open fields | Jane Takes On History

Historians and economists think differently. Historians tend to be self-effacing and tentative; economists are bold.

Let me illustrate this by a statement from a historian introducing a modern way of looking at the Black Death: The new microbiology . . . opens up entirely new questions, ones we did not previously know we needed to ask.”[1]

Notice: . . . opens up entirely new questions . . . not answers.

The following statement is from two path-breaking economists. “This book explains that unique historical achievement, the rise of the Western World.”[2]

Notice: This book explains . . .

Do you see the difference? One asks questions, one asserts. Continue reading “Historians and Economists, at Odds”

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About History and Historians

An Inauguration Day like no other:

March 4, 1841. Lithograph by Charles Fenderich. From the Library of Congress, in the public domain.

William Henry Harrison died in April 1841, a month after his inauguration. His death was the likely result of his 2-hour speech (longest inaugural speech ever) on a cold, wet Washington day, without “hat, coat or gloves.” Julian Atienza discusses the event in RealClearHistory.

What was the most recent letter added to the English alphabet? Hint: Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Iuliet. Bennett Kleinman explains on Wordsmarts.

American Joe Dodge was a little-known inflation fighter. After controlling federal spending during World War II, Dodge was sent to Germany and Japan to cut postwar hyperinflation, and balance their budgets. He did, setting the stage for the spectacular rebirth of those economies. Lawrence Reed explains on FEE.

What is commonplace in our homes today was once rare.

A salt cellar by Johannes Lutma (1639). In the public domain, courtesy of the Rijksmuseum.

Tony Dunnell of History Facts discusses seven once-hard-to-get items. They include salt, tea, aluminum, pineapple and ice.

Ronald G. Shafer tells the complicated story of Julia Chinn, an enslaved woman who became the bride of Richard Mentor Johnson in a church ceremony around 1811. In 1837, four years after her death, Johnson became the ninth U.S. vice president. In Washington Post’s “Retropolis.”

Eleven TV shows that changed the world? Mark Juddery explains why on Mental Floss. The first example is Dallas, with its impact on Romania. The second is General Electric Theater, which showcased Ronald Reagan.

It’s only been 30 years, but the History Channel has had its measure of controversy, slip-ups, and even cancellations. Dan Clarendon of TV Insider discusses them.