change though, the more they stay the same. 
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The Standard Oil Trust portrayed as an Octopus in an early 20th century political cartoon. Standard Oil was a well known example of a monopoly known as a horizontal combination. This cartoon was meant to express how much power they had over the oil industry and even over Washington, which eventually led to popular sentiment aligning against them, which led to the more aggressive enforcement of laws such as the Sherman Anti-Trust Act. I guess more things change though, the more they stay the same. 

Louis XVI’s execution at the Place de la Revolution in 1793. Without Louis XVI lending his support to the Americans during the War for Independence, America probably never would have been founded. Ironically, the King’s support for the Revolution eventually inspired his own people to rise up against him with their own bloody revolution. The French Revolution brought the world into the Modern Era and spelled the end for political absolutism. Not only did it doom the concept of monarchy, but it also put the Catholic Church on the fast-track to global irrelevance in terms of political affairs. Thanks to the French Revolution, the idea of a populist uprising was spread amongst Europe and all over the world, which, arguably, ended up inspiring the Russian Revolution in 1917 where its result, as we all know, defined the 20th century. Everything that we can give credit to, good or bad, in the modern world, comes from January 21, 1793. Sometimes I wonder how different things would be if Louis XVI decided not to stick it to the British by supporting America and sending great generals like Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette to the new world. Would Constitutional Monarchy still have been a popular political order? Would the ideas of Socialism and Republicanism ever come to light? Who knows. It’s just food for thought. 
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Louis XVI’s execution at the Place de la Revolution in 1793.

Without Louis XVI lending his support to the Americans during the War for Independence, America probably never would have been founded. Ironically, the King’s support for the Revolution eventually inspired his own people to rise up against him with their own bloody revolution. The French Revolution brought the world into the Modern Era and spelled the end for political absolutism. Not only did it doom the concept of monarchy, but it also put the Catholic Church on the fast-track to global irrelevance in terms of political affairs. Thanks to the French Revolution, the idea of a populist uprising was spread amongst Europe and all over the world, which, arguably, ended up inspiring the Russian Revolution in 1917 where its result, as we all know, defined the 20th century. Everything that we can give credit to, good or bad, in the modern world, comes from January 21, 1793. 

Sometimes I wonder how different things would be if Louis XVI decided not to stick it to the British by supporting America and sending great generals like Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette to the new world. Would Constitutional Monarchy still have been a popular political order? Would the ideas of Socialism and Republicanism ever come to light? Who knows. It’s just food for thought. 

George Henry Durrie - A Christmas Party (1852)Oh how sometimes I think I was born in the wrong century.  
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George Henry Durrie - A Christmas Party (1852)

Oh how sometimes I think I was born in the wrong century.  

Japanese Woodblock Painting - Gasshukoku Suishi Teitoku Kojogaki (Oral Statement by the American Navy Admiral). This was published during the Convention of Kanagawa on March 31, 1854 as Matthew Perry, along with other high-ranking Navy Commanders, met with representatives of the Shogun, Tokugawa Ieyoshi and Emperor Komei. The deliberations ended with a treaty of Peace and Amity, followed by a treaty of Commerce in 1858 (The Harris Treaty). This Convention ended Japan’s policy of Sakoku (Seclusion) and paved the way for the Meiji Revolution and subsequently the democratic Meiji Restoration, along with the end of the romantic notion of Medieval Imperial Japan. 
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Japanese Woodblock Painting - Gasshukoku Suishi Teitoku Kojogaki (Oral Statement by the American Navy Admiral). This was published during the Convention of Kanagawa on March 31, 1854 as Matthew Perry, along with other high-ranking Navy Commanders, met with representatives of the Shogun, Tokugawa Ieyoshi and Emperor Komei. The deliberations ended with a treaty of Peace and Amity, followed by a treaty of Commerce in 1858 (The Harris Treaty). This Convention ended Japan’s policy of Sakoku (Seclusion) and paved the way for the Meiji Revolution and subsequently the democratic Meiji Restoration, along with the end of the romantic notion of Medieval Imperial Japan. 

Union Soliders posing before storming Marye’s Heights at the 2nd Battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia on May, 1863. There’s something about each of these photos taken during the Civil War that just speaks to me. Maybe it’s the grim look of death on their faces - with a glint of life in their eyes- or the palpable mix of terror and courage you can see - or maybe it’s the fact that this is one of the only wars in American History where each participant, no matter what background, no matter what character, no matter what creed, fought for something they truly believed in. Something they truly believed in with every fiber of their being. Each soldier was a man defending his child, a young America. Considering this, they each fought with the same passionate and furious fervor a man would trying to defend his young family. They each knew that this war would determine the fate of our very nation and although each of them had conflicting views - some that I wholly disagree with, I hope that God has reserved a special place in Elysium for these warrior-poets of the Civil War. A place alongside the greats such Leonidas, Aeneas, Achilles, Marcus Aurelius, Lord Nelson, etc. 
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Union Soliders posing before storming Marye’s Heights at the 2nd Battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia on May, 1863. 

There’s something about each of these photos taken during the Civil War that just speaks to me. Maybe it’s the grim look of death on their faces - with a glint of life in their eyes- or the palpable mix of terror and courage you can see - or maybe it’s the fact that this is one of the only wars in American History where each participant, no matter what background, no matter what character, no matter what creed, fought for something they truly believed in. Something they truly believed in with every fiber of their being. Each soldier was a man defending his child, a young America. Considering this, they each fought with the same passionate and furious fervor a man would trying to defend his young family. They each knew that this war would determine the fate of our very nation and although each of them had conflicting views - some that I wholly disagree with, I hope that God has reserved a special place in Elysium for these warrior-poets of the Civil War. A place alongside the greats such Leonidas, Aeneas, Achilles, Marcus Aurelius, Lord Nelson, etc. 

Despite the many more well-known portraits of Mr. Jefferson, such as the one by Charles Wilson Peale, my favorite one has to be the one painted by Mather Brown. This was painted in around 1786 while Jefferson, then ambassador to France, was visiting his friend, the British ambassador John Adams, in England. Unlike other portraits done while Jefferson was much older as President, this portrait was done in his 40s, in the middle of his political career. He has all the trappings of a French dandy, but in a dignified matter. His stature and his regal and wistful gaze show a sort of vibrant intelligence and zeal in his character. He is a consummate diplomat with an appreciation for life. The dark circles under his eyes also emphasizes the gentle, but intense individual Jefferson was and it shows him as a man that would risk his health for the sake of his beliefs. 
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Despite the many more well-known portraits of Mr. Jefferson, such as the one by Charles Wilson Peale, my favorite one has to be the one painted by Mather Brown. This was painted in around 1786 while Jefferson, then ambassador to France, was visiting his friend, the British ambassador John Adams, in England. Unlike other portraits done while Jefferson was much older as President, this portrait was done in his 40s, in the middle of his political career. He has all the trappings of a French dandy, but in a dignified matter. His stature and his regal and wistful gaze show a sort of vibrant intelligence and zeal in his character. He is a consummate diplomat with an appreciation for life. The dark circles under his eyes also emphasizes the gentle, but intense individual Jefferson was and it shows him as a man that would risk his health for the sake of his beliefs. 

This is precious. God Bless our Soldiers.
They’re playing D&D! 

Scene at the signing of the Constitution by Howard Chandler Christy. This is a depiction of the Philadelphia Convention. 1787. 
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Scene at the signing of the Constitution by Howard Chandler Christy. This is a depiction of the Philadelphia Convention. 1787.