Benjamin L. Carp 🎏
@bencarp.bsky.social
Historian of Early America, Brooklyn College & Graduate Center, CUNY. Leading AHA wit. Latest AmRev book: "The Great New York Fire of 1776: A Lost Story of the American Revolution" 🔥 Dad, Mets fan, fantasy reader
Pinned
Benjamin L. Carp 🎏
@bencarp.bsky.social
· Jul 21
Here I am, as the Scorpions once foretold.
I guess the billionaires were right!
November 6, 2025 at 1:40 PM
I guess the billionaires were right!
Brooklyn College as Borderlands, Part MMCCCLVIII…
November 5, 2025 at 3:24 AM
Brooklyn College as Borderlands, Part MMCCCLVIII…
Mamdani will be the 7th NYC mayor since 1834 to have been born abroad
November 5, 2025 at 2:44 AM
Mamdani will be the 7th NYC mayor since 1834 to have been born abroad
If you starve CUNY for years and do nothing for its students, we will eventually make you lose the same election twice
November 5, 2025 at 2:14 AM
If you starve CUNY for years and do nothing for its students, we will eventually make you lose the same election twice
Good news for people who like nursing home deaths and workplace harassment: you’ll always have a home in Staten Island
November 5, 2025 at 2:10 AM
Good news for people who like nursing home deaths and workplace harassment: you’ll always have a home in Staten Island
Well? Where are my NYC results?
November 5, 2025 at 2:01 AM
Well? Where are my NYC results?
This ad made a small part of me hope that Mamdani loses today so that he’ll have time to give a guest lecture in my “History of New York City” class at Brooklyn College in the spring — but on balance I’d rather he be my mayor that a guest lecturer
UNTIL IT’S DONE, Ep. 5: Vito Marcantonio
There are many who dismiss our vision for New York as impossible. To them, I say we need look only to our past for proof of how we can shape the future.
Tomorrow is Election Day. And this is the final Until It's Done of our campaign.
There are many who dismiss our vision for New York as impossible. To them, I say we need look only to our past for proof of how we can shape the future.
Tomorrow is Election Day. And this is the final Until It's Done of our campaign.
November 4, 2025 at 11:19 AM
This ad made a small part of me hope that Mamdani loses today so that he’ll have time to give a guest lecture in my “History of New York City” class at Brooklyn College in the spring — but on balance I’d rather he be my mayor that a guest lecturer
Reposted by Benjamin L. Carp 🎏
"At a time when the federal government is targeting the communities of color and immigrant communities that CUNY serves, New Yorkers need a mayor who will be a champion for CUNY." Vote
citylimits.org/opinion-why-...
citylimits.org/opinion-why-...
Opinion: Why Cuomo Would Be a Bad Deal for CUNY - City Limits
"At a time when the federal government is targeting the communities of color and immigrant communities that CUNY serves, New Yorkers need a mayor who will be a champion for CUNY."
citylimits.org
November 4, 2025 at 12:15 AM
"At a time when the federal government is targeting the communities of color and immigrant communities that CUNY serves, New Yorkers need a mayor who will be a champion for CUNY." Vote
citylimits.org/opinion-why-...
citylimits.org/opinion-why-...
The wizened old man surveyed the smoking ruins and shook his head.
“You see it all around you,” he sighed. “Good loving gone bad.”
“You see it all around you,” he sighed. “Good loving gone bad.”
November 3, 2025 at 9:10 PM
The wizened old man surveyed the smoking ruins and shook his head.
“You see it all around you,” he sighed. “Good loving gone bad.”
“You see it all around you,” he sighed. “Good loving gone bad.”
