tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5022318990784415929.post6028138343405918911..comments2023-10-20T11:17:47.246-04:00Comments on Two Nerdy History Girls: Hamilton vs. Burr: The Most Infamous Duel in American History, 1804Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5022318990784415929.post-18852168124419786162018-02-14T10:11:24.789-05:002018-02-14T10:11:24.789-05:00Mr. Manly - Thank you for your kind words for the ...Mr. Manly - Thank you for your kind words for the blog. I'm glad you've found something to entertain you in our archives.<br /><br />As you note, Loretta and I are professional writers, and not only do we take great pride in our work and the words we write, but we also delight in the nuances of words for their own sake. One of our current favorites is a new word, only recently introduced to the Oxford Dictionaries: "Mansplain: (of a man) explain (something) to someone, typically a woman, in a manner regarded as condescending or patronizing."<br /><br />In the context of this blog post, the word "Infamous" in the title is entirely correct. At this time in American history and particularly in the northern states, dueling as a practice was considered an evil that destroyed lives and families, and also put the participants at the risk of breaking one of the Ten Commandments. After Hamilton's death, the duel was widely denounced as an example of a destructive and evil practice, and in some circles Burr was described as a villain, a criminal, the devil himself for having shot Hamilton. The duel was considered a shocking, scandalous affair. Because it remains the most widely-known duel in American history, the Hamilton-Burr duel is also famous, but in the context of this post - describing the events and reaction of the early 19thc - infamous is the more appropriate word. Susan Holloway Scotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14576374311141262635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5022318990784415929.post-20642110909366680372018-02-14T09:50:39.738-05:002018-02-14T09:50:39.738-05:00Annette - It's incredibly sad. Even though Ham...Annette - It's incredibly sad. Even though Hamilton was in many ways on the downside of his political career, such careers have a way of swinging back upward. Who knows what he might have achieved if he'd lived as long as Adams or Jefferson? The grief - and hardship - that his death brought to his wife and young family truly was a tragedy.<br />Susan Holloway Scotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14576374311141262635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5022318990784415929.post-49455795794873746252018-02-13T12:18:24.462-05:002018-02-13T12:18:24.462-05:00As a history buff, I was delighted to discover you...As a history buff, I was delighted to discover your blog recently, and have enjoyed browsing through all the links to various tidbits of social history. Good job.<br /><br />However, please reconsider today's headline - in the last few years, I have noticed, people who ought to know better have started using the vogue-ish word "infamous" - which connotes malice and evil - when all they really mean is simply "famous." A cheap way of getting attention and dramatizing things that don't need drama. <br /><br />Since you gals are professional writers, verbum sat.<br /><br />Russ Manleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05722260145543178087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5022318990784415929.post-84562044785463932232018-02-13T11:39:29.211-05:002018-02-13T11:39:29.211-05:00I think what makes this such a sad story - just li...I think what makes this such a sad story - just like any wasteful choices people have made - Eliza, her children and this country lost so very much. We will never know what might have been and doesn't that bring the most sorrow?Annette Nnoreply@blogger.com