By Travis ChildsPioneer SentinelThe history of New Jersey is much the same as New York during the early colonial period.  Until the English took control in 1664, what is now New Jersey was part of New Netherland as the Dutch settled both sides of the Hudson River. … [Read more...]

By Travis ChildsPioneer SentinelIn 1609, Henry Hudson, an English explorer working for the Dutch East India Company, sailed to North America in search of the Northwest Passage.  Hudson and the Dutch, like many others, wanted to find a water route through North America … [Read more...]

By Travis ChildsPioneer SentinelThe roots of the English Colonies of Virginia, Massachusetts, Maryland, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire were planted before 1640.  In England, beginning in 1642 and lasting to 1659, the English Civil War, the execution of … [Read more...]

By Travis ChildsPioneer SentinelMaryland is often revered as the colony that officially created religious tolerance.  This is not wholly accurate. George Calvert, and his son Cecilius, created Maryland as a safe haven for Catholics.  Unfortunately, not enough … [Read more...]

By Travis ChildsPioneer SentinelOver the past few months I took a break from writing about the founding of the English Colonies, to focus on what we know or think we know about Christmas.  So far I have written about Virginia, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode … [Read more...]

By Travis ChildsPioneer Sentinel9. What did Jesus look like? Manger scenes and Western Christian art portray Jesus as fair haired, blue eyed, with delicate features and hands.  None of those descriptions are accurate.  Miriam “Ma” Ferguson, first female … [Read more...]

By Travis ChildsPioneer Sentinel8. Who all attended Jesus birth? As we discussed in last time, the Wise Men were not present at Jesus’ birth and may have arrived in Bethlehem as much as two years later.  Based on the testimony of the magi, King Herod wanted to … [Read more...]

By Travis ChildsPioneer Sentinel7. How many kings attended Jesus birth? Perhaps no element of the Christmas Story has so much myth surrounding it.  The Christmas song “We Three Kings of Orient Are” is not biblical.  The book of Matthew alone mentions the … [Read more...]

By Travis ChildsPioneer Sentinel6. How did Joseph and Mary get to the place of Jesus’ birth? Tradition has long held that Mary rode a donkey from Nazareth to Bethlehem.  In 1977, the donkey even received his own Christmas television special, “Nestor the … [Read more...]

By Travis ChildsPioneer Sentinel5. In what town was Jesus raised? Joseph and Mary traveled to Bethlehem from Nazareth.  The New Testament states many times that Jesus was from Nazareth, and Jesus and the Disciples traveled there as part of their ministry in Galilee, … [Read more...]