I shall amuse myself for a few years waving a sword at raw recruits, then take a wife, beget children, till the soil and undermine the morals of my peasantry by the inordinate distillation of spirits. So, if in 10 years’ time you should happen to find yourself in the neighbourhood, I invite you to commit adultery with an easy and curvaceous young woman selected from the estate, to drink as much potato brandy as you fancy and to break your neck out hunting as often as you see fit. You will find here a fleshy home-guard officer with a moustache that curses and swears till the earth trembles, cultivates a proper repugnance to Jews and Frenchmen, and thrashes his dogs and domestics with egregious brutality when bullied by his wife. I shall wear leather trousers, make a fool of myself at the Stettin wool market and when people address me as baron I shall stroke my moustache benignly and knock a bit off the price; I shall get pissed on the king’s birthday and cheer him vociferously and the rest of the time I shall sound off regularly and my every other word will be: ‘Gad what a splendid horse!’*

*Iron Kingdom: The rise and fall of Prussia,1600-1947'. Christopher Clark.

On This Day in American History — September 1, 1897

Boston and New York were apparently having a little race.

The prize? Being the first city in North America to put a rapid transit system underground.

Boston came out swinging and opened the first section of the Tremont Street Subway in 1897. While New York was still working on its plans, Boston basically said, “Move over, we’re taking this underground.” And just like that, Boston became home to North America’s first underground rapid transit system.
Of course, this wasn’t the subway experience we know today. No smartphones. No digital signs. No air conditioning. And definitely no app telling you that your train is delayed because of “signal issues.” Instead, the system was primarily designed to move streetcars underground and get them out of Boston’s increasingly crowded streets.

But this was about much more than getting people from Point A to Point B. Boston’s subway helped introduce a new way of thinking about transportation in America. As cities grew, Americans needed faster and more efficient ways to move people—and the solution was sometimes as simple as building another city underneath the city.

Why does it matter to American history?

The Tremont Street Subway helped usher in the era of modern rapid transit in North America. It changed how Americans could live, work, and travel in growing cities and helped shape the urban transportation systems that millions of Americans would eventually depend on.
So today, the next time you're sitting underground waiting for a train that is “running 10 minutes behind schedule,” remember…
Boston was underground first

https://youtu.be/60ONJ2-tlKY

Jan, 1928:
- The Creek Nation endorses Curtis for President, calling him "the logical choice"
- Governor Paulen (KS) speaks in New York City: “[He’s] the man of the people,” this “race track jockey” who came such an incredible way to become what he was
- Delegate Teddy Roosevelt, Jr. at a Kansas Day dinner: “[Curtis] always measured up to the highest ideal of Americanism”

Feb., 1928:
- Kaw Nation endorses Curtis for President
- The press says: Curtis is a man of "distinction," and one who is "frank, open, serious, virtuous, capable and honorable"
- A New York City HQ opens to support his campaign on the east coast

Mar., 1928:
- Albert "Doc" Newman becomes Curtis' Missouri campaign manager
- Senator Pine (R-OK) endorses him
- He is called a "100% American," meaning the only candidate with truly American roots due to his Kaw heritage

Apr., 1928
- The "Washington Evening Star" notes that Curtis was the economical choice, because he wouldn't have to scratch his initials into the White House furniture, since Cal Coolidge surely already put a C.C. there
- Curtis' daughter, Leona Knight, wins a delegate seat to the Convention from Rhode Island

I post weekly on LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-curtis-biography-project-b82762297/recent-activity/all/

America’s First Bank Heist?!

Picture Philadelphia in 1798. America is still a young nation, George Washington has recently left office, and the country is still figuring things out.

Then somebody looked at the Bank of Pennsylvania and apparently thought:

"You know what would make today interesting? Stealing the bank’s money."

And that’s exactly what happened.

In 1798, the Bank of Pennsylvania was robbed in what is generally considered the first recorded bank robbery in American history. No getaway cars. No security cameras. No silent alarms. Just criminals taking advantage of a financial system that was still learning how to protect itself.
The robbery exposed just how vulnerable America’s early banks were. As the country grew, so did its financial institutions—and eventually, the need for better locks, procedures, security, and accountability.

Why does it matter?

Because American history isn't just presidents, wars, and famous speeches. Sometimes history is made by somebody deciding to walk into a bank and walk out with money that doesn't belong to them.

Even America's criminals occasionally helped teach the country a lesson.

Sometimes you have to look at the strange stories to understand how America became the country it is today.

https://youtu.be/mkZyYxHeDAQ

In the winter of 1946, a young Bedouin shepherd was looking for a stray goat in the cliffs near the Dead Sea. He tossed a stone into a random dark opening in the rock face, expecting to startle the animal, but instead heard the sound of shattering pottery.

