July 21, 2008

Good Morning

Well, I don't have a guest blogger today, so I guess it's up to me to talk. Of course, I don't have anything planned....lol. I was looking at the post from "On This Day" and saw that it's the anniversary of the Battle of the Pyramids by Napoleon Bonaparte on July 21, 1798. Yeah, I never heard of it either. But Napoleon "put into use one of his significant contributions to tactics, the massive divisional square," which is actually a rectangle. This formation helped him repeal and defeat the ruler Mamluk's armies. The battle took place 9 miles from the Pyramids outside Cairo. Napoleon's victory signaled the beginning of the end for the 700 year rule of the Malmuk's rule in Egypt.

Find out more at:

http://www.reference.com/search?r=11&q=Battle%20of%20the%20Pyramids

But reading about Bonaparte reminded me that for years, I never understood European history. I moved from one state to another during my freshmen year of high school. The school I had attended in Ft. Worth, Tx was on trimesters and we waited until the end of the first trimester to move. The school I moved to in Las Cruces, NM was on semesters. When I arrived to register, it was suggested that I wait until after the Christmas holidays to do so, since I'd be join classes just in time for finals. So, I had a 6 week break.

Unfortunately, because of this, I missed a lot of instruction on European history, namely Napoleon Bonaparte's. I was confused to learn there was more than one Bonaparte and also it took me a while to understand that the European countries weren't united as they are now (in that Germany, France, Italy used to be little city-states and not one big country as the are now). It really wasn't until I took my college history classes in the past two years that I came to understand what I'd been missing all these years.

I find history fascinating and can't understand those people who say they don't.

There are several time periods I'd like to visit if I could - Regency England, medieval Europe, the Wild West.

What time period(s) would you like to visit?

~Anna Kathryn

15 comments:

LuAnn said...

I just found out about this website the other day and it's great!
One of my favorite time periods to read about is the late 1800s in the United States. I especially enjoy stories about the Oregon Trail and the settling of the west.

Meljprincess said...

Victorian England and the Wild West

Mel K.

Zulmara said...

I'd like to visit the US at the time of the Revolution...as a white male, of course, to partake of this beautiful experience...

And, the wild, wild, wild west...as a WOMAN...to enjoy the west from a woman's perspective.

And, the AZTECS, at their height of civilization...as a Chief...lol

ADELANTE!!!

Zulmara

Anonymous said...

Greece or Scotland in the 1800's

Drea said...

Ohhh, medieval times! I would love to visit and observe.

Eva S said...

I'm a medieval fan too!And I'd love to visit Scotland and meet a Highlander or two....

Unknown said...

Medeval time and Scotland in 1800's and I would also love to visit the wild west. you have such great post, I love history to. I would also love to visit during the Civil war.

Jane said...

I'm really fascinated by the Norman-Saxon conflict, Ancient Egypt, Ancient Rome and England during the Georgian and Regency periods.

blessedheart said...

My favorite time periods are Victorian England and the Old West.

Rhonda :-)

DawnM said...

Actually, I think I'd like to go back to a time when dinosaurs roamed. Not too keen on the idea of poor sanitary conditions that existed in previous times.

Cherie J said...

Regency England for me.

Kimberly B. said...

Well, any time I went back to it would have to be as an observer. I'm a grad student in history, and harbor no illusions about what it was really like to live in the distant past. But as an observer, I'd love to visit 1st century Alexandria or Renaissance Florence.

Estella said...

I would like to visit the Wild West in the 1800's.

Michelle said...

I would love to see the time of the druids or possibly egyptians.

Anna Kathryn Lanier said...

I'm loving your comments. yeah, I think I'd have to take along a bottle of shampoo and some deoderant if I travelled back in time. Though I also think we make our ancestors dirtier than they really were. I mean, they had to live with the smell, you'd think they'd do what they could to help the situation. Though I know they didn't bath as we do, I doubt they only bathed twice a year.

Sponge baths with a bowl of water was used at the least, I'm sure.

~A.K.