Interview - An Enthusist's Perspecitve

Finally, for our last interview, I have an interview ith Sarah Zinn, college student and reader of historical fiction. And through her reading, she's gained a lot of knowledge of the time periods in question.

KR:	So, to start off, who are you and what do you do?
SZ:	My name is Sarah Zinn, and I’m a senior English major in college.
KR:	Generally speaking, what time period do you tend to be most interested in?
SZ:	Mostly 19th-century literature, but I also enjoy a lot of writing from the early 1900s. That’s probably the historical period I’m most interested in, though I prefer slightly earlier literature, on the whole.
KR:	Have you read a lot of historical fiction from and about that time period?
SZ:	From the 19th century? Yes, I would say so. The Bronte sisters, the Shelleys, Oscar Wilde, the Rossettis, Ruskin, Keats/Byron/the literary circle of Leigh Hunt, Austen, H. Rider Haggard, Thoreau and the Transcendentalists (sounds like a good band name, doesn’t it?), Blake, Dickens, Whitman, Dickinson, Hardy, Hawthorne, James, Kipling, Melville, Poe, Stevenson, Stowe, Thackeray, Wordsworth…
KR:	From what you've read, have you been able to learn some things about what life was like in those periods?
SZ:	Boy, I sure hope so! I’ve taken a lot of English classes that have focused on gender relations during that century, and I think it’s a fascinating topic. Victorian social norms (and much of the stereotypes we assign to them) were in full swing for much of the period, but the seeds of women’s rights were just starting to sprout a little by the end of the century. A lot of that was influenced by advances in technology, medicine, and healthcare. Speaking of which, industrialization first hit England in the beginning of the century, and that was a HUGE element that many writers responded to in their work. I would venture to say that the prevailing cultural aversion to topics of sex helped bring about gothic novels and poetry that dealt with unconscious desires, loss of innocence, and the more “animalistic” impulses within human nature – stuff Freud would go on to famously analyze in the next century.
KR:	Are there any little fun facts about daily life from that period?
SZ:	Well, not many people know that John Keats, the famous Romantic poet, was first trained to be a surgeon (which wasn’t a glorious profession at all, in fact – it pretty much meant he was the “amputation boy,” and he didn’t get paid well for it, either). Tuberculosis was all the rage, which means that a good majority of your female characters will die tragically of “consumption” in many books. It was the period most famous for women’s corsets and remarkably constricting clothing. Pollution (which was a new thing) made life in big cities pretty miserable for the urban poor, and “temperance” (anti-alcohol) movements became big in England and America. Europe was still recovering from the French Revolution, for the most part, during the first half of the century, but the second half saw the outbreaks of many minor revolutions that became politically significant later on. The Civil War broke out in America, and common notions of slavery were completely transformed by the end of the century. British imperialism gave birth to the stereotypical image of the handle-bar-mustached Briton wearing a safari outfit and pith helmet, journeying through jungles and savannahs in search of “natives” and big game. It’s also kind of funny to think about how widespread the fear of being buried alive in Victorian times was (going back to the gothic novel thing) – people were buried with little pull-strings connected to bells so that they could alert the graveyard attendant (get it? he took the graveyard shift?) if they weren’t quite dead enough yet. Frighteningly enough, that actually ended up saving a lot of lives….
KR:	If someone were to write from this time period, what's something they should keep in mind to make sure they stay historically accurate?
SZ:	I think a lot of modern-day writers are fascinated by the class and gender elements of (especially English) 19th-century culture, and while, in retrospect, those issues seem hugely important, I don’t think it’s what many people woke up in the morning thinking about. Of course, if you read literature from the period, you’ll find commentary on those issues, but by and large writers are philosophers more than anything else. Sometimes it’s difficult to keep in mind (while writing historical fiction) that people’s day-to-day lives felt as normal to them as going to the grocery store nowadays feels to you. I think we tend to either romanticize the period or paint it as exotic in some way (steampunk culture, anyone?), and it’s difficult to portray it as “normal” in its own way.

And there you have it. Special thanks to Sarah Zinn for taking the time to answer these questions! 

Zinn, S. (2012, May 02). Interview by K. Robinson [Personal Interview].

Podcast - Names and Naming

And now, for something a little different... today's entry is a podcast. And in that podcast I'll be talking about something pretty basic, but pretty important: names. 

Hamper, R. (1998). .. during the late roman republic. Retrieved from http://www.therthdimension.org/AncientRome/RomanNaming/romannaming.htm

Guest Post - More on Microfiche

As a further follow-up to my post on how to read microfiche, we'll get to hear from Colton Mraz - author of the blog L2Photograph - on another method of reading microfiche:

An Alternative Solution to Reading Microfiche 

There is another method to reading microfiche data, though not always most effective, you can use your computer! A microfiche storage device can be viewed on screen if it has first been digitally captured. 

In order to digitize microfiche, you need to find yourself a special scanner which is able to read the data. Once the data is collected, the scanner will then digitize it so that it may be viewed on any standard analog screen.

 

Some individuals have tried to use their standard flatbed scanner as a means of digitizing microfiche data. Some have succeeded in doing so, others have not. 

The downside to not being able to digitize your microfiche with your standard flatbed scanner is the fact that you will have to find a rather rare and quite expensive microfiche scanner; but as Kristen mentions in her previous post, it is probably wiser to just gather all of the microfiche you wish to read and then rent a reader. 

You may also be concerned about being able to reverse the process by creating a microfiche from your digital data. Be advised however, this is expensive and usually outsourced to professionals, so only pursue if genuinely interested.

Interview - A Publisher's Perspective

 To give you all a bit of a different perspective on the importance of historical accuracy, in this entry we have an interview with Tara Powers, who works for a publishing company. 

KR:	So, to start off, who are you and what do you do?
TP:	My name is Tara Powers, and I'm a Trade Project Editor in the managing editorial department of W. W. Norton & Company, a publishing house in Manhattan, New York.
KR:	Do you see a lot of historical fiction in your line of work?
TP:	As a house, Norton doesn't do a huge amount of fiction. But of the fiction we've been contracting lately, quite a lot of it has been historically based, yes.
KR:	Of the ones you see, are they often checked for historical accuracy?
TP:	Always. Part of the job of our copyeditors is to fact check any names, dates, and general details about events based in history that come up in a book that is being marketed as a historical fiction title. This can be fairly time-intensive, especially if the novels are long ones, but it's a necessity.
KR:	Have you ever heard of there being complaints among readers and reviewers if a story is historically inaccurate?
TP:	I can't recall a specific complaint, but I do know that Norton accepts phone calls or emails from readers who find errors and inconsistencies in our books. We have changed dates and names in our other nonfiction historical titles when readers have reported inaccuracies, so I can only assume that the same can happen for fiction.
KR:	Any advice you have for those wanting to work on historical fiction, or else just fiction in particular?
TP:	Picking an interesting time period is key--we're getting more books about time periods like the French Canadian migration, things that haven't been covered extensively in fiction before and so have fresh story possibilities. Lots of time periods have been "in vogue" and sort of feel overdone at this point. Fiction is also the hardest genre in which to get a book signed--it's intensively competitive, and you really need to have a unique story idea and engaging characters to even get an agent or editor to read through your entire proposal.

I'd like to thank Tara Powers for taking the time to answer my questions. And I hope you all found the interview informative.

Powers, T. (2012, May 02). Interview by K Robinson [Web Based Recording]. 

Topics in History - Boats

Following up once more on one of my previous posts, this entry will be about boats and their development over time and in different areas.

In particular, we will be focusing on boats in the following eras and areas:

• Prehistoric
• Ancient Egyptian
• Ancient Chinese

 

Prehistoric Boats

Boats started out fairly simply, there there is controversy about where and how they began. One theory suggests that the first boats were rafts - first made out of bamboo, then wood (Vaucher, 2009).

Dugout Canoes would logically have followed next. A large tree trunk or chunk of wood would be burned, and then the burned parts would be scooped out to leave a hollow area (Lambert).

The main - if not only - method of propulsion at this time was people, usually via rowing.

Ancient Egyptian Boats

Ancient Egyptian boats were made of papyrus reeds, as wood was much more scarce (Reshafim, 2000). Boats were mainly steered with oars, but the Egyptians made several advancements - particularly with the development of the sail (Lambert). They first used leafy branches and plants, though later sails of woven reeds replaced them (Williamson, 2007). Between this and the development of canals, boats and rafts became one of the primary forms of transportation throughout Ancient Egypt.

Boats were used to foster even more trade between areas. The exchange of items and information led to a more interconnected world. However, because of the simplicity of early boats, trade routes were often highly influenced by the time of year, as seasonal winds made sailing easy in some directions and near-impossible in others (Reshafim, 2001).

Ancient Chinese Boats

China's most famous ancient ship is known as a "junk," developed during the Han Dynasty - around 300 B.C. -  300 A.D.  (Country Facts & Information, 2004). While the junk had many features, one of the biggest and most influential one was its sail. The junk's sail was designed so it could be moved and turned, allowing a boat to sail into the wind (Country Facts & Information, 2004) .

Sources

Country Facts & Information. (2004). Ancient china ships. Retrieved from http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/articles/china/ancient-china-ships/2414

Lambert, T. (n.d.). A brief history of transportation. Retrieved from http://www.localhistories.org/transport.html 

Reshafim, K. (2000). Ships and boats: The archealogical evidence. Retrieved from http://www.reshafim.org.il/ad/egypt/timelines/topics/navigation.htm 

Reshafim, K. (2001). Means of transportation. Retrieved from http://www.reshafim.org.il/ad/egypt/timelines/topics/means_of_transportation.htm 

Vaucher, J. (2009). Prehistoric boats. Retrieved from http://www.iro.umontreal.ca/~vaucher/RW/Voiliers/page1/page1.html 

Williamson, M. (2007, September 07). The first boats. Retrieved from http://warandgame.com/2007/09/07/the-first-boats/ 

Know your Resources - How to Read Microfiche

Following up my previous post about library resources, I thought I might take the time to explain how to read microfiche. Microfiche, as my previous post explains, are essentially books and other materials printed on small pieces of celluloid. It's a great way for libraries to store large collections of information in much smaller spaces. 

However, microfiche cannot be read normally. And that's why I'm going to take you through the process of reading a microfiche. 

We'll pick up the process right after you've found your resource.

1. Check to see if the resource you found is in microfiche



Here you can see that the resource is in microfiche,
the call number, and that it is available as an eBook

2. Make sure that the microfiche resource is not available as an eBook
3. Write down the call number
4. Look for the resource in your library's microfiche section 
5. Pull out all the sections of your resource
6. Go check at your library's circulation desk to rent a microfiche reader
7. Turn the microfiche reader on
8. Slip the celluloid pages into the microfiche reader one at a time
9. Use the computer program provided to capture the individual pages
10. Once you are finished, save the pages
    

After this point, you can usually do one of two things: 

• If the microfiche reader provides internet access, you can email the pages to yourself 
• Otherwise, you can save the pages to a zip drive

Additionally, here are a few additional notes from my own experience reading microfiche: 

• Reading microfiche is very time consuming. If you have an alternate way of getting the same resource - such as an eBook, use it. 
• Many microfiche resources are printed on multiple "pages." Some libraries may store all the pages together on in one file, or they may store the pages individually in different files right next to each other. Make sure to check  
• Microfiche readers usually have a short rental time - the one I used was two hours, with no grace period. Make sure to get all the microfiche you want to have read first before you rent one.
• Some libraries may give you a set of specific instructions on how to use the microfiche reader. If they do so, refer to that. If they don't, don't be afraid to ask for help from the librarians. They usually have someone nearby just for that purpose.

So far as microfiche go, that is about it - except for one thing. How does this tie in with historical character creation? It ties in the same way that learning about a college library does: microfiche has resources that you can't find elsewhere.

And having the best resources will make your character more realistic and believable to your readers, which is the entire point. 

