G. Patrick O'Brien

Trump Administration to Conduct Review of Smithsonian Ahead of America's 250th Anniversary Yesterday I urged you to remember that ultimately we are in control of how we teach and commemorate our collective history. I still believe this to be true, but I would be lying if I didn’t admit that...

Read this, Blueskis!

"Let’s stop referring to Trump’s 'interpretation of American history.' He doesn’t have an interpretation of anything remotely related to history. What Trump has is an authoritarian agenda that demands control over how Americans remember history." @civilwarmemory.bsky.social 🗃️

Absolutely. I think this is also the right idea: many Tories back an established hierarchy absolutely, even those who were obviously corrupt.

It’s certainly true that “Patriots” of 75/6 would find today’s MAGA antithetical to their vision of republicanism. But as a historian of the loyalists, I actually think they’d be MORE appalled! In some ways, MAGA resembles the patriots, especially in their fear-mongering, which Tories detested!

@johannneem.bsky.social Thinking about the similarities and differences between the “Tories” of 75/76 and today’s MAGA would be interesting.

Map of Nova Scotia

Aug. 11, 1775: Gen. Washington rules out any offensive actions against Nova Scotia, which remains loyal to the British crown. "That province has not acceded, it is true, to the measures of Congress, but it has not commenced hostilities against them nor any to be apprehended. 1/2

“Trump and his allies distort the past to convince their followers that respecting the American Revolution is somehow compatible with supporting a tyrant. They want to turn the Revolution into a symbol for tribal loyalty, but the Revolution belongs to all Americans.”

HUZZAH!

Apropos

Not saying I disagree, but Herodotus also talked about gold-digging ants larger than foxes living in India.

Monmouth College phasing out ten majors, enhancing other programs following academic prioritization process Colleges and universities across the country are facing the combined pressures of shifting student demographics, declining enrollment, and skepticism about the value of higher education. Against that ...

Could @brucespringsteen.net make a charitable donation to save Monmouth County’s ONLY history department? I mean, the Springsteen Department of History sounds awesome.

Yesterday I used Google to seek sources on one British army officer’s remarks after the Battle of Lexington & Concord.

The AI offering was at the top, so I couldn’t help but see it.

And couldn’t help but see that it summarized the story exactly wrong.

1/

Why leisure matters for a good life, according to Aristotle A philosopher argues that true leisure is when we can reflect on our real priorities, cultivate friendships and decide what kind of life we want to live.

Why leisure matters for a good life, according to Aristotle

Article 1, Section 9 & 10 have been removed from the official Govt website on the US Constitution. Among numerous points:
•Section 9 forbids suspending The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus
•Section 10 forbids ex post facto laws

This better be a joke. Ignoring these is full blow dictatorship

CANNOT be missed.

Enjoy! I loved my time in Columbia. Couldn’t have chosen a better place to be a grad student, and the department is great! Some recs: Doc’s BBQ, Jake’s (when the students aren’t around), Kaminskiy’s Desserts, the Riverwalk, and when you’re ready, Uncle Festers. Be sure to do a tailgate. Go Cocks!

Recording his travels through the area in 1783, 24-year-old Captain Alexander Thompson noted the scars from Oriskany were still plainly visible. “I went over the ground where General Herkimer fought Sir John Johnson [...] I saw a vast Number of human Sculls and bones scatterd through the woods.”

Another Lady in Grey sighting I suppose.

New Mexico made childcare free. It lifted 120,000 people above the poverty line The state, which has long ranked worst in the US for child wellbeing, became the first and only in the country to offer free childcare to a majority of families

What's the best thing you can do for families? Elect. Women. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Colleagues, think about pitching a paper, research intro, or poster, or participate in a teaching roundtable!

Tomorrow is #EmancipationDay. For this week’s #HiddenHistory, Kate Adach & I discussed #Windsor ‘s #JacksonPark & The Greatest Freedom Show on Earth (1932-1967). You can listen to the conversation here: www.cbc.ca/listen/live-... #CBC #swont #cdnhist #BlackHistory

Canadian history friends, HELP! Has anyone used the CO217 microfilmed reels available at heritage.canadiana.ca? I've read all about the creation of CO217 but how on God's good earth do you cite these records?!?!

heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm....

A screenshot of the invitation for the Book Talk sent by Old North. Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/book-chat-johnny-tremain-with-patrick-obrien-tickets-1489943443949

I'm looking forward to this event at Old North in September! If you know any teachers thinking about the Revolution during 250—or if you love Johnny Tremain—I know our conversation will be both engaging and enlightening!

I'm still building a presence here, so if you could share, I'd appreciate it!

"Lost and Legendary Riders" Lecture with JL Bell - Paul Revere House Beyond Paul Revere and his companions, Americans have passed along stories of other notable riders on April 19, 1775. Historian J. L. Bell investigates the facts and fiction behind such […]

Preview of coming attractions! Join us this fall for our annual FREE Lowell Lecture Series (four Tuesday nights in September & October) either in person or virtually: "Whose Paul Revere?" Save the date for the first one with @boston1775.bsky.social on September 16th! bit.ly/4m3ms8J

We're also excited to announce that Tom Peace @tpcanoe.bsky.social will be our keynote speaker on Friday evening, October 24 on the topic, "What is a Treaty?" Plan to join us for that lecture and for the next day's panels!

BRUCE MacKINNON CARTOON: Another Trump shakedown BRUCE MacKINNON CARTOON: Another Trump shakedown

www.saltwire.com/nova-scotia/...
#Trump #TrumpTariffs #USA #UncleSam #tariffs #shakedown

Fun German word of the day: Wortfluss or "word flow," perfect for the moment writer’s block ends.

I think I've finally cracked what the loyalist refugee meant when she lamented losing, as she put it, "my New England head." I've been wanting to write this chapter for so long. Now to do it justice!

A Decade of Conversation It has now been a decade since Borealia was launched, in 2015, with the intention of amplifying scholarship on northern North America before the twentieth century. We hoped it would be a forum wher…

We'd like to congratulate @earlycanada.bsky.social for having provided such an excellent, and generative, platform for scholarship.

In his guest blog, Micah True gives us some fascinating backstory about the writing of his book, The Jesuit "Relations": A Biography.

buff.ly/z3Dc4GU

George III

July 9, 1775: King George III writes that a pro-colonies petition he received from the London Common Council is “most decent and moderate in words," but "subversive in its denial of Parliament's authority to tax the colonies." Such ideas “I will ever vehemently oppose.”

There are many ways academic men can be part of the solution. A few:

1. Say yes.
2. When you do, be useful. Don’t cultivate a “we’ll have to do it for him” personality.
3. Pay attention to who volunteers before the ask (hint: it’s the women) and start to do that.
4. When you’re asking, distribute!