Monday morning found us at a historic point but also a strategic location known as the German Corner where the Moselle River meets the mighty Rhine at the city of Koblenz. The city is defined by two objects, the large statue of Kiser Wilhelm I which is located at the point where the two rivers … Continue reading Historic Travel-The German Corner →

In the 4th Century a Roman soldier named Ausonius wrote about the Moselle River, “The fair Moselle. River, accept from me These greetings – for your fields you’ve earned ovations, And those who till them too; your fortifications Match Rome’s. You flow beneath the scrutiny Of vine-filled ridges. Ah, what verdancy! How grassy are your … Continue reading Historic Travels-Moselle River Continued →

After leaving Paris we took a tour bus to Luxemburg and then into Germany where we boarded boats to take us across Deutschland. For the first couple days we traveled down the Moselle. I knew I would be stepping back in time as these villages were founded centuries before America was discovered by Europeans. Yet … Continue reading Historic Travel-the Moselle River →

Before I leave France, I want to make a comment about religion. While the French pride themselves on being secular, religion is very tied into their history, especially the history of Catholicism. Today a bit over 60% still consider themselves Catholic but what may surprise most is that the second largest religion in France is … Continue reading Historic Travel-Religion →

I mentioned before that the only figure that could rival Napoleon is Louis XIV, the Sun King. In my colonial American classes I talk about Louis XIV as a juxtaposition to what was happening in England. During the 18th Century, these two powerful nations were going in different directions. When teaching about the American Revolution … Continue reading Historic Travel →

I can’t leave Paris without saying something about art and literature. I wish I knew more about art. I know what I like when I see it, but I am far from being an expert on any artistic movement. I would say what I know the most about and teach in class is the Hudson … Continue reading Historic Travels →

As I said in my last Historic Travels post, the French Revolution did not follow the model set by the American Revolution. When the America Revolution ended the new government formed with no blood shed. Not a small feat when comparing most revolutions. The French Revolution is on the other side of the spectrum. In … Continue reading Historic Travels →

Next to WWI and WWII, the historic episode that most affected American history was the French Revolution. The Revolution was inspired by the American Revolution and arguing over whether our new fledgling nation should support the French in their revolution was one of the causes of America’s first political party system.  Jefferson and the Democratic … Continue reading Historic Travels →

I am sure most of you have heard of Le Louvre, it is the most famous and most visited museum in the world and houses the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo. It is recognizable by the glass pyramids, but what I have learned is that the pyramids are surrounded by a massive fortress … Continue reading Historic Travels →

Class Notes Today is my last class for the semester and as such it will be my last class notes for a bit before I start up again in the fall. My summer classes are not lecture classes so I will not be posting class notes from those classes. I will continue to write my … Continue reading Class Notes →