We don’t call the soft drink Coca-Cola “Coke” for nothing. The original formula contained cocaine, but how much is debatable. The beverage’s syrup was manufactured with an extract of coca leaves – its the leaves that contain cocaine – and the caffeine rich kola nut. The beverage was one of several coca drinks on the […]
Birth of a Nation: Both Genius and Foul
Can something be simultaneously genius and vilely racist? This is the question posed by D.W. Griffith’s 1915 film Birth of a Nation. Silent film star Mary Pickford called it the first movie that made people take the motion picture industry seriously. The film debuted in a politically charged atmosphere, full of anti-immigrant bias, racial tensions, […]
Great-Grandma Had Fun, Too — Victorian and Edwardian Leisure Activities
Do you tend to think our ancestors were stodgy and never did anything fun? You’re not alone. Those stereotypes are fueled by the serious expressions people had in photographs and the stories of families working from dawn to dusk. In reality, our ancestors did work harder than we do, but they also participated in a variety […]
5 Songs Popular During World War One
Popular music has always been a form of creative expression. During World War I, songs were written to express a variety of emotions – for example, love, homesickness or patriotism – and were used as morale boosters for soldiers and on the home front. Music also served as a means of spreading wartime propaganda. Songs […]