Lee's surrender at Appomattox -- historic or historical?Recent events have made us very conscious of the fact that we are making history. But are we witnessing historic events or historical events?
My Associated Press Stylebook offers a very simple answer: “A historic event is an important occurrence, one that stands out in history. Any occurrence in the past is a historical event.”
The surrender of Robert E. Lee at Appomattox is a historic event.One source I found offers a helpful mnemonic device: “it ‘al’ happened in the past.” (By the way, a mnemonic device is one that aids the memory.)
What people were doing around the courthouse may be of some historical interest.
How about histrionic? It means melodramatic. I used to mix that one up.
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