Category: Note

On December 19th,1776, Thomas Paine published his first “American Crisis” essay that famously began: “These are the times that try men’s souls; the summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.”. — Some sad news: Gil Gerard dead: Buck Rogers star leaves heartfelt posthumous message. — The big 50%-off sale at SurvivalRealty.com …

On December 18, 1888 Richard Wetherill and his brother in-law discovered the ancient Anasazi ruins of Mesa Verde, Colorado. — December 18th is the birthday of Charles Wesley (18 December 1707 – 29 March 1788). He wrote more than 1,700 hymns. — Today is also the birthday of Jørgen Haagen Schmith (born December 18, 1910, died October 15, 1944). He was better known under the codename “Citron” and was a famous Danish resistance fighter in occupied Denmark. — Today’s feature piece is a review written by SurvivalBlog staffer Tom Christianson. — We need more entries for Round 122 of the …

With the recent spike in spot silver, I’ve had a number of readers contact me about making trades. For any of my current Elk Creek Company inventory, I’m willing to accept in trade: Generic commercial bullion 1-ounce rounds right at the spot price of silver. ($66.29, as I’m writing this on Wednesday morning.) U.S. Mint American Eagle 1-ounce rounds at $1.50 over spot. And, since U.S. Silver dollars contain .7734 oz. of silver, I’m willing to accept: Non-professionally graded AU or Better $1 Morgan or Peace Dollars at $49.50 each PCGS or NGC graded (“slabbed”) AU 50 to MS60 (non-1921, …

December 16th is remembered as the anniversary of the Boston Tea Party, in 1773. This destructive act of civil disobedience was led by the Sons of Liberty in Boston, in protest of the 1773 Tea Act, which had imposed a 3 pence tax per pound of tea. In contemporary valuation, that equated to an 18% tax on the value of tea. News of the Boston Tea Party prompted the British Parliament to pass The Intolerable Acts (a.k.a. The Coercive Acts, or the Insufferable Acts), which were a primary catalyst for America’s War of Independence. — The Romanian Revolution began on …

On December 15th, 1569:  While being hunted by Queen Elizabeth I (pictured) for treason in “The Rising of the North”, Charles Neville, Earl of Westmorland, escaped to Scotland. — December 15th is Bill of Rights Day. The Bill of Rights became law on this day in 1791, following ratification by the state of Virginia. We encourage our American readers to gather publicly and read the Bill of Rights aloud. — The 15th of December, 1923, was the birthday of Uziel “Uzi” Gal (born Gotthard Glas). He is, of course, remembered as the inventor of the famous Uzi submachine gun. — …

December 14, 1702: -The famed Forty-seven Rōnin (leaderless samurai), under the command of Ōishi Kuranosuke, avenged the death of their master in Japan. Pictured are the graves of the 47 Rōnin at the Sengaku-ji Sōtō Zen Buddhist temple, Tokyo, Japan. — December 14th is the birthday of the late John Warren Wadleigh (born 1927, died September 24, 2013). Wadleigh was better known to many SurvivalBlog readers by his pen name, Oliver Lange. He was the author of the best-selling resistance warfare novel Vandenberg. — This is also the birthday of Air Force General James H. “Jimmy” Doolittle, who died September …

On December 13, 1774, Paul Revere and Wentworth Cheswell made their famous ride to warn Portsmouth of the approach of British warships. — December 13th was the birthday of Sergeant Alvin York. — After spending nine months on the run, former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein was captured on December 13, 2003. — Today’s feature article is by JWR. — We need more entries Round 122 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $978,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 122 ends on January 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. …

On December 12, 1897, Belo Horizonte, the first planned city of Brazil, was founded. — December 12, 2019: The British General Election was won by Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party in a landslide win with a 80-seat majority. The Scottish National Party also won 48 of 59 seats in Scotland. — Today’s feature is a guest post from long-time SurvivalBlog contributor Hub Moolman. — We need more entries for Round 122 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $978,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 122 ends on January 31st, so get busy …

