In an enlightening new piece in Commonplace, Melchior Baltazar looks at how the lived experience of the American Revolution differed for William Lee and Harry Washington, two men enslaved by George Washington who traveled very different paths. Check it out here: commonplace.online/article/two-...

Two Roads to Freedom: William Lee, Harry Washington, and Living the Paradox of the American Revolution - Commonplace

Enslaved men and women encountered revolutionary rhetoric not as abstract theory but amid a crisis that destabilized authority and opened new possibilities for pursuing their own freedom.

commonplace.online

Now the squirrels are just messing with me. Not only did they steal the pomegranate from my tree before I could pick it, they ate half and dropped the rest on the driveway.

In an enlightening new piece in Commonplace, Melchior Baltazar looks at how the lived experience of the American Revolution differed for William Lee and Harry Washington, two men enslaved by George Washington who traveled very different paths. Check it out here: commonplace.online/article/two-...

Two Roads to Freedom: William Lee, Harry Washington, and Living the Paradox of the American Revolution - Commonplace

Enslaved men and women encountered revolutionary rhetoric not as abstract theory but amid a crisis that destabilized authority and opened new possibilities for pursuing their own freedom.

commonplace.online

Kudos to Nick Radburn, Will Pettigrew and others for putting this together. Very important resource on the British slave trade.

Adam Chapman@adamchapman.bsky.social · 2d ago

This is a very interesting new resource, The Register of British Slave-Traders. 'The Register focusses on the individuals who sought to profit from the enslavement of over 3 million African men, women, and children, whose identity was – for the most part – erased from the historical record.' 🗃️

Honoured to be chairing the Hakluyt Society essay prize committee for the second time, do consider submitting an essay and/or advertise to your PhD students/ECR colleagues. 🗃️ #earlymodern included!

Hakluyt Society@hakluytsociety.bsky.social · 5d ago

Hakluyt Society Essay Prize Competition 2027 now open - first prize £1500, second prize £500. See www.hakluyt.com/hakluyt-soci... for more details. Closing date 1 March 2027.

When the rabbit hole you go down lands you in the world of 19th century patent medicine, you know your day as a historian is well spent.

It is Labor Day, so check out this short piece from the back catalog of Commonplace on the history of the day and labor in America by the late Edward Gray, former editor of the journal. https://commonplace.online/article/labor-day-in-america/

Labor Day in America: Or, the Day That is Not in May - Commonplace

America’s ambivalence about labor is nothing new. In the colonial era the ruling class had nothing but contempt for anything that could be justly called "work."

commonplace.online

The video is up of my JCB talk on Money and the American Revolution as part of The Revolution is News series. I managed to cut off the very left edge of several slides, but hopefully it is fun to hear about some cool monetary instruments (and a Spiderman joke). www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-Sm...

Joshua Greenberg on Money (Part of The Revolution Is News)

YouTube video by The John Carter Brown Library

youtube.com

Re-upping for the afternoon crowd; come for the extended Beverly Hillbillies analogy, stay for the analysis of how the state's judiciary has gotten bent to the will of wilding out billionaires.

Dael Norwood@dael.bsky.social · 2w ago

I have a short piece in the Delaware Business Times today… “Now, the Diamond State doesn’t have much in the way of proven oil reserves. But the resource it does export in quantity – business entity registrations – imposes costs in much the same way that “black gold” does in Venezuela.”

The video is up of my JCB talk on Money and the American Revolution as part of The Revolution is News series. I managed to cut off the very left edge of several slides, but hopefully it is fun to hear about some cool monetary instruments (and a Spiderman joke). www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-Sm...

Joshua Greenberg on Money (Part of The Revolution Is News)

YouTube video by The John Carter Brown Library

youtube.com

With news of Treasury releasing the Trump coin, I am reposting this from last year when it was first announced. It explains why this has not been allowed since 1866.

Joshua R Greenberg@joshrgreenberg.bsky.social · 12mo ago

With news that Trump wants to be put on a $1 coin, here is the $.05 fractional currency featuring Spencer Clark, Superintendent of the US National Currency Bureau that led to outrage over putting living people on currency. PA Rep Russell Thayer’s 1866 appropriations amendment forbid this practice.

With news of Treasury releasing the Trump coin, I am reposting this from last year when it was first announced. It explains why this has not been allowed since 1866.

Joshua R Greenberg@joshrgreenberg.bsky.social · 12mo ago

With news that Trump wants to be put on a $1 coin, here is the $.05 fractional currency featuring Spencer Clark, Superintendent of the US National Currency Bureau that led to outrage over putting living people on currency. PA Rep Russell Thayer’s 1866 appropriations amendment forbid this practice.

They are circulating a coin with an illegitimate image, which makes it less lawful than this legal shinplaster featuring a Peruvian 2 Reales coin from the reign of King Charles IV of Spain (which was legal tender before 1857). Mad River and Lake Erie Railroad Co., Urbana, OH, $.25, June 10, 1841.

Catherine Rampell@crampell.bsky.social · 2w ago

I like that this design appears to show the birth date of liberty as 1776, and its death as 2026

Where did Phi Beta Kappa fit into early republic controversies about secret societies and public respectability? How did its founders navigate the moment? Adam Arenson explores the first 50 years of the organization in his new Commonplace article. Check it out: commonplace.online/article/secr...

