If You Could Go Back in Time, Would you?
Life can be exhausting at times. There is too much noise, too much chaos, and an overabundance of negativity coming into our days.
It's not surprising that people look back at different eras and think that life may have been easier, or at least simpler with less stress. In thinking about this, I decided to look at a few different eras of days gone by to see what they were like. I wonder if anyone might choose to go back to any of these times?
27 BCE-14 CE: The Roman Empire - a period in Roman civilization that was governed by emperors and large territorial holdings around the Mediterranean Sea in Europe, North Africa and West Asia. There were secure borders and a stable central government, and they enjoyed a period of prosperity and technological advancement. If you were a Roman citizen you were entitled to education, military pensions, democracy and welfare for the poor. A non-citizen received protection from invaders, free passage for supplies, and engineering advancements for a better standard of living.
800 AD-1066: The Vikings - Scandinavian seafarers from Norway, Sweden and Denmark who made an enduring name for themselves as warriors, traders and explorers. All Vikings were Scandinavians, but not all Scandinavians were Vikings. Vikings were only those who took to the sea to acquire wealth by raiding in other lands. Pros of being a Viking - adventurous, expert craftsmen and storytellers, women were respected, traveled far and wide. Cons of being a Viking - no running hot water, did not read, no modern medicines.
1558-1603: The Elizabethan Era (or the Golden Age of England) - refers to the period of Queen Elizabeth's reign. It was a time of peace, prosperity and progress. England became a wealthy nation and money was invested in the arts and exploration. The noblemen prospered, while the poor had a very harsh life.
1848-1855: The California Gold Rush - this began when James W. Marshall found gold at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The Gold Rush was the largest mass migration in history, and it attracted immigrants from around the world. The reality is that more fortunes were made by merchants than by gold miners.
1865-1895: The Wild West - a period of 30 years that were famous for cowboys, native Indians, lawmen, gun slingers, pioneers, prospectors, gamblers, scouts, outlaws, gangs and gunfighters. When hearing of the Wild West many had visions of daily life filled with opportunities, risk and even the threat of death. To some it was an exciting life, but too dangerous for many others.
1870-1914: American Pioneers - this refers to any of the people who migrated west to join in settling and developing new areas. They risked injury from runaway and overturned wagons, but the majority survived to reach their destination. They migrated to own their own land and to make a better living. Traveling to unexplored territory with hope in search of a new life for their families.
Each of these have pieces that could be appealing. However, all of them provided for a more difficult and harsher daily life than anyone today has been exposed to. Even if people could go back, it is not likely that they would given all the modern amenities they have become accustomed to.
If I were to go back in time I admit the Wild West holds some appeal, but I would be inclined to join the American Pioneers. It may have been a rough road to reach their destination, but the hopes and dreams of a better life compelled them to keep going. Once settled they worked hard to build their homes, plant crops and raise cattle, but those days of hard work gave them purpose and pride for what they had accomplished.
If you could go back in time would you choose one of these time periods or another era altogether? Or would you be content to stay where you are?
It's not surprising that people look back at different eras and think that life may have been easier, or at least simpler with less stress. In thinking about this, I decided to look at a few different eras of days gone by to see what they were like. I wonder if anyone might choose to go back to any of these times?
27 BCE-14 CE: The Roman Empire - a period in Roman civilization that was governed by emperors and large territorial holdings around the Mediterranean Sea in Europe, North Africa and West Asia. There were secure borders and a stable central government, and they enjoyed a period of prosperity and technological advancement. If you were a Roman citizen you were entitled to education, military pensions, democracy and welfare for the poor. A non-citizen received protection from invaders, free passage for supplies, and engineering advancements for a better standard of living.
800 AD-1066: The Vikings - Scandinavian seafarers from Norway, Sweden and Denmark who made an enduring name for themselves as warriors, traders and explorers. All Vikings were Scandinavians, but not all Scandinavians were Vikings. Vikings were only those who took to the sea to acquire wealth by raiding in other lands. Pros of being a Viking - adventurous, expert craftsmen and storytellers, women were respected, traveled far and wide. Cons of being a Viking - no running hot water, did not read, no modern medicines.
1558-1603: The Elizabethan Era (or the Golden Age of England) - refers to the period of Queen Elizabeth's reign. It was a time of peace, prosperity and progress. England became a wealthy nation and money was invested in the arts and exploration. The noblemen prospered, while the poor had a very harsh life.
1848-1855: The California Gold Rush - this began when James W. Marshall found gold at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The Gold Rush was the largest mass migration in history, and it attracted immigrants from around the world. The reality is that more fortunes were made by merchants than by gold miners.
1865-1895: The Wild West - a period of 30 years that were famous for cowboys, native Indians, lawmen, gun slingers, pioneers, prospectors, gamblers, scouts, outlaws, gangs and gunfighters. When hearing of the Wild West many had visions of daily life filled with opportunities, risk and even the threat of death. To some it was an exciting life, but too dangerous for many others.
1870-1914: American Pioneers - this refers to any of the people who migrated west to join in settling and developing new areas. They risked injury from runaway and overturned wagons, but the majority survived to reach their destination. They migrated to own their own land and to make a better living. Traveling to unexplored territory with hope in search of a new life for their families.
Each of these have pieces that could be appealing. However, all of them provided for a more difficult and harsher daily life than anyone today has been exposed to. Even if people could go back, it is not likely that they would given all the modern amenities they have become accustomed to.
If I were to go back in time I admit the Wild West holds some appeal, but I would be inclined to join the American Pioneers. It may have been a rough road to reach their destination, but the hopes and dreams of a better life compelled them to keep going. Once settled they worked hard to build their homes, plant crops and raise cattle, but those days of hard work gave them purpose and pride for what they had accomplished.
If you could go back in time would you choose one of these time periods or another era altogether? Or would you be content to stay where you are?
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