Apr 25, 2023·edited Apr 25, 2023Liked by Glenn Harlan Reynolds
Very thorough and thoughtful article about dueling in the United States. Many interesting examples are provided. Why was dueling so important in our past? The author explains the reasons for this very well.
Interesting piece. Some years ago, I was expressing concern about the rise of violent, nasty rhetoric in our modern politics. I expressed the thought in an online discussion that there might only be two things that could calm down the public discourse: a major religious revival, or bringing back dueling, which would impose a serious cost on language. And the rhetoric has gotten even worse since then.
I remember the fistfight culture when I was in school. At my suburban high school in the late 1960s, there were a couple of instances where boys who got into a fight were taken into the gym, given boxing gloves, and allowed to duke it out under supervision.
On a lighter note, there is a story (possibly apocryphal) that early in his political career Abe Liincoln was challenged to a duel. The challenger was much shorter than Lincoln--most people were in those days. Lincoln, as the challenged party, chose the weapons--and he chose sledgehammers in six feet of water! The challenger realized he'd been had. When he quit laughing, he went to Abe and patched it up, and the two became friends.
Good piece, though I'm a little surprised there was no citation to Bowman's book on this topic, which is quite good, or to Tamler's (I'm much less familiar with the latter).
One side note on later dueling. Despite how popular it was in Texas, Houston was considered so honorable a man he could refuse a duel with stain. And the challenge reflected badly on the challenger. Or so it is claimed.
An armed society is a peaceful society...
Very thorough and thoughtful article about dueling in the United States. Many interesting examples are provided. Why was dueling so important in our past? The author explains the reasons for this very well.
“ Hamilton’s life and, despite his short-term dueling victory, Hamilton’s political career. “
From context, I think you meant “Burr’s political career”?
Also, you quote Andrew Jackson that Hamilton dead was more formidable than Hamilton alive twice.
Interesting piece. Some years ago, I was expressing concern about the rise of violent, nasty rhetoric in our modern politics. I expressed the thought in an online discussion that there might only be two things that could calm down the public discourse: a major religious revival, or bringing back dueling, which would impose a serious cost on language. And the rhetoric has gotten even worse since then.
I remember the fistfight culture when I was in school. At my suburban high school in the late 1960s, there were a couple of instances where boys who got into a fight were taken into the gym, given boxing gloves, and allowed to duke it out under supervision.
On a lighter note, there is a story (possibly apocryphal) that early in his political career Abe Liincoln was challenged to a duel. The challenger was much shorter than Lincoln--most people were in those days. Lincoln, as the challenged party, chose the weapons--and he chose sledgehammers in six feet of water! The challenger realized he'd been had. When he quit laughing, he went to Abe and patched it up, and the two became friends.
Good piece, though I'm a little surprised there was no citation to Bowman's book on this topic, which is quite good, or to Tamler's (I'm much less familiar with the latter).
https://www.amazon.com/Honor-History-James-Bowman/dp/1594031428
https://www.amazon.com/Why-Honor-Matters-Tamler-Sommers/dp/0465098878
One side note on later dueling. Despite how popular it was in Texas, Houston was considered so honorable a man he could refuse a duel with stain. And the challenge reflected badly on the challenger. Or so it is claimed.