Friday, September 19, 2008

American History, Civil War Weaponry, Slavery

Throughout early American history, slavery weighed heavily on the hearts and minds of the infant nation’s people. Slavery was a complex issue, and few were indifferent to its implications. In the South, slaves were crucial to the agricultural economy. The Northern states were focused on industry and had been settled in some cases by more progressive people and organizations. Presidents and senators had staved off the conflict many times. Territories often became states two at a time, to maintain the balance between free and slave states in the Senate, and a series of slave law compromises were made.

Learn more about the Civil War its uniforms, weapons, generals at Historic Replicas.

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Medieval Gowns Garbes and Shoes for Faire Goers

You can find a wide range of suitable replica Renaissance dresses online, professionally made to actual designs worn during the period as seen in paintings and other contemporary sources. There are clothes worn by the high born, and also by the peasantry. A noblewoman would keep her dress dry and clean by wearing a chemise underneath it, which absorbed perspiration and also protected the dress from the everyday grime of the era.

A chemise was frequently used also to sleep in, and in these days there was not always the distinction between clothes for sleeping and those for daytime wear. People had different hygiene standards in medieval times, and it was common for the day attire to also be the night attire, being changed only when it got dirty or too infested to be tolerable.

You, of course, need not be so frugal with your own Renaissance dress, and can also use normal sleeping attire! You have a good choice of period dresses online, with options at either end of the class scale. Noblewomen would wear sumptuous colorful floral dresses with low necklines, or simple cut long slender dresses with wide trim and gold piping or embroidery. This would be set of with the perfect choice of gold jewelry and lavish stones. Both options can be found online, or you might prefer a peasant style of dress.

Peasant clothing in these times tended to be fairly straight cut right down to the bottom, perhaps with a bottom flare to allow freedom of movement for work and riding. Women did not wear trousers in these days, and jeans were yet to be invented, so they worked in their dresses. Peasant dresses were worn for longer before washing, so they tended to wear skirts and muslin under-dresses. Replicas of these are also available from online medieval stores.



If you are interested in learning more about life in medieval times go to Historical Weapons Store to read insightful articles, purchase fantasty costumes and find out key festival dates near you.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Medieval Dresses for Festival Fun

Women normally wear medieval dresses when they attend Renaissance Festivals, which are becoming increasingly popular, especially in the USA where there is a growing desire to learn more about history in a practical rather than academic way.

The Renaissance period of Europe lasted from the mid fourteenth to the mid sixteen centuries, and was an age of enlightenment and the rebirth of mankind from the darkness of the beginning of the second millennium into an age when the arts, science, reason and Christianity held sway over ignorance and dogma. However, after two hundred years of enlightenment, the Church decided ‘enough’ and, beginning with the intolerance of Savonarola and the Medicis in the 1490s and ending with the Inquisition in the 1540s, the Renaissance period was over.

However, this period in European history is commemorated by Renaissance and Medieval Faires and festivals, which is one reason for the growing popularity of medieval dresses. People want not only to attend these faires, but also to dress according to the proper historical period when they attend them. In fact some Renaissance festivals demand it! The original American Renaissance Festival was held in California in 1963, and you can now find one every month in Florida, and many others besides.



If you are interested in learning more about life in medieval times go to Historical Weapons Store to read insightful articles, purchase fantasty costumes and find out key festival dates near you.

Flintlock Replica Weapons for Reenactments and Collectors

A Flintlock replica is more than just a copy of a flintlock weapon: it is the reproduction of a weapon that existed sometime in history, and appears just as the original did when new. Too many replicas do not fit that definition, but if you look carefully online you will be able to find true replicas of pieces that can be viewed in museums, or that have been known to exist.

Flintlock pistols are especially sought after by those that either take part in reenactments, or that collect replica weapons of various kinds. However, before discussing that let’s have a look at how flintlock pistols work. It is the firing mechanism that is referred by the term flintlock. The cock, or hammer, was fitted with a tightly held blade of flint and then drawn back to the half-back position, known as half-cock.

You might have heard this term before – it is common in the UK in particular for an action that is carried out without thought and with no chance of success. That is because a hammer at half-cock is in a safety position, and cannot be fired if the trigger is pulled. With the hammer safely at half-cock, the black powder was loaded into the gun, normally down the barrel via the muzzle (muzzle loading) and then the ball, twisted in a screwed up piece of paper or cloth.



