Trading Thomas, Jamestown’s Boy Interpreter is a book of recent vintage by novelist Ora Smith. Like the title implies, it’s the story of a young teen named Thomas Savage. Thomas arrives in England’s Jamestown colony early in its history. Soon, he becomes an interpreter, a go-between for the colonists of Jamestown and the Native Americans […]
Tag: Native Americans
Why are Passenger Pigeons a Perfect Key to U.S. History?
At first glance, the idea that the history of a bird can tell us much about American history seems a stretch, I suppose. The story of passenger pigeons, however, is an exception, and an enlightening exception at that. You might know one part of this story. Once abundant, humans caused the extinction of passenger pigeons. […]
“Rain Follows the Plow” – One of America’s Great Mistakes?
“Rain follows the Plow.” It’s a sentence that seems so ridiculous to modern people that we wonder how anyone ever believed it. But in America in the late 19th century, this was gospel truth to some people. Rain follows the plow. The idea behind rain follows the plow was simple and powerful. Proponents needed a […]
The John Wesley Powell Map – A Real West That Could’ve Been?
Take a look at the following map of the American West. It is known as the John Wesley Powell map. Study it for a moment. The title is “Arid Region of the United States, Showing Drainage Districts.” A bland name, perhaps, but straightforward. The map’s author is one of the more important scientists in American […]
Who Was Bartolome de las Casas and Why Does He Matter?
Asking who was Bartolome de las Casas would be an easy question for an educated person in Spain. Here in the US, however, people are much less likely to know who de las Casas was. But they should. Bartolome de las Casas is a famous and important historical figure. He features prominently in the history […]
Causes of the Mexican-American War – More Important Than You Think?
The causes of the Mexican-American War are, surprisingly, still a matter of some debate. Normally, that isn’t true of things that happened 176 years ago. Generally, historians can figure things out after two centuries. But in this case, dispute remains, at least regarding the events immediately preceding the war. And this dispute involves many of […]