HISTORICAL TRIVIA
1. In George Washington's days, there were no cameras. One's image was either sculpted or painted.
Some paintings of George Washington showed him standing behind a desk with one arm behind his back while others showed both legs and both arms.
Prices charged by painters were not based on how many people were to be painted, but by how many limbs were to be painted. Arms and legs are
'limbs,' therefore painting them would cost the buyer more. Hence the expression, 'It'll cost you an arm and a leg.'
(Artists know hands and arms are more difficult to paint)
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2. As incredible as it sounds, men and women usually took baths only twice a year (May and October)
Women kept their hair covered, while men shaved their heads (because of lice and bugs) and wore wigs.
Wealthy men could afford good wigs made from wool. They couldn't wash the wigs, so to clean them they would carve out a loaf of bread, put the wig in the shell, and bake it for 30 minutes. The heat would make the wig big and fluffy, hence the term 'big wig;'
Today we often use the term 'here comes the Big Wig' because someone appears to be or is powerful and wealthy.
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3. In the late 1700's, many houses consisted of a large room with only one chair. Commonly, a long wide board folded down from the wall and was used for dining. The 'head of the household' always sat in the chair while everyone else ate sitting on the floor.
Occasionally a guest, who was usually a man, would be invited to sit in this chair during a meal.
To sit in the chair meant you were important and in charge. They called the one sitting in the chair the 'chair man.'
Today in business, we use the expression or title 'Chairman' or 'Chairman of the Board.'
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4. Personal hygiene left much room for improvement. As a result, many women and men had developed acne scars by adulthood. The women
would spread bee's wax over their facial skin to smooth out their complexions. When they were speaking to each other, if a woman began to stare at another woman's face she was told, 'mind your own bee's wax.' Should the woman smile, the wax would crack, hence the term 'crack a smile'. In addition, when they sat too close to the fire, the wax would melt .Therefore, the expression 'losing face.'
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5. Ladies wore corsets, which would lace up in the front. A proper and dignified woman, as in 'straight laced' wore a tightly tied lace.
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6. Early politicians required feedback from the public to determine what the people considered important. Since there were no telephones, TV's or
radios, the politicians sent their assistants to local taverns, pubs, and bars. They were told to 'go sip some Ale' and listen to people's conversations and political concerns.
Many assistants were dispatched at different times. 'You go sip here' and 'You go sip there.' The two words 'go sip' were eventually combined when referring to the local opinion and, thus we have the term 'gossip.'
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7. At local taverns, pubs, and bars, people drank from pint and quart-sized containers. A bar maid's job was to keep an eye on the customers and keep the drinks coming. She had to pay close attention and remember who was drinking in 'pints' and who was drinking in 'quarts,' hence the
phrase 'minding your 'P's and Q's'.
**********************************
1. In George Washington's days, there were no cameras. One's image was either sculpted or painted.
Some paintings of George Washington showed him standing behind a desk with one arm behind his back while others showed both legs and both arms.
Prices charged by painters were not based on how many people were to be painted, but by how many limbs were to be painted. Arms and legs are
'limbs,' therefore painting them would cost the buyer more. Hence the expression, 'It'll cost you an arm and a leg.'
(Artists know hands and arms are more difficult to paint)
******************************
2. As incredible as it sounds, men and women usually took baths only twice a year (May and October)
Women kept their hair covered, while men shaved their heads (because of lice and bugs) and wore wigs.
Wealthy men could afford good wigs made from wool. They couldn't wash the wigs, so to clean them they would carve out a loaf of bread, put the wig in the shell, and bake it for 30 minutes. The heat would make the wig big and fluffy, hence the term 'big wig;'
Today we often use the term 'here comes the Big Wig' because someone appears to be or is powerful and wealthy.
*********************************
3. In the late 1700's, many houses consisted of a large room with only one chair. Commonly, a long wide board folded down from the wall and was used for dining. The 'head of the household' always sat in the chair while everyone else ate sitting on the floor.
Occasionally a guest, who was usually a man, would be invited to sit in this chair during a meal.
To sit in the chair meant you were important and in charge. They called the one sitting in the chair the 'chair man.'
Today in business, we use the expression or title 'Chairman' or 'Chairman of the Board.'
*********************************
4. Personal hygiene left much room for improvement. As a result, many women and men had developed acne scars by adulthood. The women
would spread bee's wax over their facial skin to smooth out their complexions. When they were speaking to each other, if a woman began to stare at another woman's face she was told, 'mind your own bee's wax.' Should the woman smile, the wax would crack, hence the term 'crack a smile'. In addition, when they sat too close to the fire, the wax would melt .Therefore, the expression 'losing face.'
*********************************
5. Ladies wore corsets, which would lace up in the front. A proper and dignified woman, as in 'straight laced' wore a tightly tied lace.
********************************
6. Early politicians required feedback from the public to determine what the people considered important. Since there were no telephones, TV's or
radios, the politicians sent their assistants to local taverns, pubs, and bars. They were told to 'go sip some Ale' and listen to people's conversations and political concerns.
Many assistants were dispatched at different times. 'You go sip here' and 'You go sip there.' The two words 'go sip' were eventually combined when referring to the local opinion and, thus we have the term 'gossip.'
**********************************
7. At local taverns, pubs, and bars, people drank from pint and quart-sized containers. A bar maid's job was to keep an eye on the customers and keep the drinks coming. She had to pay close attention and remember who was drinking in 'pints' and who was drinking in 'quarts,' hence the
phrase 'minding your 'P's and Q's'.
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Thanks for that min.
