January 2013

Articles from the January 2013 issue of BBC History Magazine

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The Library The Tudor guide to colonising the world

Panic ensues in this depiction of the Peterloo Massacre, published in 1819. (The art archive/Getty Images)

Why were there so few casualties at Peterloo?

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Second World War

Britain’s island weapon: Malta in the Second World War

Gold miners in California in 1849. The gold rush sparked one of the greatest mass migrations in American history. (Universal History Archive/Getty Images)

A big day in history: A speck of glitter triggers the California Gold Rush

Crack illustration.

Q&A: Where does the word ‘crack’, describing military units, originate?

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A rail revolution: Dan Snow on the meteoric rise of British railways

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Georgian banking blunders

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The Black Prince: hero or villain?

A loan transaction being recorded in a ledger, shown in a Flemish tapestry known as The Liberal Arts – Arithmetic, of around 1520. (Getty)

Medieval money tricks

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10 milestones in the history of western music

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Where history happened: Jane Austen

Illustration by Jonty Clark.

General ancient history

Ye olde travel guide: Aksum AD 537

NRM260960 Richard Trevithick (1771-1833) 1816 (oil on canvas) by Linnell, John (1723-99); Science Museum, London, UK; (add.info.: Cornish engineer and inventor; first to use high pressure steam to drive an engine; responsible for first successful railway locomotive;); PERMISSION REQUIRED FOR NON EDITORIAL USAGE; English, out of copyright

PLEASE NOTE: The Bridgeman Art Library works with the owner of this image to clear permission. If you wish to reproduce this image, please inform us so we can clear permission for you.

My history hero: Richard Trevithick (1771-1833)