Community Chat

[Marp]

I watched the lead segment of the Rachel Maddow show last night. It is a fascinating history of Winston Churchill's part in forming the "United States of Europe" that ultimately became the EU.

One of the clips of Churchill was from when he was a young man (post WWI or WWII) and it struck me that I've always thought of him as this older statesman never giving a thought to what he looked like as a young man.

This led to the realization that I've also never given thought to what George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin or really any of our early historical figures looked like in their youth.

Am I alone in this narrow view of how our historical figures looked as they grew into their places in history?

[Maudelynn]

I watched the same show and thought the SAME thing!  As if WC was always an older man.  I don't think we have a lot of visuals for what these historical figures looked like as children.

[Marp]

I am so glad that I am not alone in this.

[Moonchilde]

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@Maudelynn wrote:

I watched the same show and thought the SAME thing!  As if WC was always an older man.  I don't think we have a lot of visuals for what these historical figures looked like as children.

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If you google "Winston Churchill child" you'll come up with quite a few pictires of young Winston.

[PamfromCT]

I also watched Rachel's show last evening.  Fortunately, we had taped her show, and I think it will be watched once more.  She has the rare gift of a gifted mind (doctorate from Oxford) and yet the ability to communicate to the average person in meaningful ways, for those who aren't familiar with her.  The historical perspective of the EU was most enlightening.

Unfortunately, until the advent of photography, we do not have the opportunity to view what our important historical figures looked like as children.  We do have photographs of Lincoln as a younger man, but that's about it, as I know.  If some of these figures had been born into families of great wealth, there would have been painted portraits of them as young children and young adults.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we did.

[IamMrsG]

I missed the show you referenced, but find the subject interesting. 

George Washington was handsome as a young man.  A quick Google came up with this rendering of him at age 19.

It's off topic somewhat, but have you ever seen a photo of young Charlie Chaplin?   Wowsa. 

[Marp]

@IamMrsG, you can watch the segment (UK roots deep in 'United States of Europe') at http://www.msnbc.com/maddowblog.

I sure learned things I didn't know not only about Churchill but also the foundation leading to the EU.

[IamMrsG]

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@Marp wrote:

@IamMrsG, you can watch the segment (UK roots deep in 'United States of Europe') at http://www.msnbc.com/maddowblog.

I sure learned things I didn't know not only about Churchill but also the foundation leading to the EU.

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@Marp  Thank you!

[candys mine]

Funny you should mention Winston Churchill,  When I was a kid I got a book from the Scholastic Reader "The Young Winston Churchill"  I don't remember a lot of it but I know I liked it.   

[JustJazzmom]

@Marp Churchill was a good looking chap from the photos on that programme.