history
Past politicians, legislation and political movements have changed the course of history in ways both big and small. Welcome to our blast to the past.
Common land in England and Wales
There are still surprisingly large areas of land in England and Wales, both in cities and rural areas, that are classed as common land in that certain rights to its use have been laid down as being for the benefit of the people in general and not for the private profit of an individual.
By John Welford5 years ago in The Swamp
Cardinal Mazarin
Cardinal Mazarin was a fascinating figure from the history of France in the 17th century. Despite not being French, he was that country’s most powerful politician for 19 years, and the fact that he became a cardinal was itself bizarre given that he was never ordained as a priest!
By John Welford5 years ago in The Swamp
Caratacus: The King who Lost Britain to the Roman Empire
Caratacus (sometimes spelled Caractacus) was a Celtic British king at the time of the invasion of Britain by the Romans under Emperor Claudius. Caratacus’s defeat and capture marked the true beginning of Rome’s occupation of Britain that was to last for nearly 400 years.
By John Welford5 years ago in The Swamp
Meaning Will Follow
In his book, If the South Had Won the Civil War, MacKinlay Kantor makes three major historical changes that ensure a Confederate victory: Lincoln is not assassinated, Ulysses S. Grant and General Sherman are killed in the war, and the Union Army is defeated at Gettysburg.
By Paul Murphy5 years ago in The Swamp
Emperor Caracalla of Rome
The history of the Roman Empire contains several instances of worthy emperors producing far less worthy sons. One notable example was Commodus, who succeeded Marcus Aurelius in 180. Only 31 years later history repeated itself when Caracalla became emperor on the death of his father, Septimius Severus.
By John Welford5 years ago in The Swamp
The Birds Have Flown
King Charles I came to the throne in 1625, utterly convinced that he had been put there by God and that his governance must therefore be beyond question. The newly created United Kingdom of England and Scotland had a Parliament that sat at Westminster but its sole function – as Charles saw things – was to enact his policies and raise the necessary funds for any wars or other forays that incurred expense.
By John Welford5 years ago in The Swamp
Goddamned Freeloaders!
American involvement in central and south America goes all the way back to 1795 when George Washington was the President and over the years we consistently and repeatedly sent the U.S. military to enforce the will of the political administration to protect American-owned agricultural and industrial interests throughout Central and South America. We killed lots of people in the Falkland Islands of Argentina, Venezuela, Columbia, Peru, Chile, Uruguay, Honduras, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Mexico. We set up dictators that had our military protection so that companies from the United States could operate there very inexpensively or so that their industry could operate and benefit us strategically. Yeah, Baby. Remember, we’re the good guys.
By Steve McManus5 years ago in The Swamp
Black Business in the African Diaspora Movement
Entrepreneurs innovate in response to socioeconomic needs and despite not every entrepreneur has a social focus, their ideas do change the landscape and direction of society. They inspire not just with their ideas but with their innovative entrepreneurial mentality. This is how a young man from a very volatile inner-city community in Jamaica used his innovative ways to put himself through school at the highest level and then responded to the plight of others. Miguel ‘Steppa’ Williams an award-winning dub poet famous for his question to former President Barak Obama on his visit to Jamaica about the legalization of Marijuana. Miguel a Rastafarian by religion confesses his use of marijuana affectionately called ‘Ganja’ as a religious and health right, while always advocating for its commercial potentials to the island and many impoverished communities, even before decriminalization.
By TanYah Global5 years ago in The Swamp
The Political Impact of the Southern Strategy
Everyone is getting politically aware nowadays, especially after the 2020 election. However, have you ever wondered how Democrats and Republicans came to be the political parties they are today? Conservative pundits and personalities say the Democrats were the racist ones and Republicans were advocating for equal rights for African Americans in the past, after the Civil War. Liberal pundits say that Republicans are the racist ones now and Democrats are the freedom fighters. They use these talking points to downplay the hypocrisy of their respective political parties. The reality is both parties are mostly corrupt, but what caused the shift of the present political agendas of the Democrats and Republicans?
By Tyler Williams5 years ago in The Swamp
The Truest: Why a Game Should Include King Leopold II
Most people would say the ruler of the Third Reich killed many people, but few people would utter the name of King Leopold II. This man never entered the Congo, but was responsible for the deaths of 10 million people there and more.
By Skyler Saunders5 years ago in The Swamp