Climbing inside, he found tall clay jars packed with linen-wrapped papyrus scrolls. That single throw led to the discovery of over 25,000 fragments across eleven caves, including Hebrew texts that predate previously known biblical manuscripts by roughly a thousand years.

Albert I of Belgium was born on April 8, 1875, in Brussels, the son of Prince Philippe, Count of Flanders, and Princess Marie of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. He was the nephew of King Leopold II and was not originally expected to become king. However, after the deaths of several members of the royal family, Albert became heir to the throne. From a young age, he received military training and developed an interest in science, engineering, economics, and the social problems of Belgium.

In 1900, he married Elisabeth of Bavaria, with whom he had three children. Albert was concerned about the living conditions of poorer people and tried to understand their problems personally. In 1906, he founded Ibis, an institution providing education and accommodation for orphaned children of fishermen. He also took an interest in housing and working conditions.

In 1909, he made an extensive journey through the Belgian Congo to see the colony for himself. He traveled through different regions and observed the conditions in which the population lived and worked. His writings included criticism of certain aspects of colonial administration and showed concern for the situation of the Congolese population.

On December 23, 1909, following the death of Leopold II, Albert became the third King of the Belgians. During the following years, he watched with concern as tensions between the great powers increased and Europe underwent rapid militarization. Belgium was neutral but situated between France and Germany. Albert understood that, if war broke out, his country could become a route for invasion. He therefore supported strengthening the Belgian army to defend the country's neutrality and independence.

In August 1914, the moment Albert had feared finally arrived. Germany demanded that Belgium allow its troops to cross Belgian territory in order to attack France. The king rejected the demand and defended his country's neutrality. Faced with the German threat, he made Belgium's position clear: “Belgium is a country, not a road.” On August 4, German troops crossed the border and the invasion began. Albert assumed command of the army and personally followed the military situation.

The first major resistance took place at Liège. The Belgian fortifications and troops resisted the German advance and forced the Germans to devote considerable time and heavy artillery to overcoming the position. Liège eventually fell, but its resistance delayed the German advance. Fighting then continued at Namur and Antwerp as German forces pushed farther into Belgium.

The invasion also had terrible consequences for civilians. In various towns and villages, executions, burnings, and reprisals were carried out against the population. Leuven was burned and its famous university library was destroyed. Thousands of Belgians were killed, while hundreds of thousands fled toward neighboring countries. Albert watched as much of the country he ruled was being destroyed while his army attempted to hold back a vastly superior force.

After the fall of Antwerp in October 1914, the Belgian army withdrew toward the west. While the Belgian government moved to France, Albert decided to remain with his troops. He established his headquarters at La Panne and followed the operations from there, but he also visited frontline positions and trenches to see the situation of his soldiers personally.

The retreat eventually brought the Belgian army to the Yser River. There, between October and November 1914, the Belgians succeeded in stopping the German advance. The flooding of certain low-lying areas through the Yser locks made the German advance more difficult and allowed a small part of Belgium to remain outside German occupation.

Albert remained alongside his troops during the following years and was deeply concerned about the human cost of the war. He did not want his soldiers to be sent into attacks simply to achieve symbolic victories. He preferred to preserve the army and avoid unnecessary losses. As the war dragged on, he also began exploring the possibility of a negotiated peace if it could guarantee Belgium's independence and territorial restoration. He was even willing to put his own throne at risk if that could bring peace to Belgium.

His involvement even extended to aviation. In 1917, he made flights over the front to observe German positions from the air and gain a better understanding of the military situation. He did not simply rely on reports at his headquarters; he wanted to see the conditions at the front for himself.

Meanwhile, most of Belgium remained under German occupation. The population suffered requisitions, food shortages, restrictions, and the deportation of workers. Albert was aware of these difficulties, and the suffering of civilians increased his concern about finding a way to end the war. Nevertheless, he continued to keep the Belgian army together and remained on Belgian territory throughout the conflict.

Such was the affection and respect that the Belgian people had for Albert that he became known as the “King Soldier.” While he could have remained in the comfort and safety of the rear, he chose to stay with his troops and remain close to the front throughout the war, sharing the hardships faced by his soldiers during those difficult years.

In 1918, as Germany began losing ground, Albert took command of the Flanders Army Group for the final offensive. Belgian troops advanced alongside the Allies and progressively recovered the occupied territory. On November 22, 1918, Albert returned to Brussels with Queen Elisabeth and their children after more than four years of war.

The war had left Belgium severely damaged. After the liberation, Albert supported political and social reforms, as well as initiatives related to science, education, and the reconstruction of the country. He continued to take an interest in Belgium's scientific and economic development and supported the expansion of scientific research.

He also continued practicing mountaineering and climbing, two of his great passions. On February 17, 1934, while climbing at Marche-les-Dames near Namur, he suffered a fatal fall. He was 58 years old. He was succeeded by his son Leopold III, who became the fourth King of the Belgians.

I don't think many people in Korean history have ended up with a worse reputation than Jang Hui-bin.

In dramas, novels, and popular retellings, she's almost always the villain of the Joseon Dynasty: jealous, ambitious, manipulative, and constantly plotting against Queen Inhyeon.

That's the version I grew up with too.

But the more I started reading about what actually happened at Sukjong's court, the less simple that story became.

One thing that surprised me was Jang Hui-bin's background.

She's often imagined as a dirt-poor palace maid who clawed her way to the top, but her family wasn't poor at all. She came from a prosperous family connected to the interpreter class, people who worked between Joseon and Qing China and could become quite wealthy through trade.

The important part is that wealth and social rank were not the same thing in Joseon.

Her family belonged to the jungin, the "middle people" who stood below the aristocratic yangban elite. So a wealthy interpreter could have far more money than a struggling aristocrat and still rank beneath him socially.

Imagine growing up in a comfortable house, surrounded by things many people could never afford, while knowing that your family still had to defer to aristocrats simply because of the status they were born into.

And then imagine that girl eventually becoming Queen of Joseon.

That's where her life becomes almost unbelievable.

Jang entered the palace at a relatively low rank, became one of King Sukjong's favored women, gave birth to a son who would later become King Gyeongjong, and eventually rose all the way to queen.

Then everything reversed.

Queen Inhyeon, whom Jang had replaced, was brought back.

Jang lost the queenship and was demoted to concubine.

And a few years later, she was ordered to die by poison.

The more I looked at this sequence, the harder it became to see it simply as a story about two jealous women fighting over one man.

Because behind both women stood something much bigger: Sukjong's court and its vicious factional politics.

During Sukjong's reign, political factions could rise and collapse with astonishing speed. His dramatic changes of government, known as hwanguk, repeatedly reshuffled who held power at court.

And the fortunes of Jang Hui-bin and Queen Inhyeon rose and fell alongside those political changes.

When Jang rose, the political faction associated with her position benefited.

When the political balance shifted again, Queen Inhyeon returned and Jang fell.

How deliberately Sukjong used the two women as political instruments is something historians can debate. But it's difficult to separate their personal tragedy from the much larger struggle for power happening around them.

That's what makes Jang Hui-bin's story so much more interesting to me than the usual "evil concubine" version.

She wasn't a flawless victim.

She was ambitious. She fought for her position. She had enemies, and she was living in a palace where losing political protection could mean losing everything.

But that is very different from saying that every disaster around her happened because she was simply an evil, jealous woman.

And then there is the most infamous part of her story: the curse.

Most Koreans know some version of it.

Jang supposedly set up a shrine, made or used a doll representing Queen Inhyeon, stuck needles into it, and performed rituals intended to curse the queen to death.

It's one of the images that turned Jang Hui-bin into Korea's archetypal "wicked concubine."

But once I started looking into where that story comes from, what the surviving royal records actually say, and what was happening politically when the accusation appeared, I became much less certain that the familiar version tells us the whole story.

Maybe the most interesting question isn't whether Jang Hui-bin was a saint or a villain.

It's how a real woman named Jang Ok-jeong became one of the most hated women in Korean history.

The curse story was the part that really sent me down the rabbit hole. I ended up spending far more time on it than I expected, because the deeper I went into the records, the stranger — and much more political — the whole story became.

*For anyone who wants to read the direct translation of the royal records and the full political timeline behind her execution, I wrote a detailed breakdown on my blog: https://seungjeongwonhistory.com/en/

Would love to hear your thoughts on Sukjong's court dynamics!

HISTORY DAD: WHEN TALKING BECAME A 24-HOUR JOB

Imagine being in a meeting that lasts 24 hours.

Now imagine you’re not allowed to leave.

On August 28, 1957, South Carolina Senator Strom Thurmond stepped onto the Senate floor and began what became the longest single-person filibuster in Senate history. His goal was to delay and ultimately block the Civil Rights Act of 1957.

And how long did he talk?

24 hours and 18 minutes. 😳

Yes… 24 HOURS.

Thurmond talked through the night, reading from laws, court decisions, and other documents. He even came prepared with throat lozenges and malted milk balls. Because apparently, when you're planning to talk for an entire day, snacks are part of the strategy.

But behind the unusual story was a serious moment in American history. The Civil Rights Act of 1957 was an important early federal effort to strengthen voting and civil rights protections. Although Thurmond's filibuster did not stop the bill from becoming law, it demonstrated just how fierce the political battle over civil rights had become.

Why does this matter?

Because American history isn't always about the final vote. Sometimes it's about the struggle to get there. The fight over the Civil Rights Act of 1957 showed the enormous resistance civil rights legislation faced—and helped set the stage for the much stronger civil rights and voting rights laws that followed in the 1960s.

Reminder:
Sometimes history is made by the people who vote…and sometimes by the people who refuse to stop talking.

https://youtu.be/V_2obfufsMY

Over the Easter weekend of 2015, a group of men drilled through the wall of an underground safe deposit vault in Hatton Garden, the London jewellery district, and emptied dozens of boxes. Most of them were old enough to be retired. The oldest, Brian Reader, had been a career criminal since the nineteen sixties and used his free travel pass to get to the job.

They were caught within weeks. Police had them on surveillance and on their own phones, and the case never really turned on clever detective work.

It is what happened afterwards that I find harder to shake.

Terry Perkins, one of the four ringleaders, was sentenced to seven years and ordered to repay more than six and a half million pounds or serve seven more on top. He refused to say where anything had gone. He died in Belmarsh prison in February 2018, at sixty nine, on his birthday.

Brian Reader served about three years of six years and three months. He was released early after prostate cancer and a series of strokes in custody. He was reported to have made nothing at all from the raid.

Between them the four ringleaders were ordered to repay twenty seven and a half million pounds. Most of what came out of those boxes has never been recovered.

The part I keep turning over is that they were caught almost straight away and it still did not get the contents back. Fast arrests and recovery are not the same thing, and I do not think I understood that before reading this one.

If someone knows the recovery side of this better than I do, I would be glad to be corrected.

HISTORY DAD: The Day America Struck Oil!

In 1859, Colonel Edwin L. Drake headed to Titusville, Pennsylvania, with an idea that sounded a little crazy at the time:
Drill into the ground and find oil.

And somehow… it worked!

Drake’s well became the first successful commercial oil well in the United States, helping launch America's petroleum industry. What started as one hole in the Pennsylvania ground soon attracted workers, investors, businesses, and plenty of people hoping to get rich.

But the real story is bigger than just oil. Petroleum would eventually power automobiles, airplanes, factories, ships, and the American military. It would help transform the economy and change everyday life across the country.

WHY IT MATTERS:

Drake didn't just strike oil—he helped start an industry that would become one of the most important forces in American history.
Sometimes history begins with a battlefield. Sometimes it begins in a president's office.

And sometimes… Dad just drills a hole in Pennsylvania and changes the country.

https://youtu.be/_oYowJoLCE0

I used to assume that numbering houses was an innovation by early postal services to make mail delivery easier. But while researching 18 century municipal records in Paris and Vienna, I found that the original push was driven entirely by state administration.

before street numbering, houses were identified by unique signs, descriptions, or local landmarks. as cities expanded, tax collectors and military recruitment officers found it nearly impossible to locate specific individuals who moved frequently. State officials sent surveyors to paint numbers on doors at night to conduct a precise inventory of households. Mail carriers didn't actually adopt numbering system until decades later.

History Dad Storytelling 25 Aug 2026

On This Day in American History — 1916 President Woodrow Wilson signed the act creating the National Park Service.

At first, it might sound like a pretty boring government announcement. But this decision would help preserve some of the most incredible places in America—our mountains, forests, battlefields, historic buildings, and places where some of our biggest stories actually happened.

The National Park Service didn't just protect beautiful scenery. It helped protect America's memory. From Gettysburg to Independence Hall, these aren't just tourist destinations. They're places where you can literally stand where history happened.

That's why 1916 matters. America decided that some places were too important to simply disappear, be forgotten, or be turned into somebody's parking lot. History isn't always found in a textbook. Sometimes, you just have to walk through the front gate.

https://youtu.be/Lbey7BVcFKs

1928 Republican Primaries: Curtis was called the only "100% American" running for President due to his Native heritage. He was also called the "American of Americans" by Congressman Hamilton Fish.

Some thought a Curtis-Fish ticket would be the way to go. After all, the men had been working on legislation for at least 6 years when Curtis maneuvered support for an independent Jewish nation under Congressman Fish and Senate Majority Leader Lodge.

PHOTO: (left) Henry Cabot Lodge; (center) Charles Curtis; (right) Hamilton Fish

On June 23 1757, the British East India company won a battle against the Nawab of Bengal. This started their political rule over India.