http://tspwiki.com/index.php?title=1826
Here are some one liners...
One Religion. One World. One Big Headache -- A Reform synagogue opens in Vienna. I talk about the social pressure on religions to conform to a single standard.
The 50th Independence Day -- John Adams and Thomas Jefferson die on the 4th of July.
An Early Texas Independence Day -- It is sometimes considered the beginning of the Texas Revolution.
In Other News -- The internal combustion engine, the audio meter, and the Eggnog Riot.
One Religion One World. One Big Headache
Yep. "We are the World" starts now. A Reform synagogue as been built in Vienna. These are the early days of the Jewish Reform Movement. (They are NOT like the modern day Reform Jews.) The city laws that once restricted Jews have been repealed and the Jewish community is grateful. Thus, when the City Temple (or synagogue) is opened, the rabbi allows a choir to sing just like the Christians do. The Reform Movement re-forms traditional Jewish Law into something better suited for modern social requirements. They move the Jewish services to Sunday and add an organ for music, but stay within a Jewish context (more-or-less). Enlightenment ideals are forcing society to tolerate differing groups by pressuring them to become more alike. In this context, religions must abandon certain aspects of their worship in order to build one religion, one nation, one people, one world. Unfortunately, this is causing a lot of push back and not only from Orthodox Jews. Christians are not liking the changes much either. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]
My Take by Alex Shrugged
At the time it was believed that religious intolerance could be overcome if we would let go of our old traditions, and create new ones. Idealism ran high, but by the 1840s the world returned to an "us verses them" approach. That was when the Jews started migrating to America. They came to the ports of Charleston, South Carolina and Galveston, Texas at first. They knew very little about farming, so they became salesmen, peddlers and tailors. They also became a pain in the neck to General Grant during the Civil War. He didn't like so many peddlers outside his camps. He believed they were engaging in black market activities. Just about everyone was. Even Grant's quartermasters were. The North had textile factories, but no cotton. The South had cotton but no textile factories. You do the math. Ideals are fine until you have to pay the bills. Then only the richest can afford them... ideals, that is. [6] [7] [8] FYI, it is wise to use the word "synagogue" rather than "temple" when referring to a Jewish place of worship OTHER than the Temple in Jerusalem. If you are not a Jew and call your place of worship a temple, that is fine. This is a controversy between Jews. Secondly, in the 1820s there was no such thing as an Orthodox Jew, but the Reform Jews labelled anyone who disagreed with them as "Orthodox" and the name stuck.
At the time it was believed that religious intolerance could be overcome if we would let go of our old traditions, and create new ones. Idealism ran high, but by the 1840s the world returned to an "us verses them" approach. That was when the Jews started migrating to America. They came to the ports of Charleston, South Carolina and Galveston, Texas at first. They knew very little about farming, so they became salesmen, peddlers and tailors. They also became a pain in the neck to General Grant during the Civil War. He didn't like so many peddlers outside his camps. He believed they were engaging in black market activities. Just about everyone was. Even Grant's quartermasters were. The North had textile factories, but no cotton. The South had cotton but no textile factories. You do the math. Ideals are fine until you have to pay the bills. Then only the richest can afford them... ideals, that is. [6] [7] [8] FYI, it is wise to use the word "synagogue" rather than "temple" when referring to a Jewish place of worship OTHER than the Temple in Jerusalem. If you are not a Jew and call your place of worship a temple, that is fine. This is a controversy between Jews. Secondly, in the 1820s there was no such thing as an Orthodox Jew, but the Reform Jews labelled anyone who disagreed with them as "Orthodox" and the name stuck.
The 50th Independence Day
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Even though we celebrate on July 4th when the document was ratified, there has always been controversy over which day to celebrate. Contrary to the famous picture depicting the Founding Fathers lining up to sign this founding document, not all the signers were present on the same day. Many of them signed on August 2nd. The Liberty Bell was rung on July 8th, but the actual vote for Independence was on July 2nd. John Adams wrote to his wife, Abigail... [9]-
- The second day of July 1776 will be the most memorable epocha in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the Day of Deliverance by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other from this time forward forever more.
