History lessons is a grouping of historical stories and tidbits. The topics range from the American Civil War through interesting items from around the world. Please use the comments area to ask questions and make suggestions for future topics.
By James Breig Painter Laura Stutzman must know how to pose flags. After all, her images of them are reproduced by the hundreds of thousands. Her second set of four flag images is now available from the U.S. Postal Service. The first quartet showed flags at different times of day; the new issue shows them… continue
By James Breig In August 1943, as World War II reached its midpoint, a soldier stationed in England sent a letter to his mother in New York State and adorned it with a crudely drawn American flag. For reasons unknown to anyone but him, Pvt. Donald Bell did not write anything about his life, England… continue
By James Breig When a former president passes away, people go into action to plan his funeral and determine what symbols would best mark the occasion. Those in charge of the services for Theodore Roosevelt thought of a unique event that had a special flag as its center point. Their decision, made after his death… continue
By James Breig This year could be called the eye of a hurricane of war anniversaries. Americans are in the middle of marking the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812, the sesquicentennial of the Civil War and the 70th anniversary of World War II. This is also the 115th anniversary of one of the… continue
By James Breig The recent birth of a new prince in Great Britain, the nation that at one time “ruled the waves,” calls to mind a real-life sea-faring story, “Mutiny on the Bounty,” set in the South Pacific. The original book and many film versions of how an 18th-century crew rebelled against their taskmaster captain… continue