I was just saying at dinner last night that if I could have one wish for US politics, it would be to mandate that every American to spend one hour learning about the definition and history of marginal tax rates
i told my father in law what the top tax rates were in 1955 and he just flat out refused to believe it and he was a teenager in 1955. couldn't be true, that's communism.
phone banking for Zohran today and I fully got yelled at for supporting a communist like it was 1952 and my interlocutor was the ghost of George Kennan (I'm not fussed, just fascinated in the academic sense by how long this specific shadow is in American politics)
November 2, 2025 at 11:57 PM
I was just saying at dinner last night that if I could have one wish for US politics, it would be to mandate that every American to spend one hour learning about the definition and history of marginal tax rates
Historian of the Boston Tea Party here: the best reason to dress in costume is to protest unjust tax policies, corrupt placemen, unresponsive governance, and monopoly power. (Though we can do so less racistly than the Bostonians of 1773.)
October 31, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Historian of the Boston Tea Party here: the best reason to dress in costume is to protest unjust tax policies, corrupt placemen, unresponsive governance, and monopoly power. (Though we can do so less racistly than the Bostonians of 1773.)
That’s fine as long as he didn’t pronounce it like they do in “2 Fast 2 Furious,” which would be disqualifying for me
Breaking: Zohran Mamdani once called an acquaintance “bro.” There is no evidence that Mamdani and the acquaintance have the same parents.
October 28, 2025 at 4:49 PM
That’s fine as long as he didn’t pronounce it like they do in “2 Fast 2 Furious,” which would be disqualifying for me
I'm doing some "light grading," which I guess is like "light rail," "light industry," "light infantry," or "light treason."
October 23, 2025 at 7:06 PM
I'm doing some "light grading," which I guess is like "light rail," "light industry," "light infantry," or "light treason."
Someone posted a picture of one of those fake 20 dollar bills with the wreckage of the East Wing and I wrote "putting the demo in democracy." Then I nerded out and discovered that while "democracy" is a Greek word (which I knew), "demolition" is Latin.
October 23, 2025 at 6:14 PM
Someone posted a picture of one of those fake 20 dollar bills with the wreckage of the East Wing and I wrote "putting the demo in democracy." Then I nerded out and discovered that while "democracy" is a Greek word (which I knew), "demolition" is Latin.
Never again
Is what you swore
The time before
--Depeche Mode
Is what you swore
The time before
--Depeche Mode
October 22, 2025 at 1:19 AM
Never again
Is what you swore
The time before
--Depeche Mode
Is what you swore
The time before
--Depeche Mode
Natalie Zemon Davis, Barbara Ehrenreich, Mikhail Bakhtin, Chuck McCurdy, Jon Wiener, Naomi Klein, and, um, Benjamin Carp are all cited here. thelivingstonpost.com/guest-column...
GUEST COLUMN: From the Boston Tea Party to No Kings: America’s 250-year tradition of protest in costume
By Eric Chapman During the nationwide “No Kings” protests on Oct. 18, 2025, streets across the United States filled with color and creativity. Protesters in cities from New York to Los Angeles opposed...
thelivingstonpost.com
October 21, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Natalie Zemon Davis, Barbara Ehrenreich, Mikhail Bakhtin, Chuck McCurdy, Jon Wiener, Naomi Klein, and, um, Benjamin Carp are all cited here. thelivingstonpost.com/guest-column...
Maybe I’m missing the point but I think he’s basically arguing that Brooklyn College history professors’ viewpoints are superior and you should listen to them
How every state in the US teaches about feudalism. A New post from me and @profgabriele.com, along with access to a slideshow and spreadsheet with more info.
24 states REQUIRE feudalism.
8 suggest feudalism.
Feudalism, ICYMI, is not a real thing. Click, read, share, subscribe (it's free!).
24 states REQUIRE feudalism.
8 suggest feudalism.
Feudalism, ICYMI, is not a real thing. Click, read, share, subscribe (it's free!).
Revisiting the Medieval "F-Word" (Feudalism)
How Every State Teaches (or doesn't) about Feudalism
buttondown.com
October 21, 2025 at 11:27 AM
Maybe I’m missing the point but I think he’s basically arguing that Brooklyn College history professors’ viewpoints are superior and you should listen to them
My boomer dad’s best friend once told me that growing up in the NYC outer boroughs, everyone knew two things about every family in the community—what the dad did during World War II, and what baseball team they rooted for.
