macdonald

Pepy’s Diary is an interesting concept: a daily blog containing a transcription of Samuel Pepy’s 17^th century diary. The idea of posting each entry on the same day is very unique, for example the diary entry for April 3, 1663 posting was posted on April 3, 2006. A real strength of the website is it provides excellent background information on the project. At first, I was slightly confused as to what was going on with the blog. However, the “about this site” and “the story so far” were helpful in explaining the website. However, I still wonder why the website chose the format it did? And if this is the best format possible? Pepy’s Diary directs the visitor to Project Gutenburg, which has diary entries from 1660 to 1669. So why is posting a diary on the corresponding day hundreds of years later even necessary? Obviously, the website does provide much more than just the diary entries, but I am still curious as to why the creators chose this format.

History Blogoshpere is a great index of various history blogs. However, it took me a while to actually figure out what the purpose of the website was. There is no introduction or any page about the website. After exploring around on http://clioweb.org it made more sense to me. The categorizing and brief descriptions of the blogs are especially helpful. However, I still have several questions about the website and blogs. What criteria were used for selecting the blogs included on the website?

I was amazed by the amount of information and the easy access that the History Carnival provides. There is only one thing I did not like about the website, there is no search tool. At least I did not see one on the website. Ideally, one would read each new chapter as it comes out on the 1^st or 15^th of the month. So you would be up to date on the previous issues. Even if you had read the previous issues, what if you want to back and find one thing? How would you come across it again, other than by memory or notes? It just seems that since there is so much information in these issues that might be difficult to do?

I added to the account of one of my favorite patriots, George Robert Twelves Hewes to wikipedia. The subject of Alfred Young’s The Shoemaker and the Tea Party. I added a little bit about his early life and also the key events he was involved with during the revolutionary Boston and the American revolution.