My Take by Alex Shrugged
Sorry John. It was July 4th, but a great tragedy occurred on that July 4th, 1826. John Adams passed away at his home in Braintree, Massachusetts... now named "Quincy." He was 90 years old. His last words were, "Thomas Jefferson survives!" He could not know that Jefferson had died earlier that day at his home in Monticello. The two men had been good friends and then bitter rivals, but after retirement, their mutual friend, Benjamin Rush, conspired to bring them together again, at least in letter writing. They didn't always agree, but their correspondence gave them an opportunity to explain themselves to each other. They also knew that we would be reading their letters years later, so it gave them an opportunity to send a message to us as well. [10]
Sorry John. It was July 4th, but a great tragedy occurred on that July 4th, 1826. John Adams passed away at his home in Braintree, Massachusetts... now named "Quincy." He was 90 years old. His last words were, "Thomas Jefferson survives!" He could not know that Jefferson had died earlier that day at his home in Monticello. The two men had been good friends and then bitter rivals, but after retirement, their mutual friend, Benjamin Rush, conspired to bring them together again, at least in letter writing. They didn't always agree, but their correspondence gave them an opportunity to explain themselves to each other. They also knew that we would be reading their letters years later, so it gave them an opportunity to send a message to us as well. [10]
An Early Texas Independence Day
There have been more than 6 flags over Texas and this is one of them. The Fredonian Rebellion begins in Nacadoches (NAK-eh-DOH-chiss) led by Haden Edwards who has claimed land there as a LEGAL immigrant and now wants to rebel against Mexico. Edwards had won a contract to settle 800 new residents in the region, but a misunderstanding (perhaps intentional on Edwards' part) caused Edwards to disrupt the local residents already living there. He had no authority but he removed several local government officials and declared independence... all within a couple of months so you know he really thought it through. Right? The Republic of Freedonia will last for about a month until Stephen F. Austin (Yes. THAT Austin) rolls in with his troops and deposes Edwards. This incident forces the Mexican government to increase its troop presence in Tejas and to limit immigration. This has the added benefit of reducing Indian raids. Some historians point to the Fredonian Rebellion as the beginning of the Texas Revolution. [11]
My Take by Alex Shrugged
Maybe Mexico should make the United States pay for a border fence. Eh? Illegal immigration into Tejas was a major problem at the time. Stephen F. Austin's father had gained permission from Mexico to allow a few US citizens to immigrate to Tejas. (Edwards was one of them.) Thus, Austin and his band were LEGAL immigrants. Immigration permission was granted because Mexico could not talk its citizens into moving north to Tejas. (It was probably because of the Indian raids.) Austin promised that he would bring only Catholic US citizens to populate the region so Mexico approved. They also granted permission to these immigrants to bring their slaves. (Mexico had already outlawed slavery.) The legal immigrants prospered, which attracted ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS and that caused problems. (Illegal immigrant being defined as an unauthorized US citizen.) Austin tried to fix it with the Mexican government but they didn't buy it. Austin was imprisoned and after he was let go, well... that is another story. [12] [13]
Maybe Mexico should make the United States pay for a border fence. Eh? Illegal immigration into Tejas was a major problem at the time. Stephen F. Austin's father had gained permission from Mexico to allow a few US citizens to immigrate to Tejas. (Edwards was one of them.) Thus, Austin and his band were LEGAL immigrants. Immigration permission was granted because Mexico could not talk its citizens into moving north to Tejas. (It was probably because of the Indian raids.) Austin promised that he would bring only Catholic US citizens to populate the region so Mexico approved. They also granted permission to these immigrants to bring their slaves. (Mexico had already outlawed slavery.) The legal immigrants prospered, which attracted ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS and that caused problems. (Illegal immigrant being defined as an unauthorized US citizen.) Austin tried to fix it with the Mexican government but they didn't buy it. Austin was imprisoned and after he was let go, well... that is another story. [12] [13]
In Other News
- The internal combustion engine is patented in the USA. The engine has unique features for the time such as a carburetor and values. [14]
- The galvanometer is invented. That is the needle on your audio meter that jumps back and forth as you are talking into the microphone. [15]
- One-third of West Point cadets are involved in the Eggnog Riot. A few enterprising cadets sneak whiskey into the eggnog on Christmas day with predictable results. One of the participants is a young Jefferson Davis who will become President of the Confederate States. [16]
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