Amanda Foreman

All articles by amanda

The public backlash against an altered photo of the royal family shows that, even in the age of social media, royalty is supposed to mean more than just celebrity. The Wall Street Journal March 15, 2024 There I was on CBS News at the beginning of March, as a commentator on the royals, pooh-poohing fears
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Historically Speaking: Here Comes the Rain Again

Storms have long shaped human destiny, as Californians know all too well. The Wall Street Journal February 15, 2024 Given that much of California was suffering a severe drought just two years ago, it might seem ungrateful to complain about too much rain. Yet Californians have already managed two record-breaking storms this year, and more are expected.
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Historically Speaking: Aspirin, a Pioneering Wonder Drug

The winding, millennia-long route from bark to Bayer. The Wall Street Journal February 1, 2024 For ages the most reliable medical advice was also the most simple: Take two aspirin and call me in the morning. This cheap pain reliever, which also thins blood and reduces inflammation, has been a medicine cabinet staple ever since
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Historically Speaking: Our Fraught Love Affair With Cannabis

Ban it? Tax it? Humans have been hounded by these questions for millennia. The Wall Street Journal January 19, 2024 Ohio’s new marijuana law marks a watershed moment in the decriminalization of cannabis: more than half of Americans now live in places where recreational marijuana is legal. It is a profound shift, but only the
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Historically Speaking: The Hunt for a Better Way to Vote

Despite centuries of innovation, the humble 2,500-year-old ballot box is here to stay. The Wall Street Journal January 4, 2024 At least 40 national elections will take place around the world over the next year, with some two billion people going to the polls. Thanks to the 2,500-year-old invention of the ballot box, in most
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Historically Speaking: The Ancient Origins of the Christmas Wreath

Before they became a holiday symbol, wreaths were used to celebrate Egyptian gods, victorious Roman generals and the winter solstice. On Christmas Eve, 1843, three ghosts visited Ebenezer Scrooge in the Charles Dickens novella “A Christmas Carol” and changed Christmas forever. Dickens is often credited with “inventing” the modern idea of Christmas because he popularized
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Historically Speaking: A Tale of Two Hats

Napoleon’s bicorne and Santa Claus’s red cap both trace their origins to the felted headgear worn in Asia Minor thousands of years ago. December makes me think of hats—well, one hat in particular. Not Napoleon’s bicorne hat, an original of which (just in time for Ridley Scott’s movie) sold for $2.1 million at an auction
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Historically Speaking: The Enduring Allure of a Close Shave

Men may be avoiding their razors for ‘Movember,’ but getting rid of facial and other body hair goes back millennia in many different cultures November is a tough time for razors. Huge numbers of them haven’t seen their owners since the start of “Movember,” the annual no-shave fundraiser for men’s health. But the razors needn’t
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Historically Speaking: Marriage as a Mirror of Human Nature

From sacred ritual to declining institution, wedlock has always reflected our ideas about liberty and commitment. The Wall Street Journal October 26, 2023 Marriage is in decline in almost every part of the world. In the U.S., the marriage rate is roughly six per 1,000 people, a fall of nearly 60% since the 1970s. But
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Historically Speaking: Sending Cards for a Happy Birthday

On Oct. 26, imprisoned WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich will turn 32. Since ancient times, birthdays have been occasions for poems, letters and expressions of solidarity. The Wall Street Journal October 13, 2023 Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich turns 32 on Oct. 26. This year he will be spending his birthday in Lefortovo prison in Moscow, a detention
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Historically Speaking: Broken Hearts and How to Heal Them

Modern medicine confirms what people have known for thousands of years: heartbreak is more than a metaphor. The Wall Street Journal September 30, 2023 A mere generation ago, “heartbreak” was an overused literary metaphor but not an actual medical event. The first person to recognize it as a genuine condition was a Japanese cardiologist named
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Historically Speaking: Tourists Behaving Badly

When today’s travelers get in trouble for knocking over statues or defacing temples, they’re following an obnoxious tradition that dates back to the Romans. The Wall Street Journal September 8, 2023 Tourists are giving tourism a bad name. The industry is a vital cog in the world economy, generating more than 10% of global GDP
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Historically Speaking: The Many Ingredients of Barbecue

