The following is a timeline of the life of Frederick Douglass: 1818: In February of 1812, Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey, is born to Harriet Bailey and an unknown white man, rumored to be his master Aaron Anthony, at Holme Hill Farm in Tuckahoe, Maryland. He has three older siblings, Perry, Sarah, and Eliza. 1820: In … Read more
It is surprising how few books there are about Frederick Douglass. The lack of books about this iconic figure is mostly due to the fact that Douglass himself wrote three great autobiographies, thus reducing the need for more books about his life. Yet, scholars have recently written a number of new books that are worth … Read more
The following is a timeline of events in Harriet Tubman’s life: 1785-1790: ♦ In 1785-1790, Harriet Tubman’s parents, Harriet Green and Ben Ross, are born into slavery in Dorchester County, Maryland. Green is owned by Atthow Pattison and Ross is owned by Anthony Thompson. 1797: ♦ In 1797, Atthow Pattison dies and leaves Harriet Green … Read more
Although there have been scores of children’s books published on Harriet Tubman, there are few full scale biographies for adults. The first book about Tubman was published in 1869 with the assistance of Tubman herself who was nearly destitute and hoped sales from the book would provide some much needed financial assistance for her and … Read more
The argument over whether slavery was the primary cause of the Civil War is one of the most controversial topics in American history. It is a subject that has been debated since the war first began in 1861. Evidence That Slavery Was the Cause of the Civil War: One way to determine the cause of … Read more
In 1865, British author and editor, Sir Leslie Stephen, published a 30-page pamphlet criticizing The Times of London for its poor reporting on the American Civil War. The pamphlet, titled The Times on the American War, was inspired by Stephen’s trip to the United States in 1863, during which Leslie met President Abraham Lincoln, Secretary … Read more
African-Americans played an important part in the Civil War. From soldiers and laborers to nurses and spies, their presence had a significant impact on the outcome of the war. African-American Soldiers and Laborers: It is estimated that over 180,000 African-American men served as soldiers in the Civil War. These soldiers served in all black regiments … Read more
Stonewall Jackson was a professor at the Virginia Military Institute in December of 1859 when he was ordered, along with his cadets, to provide security at John Brown‘s execution in Charlestown, Virginia. John Brown had recently been condemned to death after his failed raid in October on Harper’s Ferry in Virginia. After rumors began to … Read more
When Harriet Tubman was working as a nurse during the Civil War, she was assaulted one day in October of 1865 by a train conductor on the Camden & South Amboy railroad while on her way back from the military hospital at Fort Monroe in Virginia. As she was instructed to do by the military, … Read more
Many of the current Christmas traditions celebrated today actually started during the Civil War era. Although Christmas wasn’t an official holiday until President Ulysses S. Grant made it one in 1870, many Americans observed the holiday throughout the war as a way to find comfort and bond with family members through long-lost traditions. Christmas was … Read more
