Living in a different time ...

[mc5aw]

As I regularly indulge in my historical reading passion, I'm often torn between which time period I would prefer to live in if given the opportunity ... the Colonial era, the Civil War era, or the Wild West. Granted, each has a unique romanticism attached to it, but all were exceedingly difficult times to exist in. I used to lean toward the 19th Century, but having lived in a section of PA with extremely strong Revolutionary War history to it, I think I would opt for the Colonial days. A simpler life, a simpler time. Geography is certainly a consideration, as are modern conveniences, industrialization, enemies, etc. Also worth mentioning is that my choice of time travel would come as a regular person ... not a war hero, gun fighter, etc. Perhaps an ordinary settler, soldier, farmer, or hunter ... but no one of particular fame nor fortune.

Fellow history buffs, given the three aforementioned time periods, what era would you chose to live ... and why?

 

[Wrench6]

If I could choose another time to live in, out of the three you mentioned, I would choose the Colonial period. It would give me a chance to meet some of the founding fathers and see the country establish itself. Also, this was a time of great opportunity for many (but not all) people. It would also be a chance to meet an ancestor who fought in the revolution.

 

[Mule Packer]

My sister-in-law once told me that I should've been born in the 1800's just because of the things I like to do..Dutch oven cooking, horse and mule packing, hunting, fishing, outdoor life, simple living, etc. I like shooting single-action revolvers, double-barreled shotguns, and lever-action rifles, so probably the Wild West.

At times, it sounds kinda neat, but then when I think about it, I really appreciate hot showers, indoor plumbing, and not having to worry about smallpox, cholera, or diphtheria.

 

[arjay]

I think any of them would be interesting for a short time or as a wealthy man.My family thinks I would have done well a few hundred years ago in the mountains ;-)

 

[mc5aw]

My sister-in-law once told me that I should've been born in the 1800's just because of the things I like to do..Dutch oven cooking, horse and mule packing, hunting, fishing, outdoor life, simple living, etc. I like shooting single-action revolvers, double-barreled shotguns, and lever-action rifles, so probably the Wild West.

At times, it sounds kinda neat, but then when I think about it, I really appreciate hot showers, indoor plumbing, and not having to worry about smallpox, cholera, or diphtheria.

MP ... The allure of the Old West waned a bit for me when I read a history of Tombstone. Between the lack of sanitary waste management and over-powering dust, it seemed to be quite a difficult little oasis to fully enjoy.

 

[Old TexMex]

The Depression. I'd make a fortune, move to Baja with a model T truckload of Heavy Dutys and meet Steinbeck in 1940 on the Sea of Cortez.

 

[gm272gs]

If I lived in any of those time periods, I would have already died of old age. No thanks!

 

[Coldshooter]

I have thought about being a trader in the Wabash Valley after the Revolution and prior to 1812. Problem is my appendix burst when I was 19 so I would be like Lewis and Clark's only loss. My mother's side of the family arrived in Lower Canada in the 1650s ended up in Vincennes in the 1700s. Would like to see those times.

 

[R.A. Rifleman]

I have thought about this before but always remind myself that we see the past through vision clouded with nostalgia and wishful thinking. I usually find that the often unconsidered negatives even the scales a bit. I can think of no time in the past that makes me want to give up the present. About the only thing I would like to do is maybe repeat the last 10 years a couple of times. At least here I can live some of the good of the past without giving up all of the good of the present. And yes, there is some good in the present.

 

[trapper704]

Mt man fur trade era, We enjoy the rendezvous, shooting muzzleloaders and the primitive camping and all that goes with it. Kind of like we did anyway but with a lot more people involved. Liveing in todays society and politics, I could so go back to living a free life, only worrying about nature, the elements and your own skills.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

If I lived in any of those time periods, I would have already died of old age. No thanks!

I agree. That is probably true. However, my GGrandpa Sam rode with Nathan Bedford Forest and lived to 1917. That is probably not true for a lot of his comrades. A gunshot infection back then could be adios.
I am attracted by the post Civil War western expansion. The Military suits me now, it would suit me back then too. Which way did those Apaches go?

 

[arjay]

I used to spend a fair amount of time exploring the old ghost/mining towns around here and lived for years around some of the old coal mining areas in the northern front range.The cemeteries are full of young miners and ,especially, children that died from cholera,diphtheria,smallpox,etc.