Native Americans, European settlers and African slaves all contributed to creating an American culinary tradition. The Wall Street Journal August 18, 2023 There are more than 30,000 BBQ joints in the U.S., but as far as the Michelin Guide is concerned, not one of them is worthy of a coveted star. Many Americans would say
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Historically Speaking: The Enduring Technology of the Book

Durable, stackable and skimmable, books have been the world’s favorite way to read for two millennia and counting. The Wall Street Journal August 3, 2023 A fragment of the world’s oldest book was discovered earlier this year. Dated to about 260 B.C., the 6-by-10-inch piece of papyrus survived thanks to ancient Egyptian embalmers who recycled
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Historically Speaking: Saving Lives With Lighthouses

Since the first one was built in ancient Alexandria, lighthouses have helped humanity master the danger of the seas. The Wall Street Journal July 21, 2023 For those who dream big, there will be a government auction on Aug. 1 for two decommissioned lighthouses, one in Cleveland, Ohio, the other in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Calling
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Historically Speaking: The Royal Origins of Tennis

The strict etiquette at Wimbledon and other tournaments is a reminder that the sport’s first players were French kings and aristocrats. The Wall Street Journal June 15, 2023 For the 136th Wimbledon Championships, opening on July 3, lady competitors will be allowed to ignore the all-white clothing rule for the first time—though only as it
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Historically Speaking: The Many Breeds of Unicorn

Ancient India, China and Greece all told stories about one-horned creatures, each with a different kind of magic. The Wall Street Journal June 1, 2023 There are around 1,280 active unicorns in the world, with just over 50% located in the United States. These aren’t the four-footed, one-horned kind, but privately held startups valued at
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Historically Speaking: The Quest to Look Young Forever

From drinking gold to injecting dog hormones, people have searched for eternal youth in some unlikely places. The Wall Street Journal May 18, 2023 A study explaining why mouse hairs turn gray made global headlines last month. Not because the little critters are in desperate need of a makeover; but knowing the “why” in mice
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Historically Speaking: Using Forensic Evidence to Solve Crimes

Today’s DNA techniques are just the latest addition to a toolkit used by detectives since ancient times. The Wall Street Journal May 5, 2023 In February, police in Burlington, Vt., announced they had solved the city’s oldest cold case, the 1971 murder of 24-year-old schoolteacher Rita Curran. Taking advantage of genetic genealogy using DNA databases—the
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Historically Speaking: The Search for Better Weapons Against Pests

From sulfur to DDT, farmers have spent millennia looking for ways to stop crop-destroying insects. The Wall Street Journal April 20, 2023 The scientific breakthroughs of the 17th century, such as the compound microscope, made the natural world more intelligible and therefore controllable. By the 18th century, a farmer’s arsenal included nicotine, mercury and arsenic-based
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Historically Speaking: The Long Road to Pensions for All

From the Song Dynasty to the American Civil War, governments have experimented with ways to support retired soldiers and workers The Wall Street Journal April 6, 2023 “Will you still need me, will you still feed me,/When I’m sixty-four?” sang the Beatles in their 1967 album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. These were somewhat
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Historically Speaking: In Search of a Good Night’s Sleep

People have been pursuing the secrets of slumber ever since the ancient Egyptians opened sacred ‘sleep clinics.’ The Wall Street Journal March 24, 2023 It is a riddle worthy of the Sphinx: What is abundant and yet in short supply, free and yet frequently paid for, necessary for life and yet resembles death? The answer
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Historically Speaking: When Taxis Were Drawn by Horses

Long before Uber, there were Roman litters, Venetian gondolas and other variations on the ride for hire. The Wall Street Journal March 10, 2023 Last month drivers working for Uber and Lyft went on strike in cities in the U.S., Great Britain and the Netherlands. This was on top of strikes in December. The digital
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Historically Speaking: Even Ancient Children Did Homework

Americans have long debated the value of take-home assignments, but children have been struggling with them for millennia. The Wall Street Journal February 24, 2023 If American schoolchildren no longer had to do hours of homework each night, a lot of dogs might miss out on their favorite snack, if an old excuse is to be
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Historically Speaking: The Ancient Elixir Made by Bees

Honey has always been a sweet treat, but it has also long served as a preservative, medicine and salve. The Wall Street Journal February 9, 2023 The U.S. Department of Agriculture made medical history last month when it approved the first vaccine for honey bees. Hives will be inoculated against American Foulbrood, a highly contagious
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Historically Speaking: Fakers, Con Men and Pretenders to the Throne

