Written by Kaitlyn Lucey, Teen Leader Long before people could obtain a wealth of information and knowledge in a device that fits in one’s pocket, humankind looked to other sources of entertainment and intellect. Above all, nature rose to the occasion, as it was readily available and ever present. John James Audubon, the central focus…

Written by Ariela Reiter, 11th Grade Teen Historian   Remember those old ceramic pieces on the shelf at your grandparents’ house? Those festive yet mysterious ceramic coffee pitchers that were never actually used? Well, there is more of a story to those objects than you may have originally thought. Folk art, which these pieces are…

Written by Bryant Tufino, 11th Grade Teen Historian The picture above depicts an old metallic toy of a large man sitting on a chair. In addition, on the sides of the chair, it says “Tammany Bank.” The toy is made of metal and colored with paint, however, due to age, it has faded. Although it…

Written by Aaron Murphy, 11th Grade Teen Historian   The Rosa y Isabel was a clipper ship that sailed for a German shipping company called F. Laeisz from 1867–1884. At the bow of the ship was a red pine figurehead Rosa Isabella. She was dressed in a short red dress with a white sash tied…

Written by Emily Axelson, 10th Grade Teen Historian A boy, about five or six years of age, stands clasping the reins of his black pull toy horse, complete with leather reins, saddle, and whip. Dressed in a blue top with lace detailing encircling the neck and wrists and in white pants and small black shoes,…

Written by Ahmad Alnasser, 12th Grade Teen Historian,   With 2016 being an election year, it would be pretty difficult to miss an advertisement by one of the candidates, in a multitude of languages, urging one to vote and support their campaigns. Nowadays, seeing politicians’ names on everyday items is commonplace, but in the early 1800s…

This blog was written by Jonathan Hazin   Anyone describing Nolan Park as shaded and tranquil would be correct, but they’d be missing something crucial. Sure, resting under a grove of trees is a great way to spend a summer afternoon—and on Governors Island, one should take any shade they can get!—but that’s only the beginning of…

At the turn of the 19th Century, America was expanding at an exponential rate. As more and more territory was acquired, the debate between whether or not to create new lands of inequality with the presence of slavery grew. As the country continually expanded, boths sides – pro and against – vowed to fight for…

Though it’s not Times Square or the Statue of Liberty or any other tourist-friendly destinations of that ilk, Brooklyn is a whirlwind of different ethnicities, rich culture and extensive historical background. It’s difficult to find many surviving remnants of bygone eras in Manhattan, a city that is always changing, renovating and rebuilding. However, Brooklyn wears…