Interview - Advice from a Creative Writing Teacher

In order to give you, the readers some good advice about creating historical characters, I have an interview with LeeAnn Derdeyn a creative writing professor at the University of Texas at Dallas. I thought I would ask her about some of the basic of writing historical characters:

KR:	Do you see a lot of historical stories (and by extension, historical characters) in your class?
LD:	I don’t see a lot of historical stories in my intro classes, but I do see some. Also, people occasionally take recognizable characters from the past & try to bring them au courant into the present or even project them into the future.
KR:	Of the ones you see, are there any eras or periods that tend to come up more often?
LD:	The 19th century tends to get the most coverage. It’s easy to exemplify the “can-do” American spirit through tales of the West, and pre-technology narratives offer their own sets of tensions. After this era, when I let students veer from the “real” world setting, I’ll often get some version with magic that is perceived as a ‘medieval world’ tale but usually is only some version of “Dungeons & Dragons” or something else they’ve seen or played.
KR:	What are some common mistakes that you see in historical characters (both inside the class and elsewhere)?
LD:	Writers often make anachronisms with historical characters or eras through ignorance. I don’t mean stupidity, but literally ignorance—not knowing. They’ll put what they think is archaic language in their characters’ mouths that either never was spoken as such or is from the wrong period. Or the reverse, they’ll use words with connotations that haven’t become in use or word sequences or slang or phrases that haven’t yet occurred. Writers might also include objects or concepts that haven’t yet been invented, or things that were already long out of vogue or usage. However, there’s also the problem of ‘shibboleths.’ What word does a particular timeframe or culture predominantly use for an object? If you’re writing a British story, you can’t use the words “stroller” or “cookie” or “fries.”
KR:	What are some of the ways to avoid these mistakes?
LD:	The best way to avoid these mistakes is to follow the age-old adage: “Write what you know!” If you write characters who live in a world like yours, who have jobs, school, friends, interests, likes & dislikes, speech patterns, habits, etc. like yours – you’re not going to screw it up. But if you want to go out on a limb and write something you don’t know intimately, then do what I call “rhizome research.” Google everything: culture, architecture, art, music, pop culture, food, housing, jobs & economies, dress, trends, what major events happened in the 5-10 years preceding your setting—try to get a handle on anything & everything in cultural conversation for your characters. Last semester, a student wrote a story set in Tokyo, but it could have been Dallas: there were no geographical place holders. Ditto this semester except it was a vacation in Trinidad (to which place the author had never been). I just happened to be reading A House for Mr. Biswas so the difference between the descriptions of a Literature Nobel Prize winning, native Trinidadian (or Tobagan depending on which isle they grew up on… see what Google can do for you?) and that of my student who didn’t include any lush details—well, use your imagination. My point being—not writing what you know takes a huge learning curve, a major time and interest investment, but you’ve got to be willing to make that to get a good story or game narrative. Because someone will know when you screw it up (and possibly, sometimes probably, multiple someones).
KR:	Is there any other advice you have for someone looking to do research for creating a historical character or story?
LD:	If you can, find someone who will read what you write (or with whom you can exchange work for critiques) who will tell you like it is. Kindness & comfort in a reader guarantees you a readership of one. But you also don’t want a reader who is never generous enough to notice your successes. Then, just like when you read great literature from different eras, you must be willing to be susceptible to that world—to understand how the concept of what a ‘human person’ is for that world might be different. Their cultural myths and motivations might be totally foreign to yours. Do not make your characters time-travel into your world, nor make them seers and prophets for things they can’t possibly know. Make their worlds authentic habitats, and make them organic to that habitat. Mostly, always keep reading the good stuff & learning across the spectrum. The broader your interests as a human being, the better worlds and characters you’re going to create.

I would like to thank Professor Derdeyn for taking the time to speak with me for this blog.  

  
Derdeyn, L. (2012, April 27). Interview by K. Robinson [Web Based Recording]

Topics in History - Early Transportation

Transportation is an important part of society - it determines how far people can travel and how these people lived.

We'll look at some of the basic forms early transportation took:

• Foot
• Animals

Foot

Obviously, the very first method of transportation was by foot - in some cases literally. Ancient Egyptians would literally walk with their bare feet from location to location - saving their sandals for when they arrived (Reshafim, 2001).

Because of this, early people lived fairly simply, especially nomadic groups (Manco, 2009). These nomadic groups had no aids to help them transport supplies. Any supplies they took with them had to be carried, and because of this, they tended to take only what was essential for normal daily life. There were some eventual developments though, such as carrying fish and meat back on a stick slung over one shoulder (Manco, 2009). 

Animals and Vehicles

Domesticating animals and creating tools that made use of them was the next step. Horses and donkeys were among the first animals in 4000-3000 BC, followed by camels around a 1000 years later (Manco, 2009). Dogs and Reindeer were used in the areas of north Europe.

A travois was a tool used by many different groups - most notably Native Americans - to drag supplies over large areas. Supplies could be pulled either by people or often by dogs, since horses were not reintroduced into the area until the arrival of the Europeans (Manco, 2009).

The wheel was developed separately, with the oldest known one dating back to 3500 BC (Oracle ThinkQueset). Following the wheel was the cart, which eventually led to other wheeled vehicles like the wagon. Wagons and carts allowed people to transport more goods over a larger area, allowing trade to flourish.

Sources

Manco, J. (2009, November 12). Prehistoric transport: People power . Retrieved from http://www.buildinghistory.org/distantpast/earlytransport.shtml 

Oracle ThinkQuest. (n.d.). 2. invention of the wheel. Retrieved from http://library.thinkquest.org/C004203/science/science02.htm

Reshafim, K. (2001). Means of transportation. Retrieved from http://www.reshafim.org.il/ad/egypt/timelines/topics/means_of_transportation.htm 

Making Use of Resources - A College Library Tour

At a certain point, you may want to go do research yourself. You may find that, as thorough as I try to be with my research, I may not cover what you need. Covering even what's only available on the internet is a huge task.

Outside the internet, libraries are obviously your next best alternative. I personally advise going to a government or college library, as they have incredible resources beyond what your average local library can provide.

Let's look at some of the resources my own college library had available:

• Books
• Periodicals
• Microfiche
• Government Documents

Books

Obviously a library would have books. But at my local college library, what I found was a good three floors of books on all variety of topics. For example, in the middle of one room I found books on Abraham Lincoln. At the end of the very same room, a collection of essays on video games.

Man of these are books which you wouldn't find in a local library. A quick perusal of some books on a nearby shelf revealed books from the 1960s, the 1950s, and one set of books all the way back from the 1890s. You might be able to find books published during the very time period you're searching for. Firsthand accounts are always some of the most valuable sources of information you can get.

Periodicals

Magazines, journals and other frequent publications often contain valuable information. This valuable information, however, may often be missed or ignored. It may be impossible to find older editions of a periodical in question, or you may not even realize that there were publications covering the topic you are searching for. 

But at library, they keep records of these publications in the periodicals section. Books containing the contents of several editions of a particular publication are organized by topic and year. It helps to have what you're looking for in mind when you search through these.

Microfiche

Microfiche is a method by which books and documents are condensed and stored in a very small area. Tiny thumbnails of pages are printed on clear celluloid, allowing whole books to be shrunk down to a series of sheets no bigger than a large index card.

The only downside to microfiche is that they require the use of a special reader that is able to project the actual page to a readable size.

Note: Depending on the collection you're searching through, the microfiche you're searching for may in fact be available online. Check the catalog of the library you're searching to see if they have it available.

Government Documents

Government documents are all manner of things, including but not limited to:

• Public laws
• Government censuses
• Lists of patents 
• Geological surveys
• Letters by delegates to Congress
• Statistics reports on all manner of topics
• Scientific reports by government agencies

And really, that's just scratching the surface. Not everything may be useful if you're just looking for basic information and not statistics (unless your character would be knowledgeable about such things), but there's plenty there that is helpful, and it's worth checking out.

Overall, a full college library is an incredibly valuable resource. I highly recommend you make use of that resource while researching information for your character, if it is ever available to you.

Case Study - Winter Shadows by Margaret Buffie

Winter Shadows is a historical novel by Margaret Buffie. It tells the story of two girls - one from the mid-1800s - Beatrice - and another from present day - Cass. Both girls live in Manitoba, Canada, and are going through similar struggles with step-parents. Through a series of events they are able to communicate across time and help each other with their problems.

There are certainly some fantasy-like elements to this story, but on the whole the two times stay separate. The story of Beatrice gives us a glimpse into several aspects of the time period and environment she lives in.

In looking Winter Shadows, we'll

• Look at research the author did
• Analyze how certain social tensions were presented
• Comment on the accuracy of these presentations

Research - What did the author do?

In Winter Shadows, the Beatrice is part Cree, a Native American group that lived primarily around the Great Lakes (Native Net, 2005). In her journal, Beatrice sometimes uses words from the Cree language. In the back of the book, Margaret Buffie wrote about the research she did on that topic.

Buffie primarily cites two people who helped her create the glossary of words she used - one a professor and specialist in the topic, the other a Swampy Cree elder (Buffie, 2010). Between these two experts, she was able to get information on the words themselves and how to use and spell them correctly. She was also able to get specific information on the dialect that would have been spoken in the area she chose for the book.

Buffie also speaks of how she did research of the area her story takes place in, though she does not get any more specific than that.

Analysis - How were certain social issues presented?

The two main social issues presented in Winter Shadows were the conflicts between the native Cree and half-Cree residents versus the non-native settlers, and the Victorian freethinker movement versus traditional values and expectations.

The conflict between the native Cree and half-Cree residents versus non-native settlers is best shown by the conflict between Beatrice herself and her stepmother, Ivy. Beatrice is half-Cree, on her father's side. Ivy, meanwhile, is a recent immigrant to the area from Europe. The two clash often over things such as the treatment of Beatrice's grandmother, a Cree woman.

The conflict between freethinking and tradition are illustrated by the two men Beatrice chooses between to marry. On one hand, there is Robert Dalhousie, a traditional, religious man seeking a reserved, pious wife to help him and his ailing sister while he does missionary work. On the other, there is  Duncan Kilgour, a freethinker from Europe who teases Beatrice as much as he encourages her own beliefs.

Comment - How accurate was Buffie's interpretation?

From the research I've done, her interpretation seems accurate.

The area chosen for the story is one that the Cree were known to inhabit. Some of the first interactions between French visitors and Cree were via fur trading (Canadian Genealogy, 2002). The marriages that resulted are mentioned specifically in the book by the French term - "à la façon du pays" (Buffie, 2010).

The freethinking movement was most popular in the 1800s, and originated in Europe. Duncan's freethinking roots come from his childhood spent with his family in Europe. It emphasized not being bound by religion and instead promoted humanist ideals and moving against traditional values (Britain Humanist Association, 2012).  In the end, Duncan encourages Beatrice to be true to her desires and be with someone who would treat her as an equal.

Sources

Britain Humanist Association. (2012). 19th century freethinkers. Retrieved from   http://www.humanism.org.uk/humanism/humanist-tradition/freethinkers 

Buffie, M. (2010). Winter shadows. Canada: Tundra Books.
Canadian Genealogy. (2002). Cree indians of canada. Retrieved from http://www.canadiangenealogy.net/indians/cree_indians.htm

Native Net. (2005). Cree indians. Retrieved from http://www.native-net.org/tribes/cree-indians.html 

Topics in History - Fabric and Dyes

When deciding on clothing for your character, is important to know the kinds of fabrics and colors that would have been available, especially in visual mediums like movies or comics.

In this article we'll explore

• Early Clothes
  
• Textiles
  
• Fabric developments
  
• Color

Early Clothes – What did people first wear?

People wore clothes made from natural sources - “animal skin and furs, grasses and leaves, and bones and shells” (Bellis, 2012). Sewing was rudimentary at best. Needles could be made from bone, which could be used to make sewn garments. However, it was far more likely for you to find clothing that was draped or tied off.

Textiles – How did clothing develop?

The discovery of spinning and weaving allowed people to make cloth for the first time. Mankind first began to twist plant fibers together to make string some 20,000-30,000 years ago. Weaving can be dated back to Neolithic times – around 12,000 years ago (Administrator, 2012). 

Fabric – What kinds of fabric were available in different times?

Early clothing varied a lot by region. Different kinds of fiber were available in different locations. Trade make it possible for some different kinds to be passed around to different regions.

By region, common types of fabric were

• Egypt – clothing was light and typically made of linen or cotton. Jewelry was often worn – gold and silver and precious stones for the wealthy, coppor or bronze for the poor
  
• Greek or Romans – clothing was typically made of linen or wool, though the wealthy could afford silk or cotton
  
• Medieval – Wool was the most common material of clothing in this time period, though it varied in quality; modern fashion began during this time period
  
• Early Americas – Mayans, Azetcs, and upper-class Incas all wore cotton (Lambert, 2012)
  
  

Color – How did dyes affect clothing from different periods?

The first known record of dyes being used comes from Ancient China (Druding, 2007).