George Santos is far from the first public figure to have assumed an identity later discovered to be rife with fictions The Wall Street Journal January 27, 2023 Few would have thought it possible in the age of the internet, and yet U.S. Rep. George Santos turns out to have invented a long list of
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Historically Speaking: The Long, Dark Shadow of the Real ‘Bedlam’

Today’s debate over compulsory treatment for the mentally ill has roots in a history of good intentions gone awry The Wall Street Journal January 12, 2023 This year, California and New York City will roll out plans to force the homeless mentally ill to receive hospital treatment. The initiatives face fierce legal challenges despite their
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CBS News: Prince Harry accuses his brother William of attacking him in new memoir

Prince Harry is reportedly accusing his brother William of physically attacking him during an argument in his new memoir, “Spare,” set to be released next week. CBS News royal contributor Amanda Foreman explains what sparked the argument and how Buckingham Palace is responding. 
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Historically Speaking: When Porcelain Wares Were ‘White Gold’

The fine china we set out for the holidays was once a mysterious imported substance that European alchemists struggled to recreate The Wall Street Journal December 22, 2022 It is that time of year again, when the table is laden, the candles are lit, and the good china comes out of cupboard. The rest of
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The New York Times: This Royal Saga Has a Surprise Ending

December 11, 2022 The New York Times Once upon a time, a boy met a girl, and they fell in love. This was no ordinary love, just as this is no ordinary story. They first set eyes on each other in a crowded restaurant. They talked, nothing more. And yet each felt the connection between
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Historically Speaking: You Might Not Want to Win a Roman Lottery

Humans have long liked to draw lots as a way to win fortunes and settle fates The Wall Street Journal November 25, 2022 Someone in California won this month’s $2.04 billion Powerball lottery—the largest in U.S. history. The odds are staggering. The likelihood of death by plane crash (often estimated at 1 in 11 million
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The Sunday Times: Kate’s in touch with American over-40s but Meghan is where the money is

As the Prince and Princess of Wales head stateside for their first US tour in eight years, Amanda Foreman assesses the British monarchy’s popularity across the Atlantic The Sunday Times November 26, 2022 Two royal events dominated the American headlines in 1981. The first was the great “curtsy scandal” in April, when the White House
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Historically Speaking: Modern Dentistry’s Painful Past

Just be thankful that your teeth aren’t drilled with a flint or numbed with cocaine The Wall Street Journal November 3, 2022 Since the start of the pandemic, a number of studies have uncovered a surprising link: The presence of gum disease, the first sign often being bloody gums when brushing, can make a patient
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Historically Speaking: The Fungus That Fed Gods And Felled a Pope

There’s no hiding the fact that mushrooms, though delicious, have a dark side The Wall Street Journal October 21, 2022 Fall means mushroom season. And, oh, what joy. The Romans called mushrooms the food of the gods; to the ancient Chinese, they contained the elixir of life; and for many people, anything with truffles is
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Historically Speaking: A Pocket-Sized Dilemma for Women

Unlike men’s clothes, female fashion has been indifferent for centuries to creating ways for women to stash things in their garments The Wall Street Journal September 29, 2022 The current round of Fashion Weeks started in New York on Sep. 9 and will end in Paris on Oct. 4, with London and Milan slotted in
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Harper’s Bazaar: Behind her eyes: celebrating the Queen as a cultural icon

Our steadfast hope Harper’s Bazaar June 2022 If you’ve ever had a dream involving the Queen, you are not alone. After her Silver Jubilee in 1977, it was estimated that more than a third of Britons had dreamt about her at least once, with even ardent republicans confessing to receiving royal visits in their slumbers.
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The Mail on Sunday: No miniskirts. No railing about being a working mother.

