Clarissa Dillon on Thinking Outside the Book

 

I came across this webinar by Clarissa Dillon on researching beyond using recipes. Recipes do not give the full picture of prevalence, who ate it, who cooked it, or if these recipes were altered due to need or desire. 

Webinar was hosted by the Historic Foodways of the Delaware Valley. 

A Tale of Two Viruses: Historical Negationism in the Historical Community

I have taken a step back from all things historical, not only because of Covid-19 but also because of the alarming frequency in which history is being used maliciously, especially among the historical community. I thought that they of all people would know the harms of historical negationism and how important it is to prevent the spread of it.

Historical Negationism is a kind of illegitimate historical revisionism (typically done by non-historians) created to support a particular political or ideological agenda. It's has been heavily featured in the past 5 years in fake news, memes, and on social media. 

These might look familiar:

Click Here and Here to read why this is not true. 

Click Here to read why this is not okay.

News Flash:

They are also just the tip of the iceberg of the rampant historical negationism that is occurring.  Holocaust denial, "Lost Cause" Rhetoric, and "Clean Wehrmacht" myths are prevalent examples of historical negationism and how harmful historical negationism is. 

When I first saw these misconstrued historical "facts" I assumed it was a limitation of the medium. Memes can't fit a lot of text, so the whole story would never fit. My first instinct was to try and combat misinformation. Surely people wanted to know the truth and would not want to knowingly share harmful misinformation. I was wrong. 

Throughout the 16 years that I've been blogging, there has been a shift in information pathways. In college, professors would badger us that we, as future historians, would not have the issue of piecing together what happened using scant fragments but would be overloaded with primary sources. We were being trained for an entirely new problem in history: How to sift through and find truth and relevance in the overload of records left behind. This is the way I approach information.

 

What I thought was an information sorting problem is actually part of a much bigger propaganda campaign designed to confuse, cause chaos, and promote malicious causes.  Researchers have dubbed this "The Firehose of Falsehood Propaganda Model". This model uses large amounts of repetitive information to take advantage of the human subconscious, most notably, the Illusory Truth Effect, and the Continued Influence Effect. 

  

The Illusory Truth Effect - The more times you hear or see something repeated it is easier for your brain to process and thus prefer that information making it seem more credible. 

The Continued Influence Effect- What people hear first has a lasting influence on how people think about a subject, even if the first information they heard has been debunked. 

Memes are a great medium for historical negationism because they are inherently meant to be repeated often. 

"18th-century women caught on fire on a regular basis, due to working around fires in long skirts." "George Washington had wooden teeth." "Quilts helped slaves escape on the Underground Railroad." As historians, we get frustrated that these myths won't die. Historical myths are the Continued Influence Effect and the Illusory Truth Effect at work. Should you repeat myths to debunk them? That is still up for debate. Ultimately, these myths don't hurt people and our time should be focused on stopping history from being used maliciously.   

What Living Historians Can Do To Help

- Share Responsibly. 

You do not have time to fact-check everything you share. Make an effort to fact-check things that make you upset and things that can impact people's lives. I don't expect anyone to fact-check cute cat stories but you should fact-check anything that might be using history with a social or political agenda to see if the entirety of the occurrence is present. If you don't have time to check, it's better to just not share it. 

- Share the Real Story. 

If you see historical negationism, take some time to share the real story. Remember, the Illusory Truth effect works both ways. There is evidence that you should not repeat falsehoods unnecessarily but can mention them when debunking.  

-Report to the platform.

If you see something harmful, report it. No, this is not censorship, this is moderation. If you see something harmful at historically themed events, it should be reported to the event organizers.        

-Teach Real History. Many of us get monomaniacal with clothing and small details that we often forget to teach the history and culture part of history. This is where having nonpersonal interpretation can be helpful and necessary. You may not get a chance to tell spectators the whole story but posters, pamphlets, displays, and books can help give the proper context for what people see at historically themed events. Your information can be the information that sticks which allows people the ability to think more critically about new information they encounter about a topic. 

- Teach Critical Thinking in History- Many people have a poor understanding of history and historiography. Be sure to let people see how history is formed and why critical thinking and legitimate revisionism in history are important. These teachings can prevent the Illusory Truth Effect.         

- Include Reminders- Studies show that a simple reminder that all of the information that a person will be encountering should be taken with a grain of salt is effective at minimizing the Illusory Truth Effect, even if the reminder is given a few days in advance. Historically themed events should come with a disclaimer that contextualizes who the people are that are presenting information to the public and where this information comes from. 

As a living historian, it's your job to tell spectators about yourself. Are you a trained historian, public historian, research assistant, or someone who is very interested in history? All are welcome and valuable but that information should be offered upfront.  

Thank you for reading to the end. If you think this post is useful, please share! 

Stuck at Home? Here are 10 History Resources to Check Out

If you like many others are stuck at home the next few weeks you might want to check out these free history resources. I tried to pick a varied selection but most of the sites have other resources you also might be interested in checking out. I hope everyone stays safe and uses this time to reset and do the things they haven't had time for.

Please remember that museums are struggling during the quarantine. If you are extra bored or motivated please consider contacting your legislators to include museums in the COVID-19 Relief to help museums survive through this tough time and be there for future generations.  


1.The Civil War and Reconstruction 

This is a Yale course taught by David W. Blight. This one is famous and still very good. There is a good reading list and 27,  hour long lectures.

2.  African American History from Emancipation to the Present. 

This is also a Yale course. It contains 25, hour long sessions and covers the development modern Civil Rights movement.

3. Epidemics in Western Society Since 1600 

I don't have to mention why this one might be of interest. It contains 25, 1 hour lessons, ending at the SARS, Bird and Swine Flu epidemics.

4. The Holocaust - An Introduction (I): Nazi Germany: Ideology, The Jews and the World

This one is a timed course from Tel Aviv University. The current session starts on March 16, 2020. new sessions start frequently. There is free access to all course materials and an option to purchase a certificate.  

5. Victory Kitchen

 A podcast by author and reenactor, Sarah Creviston Lee that covers WWII food rationing. There are only 4 episodes so far but this is a good 30 minute podcast if you are interested in foodways. 

6. The Tattooed Historian

A podcast by reenactor and independent historian, John Heckman. Lots of episodes on here. 

7. Film, Images & Historical Interpretation in the 20th Century: The Camera Never Lies

A course on the interpretation of images in history from the University of London on Coursera. The current session starts on March 16, 2020. new sessions start frequently. There is free access to all course materials and an option to purchase a certificate.  

9. Seeking Women’s Rights: Colonial Period to the Civil War

A course from Columbia University. There is a free audit option. 

10.PredictionX: John Snow and the Cholera Epidemic of 1854

This is a course from Harvard University. It is a one week course. There is free access or a paid certificate option. "In 1854, a cholera epidemic swept through the London neighborhood of Soho. In the course of about three weeks, over 600 people died. This incident was, tragically, not unusual in London or the rest of the 19th century world as a whole. The scourge of cholera seemed unstoppable and, even worse, unpredictable. But one doctor -- ignored by the scientific community at large -- set out to prove that he knew how cholera was spread."

Let me know what you will be doing the next few weeks. Have any other podcasts, books, videos etc. that you think people should check out? Leave a comment below. 

Lincoln's Bixby Letter: A Study in Sources

The Bixby Letter has enchanted millions since its publication in 1864. The letter was reportedly written by Abraham Lincoln in 1864 to Lydia Bixby after hearing that her five sons had died in the Union army.











The letter was as follows: 

Executive Mansion,
Washington, Nov. 21, 1864.
Dear Madam,

I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant General of Massachusetts that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle. I feel how weak and fruitless must be any word of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save. I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.
Yours, very sincerely and respectfully,

A. Lincoln

The letter was printed in The Boston Evening Transcript the same day it was delivered to Lydia Bixby. The letter was read in the movie, Saving Private Ryan and even read at the World Trade Center site by George W. Bush during the 10th anniversary ceremony in 2011. 

 Primary sources are a historians best friend but this particular letter is a great example of why primary sources can be deceiving and should only be a part of a historians research. 

From this letter, one can get some basic facts:

1. Mrs. Bixby lost five sons in the Union army.
2. President Lincoln wrote a letter of condolence to her.  

However, through more research we find out that while five of her sons were in the Union army only two of her sons died during the war. Did Mrs. Bixby not know the fate of her sons at the time she reported they all had died? Did she exaggerate in an attempt to gain compensation? No one is sure, but the fact is that facts reported incorrectly in a primary source can trip up a researcher who might assume that primary sources are the most accurate sources. 

Another problem with the Bixby letter is that many historians dispute who actually wrote the letter. Lincoln was very busy the week that it was written and some evidence points to the probability that his secretary John Hay wrote it. 

There's even more to the story. Mrs. Bixby was living in Massachusetts but she was reportedly from Virginia and was still supporting the southern cause, despite having her sons in the Union army. One of her sons said that his mother ripped the letter up upon its receipt. No one is sure how the newspaper got a copy of it or if it received the original and the original hasn't been located, although there are many forgeries and copies. 

It is very important to analyze sources and to find corroboration with other sources of evidence. It is also important to see what other historians have written about sources you find. Sometimes other researchers realize something that you did not or propose theories that seem likely. 

It is easy to fall into these traps and new researchers frequently do. I know I certainly did when I started researching. Even today, we don't just trust one source of news. We shouldn't blindly believe every account we read unless there is subsequent evidence to back it up.   

As a side note: If you have the original Bixby letter, it's said that it would fetch millions at auction. :)    

"Too Much Reading...in your Shelter Low Tents:" What Were They Reading During the Civil War?

"It has been a pretty busy week to me. Busy not with my military labors, but with self-imposed labors and pleasures. I have read two stories...The fact is, I sit in my tent and read most of the day, except when I am occupied with my camp duties duties, which only occupy me two or three hours a day." -Mason Whiting Tyler in a letter to his mother dated January 31, 1864

 One of the best ways to reconnect with the past is to partake in the same entertainment as they did. Of course the favorite reading material of soldiers was letters, but what else were the people of the 1860s reading? Before TVs, radios, iPods, and computers, books and magazines were the most inexpensive and widespread form of entertainment.
 

Books were more than just personal entertainment. It was popular in the 1860s to read books aloud as well as lend and borrow books with friends. Many books were published in serial form in weekly newspapers to create anticipation akin to modern weekly TV shows. Unlike today, when people are just happy their children are reading, in the past parents would chastise their children for reading garbage books.
 
It's difficult to find out just what was popular during the war years. It is very easy to assume that the writers from the time period that we consider influential today would be the same ones that the people of the 1860s considered influential or popular. However, many of the most popular books at the time are virtually unheard of to us today. Some of the big names we associate with the Civil War Era, such as Walt Whitman, did not get their acclaim until after the war. Other problems include authors using pen names which are unfamiliar to us today and varying titles. Below are some examples of popular books and stories of the time. 

1861

-"Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens. This was being serialized in Harper's Weekly, the most popular newspaper of the time.

-"Incidents and Life as a Slave Girl" by Linda Brent (Harriet Ann Jacobs.) Parts of the book was published in the New-York Tribune.

-"Hand-book for Active Service" by Egbert Viele. This book was advertised in the The Charleston Mercury as a book that needed to be read by every soldier who wished to be an officer.  

1862

-"Les Miserables" by Victor Hugo. This book was first available in The US in June of 1862.

- "History of the Conquest of Mexico" and "History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella," by William Hickling Prescott. These two books were mentioned in a soldier's letter from July 7, 1862.

1863

-"A Biography of Stonewall Jackson" by John Esten Cooke. This book was published in the South and was banned in the Union Army. Cooke served as a volunteer aide for J.E.B. Stuart during the war.

-"Darkness and Daylight" and "Marian Grey" by Mary Jane Holmes, a bestselling author from the time period. She was only second in book sales to Harriet Beecher Stowe.

-"Beyond the Lines or a Yankee Prisoner Loose in Dixie," by John James Gear. This book was mentioned by a soldier in the 13th Ohio and is likewise about an Ohioan.   

1864

-"Wives and Daughters" by Elizabeth Gaskell. This was serialized in the British Cornhill Magazine from 1864-1865. An interesting fact is that Gaskell died before the book was finished, it was finished by another author.

1865 

 - "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" by Mark Twain. It was published as "Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog" in The Saturday Press. In some later editions the name Smiley was changed to Greenly. 

All War Years

-Harper's Weekly

-Leslie's Weekly, (Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper) Published in New York.

-The Spectator (British)

-The Illustrated London News and The Journal of Commerce. Both mentioned by Confederate nurse, Kate Cumming. 

-The Bible. Frequently mentioned in letters home frequently with details about passages read.

-Vanity Fair- An American magazine published between the years 1859 and 1863.

-Godey's Magazine The southern soldier who sent Godey's home to his beau was a popular man. It was infrequent that copies of this very popular magazine made it through the blockade.   

-The New York Sunday Mercury

 "I have been reading pretty much all day on 'Military Law and Courts-Martial.' Too much reading out here stretched on your back in your shelter low tents is not the best thing in the world to take. It is rather too apt to produce headaches,etc." - Mason Whiting Tyler in a letter to his brother, November 13, 1863

Popular Authors of the Time

- Charles Dickens. "The Old Curiosity Shop" was mentioned by Mason Whiting Tyler of the 37th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry in his biography and letters along with "The Last Days of Pompeii," "Les Miserables," "Charles O'Malley," and "History of the War in the Peninsula."
- William Shakespeare
- Alexander Dumas
- Henry David Thoreau
- William Cowper
- Maria Susanna Cummins Her 1854 book, "The Lamplighter" was extremely popular. 
- Lord Tennyson
- Edgar Allan Poe
- Ralph Waldo Emerson 
- Alexander Pope
- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
-James Fenimore Cooper. He was popular with younger people.  

- William Makepeace Thackeray, his books The History of Pendennis and Vanity Fair were mentioned by Mary Boykin Chestnut in her diary. She also mentions George William Curtis' "The Potiphar Papers."  
-Erastus Beadle who published a large array of "dime novels" which were popular in the military due to their cheapness.   

This list is intended to be a starting point from where you can do your own research. Reading the literature that was popular during the war years, gives us a lot of information about 1860s culture. When reading, think about what these primary sources say about the people who read them. What did they value? What did they consider entertaining? What did they consider horrid? Many people may think there's little to learn from the books or fiction of the time but these sources are just as important as diaries, letters and journals.   

 

Open Letter to the Boy Who Found My Blog Twice, Using the Query "Do Girls Think Reenactors are Lame?"

Dear Deeply Misguided (possible) Reenactor,

No. Girls don't think reenactors are lame. Really.

That's the short answer. I can personally vouch, once you go reenactor, anything else seems too normal (read: boring.) And while, I am not all girls, there are plenty of girls totally into it.

 

There are a lot of reasons that girls like reenactors. Here are some possible reasons below:

1. Guys who reenact tend to like history. People who tend to like history tend to read books and research. People who read books and research tend to be smart. So many reenactors (the variety  that is invested in history) tend to be smart. Smart guys impress the girls. 

2. Guys who reenact have a passion. Guys with passions are far more interesting than guys who just "hang out" or like "stuff." 

3. Not only that, guys who reenact have a passion that girls can understand. Many girls will be impressed by your understanding of the evolution of fashion and your ability to perform basic alterations. If you can't sew and she can, she'll be happy to help you out. If you can sew and she can't, you can sew for her. It's win-win.

4. Girls like gentlemen and guys who reenact have a chance to perfect their mannerisms and many do. This is a big deal. Girls like honest gentlemen who know they will respect them at all times. 

5. Reenactors dance, ladies love to dance. Plus, you can take her to a ball. What other kind of guy can do that?   

6. Reenactors tend to travel all over the country. Traveling makes people more interesting and more aware. She might even want to go too. 

7. Reenactors are tough. They have a hobby where they sleep on the ground in the cold, eat food not suited to the modern palate and wear wool in the summer. 

8. Reenactors are adaptable. This comes from long strings of events where everything goes wrong. Important tools are left behind, important people don't show up, and tents fly away. This adaptability is an awesome relationship skill. Car break down on a date? A reenactor will keep a girl laughing and in good spirits. 

9. Reenactors hang out with people of all ages. They can get along with a lot of people. They fit into families quite well. At Christmas dinner a nice reenacting guy can chat up a girl's grannie and play soldiers with little Tommy, instantly becoming a family favorite. Girl's value guys who get along and are well liked by her family.

10. Reenacting tends to be family oriented. Ladies like that, at least the ones worth pursuing like family oriented activities. Many of them want families someday. Family values are a major plus.

11. Reenactors have interesting stories that are pretty out of the ordinary. They spend their spare time doing interesting things. Interesting is good. 


That's the long answer. Obviously these are generalizations and it's unfair to generalize people but I thought about all of the reenacting men I know, which is a lot, and these are the traits a lot of them have in common. I also know that these won't apply to all girls. I clearly don't know your situation, but if reenacting is something you love, then you should only worry about girls who respect it, even if it isn't their thing. In addition, if any girl tells you reenacting is lame, she probably secretly knows that it's awesome. 

The Valley of the Shadow and other Civil War Diaries and Letters

        "April 26.

Been busy making knapsacks for rebel troopers. Ladies here cutting out and making uniforms for the Churchville Cavalry Company. Work at Odd Fellow's Hall early and late. Mr. Arnold was formerly a tailor and helps night and day. " - Alansa Rounds Sterrett of Augusta County, VA

The Valley of the Shadow project started out as a book entitles In the Presence of Mine Enemies. The research that went into the book is so interesting and useful that it has been digitized for the world to access. It contains Civil War Era letters,diaries, newspapers, census records ect. from Franklin County, PA and Augusta County, VA. It includes documents from men, women, soldiers, and gives a very well rounded account of both Counties.  It is completely searchable and a real joy to peruse.  

"June 23, 2863

 The Reb's have been cutting up high. Sawed down telegraph poles, destroyed the scotland bridge again took possession of the warehouses & were dealing out flour by the barrel & mollasses by the bucket ful--They made people take them bread--meat--&c to eat--Some dumb fools carried them jellies & the like--Not a thing went from this place." -Rachel  Cormany of Franklin County, PA

Visit the site here: The Valley of the Shadow

Other sites that archive Civil War Era letters and diaries:

-Letters from an Iowa Soldier in the Civil War :These letters are from Newton Robert Scott a Private in   Company A, of the 36th Infantry, Iowa Volunteers, to his friend at home, Hannah Cone.

-"My Precious Loulie...": Love letters of the Civil War: These letters are digitized as part of the Special Collections of Virginia Tech.

-The Civil War Archive: Letters Home from the Civil War: This site contains submitted letters of soldiers from both sides of the conflict. 

-Letters About the Civil War: A few collections of letters.

-Letters from the American Civil War: Scans of letters and envelopes. This is great if you want to examine envelopes, writing materials or handwriting.

I love reading old journals, diaries and letters. It's not only a window to the past but a window to one soul. It really makes you think about the generalizations we make in history. Life is more complex than that and we shouldn't lose sight of that even if we are trying to make information more palatable. Hope you enjoy the links and the Valley of the Shadow project. I personally think that it is like an early birthday present. :D 

**Note: I really am hating Blogger's new image viewer. It doesn't let you zoom and puts all the photos on a black background. If you would like to view a picture the old way and zoom in, left click on the image and click "open in new tab."

Kindle 2 : A Review for the Researcher

 I was so excited to get a Kindle for my birthday. When I first heard about the kindle, I didn't think that I would ever like to read virtual books instead of real ones. But once I realized that I could read public domain books away from my computer for free, I was enthusiastic.

Pretty much all that has to be said about the Kindle 2 has already been said in other reviews. I know that the Kindle 2 is aimed at the normal book reader and that Amazon tried to push it on the student market but I was wondering if it would enhance the reading quality for me--a researcher.

I spend my time perusing a lot of old books, some in book form and some in ebook format online. With antique books, the kindle helps tremendously. I am afraid to take antique books out of the house but still like to read and share them with other people outside my home. In ebook format, I can share them without worrying about damaging them. I also like the new-found freedom I have to "take" a google book or other internet based ebook away from the computer and read it elsewhere. (I don't like the idea of having to print out public domain ebooks--it just wastes too much paper.) I spend so much time at the computer reading, I am more than happy to be able to take my work with me outside.

The Kindle has a few good tools for the researcher. The first is free public domain books. Yes we can read these for free on the internet, but it is great to be able to take them where you need them. The second is that you can make notes and highlight on the "pages" in the books. You can also take a screenshot of the page you are reading and import it onto your computer. I especially like these features because you can keep your notes with the book and not damage the book. Another great feature is the fact that the Kindle will remember what page you were last on in all of your books and there is a search function so you can search through books with keywords. that makes it really easy to cross reference books.

Another good thing about it is the privacy. Every once in a while I get a book that I feel funny reading in public--mostly the 3rd grade reading level historical fiction books I like to read to make sure I can make the information I teach kids at living history events relevant to things the kids already know. This also helps in stopping misconceptions that are taught through some of the more inaccurate historical fiction books out there. I am glad that if I'm reading Horatio Hornblower or the Sign of the Beaver at college on the Kindle, I don't have to worry about strange looks or odd questions. This also helps with Civil War book covers that some people may find offensive.    

I cannot emphasis how helpful the Kindle is; however, I do have some issues with it. My first concern is that there are no page numbers! Research-wise, how do you tell someone where a certain quote or fact comes from if the closest you can get is a chapter number?

I also think some of the PDFs displayed a tiny bit to small, if there was a zoom function that let you zoom from 100% to 125%, PDFs would display perfectly. If you flip the Kindle on its side, PDFs are readable but then you can only see half the page at a time. An upside is that PDF files still contain their original page numbers.

That's all I have to say about it. It was a really great present. I can't wait to start reading all of those classics I have been meaning to! I am currently reading The Last of the Mohicans, which I started as a paperback, and am finishing the last 1/4 on the Kindle.