Nazi Gestapo Is Established (1933)

Taking its name from the contraction of Geheime Staatspolizei—German for “Secret State Police”—the Gestapo was the secret police force of Nazi Germany. Created in 1933 by Hermann Goring, the Gestapo operated without civil restraints or judicial oversight, brutally suppressing partisan activities in occupied territories and arresting thousands of Jews, leftists, and other Nazi “enemies,” many of whom were sent to concentration camps. How many Gestapo members were there during World War II? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Vermont Maple Festival

Vermont is the official maple capital of the world, and the maple festival held there each spring is a statewide celebration. Since 1968, the three-day festival in St. Albans has promoted Vermont maple products through educational exhibits, sugaring equipment displays, essay contests, syrup competitions, maple cooking contests, and a parade. In addition to maple syrup, the festival gives visitors an opportunity to sample maple cream, maple candy, and maple sugar on snow. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

I. M. Pei (1917)

Ieoh Ming Pei, better known as I. M. Pei, is a Pritzker Prize-winning Chinese-American architect whose buildings can be seen the world over. In his works, structure and environment are carefully integrated with precise geometric design to create crisp, clear, sculptural edifices. He is known for his sensuous use of materials like marble, concrete, and especially glass—which he used in his pioneering all-glass curtain walls. What controversial Parisian structure did Pei design in the 1980s? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Steve Martin

An Emmy-winning television comedy writer in the late 1960s, Martin began performing stand-up in the early 70s, achieving acclaim as a regular on Saturday Night Live in the late 70s. He recorded several comedy albums, two of them Grammy winners, and starred in TV specials and numerous comedy films. Martin has also found success as a writer of plays and novellas. Which of his novellas was made into a 2005 feature film? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Spanish-American War Begins (1898)

Demands by Cuban patriots for independence from Spanish rule made US intervention in Cuba a paramount issue in the relations between the US and Spain from the 1870s to 1898, when the Spanish-American War began. The conflict ended after just 109 days with the Treaty of Paris, which gave the US ownership of Puerto Rico, the Philippines, and Guam, all formerly Spanish colonies. One factor that increased American public support for such a war was the practice of “yellow journalism,” which is what? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Anzac Day

A national holiday in Australia and New Zealand, Anzac Day takes its name from the initial letters of “Australia and New Zealand Army Corps.” It commemorates the landing of the Anzac troops on the Gallipoli Peninsula in European Turkey on April 25, 1915, during World War I. Like Memorial Day in the US, this day is celebrated with veterans’ parades and church services. Observed as a holiday since 1920, Anzac Day now honors those who have died in both world wars as well as in Korea and Vietnam. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Edward R. Murrow (1908)

Known for his trademark signoff, “Good night, and good luck,” Murrow was an American journalist who became famous for his series of dramatic radio news broadcasts from London rooftops during German bombing raids in World War II. He later became a pioneer of television news broadcasting and produced a series of reports that helped turn public opinion against anti-Communist Senator Joseph McCarthy. Rarely seen without a cigarette, Murrow was said to smoke how many a day? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Heirloom Plants

An heirloom plant is an open-pollinated cultivar that was commonly grown during earlier periods in human history, but which is not used in modern large-scale agriculture. Most food crops are now grown in huge, monocultural plots owned by corporations, and few varieties of each type of crop are grown. The increasing popularity of heirloom gardening can be seen as a reaction to this trend. Why is 1951 a key year for heirloom gardeners? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary