MakingHistory

A quick take on the idea of writing history through the stories of unusual people, since I've just begun the Ranney Letters series on the podcast here as well. 

The second Ranney letter and the first from Lucius to Henry, announcing Lucius' arrival in Allen Michigan in May 1842. 

An introduction to the Ranney family and their origins, and the first letter of the series, dated May 19, 1839, from Lewis G. Ranney in Phelps New York to Henry S. Ranney in Ashfield Massachusetts.

Announcing the Ranney Letters, a collection of over five dozen personal letters saved by Henry S. Ranney in Ashfield Massachusetts, written by his seven brothers as they lived, worked, and traveled across the continent between 1839 and the end of the century. I found these in a file folder in the Ashfield Historical Society Museum, and they kindly allowed me to photograph, transcribe, and report on the contents. I'll be talking about one per week and reading it aloud, in slightly longer posts on this History4Today channel.

A description of the Monte Verde archaeological site in southern Chile, which native Americans occupied nearly 15,000 years ago. I also mention Clovis and stone tools a bit, too. 

Chapter 4 of my US History I course at Bemidji State University, Fall 2020.

Lawyer and diplomat Adolf A. Berle wrote about capitalism in 1954. His description of monopoly sounds remarkably like Zephyr Teachout's recent take-down in Break 'Em Up. 

A History in 7 episode covering the 1973 coup in Chile and Chile's copper economy. 

Chapter Four in my Modern World History course at Bemidji State University, Fall 2020.

Over a hundred children in Massachusetts between 1800 and 1850 were named after Darwin. Not Charles Darwin, but his grandfather Erasmus. This says something remarkable about the interests and reading habits of regular people in early America -- especially rural people.