The Hussite Wars

Arguably the first European wars in which hand-held gunpowder weapons played a decisive role, the Hussite Wars were a series of 15th-century conflicts that followed the execution of Czech religious reformer Jan Hus by the Roman Catholic Church. Protests from his followers, called Hussites, who opposed the ascension of Emperor Sigismund to the Bohemian throne, led to three anti-Hussite crusades and a number of armed conflicts. War broke out after what was thrown out of windows in Prague? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Hijacking of EgyptAir Flight 648 (1985)

Minutes after taking off from an Athens airport on November 23, 1985, EgyptAir Flight 648 was hijacked by five Palestinian terrorists. The plane was forced to land in Malta, where authorities attempted to negotiate with the hijackers. The terrorists shot two Israelis and three Americans before Egyptian commandos launched a disastrous raid in which nearly 60 hostages were killed. Remarkably, three of the passengers shot by the terrorists survived. How did one of the terrorists almost escape? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Repudiation Day

The Stamp Act of 1765 forced the American colonies to pay a tax on various official documents and publications, such as legal papers, liquor permits, lawyers’ licenses, and school diplomas. In defiance of the new law, the court of Frederick County, Maryland, declared that it would carry on its business without the tax stamps required by the Act. The date on which the Stamp Act was repudiated, November 23, has been observed for many years as a half-holiday in Frederick County to commemorate this courageous act. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Arthur Adolph “Harpo” Marx (1888)

Harpo was a member of the American comedy team known as the Marx Brothers. The brothers enjoyed success in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in motion pictures from the early 1900s to about 1950. Harpo never spoke during their performances and instead blew a horn, whistled, or mimed to communicate. He also got laughs with his prop-laden sight gags, many of which involved the seemingly infinite number of odd items he managed to produce from his topcoat’s oversized pockets. How did he get his nickname? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Stari Most

Stari Most, meaning “The Old Bridge,” is a 16th-century bridge in Bosnia and Herzegovina that is believed to have been the largest single-span arch bridge in the world when it was built. Charged under pain of death to construct a bridge of such unprecedented dimensions, the architect that built it reportedly prepared for his own funeral on the day the scaffolding was finally removed. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For what dangerous tradition do the people of Mostar use the bridge? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Juan Carlos I Becomes King of Spain (1975)

Juan Carlos is the reigning king of Spain. He was groomed for the role by his predecessor Francisco Franco, the Spanish leader who abolished the republic and declared Spain a representative monarchy. He acceded to the throne two days after Franco’s death, becoming the first Spanish king since his grandfather was deposed in 1931. A popular monarch, he presided over Spain’s transition to democracy and has acted decisively to maintain political stability. He competed in what Olympic event in 1972? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary