Friendly Neighborhood Historian

How a Scottish immigrant preacher became the sole clergyman to sign the Declaration of Independence. Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-john-witherspoon #JohnWitherspoon #FoundingFather #AmericanRevolution

BBC Radio 5 Live interview to discuss the traditions of an American New Year's Eve celebration. Blog: https://billpetro.com/interview-history-behind-new-years-eve #BBC #NewYearsEve

Who was St. John the Apostle, and what was his role in the history of Christianity and the Bible? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-feast-of-st-john #StJohn #FeastOfStJohn

Who were they, where were they from, why did they come, what is their part in the Christmas narrative? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-the-wise-men #WiseMen #Magi #Christmas

What did the most powerful individual in the world have to do with the humble Nativity? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-christmas-caesar-augustus #CaesarAugustus #Nativity #Bethlehem

What was the historical and political context at the time of Jesus' birth in Jerusalem and Rome? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-king-herod/ #HerodTheGreat #Christmas

Why is the song so popular, and why does it always seem to come back into popularity?  Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-white-christmas/ #WhiteChristmas #Christmas

Why Squanto already knew English when he met the Pilgrims in Massachusetts. Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-thanksgiving-friendly-indian #Thanksgiving #Squanto #NativeAmerican

Veterans Day, Armistice Day, Remembrance Day, Poppy Day. Why we have remembered this day each year for over a century. Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-veterans-day #VeteransDay #RemembranceDay #ArmisticeDay #PoppyDay

What is the origin of a Jubilee Year, what's the origin, how has it been observed in the past, and what does it mean for this year? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-jubilee-year #JubileeYear #HolyYear #RomanCatholic #Indulgence #Pilgrimage

How old is this pilgrimage, what is its historical significance, how do people travel it now? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-via-francigena-pilgrimage #ViaFrancigena #Pilgrimage #Rome

What does pilgrim mean, what are the secular & sacred pilgrimages of the world's religions, including Judaism, Islam, and Christianity? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-pilgrimages #Pilgrimages #Rome #Christianity

What is the science, how does it define Fall, and how does it differ from the Vernal Equinox? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-the-fall-what-is-the-autumnal-equinox #Fall #Autumn #Equinox

Why would it start in September rather than October? Should it be Septemberfest? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-oktoberfest #Oktoberfest #Munich #Germany

Like a long walk off a short plank, this is the origin, growing popularity, media coverage, and linguistic history of the Geek holiday. Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-talk-like-a-pirate-day #TalkLikeAPirate #Pirate

What is the origin of the Left vs. Right divide, what are the differences, how does it impact us today? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-the-left-vs-the-right #Civics #France #Left-Right

How was the Constitution written on this date in 1787, ratified a year later, and effective the year after that? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-the-constitution-of-the-united-states/ #Constitution #History #UnitedStates

9/11, the commemoration as observed in the US, reflections looking back, and the importance of memorial. Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-patriot-day-9-11 #PatriotDay #9-11 #9/11

What is the background of Star Trek in TV & movies that spawned countless books, films, comics, and beyond? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-star-trek #StarTrek #TV #ScienceFiction

How the diminutive French-born scholar became the "Genius of Geneva" and had an outsized impact on history in Europe, the UK, and America. Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-john-calvin/ #JohnCalvin #Calvinism

Who was this enigmatic Founding Father who was so closely associated with the 4th of July? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-thomas-jefferson/ #ThomasJefferson #FourthOfJuly #DeclarationOfIndependence #FoundingFathers

Was the Declaration of Independence signed on July 4, 1776? What's the story behind this famous American document? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-independence-day/ #IndependenceDay #FourthOfJuly #DeclarationOfIndependence

What do we know about the life of this writer, publisher, printer, scientist, philosopher, inventor, and Founding Father? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-ben-franklin/ #BenFranklin #FoundingFather #History

