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Nearly all by the Franks from what I have read. It took a more than two decades of fighting for Charlemagne to “convert” the Saxons.
The Alemanni and Saxons celebrated the Solstice and St. John's Day (my birthday) with many traditional pre-Christian fun and games well past their conversions by sword.
After 1789, France had much difficulty getting it right: One Terror, Two Empires, Five Republics, and Vichy.That is the source of the clich? I used to hear when I was a boy: “40,000,000 Frenchmen can't be wrong.” When and if they agree on something.The 4th Republic is the only democracy to have voted itself out of existence so Vichy could be created.
I remember reading that the Black Plague did not eradicate X% of the population equally from community to community. Some suffered few deaths while others were totally or nearly wiped out.
How to lose friends or receive lower grades in academica:Ask any professor this question demanded by the powers at the University of London in the 1950s to M.A. and doctoral candidates–what is it in your thesis that adds to the knowledge of mankind?
And her agenda is ……?To listen to the left, our slave owning, property owning, Indian fighting, northern slave trading male founding fathers got us off on the wrong foot. ;D
Bismarck had an acerbic wit.About Italy: Such a large appetite, such poor teeth.About Bavarians: “A Bavarian is a cross between an Austrian and a man.”
One historian — I forget whom — called the revolutions of 1848 a turning point in History that failed to turn.An upside for the USA and perhaps fatal for the future of Germany to 1945 is that a large number of Germans immigrated to our shores, many of them disappointed or liberals hunted by the authorities (meaning they wanted a republic/democracy).
Wally, where do you teach in California? I hope it is a good gig.I taught at Los Gatos, 1959-61. Great school. 4-year high school at the time, 1300 students, school average IQ 108, avered 9 national merit finalists, great faculty and great unique principal — All-American end at St. Marys with an M.A. in Literature from Brother Leo. He required whenever possible that his faculty had life experience. Head of Social studies had served in the FBI, language teachers were of their native lands, head of Grils' PE had danced ith Martha graham, and so on. I left it to seek fame and fortune in Hollywood. I also taught at Fairfax in Hollywood 1967-87 and witnessed a decline from 85% going on to college to 75% of those attending as 10th graders graduating three years later.I went through the San Francisco public school systerm — Sutro, Frederic Burke, and Cabillo elementaries (we moved often during the Great Depression), Presidio Jr. High, and the great all academic Lowell High School. Because I was Social Studies Chairman at Fairfax for 15 years, I always selected the most challenging texts available, but had only one choice when it came to texts for remedial and ESL students whom the school in its wisdom planted in the same classrooms. It is not only the textbooks that are a problem — I had to deal with non-History majors for the required U.S. History courses, the oxymoronic Current History, and other History electives. I always dreaded having to accept the PE Major coach who had a general Social Studies minor.
When I taught, I generally ignored the textbooks. Most One for 11TH GRADE U.S. HISTORY in 1967 — later discontinued for 8th grade reading levels — had a great question:Hamilton admired Julius Caesar, Jefferson John Locke. What does this say about the two men? I believe most lower division college students today could not handle that question.I was able to get great college level texts for my AP European History classes — not on the approved lists.
Jake, I did not serve in Vietnam — too old — but at the time I was in a state of total pissed-off by the failure of our govt. to fight the war properly, the disloyal press and too many of our population, and the elitist disrespect our draftees and volunteers received. Of that college age generation, I have no respect for them if they did not serve on active duty, and I still question many of the degrees they received ca 1965-1975. I remember one instance in which students at U.C. Davis were given A's for lying on railroad tracks to prevent military shipments.
