The age of the Atlantic Revolutions began in Lexington in 1775 and ended in Odelltown sixty-odd years later. Through that time, societies on both sides of the ocean wrestled with a question of daunting proportions and implications: What type of insurrection ought to be allowed or considered legitimate? This was a pressing concern for Americans […]
Continue readingIl y a 250 ans, les fondements de l’américanité
C’est un épisode de notre histoire que nous connaissons peu mais qui a momentanément rivalisé la Conquête de 1759-1760 en importance. À l’automne 1775, l’armée des insurgés anglo-américains envahit la vieille province de Québec et prend Montréal. Pendant près de six mois, ce corps expéditionnaire assoit imparfaitement son pouvoir sur la vallée du fleuve Saint-Laurent […]
Continue readingLeMay’s French-Canadian Holidays
Pamphile LeMay (1837-1918) is little known to recent generations of Quebeckers. But he was once a literary celebrity. Like many of his contemporaries, a civil service position enabled LeMay to dedicate time to his leisures. He wrote poetry, novels, and plays; he also translated Longfellow’s Evangeline: A Tale of Acadie into French. His original works […]
Continue readingMaking Culture in the Valley
On November 9, I had the pleasure of addressing the annual meeting of the Greater Grand Isle Historical Society in Grand Isle, Maine. The notes below are a close approximation of my spoken remarks. * * * Thank you for the invitation. It is a pleasure to chat with you all and celebrate the history […]
Continue readingThe Latest in Franco-American History
Last year, this blog brought attention to new, innovative studies of Franco-American history. Well, in only the short time since, research has moved forward—good news for all of us who wish for a vigorous field that continues to mature and attract attention. The brief synopses presented in this post, which may not fully do justice […]
Continue readingA Brawl in Saint-Michel
They weren’t ten feet tall. In the midst of dissertation research, I stumbled across words to that effect. In an interview, John F. Kennedy reflected on the men who had preceded him in the White House, particularly Franklin Roosevelt, who now seemed larger than life. Hindsight had enlarged them. In truth, Kennedy stated, they were […]
Continue readingThe Ghost of Léon Duroc
Canada was a close witness of the Civil War. A great many of its sons even took part in it, such that the events of this great tumult do not find us all indifferent. The episode that Mr. Tremblay resurrects belongs to American history by its stage, but belongs to ours by virtue of the […]
Continue readingLowell’s Darkest Day
An earlier version of this essay appeared in the spring/summer 2025 issue of Le Forum, the quarterly publication of the Franco-American Centre (University of Maine). Please cite appropriately, and please consider supporting the Franco-American Centre. * * * A man named Michaud graced the first page of the Boston Daily Globe on July 29, 1903. […]
Continue readingBad History
A new academic year is upon us and, with it, new opportunities to expand our field of knowledge. In history, as in all disciplines, research comes with potential pitfalls. Trained historians, though imperfect, quickly learn to avoid conceptual and methodological missteps. Problems are more frequent when practitioners of other disciplines or casual writers attempt to […]
Continue readingVoting as a Franco-American in the 1930s
In appreciation of those who have followed and supported Query the Past, I am pleased to share another translated excerpt of “Tout nous serait possible”: Une histoire politique des Franco-Américains, 1874-1945, the first regional synthesis of Franco-Americans’ political involvement. The excerpt below takes us into the messy politics of the Great Depression. * * * […]
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