Friendly Neighborhood Historian

What part did the Enlightenment and the revival of the Great Awakening play in the American Revolution? Blog: https://billpetro.com/american-revolution-reason-and-religion #America-250 #AmericanRevolution #Independence #USA

Why do the 250 years of America represent a unique nation in world history? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-america-250-years #America-250 #UnitedStates #USA

Who was this prophet, what was his history, and how has his life been celebrated around the world throughout history? How is it related to Midsummer ? https://billpetro.com/st-john-the-baptist #StJohnTheBaptistDay #Midsummer

How a Scottish immigrant preacher became the sole clergyman to sign the Declaration of Independence. Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-john-witherspoon #JohnWitherspoon #FoundingFather #AmericanRevolution

BBC Radio 5 Live interview to discuss the traditions of an American New Year's Eve celebration. Blog: https://billpetro.com/interview-history-behind-new-years-eve #BBC #NewYearsEve

Who was St. John the Apostle, and what was his role in the history of Christianity and the Bible? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-feast-of-st-john #StJohn #FeastOfStJohn

Who were they, where were they from, why did they come, what is their part in the Christmas narrative? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-the-wise-men #WiseMen #Magi #Christmas

What did the most powerful individual in the world have to do with the humble Nativity? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-christmas-caesar-augustus #CaesarAugustus #Nativity #Bethlehem

What was the historical and political context at the time of Jesus' birth in Jerusalem and Rome? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-king-herod/ #HerodTheGreat #Christmas

Why is the song so popular, and why does it always seem to come back into popularity?  Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-white-christmas/ #WhiteChristmas #Christmas

Why Squanto already knew English when he met the Pilgrims in Massachusetts. Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-thanksgiving-friendly-indian #Thanksgiving #Squanto #NativeAmerican

Veterans Day, Armistice Day, Remembrance Day, Poppy Day. Why we have remembered this day each year for over a century. Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-veterans-day #VeteransDay #RemembranceDay #ArmisticeDay #PoppyDay

What is the origin of a Jubilee Year, what's the origin, how has it been observed in the past, and what does it mean for this year? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-jubilee-year #JubileeYear #HolyYear #RomanCatholic #Indulgence #Pilgrimage

How old is this pilgrimage, what is its historical significance, how do people travel it now? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-via-francigena-pilgrimage #ViaFrancigena #Pilgrimage #Rome

What does pilgrim mean, what are the secular & sacred pilgrimages of the world's religions, including Judaism, Islam, and Christianity? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-pilgrimages #Pilgrimages #Rome #Christianity

What is the science, how does it define Fall , and how does it differ from the Vernal Equinox? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-the-fall-what-is-the-autumnal-equinox #Fall #Autumn #Equinox

Why would it start in September rather than October? Should it be Septemberfest ? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-oktoberfest #Oktoberfest #Munich #Germany

Like a long walk off a short plank, this is the origin, growing popularity, media coverage, and linguistic history of the Geek holiday. Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-talk-like-a-pirate-day #TalkLikeAPirate #Pirate

What is the origin of the Left vs. Right divide, what are the differences, how does it impact us today? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-the-left-vs-the-right #Civics #France #Left-Right

How was the Constitution written on this date in 1787, ratified a year later, and effective the year after that? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-the-constitution-of-the-united-states/ #Constitution #History #UnitedStates

9/11, the commemoration as observed in the US, reflections looking back, and the importance of memorial. Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-patriot-day-9-11 #PatriotDay #9-11 #9/11

What is the background of Star Trek in TV & movies that spawned countless books, films, comics, and beyond? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-star-trek #StarTrek #TV #ScienceFiction

How the diminutive French-born scholar became the "Genius of Geneva" and had an outsized impact on history in Europe, the UK, and America. Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-john-calvin/ #JohnCalvin #Calvinism

Who was this enigmatic Founding Father who was so closely associated with the 4th of July? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-thomas-jefferson/ #ThomasJefferson #FourthOfJuly #DeclarationOfIndependence #FoundingFathers

Was the Declaration of Independence signed on July 4, 1776? What's the story behind this famous American document? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-independence-day/ #IndependenceDay #FourthOfJuly #DeclarationOfIndependence