Spanish Requirement of 1513

The Spanish Requirement of 1513 contained a twisted logic that enabled the slaughter of indigenous peoples across the Americas.

Quebec American Revolution

The Continental Congress attempted to convince their ‘friends and fellow subjects’ in Quebec to join in on the fun of the American Revolution. And they pulled out all the stops to flatter their amis to the north.

Nova Scotia American Revolution

Nova Scotia in the American Revolution: yes, it did almost happen! Though the idea of the original 13 has become sacrosanct, 14 damn near rebelled.

Canadian Martyrs

We’ve all read about those Europeans who came to the colonial Americas to live. But what of those who came to die? Among the more religiously minded colonists, especially those who belonged to the Society of Jesus, the notion of being a martyr, of joining the hallowed ranks of the early converts slaughtered in Roman coliseums, was an appealing one. Or, at least, so they claimed. 

Beaver Wars Mourning Wars

Two ideas, the Beaver Wars and the Mourning Wars, have defined the way we think of the Franco-Iroquoian conflicts of the sixteenth-century. Which is better?

Tar and Feathering American Revolution

Tar and feathering in the American Revolution was far more violent than it’s often made out. Could it be categorized as an act of terror?

Atlantic World


King Philip's War

Was King Philip’s War caused by cows? The answer might surprise you! Spoiler alert, King Philip’s War was caused by cows, oh, and pigs.

Bartolomé de Las Casas

Bartolomé de las Casas is one of the most fascinating people in history. He started his life in the Americas as a slaveholder, before having a religious experience and becoming one of the biggest proponents of Native American rights in the wake of European colonization.

Real History of Thanksgiving

The real history of Thanksgiving is story of an unsteady peace between the Wampanoag and the Plymouth colony. And the Pilgrims weren’t as thankful as we like to think.