The National Debt: 1812

The American finances, however, seem little able to sustain the expenses of these warlike preparations. It appears from Mr. Gallatin's budget, that the national expenditure exceeds the receipts by 2,600,000 dollars; to cover this deficit it is proposed to make an addition of 50 per cent, to the present amount of duties, or to resort to the the funding system, and raise an loan of three millions of dollars.

--From The Gentleman's magazine--

A country with shaky finances isn't hard to defeat in a war. I wonder if many foreign leaders aren't secretly happy with our spending habits.

Feminism: 1822

Is a woman tolerably handsome? She is not allowed to be so quietly. Wherever she goes, she is accosted in the language of adulation: in public places and in private conversation: a gentleman can scarcely address a sentence to her without seasoning it with a little flattery; not in praise of her sense, her knowledge, or the justness of her sentiments, but of her shape, her air, her face, or some hitherto undiscovered charm. In short she is taught by their behavior to believe that there is nothing amiable, or praise worthy in a woman unconnected with beauty. And even men who are esteemed to be uncommonly sensible and discerning, often pay more respect to a pretty face, though its owner be an idiot, than to a lady of an improved and polished understanding, if she does not excel in exterior form. Since this is the case, is it not reasonable to suppose that women will pay most attention to their appearance, and spend much time (which might be better employed,) in decorating their persons, and setting them off to advantage?

--From Masonic miscellany and ladies' literary magazine--

This is why after all the victories of feminism, women still read Cosmo to find out how to please a man.

Torture: 1817

"Magistrates are not, by law, permitted to exercise cruelties at their own discretion.

But of late, district magistrates, actuated by a desire to be rewarded for their activity, have felt an ardent enthusiasm to inflict torture. And though it has been repeatedly prohibited by Imperial Edicts, which they profess openly to conform to; yet they really and secretly violate them.

Whenever they apprehend persons of suspicious appearances, or those charged with great crimes, such as murder or robbery, the magistrates begin by endeavouring to seduce the prisoners to confess, and by forcing them to do so...."

--From Analectic Magazine--

What a barbaric state of affairs. Oh, that's right, we can't look down our nose at people who do that anymore.

Child labor: 1819

The papers in Philadelphia, are crowded with essays in support of the system of encouraging our manufactures at home, and prohibiting by high duties the importation of manufactures from abroad...

It will furnish employment for many idle people in our seaport towns; and for many women and children in our cities who appear to want such a resource.

--From Analectic Magazine--

He's saying we should encourage factories, so children have somewhere to work!

I was always skeptical about claims child labor laws were just a scheme to provide more jobs for adults, but seeing how people thought before they wanted manufacturing jobs for themselves I guess I have to agree.

What is art? circa 1898

This is what lots of people see, including artists.

To make a call: 1898

To "make a call" has an inelegant robustness of tone to one not used to hearing it; but Americans cannot plead that they are not used to hearing it. And the expression is not only general, but universal here. "Paying visits," the neat substitute for the rougher phrase, is not yet in colloquial use.

If you "made a call" you were visiting someone in person; people had telephones, but they would "call someone up" if they decided to do "telephoning".

It is a good rule to stay only fifteen minutes at a formal, at any rate a first call, unless, of course, urged to stay longer for some special reason.

When you did make your call you only got fifteen minutes to leave an impression; the original fifteen minutes of fame.

Above all, don't keep her standing an hour, while you lecture or "orate," or go over somebody's history, while everybody else sits about looking foolish.

Calling was kind of like the acting out a blog. Someone would sit at home and a stream of people would come in leaving comments; some of the comments were weird and went on forever.

Put your card on a convenient place in the hall, or on the tray the servant holds out for you, and mention your name to the manservant, if there is one.

You would leave little cars with your name on them, to let people know you were there.

This also makes me think of blogs. Sometimes I see blogs as establishments I visit. I make the rounds every once in awhile to make sure everyone is still alive.

Leaving other people's cards is a rather precarious business, and done at the caller's risk! It is not pleasant to meet your hostess driving in just as you sail out with the consciousness of having done a good stroke for a friend.

And no sock-puppets!
--From Etiquette for Americans--

Journlists: 1898

The "interview," try to disguise the fact as one may, is an acknowledged evil. Few persons of taste like it but as there are many who desire to be represented as holders of certain important opinions, and many more who are willing to sacrifice their privacy to something, call it public good; as there are thousands with tastes perverted or vitiated who wish to appear in print on any pretext—the few who hate notoriety, and consider publicity on any pretext poisonous, must submit to their fate.

The world would be improved by less knowledge of harrowing details of private griefs.

--From Etiquette for Americans--

 Reporters weren't exactly considered respectable members of society, and they pretty much aren't anymore either.

I don't see how they'll get it back now that we can can release our own harrowing details via Facebook or Twitter. Reporters, anybody can do that job.

Computing: 1617

Napier's bones were a series of rods which could be used to perform mathematical functions. Here's what a biographer, writing in 1787, had to say about them:

Napier's arithmetical machines and those afterwards invented, a few of which we shall enumerate, although the monuments of genius, must, in general, be regarded as mathematical curiosities of no use.

--From An account of the life, writings, and inventions of John Napier--

Hot food trends: 1911

The appearance of the Hawaiian pineapple in slices on the market, all ready for use, added another base for the preparation of fancy sundaes, which has proved to be exceedingly popular. While pineapple sundaes of this class have been on the market for some time, the trouble of pealing, slicing and preparing the pineapple for use was so great, that but few cared to bother with them.

Here's an advertisement for Dole's pineapple juice:

The ad reads:

Physicians prescribe it in throat, stomach and intestinal trouble. A refreshing drink during fever and convalescence.

So pineapples were also part of a health fad. Instead of curing cancer or Alzheimer's, people thought their food would cure indigestion.

--From The Spatula--

Advertising: 1911

--From The Spatula--

This is actually advertising for advertising. The magazine would invent advertising campaigns for its subscribers and make money selling color prints individuals could add store information to.

And they'd give out freebies:

Readers were instructed to cut out the ad, paste their store information on it, and send it to a local newspaper. There were pages of them and a store owner could pick whichever ones they needed.

Life before sex ed: 1861

I have previously stated, that the French condoms will prevent conception, but the objection to them is, they are troublesome, liable to be torn in coition, prevent the full sexual enjoyment, as they do not allow that reciprocal warmth of the male and female genitals which is necessary, as it prevents their coming in contact except through the covering, which often chafes and irritates the female parts, and will if used for any great number of times, cause seminal weakness, debility and Impotency in the male.

Condoms make you impotent! Other means of birth control which wouldn't work (or would also cause impotency) included the rhythm method and withdrawal.

You had to be careful:

Prolonging the venereal act will also cause seminal disease and impotency.

And don't even think about touching yourself or you'd end up like this:

Ways to prevent pregnancy included:

Dancing, and urinating immediately after... ...Riding a trotting horse, or any excreise, that will agitate the ovum before it is securely located... ...strong catharties, all stimulating fluids, victuals that will promote thirst, bathing soon after coition...

Of course if you wanted a method sure to work, you had to send the author 5 dollars.

...those who should be eternally cursed are the unprincipled quacks, who palm off their injurious and nauseating stuff for money...

Yes, watch out for quacks.

--From Medical adviser and marriage guide--