Author Archives: michaeljdouma
Historical Humility and the Big Debates of History
I seldom weigh in on the big debates of history that serve as fodder for many internet arguments. It is not only that I find these debates unhelpful, I also think they are mostly unsolvable, at least in this medium. Moreover, the vitriol and certitude in which competing sides of these debates are presented is […]
Review of Gigantino’s The Ragged Road to Abolition
I mostly liked this book. All I can offer is a preview of my review.
When the U.S. Government drafted non-citizens into the army
In 1862, the U.S. government drafted non-citizens into the army and didn’t bother passing a law about it until the next year. Using records of the U.S. State Department, I have created a database of 1040 cases of soldier complaints about impressment, that is: illegal forced conscription of non-citizens in the U.S. Army. Not only […]
Triple co-authoring
Ah, rainy mornings at the mountain cabin, when you can’t work outside, are perfect for blogging. A few years ago, my colleague Anders Rasmussen and I co-wrote and published an article on the the Lincoln Administration and the potential colonization of St. Croix with freed slaves. Co-authoring, I learned, has its advantages, especially when both […]
Reviewing Each Other
A few weeks ago, I emailed a draft copy of my next book, Creative Historical Thinking (Routledge, 2018) to my new friend Ben House. In return, last week Ben sent me a physical copy of his book, Punic Wars & Culture Wars: Christian Essay on History and Teaching (Covenant Media Press, 2008), along with a […]
How to Find the Perfect Antique Store
In about 2011, I became interested in using antiques for group discussions in my history classrooms. I was living in central Illinois at the time, and since I didn’t have much else to do, I began to make long antique-hunting trips across the plains. I began to devise strategies to find the perfect antique store, […]
Comparing Peer-review Across Disciplines
So far, for 2017, I have published 4 peer-reviewed articles, linking a variety of disciplines: history, economic history, philosophy of history, and law. I’ve noticed a clear difference in the peer-review standards across disciplines and journals. My article on the linguistic evolution of the term “The Bill of Rights” called “How the First Ten Amendments […]
Old Home on the South Branch
Five miles or so west of Romney, West Virginia, my friend is working on restoring an 18th century home site. It appears that in the late 18th century, it began with a log cabin, which was then extended, before clapboard was nailed on over the logs. Outbuilding after outbuilding was added, and it became a […]
Georg Weisserman
Could it be true that George Washington was actually a German immigrant named “Georg Weisserman”? New research indicates that this is a distinct possibility. A Virginia man claims to have found a 18th century diary in a German archive that proves just this. George, or Georg, as he was known in his hometown of Hannover, […]
A Natural Reserve of History
Spring is in full bloom here in the mountains of Hampshire County, West Virginia. A few irises have popped up, and I’ve got mint growing in the garden. Sitting at the kitchen table for breakfast, I watched a turkey strut through the yard. Days like today are perfect for hosting visitors and talking about the […]
Michael J Douma 