New York Freedom Trail

Fourth of July weekend is almost here.  Many of us will be heading into Manhattan, Brooklyn, or elsewhere in New York City to take advantage of the fun and festivities. While you're taking a much needed break from work or bar exam outlines, don't miss the Revolutionary War history right on your path to that museum, restaurant, or family gathering.  New York Freedom Trail is a quick virtual tour of 19 New York City Revolutionary War sites, with photos, a simple map, and public transit directions for each one. There's enough information to make each site interesting while keeping to the essentials.  So before you head out, be sure to take a look at New York Freedom Trail online, or take along the Kindle version available from Amazon.com.


Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Echoes

If you've never thought that financial history could be fun, spend a few minutes with Echoes.  Echoes is Bloomberg's economic history blog. It digs (briefly and engagingly) into episodes and events in American and world history to find "reverberations" in our present-day economic scene and its challenges.  Recent posts, such as "How Did George Washington Feel About the National Debt?," "How Valentine's Day Created a Retailing Revolution," and "How the Patent Office Helped to End Slavery," and weekly features such as "This Week in the Great Depression" speak to the fascinating ways in which our economic past is still impacting our present and future.  Edited by Stephen Mihm, an associate professor of history at the University of Georgia, this blog brings a fresh approach to the wisdom of academics and authors in a package that everyone can enjoy.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Visual History of the Supreme Court

Timeplots.com has created a beautiful poster/webpage which diagrams the history of the U.S. Supreme Court, including all of its justices, who appointed them, when they served, and landmark decisions. It is viewable here. A snapshot of part of it is below.

This is part of a three-part project which also includes wonderful diagrams of the histories of the U.S. Senate and the Presidency.





Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

John Jay Homestead Historic Site

Today is the birthday of our first U.S. Supreme Court Justice, John Jay. What most law students may not realize is that John Jay was as much a New York farmer as he was a lawyer, member of the Continental Congress, co-author of The Federalist, state and federal judge, diplomat, and Governor of New York.

In Katonah, Westchester County, New York (only about 40 miles by car and one hour by Metro-North train from Grand Central Station) is the John Jay Homestead State Historic Site. A visit to the homestead and farm would make a great law-related country excursion or family trip during semester break or later this year. Jay retired to this farm and lived there until his death in 1829. The farm then remained in the Jay family until the last family resident died in 1953. The Homestead web site provides historical and family accounts, with a virtual tour of the farmhouse Jay designed himself and many other sites on the extensive grounds, which include other historic buildings, formal gardens and woodland walks.



Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Study Break: Tweeting Gettysburg

As mentioned by The Chronicle of Higher Education, historical scholarship has taken on a whole new form. A group is now tweeting famous historical events as though they were occurring in real time today. They began with the Battle of Gettysburg.

So, is historical tweeting a valuable teaching tool, or is it just an unusual way of using Twitter?


Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Computer History

Not impressed by your cell phone, Blackberry or Iphone? You might be when you realize that this giant supercomputer from 1972 has about the same computing power as your phone. The supercomputer lives at the Computer History Museum in Silicon Valley. If you don't have time for a trip to California, take a look at this photo gallery -- it is fascinating.


Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat