UK Recognizes British Sign Language as Official Language (2003)

Making use of space and involving movement of the hands, body, face, and head, British Sign Language (BSL) is the preferred language of deaf people in the UK and those who communicate with them, such as relatives and interpreters. BSL has regional and local dialects, and some signs go in and out of fashion or evolve over time, just like spoken words. Although English is the predominant spoken language in both the UK and US, BSL differs from American Sign Language in what ways? Discuss

My Lai Massacre (1968)

During the Vietnam War, US troops searching for Viet Cong fighters massacred hundreds of civilians from the Vietnamese hamlet of My Lai. Though they had not located any insurgents in My Lai, the soldiers opened fire on the villagers, killing men, women, and children. The incident was initially covered up by army officers. When it was revealed in the press nearly two years later, it divided the US public and increased pressure to end the war. How many soldiers were convicted for their crimes? Discuss

First Commercial Internet Domain Name Registered (1985)

A domain name is an address of a computer, organization, or other entity on a network, such as the Internet, that follows TCP/IP communications protocol. Domain names must be unique on the Internet and must be assigned by a registrar accredited by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. They typically include the type and name of an organization and identify the specific host server at the address. The first commercial Internet domain name was registered in 1985. What was it? Discuss

Nazis "Liquidate" Poland's Kraków Ghetto (1943)

In 1941, the Nazis ordered all remaining Jews in the Polish city of Kraków—15,000 of an original 68,000—to move into a walled-off district of the city, thereafter known as the Kraków ghetto. The systematic deportation of these Jews to concentration camps began in May 1942. On March 13 and 14, 1943, the deportation of 8,000 Jews to a nearby camp and the killing of 2,000 in the streets completed the Nazi’s “liquidation” of the ghetto. What non-Jewish ghetto resident saved countless Jewish lives? Discuss

The Phoenix Lights: Aliens or Air Force? (1997)

In 1997, thousands of people reported a series of optical phenomena—since known as the Phoenix Lights—taking place in the skies over the US states of Arizona and Nevada. The sightings consisted of two events: a triangular formation of lights observed passing overhead and a series of stationary lights seen in the Phoenix area. Although the US Air Force identified the second group of lights as flares, many believe the first set of lights were those of a UFO, including what notable politician? Discuss

California's St. Francis Dam Fails (1928)

Constructed between 1924 and 1926, the St. Francis Dam was a concrete gravity-arch dam designed to act as a reservoir to store water for the Los Angeles Aqueduct. In 1928, the dam catastrophically failed, and the resulting flood of 12 billion US gallons (45 billion liters) of water killed more than 450 people. The dam’s collapse was the worst American civil engineering failure of the 20th century and remains the second-greatest loss of life disaster in California’s history, after what event? Discuss

The Great Blizzard of '88 Begins (1888)

The Great Blizzard of ’88 was one of the most severe blizzards in US history. Snowfalls of 40 to 50 in (102 to 127 cm) fell in parts of New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, and snowdrifts exceeded 50 ft (15 m) in some places. Railroads were shut down, and people were confined to their houses for up to a week. More than 400 people died from the storm and the ensuing cold, including 200 in New York City alone. What infrastructure changes were made in the aftermath of the storm? Discuss

Pink Floyd Releases Dark Side of the Moon (1973)

Dark Side of the Moon is a concept album by the rock group Pink Floyd that explores the nature of the human experience through themes such as money, war, mental illness, and death. It is considered by many fans to be the band’s magnum opus. It is one of the best-selling albums of all time—it is estimated that one in every 14 people in the US under the age of 50 owns or owned a copy of this album. Many fans claim that the album’s music provides an alternative soundtrack to what 1939 film? Discuss

WWII: Bombing of Tokyo Kills 100,000 (1945)

During WWII, Allied bombing devastated half of Tokyo, destroyed or damaged many famous landmarks, and ruined nearly all of the city’s industrial plants. In the US firebombing raid that began on March 9, 1945, nearly 2,000 tons of incendiary bombs were dropped on the Japanese capital, killing roughly 100,000 people and destroying about 16 mi² (41 km²) of the city—making it the most destructive conventional bombing raid in history. How did the destruction compare to that of Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Discuss

US President Ronald Reagan Dubs the USSR an "Evil Empire" (1983)

Reagan’s strong anti-communist position, evident from the time he began his presidential career, was highlighted in a 1983 speech in which he referred to the USSR as an “evil empire.” The phrase became common in Cold War rhetoric and has since entered popular culture, taking on a nearly iconic status. It has been used in a variety of contexts to refer to entities as varied as Wal-Mart and the British Empire. Before what group was Reagan speaking the first time he used the phrase “evil empire”? Discuss