Chapter 13 - Allusions

Lydia E. Pinkham: a maker and manufacturer of patent medicines in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Most of Pinkham's medical concoctions were aimed at women, and the majority of them contained liberal amounts of alcohol. See a picture of Lydia E. Pinkham from the cover of one of her pamphlets.

Reconstruction: the period of time, roughly between 1867-1877, when the Southern states were reorganized and reestablished after the Civil War.

Rice Christians: Christian converts from third-world nations, especially those in parts of Asia.

War Between the States: the Civil War.

Chapter 15 - Allusions

battlement: a low wall with open spaces built on top of a castle wall or fort. See a picture of a battlement on Dinefwr Castle in Wales.

flying buttressess: a buttress (support) connected to a building by an arch. See the flying buttressess of Chartres Cathedral in France.

Gothic: a style of architecture developed in Western Europe between the 12th and 16th century. An excellent example of the Gothic style is Notre Dame Cathedral in France.

Jitney Jungle: a supermarket chain. Supermarkets were still relatively new to America in the 1930s. Most shoppers did business at smaller grocery stores. See a picture of a grocery store in Alabama in the late 1930s. Also, see a 1930s advertisement for a Jitney Jungle

snipe hunt: a practical joke. The "victim" is taken on a hunt deep into a forest at night and told to look for and capture "snipes," small, flightless birds that, in actuality, don't exist. While the hunter searches, the rest of the party leaves.

Chapter 16 - Allusions

Braxton Bragg: The commander of the Western Confederate Army during the Civil War, Bragg led a less-than-distinguished career in the military, and his army unit was eventually defeated. Find out more about Braxton Bragg.

Ethiopia: During the time of the Old Testament, Ethiopia was a kingdom in Northeast Africa. Today, Ethiopia is a country in Eastern Africa. See a map of modern Ethiopia.

Greek revival columns: a form of architectural columns. See a picture of Greek revival columns.

straight Prohibition ticket: Prohibition was a period in U.S. history (1920-1933) when the manufacture, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages was against the law. By voting the straight Prohibition ticket, Mr. Jones always votes for those political candidates who support Prohibition and were likely members of the Prohibition Party.

William Jennings Bryan: (1860-1925) Bryan was a lawyer, a politician (he ran for the Presidency three times), and a famous orator. His speeches were major events, especially in the South and along the Bible Belt, and would draw huge crowds. See a picture of and read more about William Jennings Bryan.