Early dyes were natural – typically coming from plants or insects. In one instance, sea-snails were used by the ancient Phoenicians to make a purple dye. Many more vivid colors were rare and expensive, and in several cases they were restricted to royalty and the upper-class.

For example, throughout different cultures, the colors reserved for royalty were

• China – Yellow (reserved for the emperor), Orange (reserved for the crown prince), bright blue, red and purple
  
• England – Purple
  
• Ancient Greece and Rome – Purple
  

Additionally, some colors were reserved for different professions. The color red was worn by English physicians and the British Army.

Synthetic dyes were first created and produced for general use in the late 1800s. After synthetic dyes became commonly produced, colors became cheaper and more consistent, causing natural dyes to fall out of use (Wyse, 2012).

Sources:

Administrator. (2010, April 08). History of weaving. Retrieved from http://www.weavedesign.eu/site/index.php/about-his-work/6-techniques/20-history-of-weaving 

Bellis, M. (2012). History of clothing: How did specific items of clothing develop?. Retrieved from http://inventors.about.com/od/cstartinventions/a/clothing.htm 

Druding, S. C. (2007, November 30). Dye history from 2600 bc to the 20th century. Retrieved from www.straw.com/sig/dyehist.html

Lambert, T. (2012). A brief history of clothing. Retrieved from http://www.localhistories.org/clothes.html 

Wyse, X. (2012). History of natural dyes - color in culture. Retrieved from http://baileybear.hubpages.com/hub/History-of-Natural-Dyes-Color-in-Culture

Historical Character Creation in Action - Dear America

The Dear America book series is a children's book series that focuses on young female characters from different eras in time in American history. They focus on these girls through a series of diary entries, and help explain how life was like in the time periods represented.

Each book is written by a different author, and focuses on a different time period, including periods like the Civil War, the pilgrimage, and the Vietnam War. The authors use historical events and information, even if the characters themselves are fictional.

Characters – How did they come up with them?

Different authors – when speaking about their experiences in writing their Dear America books – had different inspirations:

• Karen Hesse, author of A Light in the Storm, was inspired by the stories of the Lightkeeper, Ida Lewis. (Scholastic, 2012b)
• Lois Lowry, author of Like the Willow Tree, took inspiration from asking questions at a local Shaker community in Maine about life in the late 18th Century (Scholastic, 2012c)
• Patricia C. McKissack, author of A Picture of Freedom, was inspired by the story of her own great-great-grandmother, a slave who learned to read and write despite the law.

Information – Where did they get it?

The authors of these different books looked for historical information from a variety of settings and sources:

• Patricia C. McKissack visited six different plantations in Virginia while researching for another one of her books (Scholastic, 2012d)
• Barry Denenberg, author of When Will this Cruel War Be Over?, researched by looking at diary entries and letters from the civil war period itself (Scholastic, 2012a)
• Lois Lowry visited Quaker communities while doing research, and asked notable historians in these communities questions (Scholastic, 2012c)

Sources:

Scholastic. (2012a). Barry denenberg. Retrieved from http://www.scholastic.com/dearamerica/meettheauthors.htm 

Scholastic. (2012b). Karen hesse. Retrieved from http://www.scholastic.com/dearamerica/meettheauthors.htm 

Scholastic. (2012c). Lois lowry. Retrieved from http://www.scholastic.com/dearamerica/meettheauthors.htm 

Scholastic. (2012d). Patricia c. mcKissack. Retrieved from http://www.scholastic.com/dearamerica/meettheauthors.htm

Case Study - The 1920s

The 1920s in the US – also known as the Roaring Twenties – was full of change. Life was two-sided, with one side being full of partying and entertainment, while the other was full of tension and isolation.

In exploring the 1920s, we'll look at: 

• Conditions
• Technology
• Attitudes

Conditions - How did people live?

Life in the 1920s depended on which class you were in. 

The Upper and Middle-class in particular enjoyed the developments in the 1920s.  The rich spent much time partying and going to speakeasies. The middle class enjoyed much more leisure time thanks to many inventions from this time period. Slang was a common part of how people spoke in the cities (Whitley, 1999).

On the farms, life was very different. A lot of technology and developments simply weren't available; things like indoor plumbing and electricity and appliances were absent. Life revolved around the seasons, with entertainment being mainly limited to occasional social events and gatherings (Reinhardt).