The Historical Weapons Store allows everyday collectors to experience pirate collectibles with high quality and reasonably priced items. A replica pirate cutlass, collectible pirate costumes and much more can be found at Historical Weapons Store. Also learn more about the history of pirates within our Articles Directory.

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

The Long Treachery of the Vikings

...Over the next two or three centuries the relentless Vikings raided their way across Europe. From Greenland to Algiers, from Labrador to the Volga, the Vikings made their presence felt. From Sweden they crossed the Baltic and rowed up the rivers into Russia. They ported their boats across to the Don and the Dnepr and the Volga, and sailed to the Black Sea and the farthest reaches of southeastern Europe. Rounding Gibraltar, Vikings raided the Mediterranean coasts of Iberia, Italy, and Muslim North Africa. The Vikings even had the rare distinction of taking Arabs as slaves.But, despite the conquest and slaughter, and unlike the Arabs (who were dedicated slave-traders), the Vikings did not generally take slaves during their raids. Perhaps the necessity of rapid movement by sea and the long passages through the cold northern waters discouraged the practice. The Vikings were otherwise dedicated traders, establishing fortified mercantile settlements wherever they went. The Norse Vikings, after plundering the many rich monastic targets in Ireland and northwestern Scotland, established trading centers which became Dublin, Limerick, and other major Irish cities. In their wake they left their blond-haired genes to supplement the black hair of the Celts. For more information on how you can get a hold of popular Viking collectibles, learn more about Viking History or The Dark Ages, visit The Historical Weapons Store.com

Monday, May 12, 2008

Wear a Roman Tunic at your Imperial Feast

The Roman tunic worn by roman soldier was colored red so their enemies could not see them bleed.

This idea was taken from the Spartans, who were not only hardy but knew that the sight of their blood would give their enemies confidence. It was continued by the British Army who adopted red as the color of their military uniforms, hence the name ‘redcoats’, and the concept was also used by the British navy who painted their orlop red. The orlop was the bottom deck in a sailing ship, frequently used as the surgery during battle, and the red floor hid the blood that covered it.
In fact the tunic could be of any color, and it was only red for soldiers. Mostly tunics would be unbleached and undyed, unless requested in any specific color. Roman tunics were the basic garments over which the garment indicating the status of the wearer was worn. Roman citizens were entitled to wear the toga, but even that had distinctions of class. The so-called equestrian class wore a toga with two thin purple lines running down it, while senators wore two thick purple lines.

The Emperor’s toga would be purple, and he would also wear a laurel wreath on his head. Slaves and freemen would wear only the tunic, and there was little to tell the difference between them. The women’s tunics were fashioned fuller than those of their male counterparts, and were generally worn full length. A Roman soldier’s tunic, as stated, would be red over which he would wear his armor which would be in the form of the lorica which protected his chest and abdomen, and also protection for the legs and arms. The final accoutrement was the Roman helmet that was frequently worn with a horsehair crest or a feathered plume. The feathers would likely be goose feathers in honor of the goddess Juno. (Slightly off topic, Juno, is one of my favorite movies. More to come!)





This just scratches the surface of history about the world of Roman and Greek Helmets. For more information about Roman and Greek war accessories, interesting history articles and museum replica collectibles, visit The Historical Weapons Store

Thursday, May 1, 2008

Flintlock Replica Weapons for Reenactments and Collectors

A Flintlock replica is more than just a copy of a flintlock weapon: it is the reproduction of a weapon that existed sometime in history, and appears just as the original did when new. Too many replicas do not fit that definition, but if you look carefully online you will be able to find true replicas of pieces that can be viewed in museums, or that have been known to exist.

Flintlock pistols are especially sought after by those that either take part in reenactments, or that collect replica weapons of various kinds. However, before discussing that let’s have a look at how flintlock pistols work. It is the firing mechanism that is referred by the term flintlock. The cock, or hammer, was fitted with a tightly held blade of flint and then drawn back to the half-back position, known as half-cock.

The Historical Weapons Store allows everyday collectors to experience pirate collectibles with high quality and reasonably priced items. A replica pirate cutlass, collectible pirate costumes and much more can be found at Historical Weapons Store. Also learn more about the history of pirates within our Articles Directory.