St. Alban’s Day

St. Alban is the first and best known of all the English saints and martyrs. He was a soldier living as a pagan in the town of Verulamium, probably during the 3rd century, when a Christian priest named Amphibalus, pursued by Roman persecutors, begged for refuge in his house. Alban took him in and was soon converted by him and baptized. When he could conceal Amphibalus no longer, Alban changed clothes with him and gave himself up as the priest. Alban was brought before the governor, condemned, and beheaded. A shrine was later erected in Verulamium, and the town was renamed St. Albans. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Paul Morphy (1837)

Morphy was an American chess player widely considered to have been the world’s greatest. He earned a law degree at 18 but was ineligible to practice until 21, so he turned to chess to pass the time. He won the American championship and then beat the European masters, making a name for himself as the unofficial world chess champion. After failing to set up a law practice, he went into seclusion and retired from competitive play. How many opponents could he play simultaneously while blindfolded? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Lymph Nodes

These white blood cell-filled filters are the lymphatic system’s filtration units. They collect and destroy dangerous bacteria, viruses, and foreign particles that infiltrate the body. There are approximately 500 to 600 lymph nodes throughout the body, with clusters in the neck, underarms, chest, groin, and abdomen. The bean-shaped nodes normally range in size from a few millimeters up to 2 centimeters but may become enlarged due to the presence of a tumor. What else causes lymph nodes to swell? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

US Captures Guam from Spain (1898)

Visited by Ferdinand Magellan in 1521, Guam was formally claimed by Spain in 1565 and remained under Spanish control until 1898, when it was taken by the US in the Spanish-American War. Because the Spanish garrison on the island had no knowledge of the war, the US sent a single Navy cruiser, the USS Charleston, and was able to capture Guam without a fight. At the end of the war, Guam was officially ceded to the US under the Treaty of Paris. How many Spanish soldiers were captured on Guam? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Greenland National Day

The people of Greenland celebrate National Day on June 21, the longest day of the year. They call the holiday Ullortuneq in Greenlandic, which means “the longest day.” They celebrate the occasion with communal picnics, shows, and many cultural activities. Since Greenland’s current flag was formally instituted on June 21, 1985, they also honor the national flag on this day. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Al Hirschfeld (1903)

Hirschfeld was an American graphic artist and caricaturist who was famous for his witty, perceptive, and joyful caricatures of theater celebrities and other public personalities. After becoming a theater correspondent for the New York Herald Tribune, he worked for The New York Times, where many of his caricatures appeared. Hirschfeld also wrote and illustrated several books. Beginning in 1945, Hirschfeld concealed what in almost every drawing that he made? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Broca’s Area

Also called the motor speech center, Broca’s area is a section of the human brain involved in language processing, speech production, and comprehension. The region is named after 19th century physician Paul Broca, who located it in the frontal lobe of the cortex. Damage to the area can result in a condition called Broca’s aphasia, which renders sufferers unable to create grammatically complex sentences. In his research, Broca worked closely with a patient who could only produce what five words? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary