Steadfast Pat's History Blog RSS
The Intriguing History of Uncle Sam
Patriot Clothing: Unraveling the Tale of the American Revolution Uniforms
Steadfast Patriots: The Vital Role of Militias in the American Revolution
Foreign Assistance in the American Revolution
It was a bold proposition for thirteen poorly organized colonies to go to war against what was then the world’s greatest economic and military power. Without the vast wealth of the British and without a professionally trained military, the colonists faced a daunting task in fighting the Crown for their independence. When George Washington was given command of the Continental Army, he was horrified by the lack of discipline he found. “Uncertainty weighs on me when all around me are asleep. No one knows the predicament we are in,” Washington noted privately. While twenty-first-century Americans may like to think that...
The Origins of the Democratic Party
Today’s Democratic Party traces its history to 1828, making it the oldest existing political party in the country. The party has its origins in the First Party System, which consisted of the Federalists and Republicans. By the 1810s, the Republicans had begun calling themselves the Democratic-Republicans. Going into the 1820s, the Democratic-Republicans were the only party in the United States, as the Federalists effectively ceased to exist after about 1815.The presidential election of 1824 was one of the most contentious in American history and led to the formation of the modern Democratic Party. Four candidates from the Democratic-Republican Party ran...