History, there is so much of it to cover. I find myself captivated by many periods in time; and rather jaded when it comes to other periods. Personally I find ancient Egyptian, the American Civil War, British Empire and 20th century politics and wars give me an infinite amount of interest.
The Egyptians interest me because their culture, and beliefs are undeniably intriguing. I am studying the American Civil War at the moment in history; some revelations regarding the entire black civil rights movement and Abraham Lincoln gave the order to his high general to form a “Scorch earth policy” on the confederates. The British Empire for many reasons; I find it amazing that a small Island can form the largest empire this world has ever seen. The 20th century because more, I think, has happened to transform the world in these years than any other period of time; both politically and technologically.
So what are your favourite periods in time, and why? How have you gone about exercising your interest in that period?
What are your favourite periods in history, and why?
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A Gunslinger
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European: I am a Rennaisance man myself. Also I am very enamored with the Old Celtic period.
As far as American history, I very intrigued by the pre-depression era of the 20's, as well as the early cold war (late 50's early 60's) era. Had I a time machine, I'd be hangin' out in Roswell with a camera!
As far as American history, I very intrigued by the pre-depression era of the 20's, as well as the early cold war (late 50's early 60's) era. Had I a time machine, I'd be hangin' out in Roswell with a camera!
"I use my gun whenever kindness fails"
I'm quite insterested in the Romans and greeks, i find them quite interesting to read about, the wars, the political intrigues (sp 
) all good stuff.
I remember being very fond of the Vikings when i was younger aswell.
) all good stuff.I remember being very fond of the Vikings when i was younger aswell.
But if you're all about the destination, then take a fucking flight.
We're going nowhere slowly, but we're seeing all the sights.
And we're definitely going to hell, but we'll have all the best stories to tell.
Full of the heavens and time.
We're going nowhere slowly, but we're seeing all the sights.
And we're definitely going to hell, but we'll have all the best stories to tell.
Full of the heavens and time.
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A Gunslinger
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Warmark wrote:I'm quite insterested in the Romans and greeks, i find them quite interesting to read about, the wars, the political intrigues (sp
I remember being very fond of the Vikings when i was younger aswell.
Yopu wouldn't want to mess with the Vikings, dude. I saw something on the dark ages the other night, and the Vikings were frickin' ruthless. Don't get near 'em!
"I use my gun whenever kindness fails"
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I'm Murrin
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Ancient near east. Mesopotamia from Sumeria through to Chaldaea, and later. Though I'm specifically interested in the mythology of those nations, the way the legends developed and altered and influenced later religions (Deluge being one of the best examples of this). So mythology in a historical/anthropological context, rather than history in the strict sense.
October 26, 1881.
The gunfight at the O.K. Corral.
The gunfight at the O.K. Corral.
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." - PJ O'Rourke
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"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
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"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
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"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
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"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
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Lord Mhoram
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The Islamic High Caliphate and the Pax Romana are in my opinion among the pinnacles of human civilization. I also like early American history (the age of the Founding Fathers up to Jackson) and our Civil War. My favorite, perhaps, is the Axial Age, wherein Socrates and Plato, Confucius, the Buddha, Zarathustra, and various Jewish prophets lived as rough contemporaries.
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SothuTheUnfetterdOne.
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Lord Mhoram
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It's fantastic.-
SothuTheUnfetterdOne.
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danlo
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My favorite period is the same as Murrin stated above, along with Akhenaten's rule and the suprisingly advanced Indus Valley civilizations at Hanurrapa and Mohenjo Dara. Spain and Portugal in the 20th Century was another specialty of mine in college. I'll probably start a Spainish Civil War topic soon... 
fall far and well Pilots!
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Lord Mhoram
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I'm interested in most any period of history really.
In terms of early civilisations, I'm most interested in mythological/religious and social aspects.
Militarily, the Greeks and Romans, and later the British Empire's armies of the 1800's and the peninsular wars.
Always had a soft spot for the American civil war as well, and medieval Europe and North Africa.
--A
In terms of early civilisations, I'm most interested in mythological/religious and social aspects.
Militarily, the Greeks and Romans, and later the British Empire's armies of the 1800's and the peninsular wars.
Always had a soft spot for the American civil war as well, and medieval Europe and North Africa.
--A
More than any other periods in American history, these two absolutely fascinate me. I could easily see myself running to volunteer to fight in either war.dlbpharmd wrote:American Civil War
WWII
The War Between the States, to me, was the turning point in American history that led to the nanny government we have now. WWII was the last time we were truly united as a nation.
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." - PJ O'Rourke
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
_____________
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
_____________
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onewyteduck
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A Gunslinger
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I always liked to play a "what if" game with the civil war. Say the South prevailed and won its "independence". given their lack of industrial infrastructure (iron, factories, etc.) and that the basis of their economy would be agricutural (cotton, foodstuffs)...eventually, they would have to find trading partners and establish long term commitments with such.Cail wrote:More than any other periods in American history, these two absolutely fascinate me. I could easily see myself running to volunteer to fight in either war.dlbpharmd wrote:American Civil War
WWII
The War Between the States, to me, was the turning point in American history that led to the nanny government we have now. WWII was the last time we were truly united as a nation.
Would the N & S then be friendly to one another or would there always be some sort of animosity?
Would the S and the N be on the same side in WWI and WWII? Would the Communists get hold of the south as the southern economy would be weaker and perhaps more prone to the ideas of communism?
It is a fascinating thought.
I personally think that some sort of reintegration would have had ot have occurred. The South lacked infrastructure to maintian a robust economy, when compared to the North...which is why they lost in the first place really. You gotta have access to iron and the plants to produce it to win wars!
"I use my gun whenever kindness fails"
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Menolly
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Paul is here with me today. To expand:Menolly wrote:Paul: 1600 to 1604 in Prague...
Paul: Prague at the time was the only real cosmopolitan center in Europe. Under Emperor Rudolf II, Prague experienced an almost unparalleled explosion of artistic, literary, and philosophical fertility. At the same time, a temporary uneasy truce obtained among the various religious factions.
Into this atmosphere stepped my favorite historical figure, Johannes Kepler. During this four year period the young polymath would make use of the riches in his intellectual and social context to make more significant breakthroughs in the exact sciences than any man since Archimedes. In a brief Prague Spring, one of the greatest minds of the 17th century laid the foundations of optics and astrophysics, and dramatically furthered studies of the calendar, geometry, music, astrology, and pure mathematics.
It is difficult to say what would have happened had Rudolf's madness and extravagance not bankrupted the Imperial treasury at the same time as Turkish and Catholic forces began a new period of militarism, bringing down the curtain on the most marvelous spectacle in central Europe at the time. Nonetheless, this was the stage on which the birth of modern science took place.
(By the way, this viewpoint is terribly old fashioned, oversimplified, and hyperbolic by today's standards, for a practicing historian.)
