David Tollen, Author at Pints of History

Which of these are REAL theories for the origin of April Fool’s Day?

by David Tollen | Apr 1, 2020 | Classical Civilization, The Postclassical Age (Medieval History), The Early Modern Age

Historians debate the origins of April Fool’s Day, with three possible explanations. Which of the following are real; which three are actual theories for the holiday’s origin? In 1582, France switched from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar, which moved New Year’s...

Coronavirus Would Not Have Disrupted Our Ancestors’ Lives

by David Tollen | Mar 23, 2020 | Human Origins & the Paleolithic, The Neolithic & Latter-Day Prehistory, Earliest Civilizations in Eurasia, Classical Civilization, The Postclassical Age (Medieval History), The Early Modern Age, The Recent Modern Age

A virus circles the world, killing 1% of the population or more, particularly the elderly … and people just go about their business. Even in countries that understand contagion, no one healthy stops working, and neither do most of the sick. In fact, if you...

This week in history: Louisiana Purchase

by David Tollen | Mar 13, 2020 | The Recent Modern Age, Geography

This week in 1804, the Louisiana Territory transferred from French to U.S. sovereignty, with the change marked by a ceremony in St. Louis. The territory had actually changed hands before, from France to Spain and then, as late as 1800, back to France. France’s First...

This week in history: Huaynaputina

by David Tollen | Feb 21, 2020 | The Early Modern Age, Geography

This week in 1600, South America experienced the most violent volcanic eruption in its recorded history. The volcano known as Huaynaputina, in Peru, exploded, and the impact was global. The surrounding area was devastated, of course – much of it buried in six feet of...

This week in history: the Diet of Worms

by David Tollen | Jan 31, 2020 | The Early Modern Age

This week in 1521 saw the opening of the Diet of Worms: the great meeting of the princes of the Holy Roman Empire to address the turmoil created by Martin Luther. Luther was a clergyman and professor who had repeatedly criticized the Church and attacked its doctrines....