I'm back...

After taking a brief break from blogging, I am going to attempt to post more regularly about what's happening in the world of history and perhaps delve into the wonderful world of archaeology.


Movies, television shows, and miniseries set in the past are very popular [nostalgia for better days I suppose, when people made their own butter]. Many strive for historical accuracy, although a lack of finances and sometimes just plain ignorance hinder these attempts. I distinctly remember watching an episode of That 70's Show when the gang went to Canada and Fez was stopped by the Mounties. A map of Canada was prominently displayed in Mountie Headquarters. However, someone in charge of props or sets was unfamiliar with 1970's Canadian geography and the map contained Nunavut, which was recognized as a territory in 1999.

Fans of the hit television show Mad Men will be familiar with creator Matthew Weiner's dedication and passion for getting the historical details regarding the 1960s sets, costumes, and events correct. And he'd better be accurate, considering people with really big televisions and a lot of time on their hands are carefully analyzing every detail presented on the screen. A recent article from The New York Times explores the research that goes into creating Mad Men, which includes collaboration with the local historical society.

However, as mentioned above, the show is not always perfect and unfortunately, since it is show biz, sometimes appearance wins out over historical accuracy.

*picture from amctv.com

In Winnipeg with nothing to do?

Plan a visit The Winnipeg Art Gallery which is hosting the traveling exhibit, Marilyn Monroe: Life as a Legend. See for yourself the paintings and pictures which have inspired numerous t-shirts, posters, plates, and coffee mugs. CBC

Hilarious History

Spending sleepness nights wondering what you're going to do with all your random historical knowledge? Or are you frustrated that Canadian history has a reputation as being dull and boring and want to prove to your friends that history can be cool? Enter Kate Beaton.

My older brother introduced me to Kate Beaton's comics, which offer a hilarious interpretation of world and Canadian history. The great thing about Kate's comics is the diversity in subject manner. It is strong in Canadian content (she does a great Diefenbaker), but it is mixed in with random drawings of dandy's, former English monarchs, and the odd celebrity. The site really offers something for everyone. A new site was recently launched and includes a convenient archive.

For more about Kate Beaton check out here and here.




Bonus:
In keeping with the theme of hilarious history here is a look at what kind of Twitters God, Newton, and Darwin would post: CBC

Paved paradise and put up a fake fishing village...

I never gave much thought to public history's relationship with the environment. However, after reading a few articles regarding the interaction between these two fields, I realized just how much of an impact public historians can have on landscapes.

It is virtually impossible to find a track of land in Canada that has not been touched by humans. The landscape has been altered by the cutting down of trees, building of houses, construction of fences, and even the planting of foreign plant species. Major historical events, like battles, take place on land, altering it as well. While both public historians and environmentalists want to preserve and restore the land and the objects on it, they sometimes have difference priorities as to what exactly should be preserved and how.

Environmentalists are concerned with preserving the landscape and wildlife that might surround places of historical significance, while public historians seem more involved with physical objects and structures such as attractive houses and famous buildings. Preoccupations such as these could endanger the landscape, especially when high tourism traffic creates an increase in infrastructure. Suddenly concerns for the environment are quickly forgotten.

While reading about public history and the environment the example of Magnetic Hill (pictured above) in New Brunswick, popped into my head. The Hill's claim to fame is that there is a hill (obviously) where it's easier walk/drive/bike up it than it is to go down (it does opposite of what a hill is suppose to). Even the water in the ditch runs uphill. Magnetic Hill has confused citizens living in the surrounding countryside since the 19th century. It used to be located on a rural road but is now the centre of a tourist mecca.

When my parents first visited Magnetic Hill in the olden days (sometime in the 1970's) there was nothing but a sign indicating which dirt road had the hill. Later when we returned in the 1990's on our family tour of the East Coast, I remember there was maybe a parking lot and increased signage. However, the last few* times I have visited Magnetic Hill in the 2000's I have witnessed a drastic change. There are shops, restaurants, giant stuffed lobsters and moose, and a fudge factory (well, to tell you the truth, I have nothing against the fudge factory, every historical site should have a fudge factory). The parking lot has increased in size and concrete. The rural New Brunswick scenery that used to be there is no more and has been replaced with border line theme park.

Magnetic Hill became the environmentalists worst nightmare. The natural rural environment has been replaced by a theme park that is supposed to be a replica of a fishing village, with a nearby water park and zoo.

Working together public historians and environmentalists could have found a way to still promote Magnetic Hill to tourists, but also maintain the rural landscape. Perhaps taking this opportunity to educate people on rural New Brunswick and the type of agriculture local farmers cultivated.

*Why have I been to Magnetic Hill so much? Because of all the restaurants and shops, it's a nice rest stop on the way to Halifax. And who can resist a fudge factory?

Historical research at a whole new level...

In Vannevar Bush's 1945 work, As We May Think, he anticipates what technologies the future will have access to, including a walnut sized camera, the potential to look at a picture as soon as it has been taken, fax machines, and talking typewriters. As citizens of the 21st century, we have seen these technologies come to fruition, and new things continue to be invented every day. What is next, time travel?


Time travel for a historian would be extremely useful, as primary sources like newspapers, journal and diary entries, photographs, and other records can only tell or show us so much. Select Connie Willis books explore this very idea. Set in the not too distant future, the 2050s, students from Oxford University travel back in time to witness a Medieval Christmas in Doomsday Book and prepare for the reconstruction of a cathedral but end up match-making in the Victoria era instead in To Say Nothing of the Dog.

Willis has done a good job incorporating the genres of history and sci-fi. Time travel rules are carefully established, the net (which is like a time machine) will not open in the past if an incongruity will be caused. For example, the net ensures that you will not be able to go back to kill Hitler. It will drop you in a location, physically or temporally, far enough away making it impossible. Also, physical objects cannot be brought back to the future, so forget about trying to pocket gold coins you stole off of a pirate in hopes that when you return to the present you can sell them for big bucks on eBay.

Each decade is also given a safety rating from 1-10, 10 being the most dangerous. Chances are, if a period has a high rating for your race, gender, and age, there is a slim chance you'll be given permission to take the trip. For example, an African American would not be sent back to the United States during the 1800s. Dangerous eras in history, like wars and plagues, are avoided if possible...

Just imagine how the study and practice would change with this technology. One would actually be able to go back in time to see if his or her theories were correct. So-called "facts" and other research could be double checked. Government, church, and other records could be verified. Histories could be written about those individuals who have been left out of history books because they did not have a strong written tradition or were ignored because they were deemed as unimportant at the time.

If I had the opportunity to travel back in time, I think I would go back to the 1920's, take in a vaudeville show and perhaps patronize a speakeasy. I would be reluctant to back in time too far, as I have developed a certain fondness for indoor plumbing and as a woman, some periods in history wouldn't be that much fun, depending on my social class.

Connie Willis has written other books, which I haven't read yet, but I highly recommend adding Doomsday Book and To Say Nothing of the Dog to your summer reading list.

Photo: Doc and Marty McFly from Back to the Future (www.guardian.co.uk)

Lights, camera, action!

In case you could not tell from some of my previous posts, I am a huge movie fan. I like watching movies from all decades, genres, and countries. Most of my favourite films have touch of history, whether it takes place during the Civil War, the St. Louis World's Fair, or involves famous historical figures in unlikely situations. However, there are three movies/miniseries that sit at the top of my list.

Casablanca



A classic film with a unique take on World War II. Romance, danger, and intrigue, what more could you ask for?


Band of Brothers



Although not technically a movie, I first watched this in it's entirety during the first few weeks of September. Not being a WWII buff, I learned a lot about America's involvement in the war, and the experience of a soldier. What takes this miniseries to the next level is that most of the characters are based on real-life people. Interviews with the men were filmed and shown throughout the series.

The History Boys



I like this movie for several reasons. Cute boys with English accents aside, it makes me look at history in a different way (what makes something a "turning point"?) and question how it's taught in schools (think outside the box!). The class also has some heated historical debates, which I wish could happen in some of my tutorial sessions. This movie also features, in my opinion, the best definition of history.

Looking for somewhere to vacation?

Here is a good reason to visit the Smithsonian!