We used to be a whole nation of antifascists (mostly)
We used to be a whole nation of antifascists (mostly)
Your grandfathers didn’t storm Normandy so you could be afraid of the word antifascist or “antifa”
October 12, 2025 at 12:23 AM
My boomer dad’s best friend once told me that growing up in the NYC outer boroughs, everyone knew two things about every family in the community—what the dad did during World War II, and what baseball team they rooted for.
We used to be a whole nation of antifascists (mostly)
We used to be a whole nation of antifascists (mostly)
On a road trip, my son requested a Hall & Oates song and then speculated that he didn’t know any others. I predicted correctly (as I put on a playlist) that he’d know six more. Exactly correct.
October 11, 2025 at 1:48 PM
On a road trip, my son requested a Hall & Oates song and then speculated that he didn’t know any others. I predicted correctly (as I put on a playlist) that he’d know six more. Exactly correct.
Son played on piano tonight: Root Beer Rag, Hedwig’s Theme, Gymnopedie 3, Madrid, Graze the Roof, Take On Me, the LOTR theme, That’s All, Runaway, Dance Monkey, Viva La Vida, I’m Blue, and Bittersweet Symphony
October 11, 2025 at 1:27 AM
Son played on piano tonight: Root Beer Rag, Hedwig’s Theme, Gymnopedie 3, Madrid, Graze the Roof, Take On Me, the LOTR theme, That’s All, Runaway, Dance Monkey, Viva La Vida, I’m Blue, and Bittersweet Symphony
It's that time of year!
Mr. Autumn Man Walking Down Street With Cup Of Coffee, Wearing Sweater Over Plaid Collared Shirt https://theonion.com/mr-autumn-man-walking-down-street-with-cup-of-coffee-1819574012/
October 10, 2025 at 1:14 PM
It's that time of year!
Kipo was a great show (not only for this reason) 🐆💕
As a writer, I strive to always relfect our world somehow, esp in fantasy and sci fi. In Kipo, I wrote about a fictional dystopian Los Angeles that LGBTQ+ kids are very much a part of, bc it reflects the real LA we based it on. LGBTQ+ kids exist. Trans kids exist. That shouldn't be controversial.
October 2, 2025 at 12:41 PM
Kipo was a great show (not only for this reason) 🐆💕
Well the Mets may have played themselves out of the season, but my son went 3-0 at Citi Field (he is 10-0 or 11-0 lifetime) and I went 4-0, and we do love being fans together (now he knows the true meaning!). If anyone wants to fund him for all available home games going forward... #LGM
September 28, 2025 at 10:11 PM
Well the Mets may have played themselves out of the season, but my son went 3-0 at Citi Field (he is 10-0 or 11-0 lifetime) and I went 4-0, and we do love being fans together (now he knows the true meaning!). If anyone wants to fund him for all available home games going forward... #LGM
Every time someone makes reference to the (wrong) “politics the right way” article I want to post this: youtu.be/30L8WMkNYBk?...
Johnny Gill - Rub You The Right Way (Official Music Video)
YouTube video by JohnnyGillVEVO
youtu.be
September 28, 2025 at 6:37 PM
Every time someone makes reference to the (wrong) “politics the right way” article I want to post this: youtu.be/30L8WMkNYBk?...
What’s also striking about this is that it seems like the US ought to be too big for this to work. I guess we have to hope that Madison is right that the bigness is what will save us. (Though Russia, China, and India are big, too)
People who have studied the downfall of democracy in other countries recognize exactly what is happening in the U.S. The parallels are unmistakeable; the only difference is the speed - we are going *faster*. apnews.com/article/trum...
September 28, 2025 at 3:38 PM
What’s also striking about this is that it seems like the US ought to be too big for this to work. I guess we have to hope that Madison is right that the bigness is what will save us. (Though Russia, China, and India are big, too)