What is the ancient origin of the adoption of the change from Quintilis? Who was Julius Caesar? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-july/ #July #JuliusCaesar

How the second President of the United States, and writer of the Massachusetts State Constitution, helped create the Declaration of Independence. Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-the-4th-of-july-john-adams/ #JohnAdams #4thofJuly

A humorous look at the history of Father's Day, and how far back in history it goes. Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-fathers-day/ #FathersDay #Humor

What was the Normandy Invasion like 81 years ago, and how did it change the course of World War II? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-d-day/ #DDay81 #History #WWII

What happened to the various players – Pilate, Antipas, and the Sanhedrin – AFTER the events in the Easter story? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-the-players/ #Easter #Christianity

What are the origins of Easter, both Christian and non-Christian: where do the bunnies and eggs come from? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-easter/ #Easter #EasterEggs #EasterBunnies

What were the historical conditions surrounding the event of that day, what was involved with crucifixion? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-good-friday/ #GoodFriday #Easter #Crucifixion

How many trials did Jesus have? It was not just one, but a series throughout the night before and the morning of Good Friday. Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-the-trial/ #GoodFriday #Easter #TrialOfJesus

Luther's appearance before the most powerful ruler in Europe over 500 years ago, the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-the-diet-of-worms/ #DietOfWorms #MartinLuther #History

What is the meaning of the word? Does it mean Command, Beg, Pure, Shearing, Swear, or Green Thursday? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-maundy-thursday/ #MaundyThursday #ShereThursday #Easter

The history, significance, and traditions associated with this day in the Passion Week. Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-holy-wednesday/ #HolyWednesday #SpyWednesday #Easter

From historical sources, what do we know of the ruler of Galilee in 1st-century Israel, and why did Jesus call him That Fox? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-herod-antipas/ #HerodAntipas #Easter

What was Pilate's background before Good Friday? How did he rise to power, how did he use that power? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-pontius-pilate/ #PontiusPilate #Easter

Who was the Council, what was its origin, who make up the body, and what role did they play in Easter Week? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-the-sanhedrin/ #Sanhedrin #Easter

How does it start Holy Week, what was the geography of Jerusalem, who were the major players, what was at stake? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-palm-sunday/ #PalmSunday #Easter

When and where was the First Shot fired that began the American Civil War? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-the-civil-war-when-was-the-first-shot-2 #CivilWar

What historical climate in both Rome and Jerusalem impacted how events unfolded during Easter Week? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-easter-historical-climate/ #EasterWeek #PassionWeek

Pesach – when did it begin, how did the celebration change through the centuries, how is it connected with Easter. Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-passover #Passover #Pesach #LastSupper

What is the historical background across various countries and the modern exercise of this holiday? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-april-fools-day #AprilFoolsDay

Many people are asking: What's going on between the President & the Supreme Court? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-presidents-opposing-supreme-court #SupremeCourt #Presidents

What is the science and history of the Vernal Equinox; what are the major holidays that usher in Spring? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-spring #VernalEquinox #Spring #Science #History

What is the history of the St Joseph's Day holiday, and of Joseph himself? Why is this holiday not more popular? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-st-joseph #StJoseph #Italy #History

Was he British or Irish by birth? Learn his history, journey of faith, and historical impact on Ireland. Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-st-patricks-day #StPatrick #Ireland #Britain

The calendar significance of the Ides, and its epochal place in Roman history. Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-the-ides-of-march #IdesOfMarch #JuliusCaesar

On March 14, what's the science, math, history, and the music behind this geek holiday? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-pi-day #PiDay #Geek

Backstory of the Jewish holiday celebrating the saving of the Jewish people from annihilation by Esther, Queen of Persia. Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-purim #Purim #Ester #Persia

What is Starkbierfest, which begins in Munich, Germany, and how did it start with Lent? Blog: https://billpetro.com/history-of-starkbier-festival #Starkbierfest #Munich #Beer