 

[Grayfox]

I would go back to the 1950s. A simpler time that still had electricity and plumbing. The economy was good, jobs were plentiful and right or wrong, the people still trusted the goverment. Guns were nothing to fear, you could buy them just about anywhere with no paperwork.
I was just a child then. I'd like to experience those days as an adult.

 

[Wingmaster]

I would go back to the 1920's and 30's. I know it was during the depression, but my family was so poor that they didn't know what a depression was. My family did have a pretty good history from around that time.

Wingmaster

 

[the ringo kid]

For me, I would redo 1980-to-1988, I remember those were much better times than now.

 

[Nico Testosteros]

Ringo, you forget the inflation, recession, and the threat of nuclear annihilation.

 

[redlevel]

Ringo, you forget the inflation, recession, and the threat of nuclear annihilation.

If you want to look at the negative aspects, the lack of antibiotics and the devastation wreaked by outbreaks of disease at any time before the advent of "miracle drugs" would far outweigh the threat of nuclear annihilation. There have always been economic upheavals of one kind or another.

It was a tough time to make ends meet, but I would have liked to have grown up in my part of Georgia in the 20s, 30s, and 40s, up to the beginning of WWII.

The stories of quail hunting during that time are just fabulous. My folks were farmers, small landholders. The thing is, up through the 30s and 40s, a farmer with a couple of hundred acres and a fairly successful farm was equal to or higher in the social strata than doctors, lawyers, and businessmen. Even small landholders were highly respected. I guess it is a "Southern thing," but land ownership was and is a big deal down here.

 

[the ringo kid]

Ringo, you forget the inflation, recession, and the threat of nuclear annihilation.

You mean, this time and age dontcha? I just bought a near $3.00 loaf of bread today, that not long ago was only $1 buck. Try and convince me we arent seeing inflation? Last dozen large grade A eggs I bought--$1 buck. I passed them up today because price has almost doubled. 1 Gallon of milk--$6 and change when just 10 days ago was $4.50. One 100 round box of Winchester white box 9mm was $28 and change when several weeks ago it was $2 bucks cheaper. Unleaded gas was $2.95 last week, all of a sudden its $3.30.

Were under a bad recession now. Speaking of nuke annihilation.... Um lets see, Russia, China etc--still have nukes. Iran is stalling--while secretly pushing ahead with their nuke weapons program. A--S.A.F.E. World does NOT exist.

PS, I vividly remember the Carter years--same things you mention above including long lines waiting to get gasoline, no businesses open on Sunday because of that insane Blue Law. No thanks--the 70s are not for me.

 

[BigBill]

I was born 200 maybe 300 years too late. I'm a cross between Jeremiah Johnson and that movie Man in the wilderness. I hate crowds of people, the cities are too crowded, the stores too. I find peace in the wilds of the mountains. I'm feeling out of place. I just don't fit in. Kidding but it's true.
Maybe it's the reincarnation my memories are returning.

I believed I died in the sky's over Germany in WW 2 in a bomber. Those radial engines get me all executed and give me goose bumps when I hear them. I was fishing one day when those WW 2 planes flew near me. They were behind me when I heard those engines and I knew what they were without seeing them. Those planes tour the country and give rides.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

I would hardly say life was simpler back then, they had problems and horrors which we have long forgotten-the medical care, for example. I do reenacting, Rev War, Civil War and a Spanish-American War impression. I did 130th Gettysburg in 1993, it hit 99 degrees on July 4 when we did Pickett's charge, being a good Union man I didn't have to do the charging.
Believe Thou Me it felt mighty good to roll up my gear, put it in the car, and then drive off with the windows open and feeling the wind on my face.
The Cuban Campaign of 1898 was fought in High Summer-in wool uniforms. The Battle of Monmouth was fought on June 28, 1778-in 90 degree heat. New York City was paralyzed by the Great Blizzard of 1888, it 1896 it suffered an incredibly brutal heat wave. (People tend to forget heat waves-they don't photograph well.) What I think was different was the attitudes, people were more capable of coping back then.
"Jeremiah Johnson" ? I wonder how many mountain men met lonely deaths
due to cold, injuries, animal attacks, Indians, etc.
The 1950s ? Yes, I experienced them as a child, I'd like to see them as an adult.