George Dillard
@worldhistory.bsky.social
History, Climate, Education. Looking Through the Past newsletter at https://worldhistory.substack.com/. Other writing at https://worldhistory.medium.com/. #coys
In the 1860s, he and his companions lugged 2,000 pounds of camera equipment into the Yosemite Valley in California. The photos he took led to the establishment of the national parks.
November 16, 2025 at 5:14 PM
In the 1860s, he and his companions lugged 2,000 pounds of camera equipment into the Yosemite Valley in California. The photos he took led to the establishment of the national parks.
While a civil war enveloped the nation back east, Carleton Watkins got about as far from the chaos as a person could while still being in the United States. 🧵🗃️
November 16, 2025 at 5:14 PM
While a civil war enveloped the nation back east, Carleton Watkins got about as far from the chaos as a person could while still being in the United States. 🧵🗃️
Alfonso was so obsessed with games that he commissioned an elaborate book about them, expounding on the philosophy behind certain games and exploring the strategy behind others.
November 2, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Alfonso was so obsessed with games that he commissioned an elaborate book about them, expounding on the philosophy behind certain games and exploring the strategy behind others.
He cared about the life of the mind, and part of the life of the mind was playing board games.
November 2, 2025 at 5:00 PM
He cared about the life of the mind, and part of the life of the mind was playing board games.
Measured by traditional standards, Alfonso X of Spain was kind of a crappy king. He wasn’t all that good at wars, and he squabbled with his son. But one senses that he didn’t care all that much about traditional kingly stuff like wars and politics. 🗃️🧵
November 2, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Measured by traditional standards, Alfonso X of Spain was kind of a crappy king. He wasn’t all that good at wars, and he squabbled with his son. But one senses that he didn’t care all that much about traditional kingly stuff like wars and politics. 🗃️🧵
Some were incredibly ornate, while others were quite plain.
October 26, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Some were incredibly ornate, while others were quite plain.
Some mirrors had religious significance.
October 26, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Some mirrors had religious significance.
The technology wasn’t great, and creating one was time-consuming and expensive. But the archaeological record shows that neither of these things stopped ancient people from trying to see themselves in the mirror. 🧵🗃️
October 26, 2025 at 5:35 PM
The technology wasn’t great, and creating one was time-consuming and expensive. But the archaeological record shows that neither of these things stopped ancient people from trying to see themselves in the mirror. 🧵🗃️
Before they could see the planets as anything other than little dots of light in the night sky, how did people imagine them?
More often than not, medieval Europeans turned the planets into neat little guys. 🧵🗃️
More often than not, medieval Europeans turned the planets into neat little guys. 🧵🗃️
October 19, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Before they could see the planets as anything other than little dots of light in the night sky, how did people imagine them?
More often than not, medieval Europeans turned the planets into neat little guys. 🧵🗃️
More often than not, medieval Europeans turned the planets into neat little guys. 🧵🗃️
Over time, they developed the tradition of the “Joyous Entry,” in which a carefully choreographed set of rituals made sure everyone present knew their place in the hierarchy of power. There were speeches, plays, pyrotechnics, and grand structures.
October 12, 2025 at 2:49 PM
Over time, they developed the tradition of the “Joyous Entry,” in which a carefully choreographed set of rituals made sure everyone present knew their place in the hierarchy of power. There were speeches, plays, pyrotechnics, and grand structures.
It’s nice to get a pleasant welcome when you visit someplace new. But when medieval royals visited a city for the first time, they got the deluxe treatment. 🗃️🧵
October 12, 2025 at 2:49 PM
It’s nice to get a pleasant welcome when you visit someplace new. But when medieval royals visited a city for the first time, they got the deluxe treatment. 🗃️🧵
For more than 500 years, Europeans located Prester John at the edge of their maps. Sometimes he ruled over India, sometimes he fought Genghis Khan in central Asia, and sometimes he resided in Ethiopia.
October 5, 2025 at 3:41 PM
For more than 500 years, Europeans located Prester John at the edge of their maps. Sometimes he ruled over India, sometimes he fought Genghis Khan in central Asia, and sometimes he resided in Ethiopia.
