November 5th: Important Date in British History Is Celebrated Each Year

November 5th is Guy Fawkes Day or night in the UK celebrates, with fireworks and bonfire displays, the night an English citizen of Catholic religion and Spanish Empire sympathizer, tried to blow up Parliament with gunpowder and assassinate the Protestant King James I. The plot failed and Fawkes was hanged the following January 31st. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0zlMSmUXc4 …

How Did the English Colonize America?

Knowledgia: "The history of the colonization of North America is one of the most well-known formations of any country across the globe. Spain, France, and Great Britain all played crucial roles in the development of what is now the influential United States of America. Motivated by economic reasons, and trying to expand their trade network …

Why Did People Wear Powdered Wigs?

For more than 100 years, from the 1600s to the late 1700s, powered wigs were quite the fashion in Europe, especially among aristocrats who could afford them. They hid sores and lesions on the head from syphilis, from which there was no cure. They protected somewhat against lice as well. The most famous wearer of …

What Was Life Like for the Pilgrims in England, the Netherlands, and Aboard the Mayflower?

Absolute History: "For many Americans, the journey of the Mayflower in 1620 symbolizes the birth of their nation. Led by William Bradford, the Pilgrim Fathers traversed the Atlantic to Plymouth, Massachusetts, in search of religious freedom. To this day, the Pilgrim Fathers are a glorified symbol of American virtue and Thanksgiving. In this film, we …

How Russia and Ukraine Were Settled in the 900s

Geo History: "Let's retrace on maps the first origins of Russia, from the creation of Novgorod during the IXth (9th) century, until the end of the Time of Troubles and the beginning of the Romanov dynasty" in the 1600s. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUgzqkCW6A4 Chapters 00:00 The Varangians 01:15 Kievan Rus’ 02:52 Russian principalities 04:56 Catholic and Mongol threats …

Time Traveler’s Guides to England in 1300s, 1500s, 1700s, 1800s

British historian Ian Mortimer (website; Wikipedia; Youtube.com) specializes in medieval history. Basing his books on the premise that "the past is a foreign country," he has created a series of books as if humans could travel back in time, and how to prepare for life in another century. He is best known for A Time …

Russian Czar Boris Godunov: Better Than Ivan the Terrible

Thanks largely to a famous 19th opera by Modest Mussorgsky (1839–1881), one of the most memorable Russian czars is Boris Godunov, who ruled as de facto regent from 1585 to 1598 and then as the first non-Rurikid tsar from 1598 to 1605. He is considered a better, or at least kinder czar than Ivan the Terrible, who ruled tyrannically …

How Far Back in Time Could An English Speaker Go and Still Communicate Effectively?

If you traveled back in time more than 500 years, certainly if you went back to the 1500s, you probably could not understand other English speakers and they could not understand you. Today I Found Out: "Contrary to what many a Grammar Nazi the world over would have you believe, language is constantly evolving, occasionally …

History of Scottish Independence: Was Unity Inevitable? Could Britain Break Up?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBHZiXUDV6A The Economist: "The union between the nations of the United Kingdom is looking increasingly fragile, thanks to Brexit. If Scotland were to break away from Britain it would face an uncertain future—as would the rest of the union." Coqui Marinero on the Alternative History Online Facebook Group asked: "I've heard the sentiment that England …

What Really Happened At the Salem Witch Trials? 20th and 21st Century Witches

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVd8kuufBhM A cautionary tale of the dangers of groupthink and scapegoating: "You’ve been accused of a crime you did not commit. It’s impossible to prove your innocence. If you insist that you’re innocent anyway, you’ll likely be found guilty and executed. But if you confess, apologize, and implicate others, you’ll go free. This was the …