Secret Loyalty and Public Respectability: The Transformation of Phi Beta Kappa in its First Half-Century - Commonplace

Secrecy itself seemed at odds with republican values, and liable to shield corruption or treason.

commonplace.online

Thinking about when the Post Office accidentally (not purposefully) confused the public during the Civil War. Postal Currency (receivable for stamps & exchangeable for Greenbacks) was issued by Treasury and meant to address small change shortages in 1862-3, but people confused it with actual stamps.

Thinking about when the Post Office accidentally (not purposefully) confused the public during the Civil War. Postal Currency (receivable for stamps & exchangeable for Greenbacks) was issued by Treasury and meant to address small change shortages in 1862-3, but people confused it with actual stamps.

Where did Phi Beta Kappa fit into early republic controversies about secret societies and public respectability? How did its founders navigate the moment? Adam Arenson explores the first 50 years of the organization in his new Commonplace article. Check it out: commonplace.online/article/secr...

Secret Loyalty and Public Respectability: The Transformation of Phi Beta Kappa in its First Half-Century - Commonplace

Secrecy itself seemed at odds with republican values, and liable to shield corruption or treason.

commonplace.online

Looking at the calendar and while I don't have a bank note to post, here is the song of the day: Noah Kahan - End of August. www.youtube.com/watch?v=acJ-...

End of August

YouTube video by Noah Kahan - Topic

youtube.com

Come be my colleague! My department is searching for an assistant professor of the history of science. I am chairing the search and am happy to answer questions. Deadline is tomorrow! networks.h-net.org/jobs/70099/a...

Lone Justice (U2) Afghan Whigs (Teenage Fanclub) Swervedriver (Soundgarden) Slowdive (Ride) Superchunk (Built to Spill) Quix*o*tic (Fugazi) Ray Condo and His Hard Rock Goners (Squirrel Nut Zippers) Man Man (Modest Mouse) Meg Lee Chin (My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult) Luna (The Sundays)

Josh K-sky@joshksky.bsky.social · 2w ago

Ten acts you’ve seen as openers, go

Make your favorite film sound as boring as possible with giving away the title: A dozen men sit around a table and try to come to all come to agreement about something.

Writing our Destiny aka Andrew@planecrazy.bsky.social · 3w ago

Make your favorite film sound as boring as possible without giving away the title: A man's ex shows up in his bar and convinces him to take on some work with her current boo.

Individual rights are measured by whose labor, voice, and humanity the law recognizes. Diana Louis’ “Listening for Freemen” examines William Freeman’s demand for back pay: bit.ly/45WHWyd #IndividualRightsDay @commonplacejrnl.bsky.social @umichlsa.bsky.social

Today is the birthday of John Lynch, the Quaker abolitionist and founder of Lynchburg, Virginia. This bank note from the town came in an odd denomination and features a lovely train vignette as well as a portrait of a dashing artisan. Merchants Bank of Virginia, Lynchburg, VA, $6, April 1, 1861.

Today is the birthday of John Lynch, the Quaker abolitionist and founder of Lynchburg, Virginia. This bank note from the town came in an odd denomination and features a lovely train vignette as well as a portrait of a dashing artisan. Merchants Bank of Virginia, Lynchburg, VA, $6, April 1, 1861.

Following today's mad king executive order, I am posting this Civil War era bank note from upstate New York featuring an allegorical center vignette representing Commerce (sailor), Agriculture (woman with sickle and wheat), and Industry (artisan). Lake Ontario Bank, Oswego, NY, $1, July 4, 1863.

Following today's mad king executive order, I am posting this Civil War era bank note from upstate New York featuring an allegorical center vignette representing Commerce (sailor), Agriculture (woman with sickle and wheat), and Industry (artisan). Lake Ontario Bank, Oswego, NY, $1, July 4, 1863.

For today's online discussion about dolls. Check out Ellen Litwicki's classic article in the Commonplace back catalog on dolls and the material culture of Christmas featuring creepy images of "George" a doll from the 1880s. commonplace.online/article/geor...

George's Story: Dolls and the Material Culture of Christmas - Commonplace

The growing popularity of dolls had both ideological and pragmatic roots in the emerging middle class.

commonplace.online

Dolly Parton's hometown of Sevierville (named for John Sevier, the first Tennessee governor) was too small for an antebellum bank. John's wife Catherine "Bonny Kate" did appear on several notes including the right of this one opposite Dolly Madison. Bank of East TN, Knoxville, $2, Jan 1, 1855.

For today's online discussion about dolls. Check out Ellen Litwicki's classic article in the Commonplace back catalog on dolls and the material culture of Christmas featuring creepy images of "George" a doll from the 1880s. commonplace.online/article/geor...

George's Story: Dolls and the Material Culture of Christmas - Commonplace

The growing popularity of dolls had both ideological and pragmatic roots in the emerging middle class.

commonplace.online

Dolly Parton's hometown of Sevierville (named for John Sevier, the first Tennessee governor) was too small for an antebellum bank. John's wife Catherine "Bonny Kate" did appear on several notes including the right of this one opposite Dolly Madison. Bank of East TN, Knoxville, $2, Jan 1, 1855.