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Not sure of the accuracy of this historical trivia, but it is thought provoking...

In George Washington's days, there were no cameras. One's image was either
sculpted or painted. Some paintings of George Washington showed him standing
behind a desk with one arm behind his back while others showed both legs and
both arms. Prices charged by painters were not based on how many people were
to be painted, but by how many limbs were to be painted. Arms and legs are
'limbs,' therefore painting them would cost the buyer more. Hence the expression,
'Okay, but it'll cost you an arm and a leg.'
(Artists know hands and arms are more difficult to paint)

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As incredible as it sounds, men and women took baths only twice a year
(May and October) Women kept their hair covered, while men shaved
their heads (because of lice and bugs) and wore wigs. Wealthy men
could afford good wigs made from wool. They couldn't wash the wigs,
so to clean them they would carve out a loaf of bread, put the wig in
the shell, and bake it for 30 minutes. The heat would make the wig
big and fluffy, hence the term 'big wig... ' Today we often use the term
'here comes the Big Wig' because someone appears to be or is powerful
and wealthy.

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In the late 1700's, many houses consisted of a large room with only one
chair. Commonly, a long wide board folded down from the wall, and was
used for dining. The 'head of the household' always sat in the chair while
everyone else ate sitting on the floor. Occasionally a guest, who was
usually a man, would be invited to sit in this chair during a meal. To sit
in the chair meant you were important and in charge. They called the one
sitting in the chair the 'chair man.' Today in business, we use the expression
or title 'Chairman' or 'Chairman of the Board.'

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Personal hygiene left much room for improvement.. As a result, many women
and men had developed acne scars by adulthood. The women would spread
bee's wax over their facial skin to smooth out their complexions. When they
were speaking to each other, if a woman began to stare at another woman's
face she was told, 'mind your own bee's wax.' Should the woman smile, the
wax would crack, hence the term 'crack a smile'. In addition, when they sat
too close to the fire, the wax would melt...
Therefore, the expression 'losing face.'

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Ladies wore corsets, which would lace up in the front. A proper and dignified
woman, as in 'straight laced' wore a tightly tied lace..

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Common entertainment included playing cards. However, there was a tax
levied when purchasing playing cards but only applicable to the 'Ace of
Spades...' To avoid paying the tax, people would purchase 51 cards instead.
Yet, since most games require 52 cards, these people were thought to be too
stupid or dumb because they weren't 'playing with a full deck.'

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Early politicians required feedback from the public to determine what the
people considered important. Since there were no telephones, TV's or radios,
the politicians sent their assistants to local taverns, pubs, and bars. They
were told to 'go sip some Ale and listen to people's conversations and political
concerns. Many assistants were dispatched at different times. 'You go sip here'
and 'You go sip there.' The two words 'go sip' were eventually combined when
referring to the local opinion and, thus we have the term 'gossip.'

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At local taverns, pubs, and bars, people drank from pint and quart-sized containers.
A bar maid's job was to keep an eye on the customers and keep the drinks coming.
She had to pay close attention and remember who was drinking in 'pints' and who
was drinking in 'quarts,' hence the phrase 'minding your 'P's and Q's.'

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One more: bet you didn't know this!
In the heyday of sailing ships, all war ships and many freighters carried iron cannons.
Those cannons fired round iron cannon balls. It was necessary to keep a good supply
near the cannon. However, how to prevent them from rolling about the deck? The
best storage method devised was a square-based pyramid with one ball on top, resting
on four resting on nine, which rested on sixteen. Thus, a supply of 30 cannon balls
could be stacked in a small area right next to the cannon. There was only one problem
....how to prevent the bottom layer from sliding or rolling from under the others. The
solution was a metal plate called a 'Monkey' with 16 round indentations. However, if
this plate were made of iron, the iron balls would quickly rust to it. The solution to the
rusting problem was to make 'Brass Monkeys.' Few landlubbers realize that brass
contracts much more and much faster than iron when chilled. Consequently, when
the temperature dropped too far, the brass indentations would shrink so much that
the iron cannonballs would come right off the monkey; Thus, it was quite literally,
'Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey.' (All this time, you thought
that was an improper expression, didn't you?)
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