#readingcursive

One of the cool things about being a research historian is that I was taught to read the English language in its many different forms. I worked hard to be able to read English and American English back to the 16th century. And in pieces farther. . . This means I can read the beautiful handwriting of Alexander Hamilton here, Thomas Jefferson, the personal letters of John and Abigail Adams. And so many others, remembered and lost to time. . . In our century I can read my mother-in-law’s perfect cursive letters from the 1940s, my mother’s hand written notes in the cookbooks the used over the years and I was taught to read and write cursive on paper. My notes for University and work were always taken by hand. . . One of the things I worry is that with computers writing by longhand will die out. And with that will be the opportunity to learn to read the longhand of how letters were shaped decades and centuries ago. There is a thrill to read an original document like this one from Hamilton. I invite you to try. It is inspiring to delve into the real world of how are we are what we are. . . #lifeonosage #historicalresearch #originaldocuments #readingcursive #readinglonghand #alexanderhamilton #grateful #historicalletters