Thursday, September 26, 2024

The History Guy remembers 'Johnny Appleseed: Man Behind the Legend' for Johnny Appleseed Day

I closed SciShow and Wild Hope describe 'Where Scientists Keep the World's Most Endangered Animals' by telling my readers "I'm thinking of observing a holiday like Paul Bunyan Day tomorrow, National Johnny Appleseed Day."* I'm celebrating today by sharing The History Guy remembering Johnny Appleseed: Man Behind the Legend.

Usually portrayed as a lanky man wearing a long-handled pot on his head and spreading apple seeds, the real Johnny Appleseed was a shrewd businessman and religious zealot who played an important role in U.S. westward expansion effort. The History Guy explores the reality underlying the character of American folklore. This is the forgotten history of the man, John Chapman, behind the legend of Johnny Appleseed.
SciShow expanded on the role John Chapman played in the development of modern varieties of apples in The Truth About Johnny Appleseed & Apple Genetics.

Did you ever learn the story of Johnny Appleseed as a child? What did he actually do for the growth of apples in America, and what has this taught us about apple genetics? Join Olivia Gordon for a new apple-tastic episode of SciShow!
First history, then science. That's very much my spin on things.

I conclude by repeating what I'm fond of writing, that I learned a lot from these videos and it's always a good day when I learn something new, so today is already a good day. I hope my readers agree.

*There is another Johnny Appleseed Day on March 11, the anniversary of this death, but I devote that day to natural disasters compounded by lack of preparedness, namely the anniversary of the Fukushima triple disaster and the the anniversary of the WHO declaring COVID-19 a global pandemic. I have no room for a day as cheerful as this one then, but it's available today. Besides, I'd rather celebrate his birthday, which is today.

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