History

Did You Know these Bits and Pieces of History?

Lynette M Burrows

The Great Depression (1929-1939) was America’s worst economic downturn.  It is “known” to have started with the stock market crash and ensuing panic. But in reality it was caused by extreme rapid expansion of the U.S. Economy in the “Roaring Twenties.” There are tons of internet sites and good books about the Great Depression including history.com. Here are bits and pieces of history that you may not know about the Great Depression. The Real Economy Up to 40% of the country never faced real hardship during the Great Depression. Every major country, including the United States, abandoned the gold standard during the Great Depression.  Average family income fell from $2,300 to $1,500 per year. In 1932 and ’33, money circulation was so slow that the U.S. didn’t mint nickels. Joseph P. Kennedy (JFK’s father) amassed an enormous amount of wealth during the Great Depression. Discrimination Discrimination during the Great Depression against women was common, both officially and unofficially, because they were seen as taking away jobs from men. Californians tried to stop migrants from moving into their state by creating checkpoints on main highways called “bum blockades.”  When the Depression struck, Mexican-Americans were accused of taking jobs away from “real” […]

Unimpressed to Loving the Blue Ridge Mountains

Lynette M Burrows

A soft blue haze enveloped the first mountains I ever saw. They didn’t impress me much. In the distance, they looked like rolling hills. Then came the drive up the mountains, through the mountains, and along the ridge. Each curve, dip, and climb yielded breath-taking vistas of forested mountains, bald knobs, and valleys swathed in the blue haze. I was in grade school during that first trip. I went from unimpressed to loving the Blue Ridge Mountains and that mysterious blue haze. I made many trips to the area as a child. I no longer recall all the details, when and exactly where, but there are moments etched in my memory. Memorable moments include a walk to a gorgeous waterfall, a climb to a rocky knob, and the larger-than-my-sister bear cub that sat three feet behind my little sister who played on the picnic table in the next camping site. Little did I know then that these mountains would become the backdrop and setting for the world of My Soul to Keep. They are integral to the story of Fellowship. World’s Second Oldest The Blue Ridge Mountains formed about 1.1 billion to 250 million years ago. South Africa’s Barberton greenstone […]