Navigating the Heartache WWI Brings
The bicycle is a simple invention, but for woman, it became a symbol of freedom, mobility and athleticism. For society, it became a symbol of change and upsetting the status quo. The bicycle craze of the 1890s began with the introduction of the “safety bicycle.” Although bicycles had been produced before, these newer versions had…
Today, parenting styles tend to lean toward warm and nurturing. This style is a modern trend. For much of history, children lived hard lives, without much of a childhood. Childhood as we know it is a Victorian invention. A parent’s job is to prepare children for life as productive members of society. In the late…
There has always been a double standard when it comes to the battle of the sexes. Nowhere is this more evident in the Victorian age than when it comes to sexual intercourse itself. Victorians didn’t openly talk about sex, but it governed their lives. Sexual attitudes dictated clothing and decorating styles. Attitudes also necessitated the…
Domestic violence has been with us since the beginning of human history. The term, however, is a 20th century invention. For most of history, domestic violence and spousal rape were part of everyday life. Why was this violence accepted? Because it was the natural order of things. A man was supposed to display his authority…
Today, Halloween is big business, but our Victorian and Edwardian ancestors also enjoyed this ancient holiday. It was during this time, that it became a holiday for children. There were a number of regional traditions. Some traditions, such as dances, haven’t survived the test of time. Still, if you were to take a time machine…
Once upon a time in America, a large number of people lived in abject poverty, out of sight and out of mind. Photojournalist Jacob Riis’s 1890 book How the Other Half Lives: Studies among the Tenements of New York revealed this hidden community to the affluent and middle class. His book was an expose on tenement…
Over the past 120 years, we lost the intimate connection between our thoughts and a pen and paper. During the Victorian era, letter writing became commonplace: more people could read, mail delivery had become more reliable, and it connected loved ones who were too far away to visit. “While most [letter] examples are terribly verbose…
The Victorians gave us many things: the white wedding dress, air conditioning, the concept of childhood, the automobile, increased women’s rights and the telephone, just to name a few. They also gave us pornography. Yes, pornography. Soon after the invention of photography, the erotic industry was born. “The Victorian period is a key moment in the history…
The stereotype is that people who lived in the early 20th century were ignorant of how the reproductive system works, had large families, and died entering what we would now consider middle age. In reality, this view better represents the mid-19th century, when high infant mortality rates combined with farm families needing many workers. Let’s…
Slang. We all use it, generally without thinking much about it. But what is it? The dictionary defines slang as the least formal of speech. It is characterized by using more metaphors and vivid language and being more playful than ordinary speech. Slang also might be vulgar or socially unacceptable. Slang has been around since…