Developments - What did people have access to?

The first "talking pictures" were shown in 1926, turning movies into a business (Whitley, 1999). The radio and radio programs provided news and entertainment to people across the nation.

Household appliances became widely available, with tools like the toaster oven, vaccum and washing machine. They cut down the time needed for household chores, freeing that time up for other activities (Lorance, 1998).

Cars became commonplace as well, with the beginning of mass production of the Model-T by Henry Ford (The People History, 2004). 

Attitudes - What typical opinions did people have?

The 1920s was full of cultural tensions and disregard for the law.

The Prohibition led to a huge outbreak of organized crime. People obtained alcohol through many illegal and questionable means, including smuggling, home brewing, and medicinal prescriptions (Scoot, 2005). Eventually, it lead to people treating the law with contempt in general.

Racism was common as well. Intolerance for immigrant groups was widespread. Vigilante groups and the Klu Klux Klan took the law into their own hands and lynched blacks and other groups (The People History, 2004).

Above all though, it was a time for rebelling against old ideals and beliefs. Women challenged expectations by wearing loose clothing and partying. Traditional Victorian values were challenged by new ideas. Things were changing in the US.

Sources: 

The People History. (2004). 1920s history. Retrieved from http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/1920s.html

Whitley, P. (1999). American cultural history 1920 - 1929. Retrieved from http://kclibrary.lonestar.edu/decade20.html

Lorance, L. (1998). Promises, promises: The allure of household appliances in the 1920s. Retrieved from http://www.brickhaus.com/amoore/magazine/house.html 

Reinhardt, C. (n.d.). Farming in the 1920s. Retrieved from http://www.livinghistoryfarm.org/farminginthe20s/life_01.htm 

Scoot, R. (2005). Prohibition in the united states. Retrieved from http://www.1920-30.com/prohibition/ 

Creating Characters - The basics

Before creating a historical character, first you need to understand how to create a normal one. Creating a good character can take a lot of time at first. But with practice, you will get better at it, and it will get easier.

Parts of creating a good character

• Basic information
• Personality
• Backstory
  
  

Basic Information - Who is your character?

Give your character basic information like their name, age, gender, and appearance. This information helps set up who your character is. Some of these facts are used for reference, while others can even influence how your readers view them.

A character's appearance can be things like

• hair color and length
• eye color
• distinguishing features
• personal style

Appearance in particular can be used to allude to other aspects of a character, which is useful in avoiding info dumps.

 

Personality - How does your character act?

Focus on a few key factors that will determine your character's personality. Factors that influence personality can be moral values, key characteristics, and important beliefs. These factors should determine how your character reacts to as many different situations as possible.

A word of caution: It's impossible to plan every aspect of your character's personality, let alone have them show it in your story. Try to focus on just a few key aspects, rather than every possible reaction your character might have. It's easier and much faster for you, the author.

Backstory - Where does your character come from?

Backstory involves things like your character's history; what their life was like; and where and when they grew up . Think of these as sort of foundation for your character's personality: their backstory should help influence their traits.

Creating Historical Characters - An Introduction

Characters are a vital part of any story; so is credibility. To maintain your credibility, you – the author – must do adequate research on topics in your story. Research is especially important when your story is historical fiction, especially for your characters. But researching this information can be lengthy and time-consuming. This blog is here to help shorten that time, by giving you important historical information that you need to create your characters.

The Need for Credibility in Historical Fiction

Many readers of historical fiction are already familiar with history itself. These readers will be able to tell if information in your story is inaccurate. Inaccurate information can ruin a reader's experience, and even make it difficult for them to keep reading. And if you lose readers, then it's clear you have a major problem with your story. To avoid having this sort of problem, it's better to do adequate research before publishing.

Characters in Historical Fiction

A character's environment has a huge impact on how their mindset - how they think, feel, and act. To accurately portray a historical character, you need to understand what life was like back then. Many historical sites give information on social, religious and economic forces, but they don't have as many details on everyday topics. Everyday topics, unfortunately, are a vital part of understanding what life might be like for a historical character.

Creating Historical Characters

Historical Information is out there. The goal of this blog is to gather it and give it to you, for fast and easy reference. Each post will cover a different time period, and give you details that will help you the most in creating a believable historical character. Believable characters make for believable stories.