Leading historian AMANDA FOREMAN explains why the Queen was a true feminist icon who changed the world for millions of women – in very surprising ways. The Mail on Sunday September 17, 2022 Ask someone for the name of a famous feminist and no doubt you’ll get one of a few prominent women batted back
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The Sunday Times – Special relationship: US mourns the Queen as it would a president

America’s relationship with the monarchy has always been complicated but she brought the two nations together The Sunday Times Saturday, September 10 2022 My phone started ringing at 7am New York time on Thursday. The news about the Queen’s health had reached the networks and they were calling everyone in. By 9am I was in
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Historically Speaking: The Noble Elf Has a Devilish Alter-Ego

Pointy-eared magical creatures abound in folklore, but they weren’t always cute The Wall Street Journal September 8, 2022 “The Rings of Power” series, Amazon’s prequel to J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy epic, “The Lord of the Rings,” reserves a central role for heroic elves. Members of this tall, immortal race are distinguished by their beauty and wisdom
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Historically Speaking: The Ancient Art of the Tattoo

Body ink has been used to elevate, humiliate and decorate people since the times of mummies. The Wall Street Journal August 25, 2022 Earlier this month the celebrity couple Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson announced that their nine-month relationship was over. Ms. Kardashian departed with her memories, but Mr. Davidson was left with something a
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Historically Speaking: Passports Haven’t Always Been Liberating

France’s Louis XIV first required international travelers to carry an official document. By the 20th century, most other countries did the same for reasons of national security. The Wall Street Journal August 12, 2022 As anyone who has recently applied for a passport can attest, U.S. passport agencies are still catching up from the pandemic
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Historically Speaking: The Mystical Origins of Wordplay

From oracular riddles to the daily Wordle, humans have always had the urge to decode The Wall Street Journal July 28, 2022 In 2021, a software engineer named Josh Wardle uploaded Wordle, a 5-letter word puzzle, for a few friends and relatives. By February this year, the number of players had jumped to the millions,
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Historically Speaking: The Women Who Have Gone to War

There have been female soldiers since antiquity, but only in modern times have military forces accepted and integrated them The Wall Street Journal July 14, 2022 “War is men’s business,” Prince Hector of Troy declares in Homer’s Iliad, a sentiment shared by almost every culture since the beginning of history. But Hector was wrong. War
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Historically Speaking: The Quest to Understand Skin Cancer

The 20th-century surgeon Frederic Mohs made a key breakthrough in treating a disease first described in ancient Greece. The Wall Street Journal June 30, 2022 July 1 marks the 20th anniversary of the death of Dr. Frederic Mohs, the Wisconsin surgeon who revolutionized the treatment of skin cancer, the most common form of cancer in
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Historically Speaking: The Modern Flush Toilet Has Ancient Origins

Even the Minoans of Crete found ways to whisk away waste with flowing water. The Wall Street Journal June 9, 2021 Defecation is a great equalizer. As the 16th-century French Renaissance philosopher Michel de Montaigne put it trenchantly in his Essays, “Kings and philosophers shit, as do ladies.” Yet, even if each person is equal before
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Historically Speaking: Inflation Once Had No Name, Let Alone Remedy

Empires from Rome to China struggled to restore the value of currencies that spiraled out of control The Wall Street Journal May 27, 2022 Even if experts don’t always agree on the specifics, there is broad agreement on what inflation is and on its dangers. But this consensus is relatively new: The term “inflation” only
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Historically Speaking: Typos Have Been Around as Long as Writing Itself

Egyptian engravers, medieval scribes and even Shakespeare’s printer made little mistakes that have endured The Wall Street Journal May 12, 2022 The Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., is 100 years old this month. The beloved national monument is no less perfect for having one slight flaw: The word “future” in the Second Inaugural Address was
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Historically Speaking: When Generals Run the State

Military leaders have been rulers since ancient times, but the U.S. has managed to keep them from becoming kings or dictators. The Wall Street Journal April 29, 2022 History has been kind to General Ulysses S. Grant, less so to President Grant. The hero of Appomattox, born 200 years ago this month, oversaw an administration
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Historically Speaking: The Game of Queens and Grandmasters

Chess has captivated minds for 1,500 years, surviving religious condemnation, Napoleonic exile and even the Russian Revolution The Wall Street Journal April 15, 2022 Fifty years ago, the American chess grandmaster Bobby Fischer played the reigning world champion Boris Spassky at the “Match of the Century” in Reykjavik, Iceland. The Cold War was at its
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Historically Speaking: Humanity’s Long Quest to Bottle Energy

The first batteries produced bursts of power. Making them last has been the work of centuries. The Wall Street Journal April 1, 2022 Electric cars were once dismissed as a pipe dream. Now experts predict that by 2025, they will account for one-fifth of all new cars. Helping to drive this revolution is the once-humble
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