On December 11, 1282 Llywelyn ab Gruffydd, the last native and independent Prince of Wales, was killed at the Battle of Orewin Bridge at Cilmeri, near Builth Wells, south Wales by forces of Edward I of England. Llywelyn reigned from 1259 and is known as Llywelyn the Last. — December 11,1602: A surprise attack by forces of the Duke of Savoy and his brother-in-law, Philip III of Spain was repelled by push of pike and gunfire from the citizens of Geneva, Switzerland. It has been commemorated since as the Fête de l’Escalade. — And on December 11, 1946, Hank Williams …

On December 10, 1690, Massachusetts Bay became the first American colonial government to issue paper money — the Massachusetts Codfish Notes. They were engraved and printed by Paul Revere. Shown above is a Codfish 8-Pence Note. — December 10, 1520: Martin Luther publicly burned the papal edict demanding that he recant or face excommunication. — And on December 10, 1906, US President Theodore Roosevelt became the first American to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 122 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First …

On December 9th, 1315, the Swiss Woudsteden renewed their Eternal Covenant. (Eidgenossenschaft or Oath Commonwealth). According to Wikipedia: “[Eidgenossenschaft] means “oath commonwealth” or “oath alliance”, in reference to the “eternal pacts” formed between the Eight Cantons of the Old Swiss Confederacy of the late medieval period. In Swiss historiography, this relates most notably to the Rütlischwur (Rütli Oath) between the three founding cantons Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden, which traditionally dates to 1307. In modern usage, Eidgenossenschaft is the German term used as an equivalent to “Confederation” in the official name of Switzerland, Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (rendered, respectively, as Confédération suisse and …

On December 8th, 1864, James Clerk Maxwell‘s paper “A Dynamical Theory of the Electromagnetic Field” was first read by the Royal Society in London. (It was published by the Royal Society in 1865.) — December 8th, 1880: 5,000 armed Boers gathered in Paardekraal, South Africa. — Today also marks the birthday of Eli Whitney, (1765–1825) the inventor of the labor-saving cotton gin, several firearms, and dozens of other mechanical devices. He was the first to demonstrate the advantages of fully interchangeable parts in firearms manufacture. — Today’s feature is by SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Tom Christianson. — We need more …

On this day in 1941 — also a Sunday — Japanese bombers launched a surprise aerial attack on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, precipitating the entry of the United States into World War II. On the same day, Adolf Hitler issued his Night and Fog (“Nacht und Nebel”) Decree, a secret order for the arrest and execution of “persons endangering German security.” — On December 7, 1972, American astronaut Eugene Andrew Cernan commanded the last crewed flight to the Moon, effectively ending the Apollo program. — On Dec. 7, 1787, Delaware became …

On December 6, 1884, an aluminum capstone was set atop the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C.. (In the 1880s, aluminum was still rare and considered precious.) At 555 feet, this made it the tallest man-made structure in the world, overtaking Cologne Cathedral. — December 6, 1534: Quito, Ecuador, was founded by Spanish colonists on the ruins of an Incan city. — And on December 6, 1917, the French munitions cargo ship SS Mont Blanc collided with Norwegian SS Imo in the harbor of Halifax, Canada. The resulting explosion killed at least 1,700 and injured more than 9,000 people. This event …

On December 5th, 771, Charlemagne became the sole King of the Franks after the death of his brother Carloman. Geneticists have estimated that the majority of modern Europeans and Americans of European descent are distantly related to Charlemagne, who fathered 18 children. — And on December 5th, 1964, the first Medal of Honor awarded to a serviceman for action in Vietnam was presented to Captain Roger Donlon of Saugerties, New York. Captain Donlon and his Special Forces team were manning Camp Nam Dong, a mountain outpost near the borders of Laos and North Vietnam. — Today’s feature piece is a …