The letter was, of course, a fake, but many Christians believed it anyway, because it felt good to live in a world where a mighty Christian king could come and save them. They called this mythical king Prester John.
October 5, 2025 at 3:41 PM
The letter was, of course, a fake, but many Christians believed it anyway, because it felt good to live in a world where a mighty Christian king could come and save them. They called this mythical king Prester John.
William Walker, a doctor from Tennessee, was sort of a DIY imperialist in the mid-19th century. He carried out several cockamamie plans to make himself the ruler of a Central American nation and, improbably, succeeded in conquering Nicaragua for a short time. 🗃️ 1/2
September 28, 2025 at 3:44 PM
William Walker, a doctor from Tennessee, was sort of a DIY imperialist in the mid-19th century. He carried out several cockamamie plans to make himself the ruler of a Central American nation and, improbably, succeeded in conquering Nicaragua for a short time. 🗃️ 1/2
People paid through the nose to get their hands on the stuff; unfortunately, it melted away much of the rest of their face. The new magic cure was radioactive, and eventually killed or disabled many of its adherents.
September 21, 2025 at 4:39 PM
People paid through the nose to get their hands on the stuff; unfortunately, it melted away much of the rest of their face. The new magic cure was radioactive, and eventually killed or disabled many of its adherents.
A century ago, a new wellness trend captivated people around the world. Just a small dose of newly discovered supplement could cure almost anything — from gout to headaches to “lack of bodily vigor.” 🧵🗃️
September 21, 2025 at 4:39 PM
A century ago, a new wellness trend captivated people around the world. Just a small dose of newly discovered supplement could cure almost anything — from gout to headaches to “lack of bodily vigor.” 🧵🗃️
It was the subject of famous and popular works of art.
September 14, 2025 at 2:56 PM
It was the subject of famous and popular works of art.
It was the country’s main tourist attraction, even though tourism was kind of illegal.
September 14, 2025 at 2:56 PM
It was the country’s main tourist attraction, even though tourism was kind of illegal.
The Tokaido was just a road, stretching between Kyoto and Tokyo. But it came to symbolize much more. It was a political tool, allowing shoguns to keep control over their nobles. 🧵🗃️
September 14, 2025 at 2:56 PM
The Tokaido was just a road, stretching between Kyoto and Tokyo. But it came to symbolize much more. It was a political tool, allowing shoguns to keep control over their nobles. 🧵🗃️
Over time, the pictures got bigger. Panoramas offered a 360-degree immersion in a landscape. Moving panoramas scrolled by viewers and allowed them to imagine they were traveling down a river. And dioramas added visual and sound effects.
September 7, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Over time, the pictures got bigger. Panoramas offered a 360-degree immersion in a landscape. Moving panoramas scrolled by viewers and allowed them to imagine they were traveling down a river. And dioramas added visual and sound effects.
Before the age of moving pictures, non-moving pictures were the blockbusters. People flocked to buzzy displays of notable paintings — the bigger the better. The “Great Picture” could be a lucrative public event. 🧵🗃️
September 7, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Before the age of moving pictures, non-moving pictures were the blockbusters. People flocked to buzzy displays of notable paintings — the bigger the better. The “Great Picture” could be a lucrative public event. 🧵🗃️
It made the age of intercontinental communications possible:
August 31, 2025 at 4:35 PM
It made the age of intercontinental communications possible:
That sap was used to make everything from golf balls to tubing to a cane that helped to shape American history.
August 31, 2025 at 4:35 PM
That sap was used to make everything from golf balls to tubing to a cane that helped to shape American history.
Well, one thing people did in the 19th century was chop down millions of tropical trees to extract the sap from their trunks.
August 31, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Well, one thing people did in the 19th century was chop down millions of tropical trees to extract the sap from their trunks.
This resulted in the invention of one of the most memorable symbols of political defiance in French history — the pear, which allowed cartoonists to reference the king without actually drawing him.
August 24, 2025 at 3:52 PM
This resulted in the invention of one of the most memorable symbols of political defiance in French history — the pear, which allowed cartoonists to reference the king without actually drawing him.