Bog Bodies

Because of their extreme acidity, bogs form a natural preservative and have been found to be a valuable repository of human remains. Over the past two centuries, hundreds of bodies—some of which date back 10,000 years—have been recovered from bogs throughout Europe. These unusually preserved corpses often remain so intact that even intricate details like tattoos and fingerprints can still be distinguished. How did many of the people whose remains have been recovered from the bogs die? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Penn Relay Carnival

The Penn Relays is the oldest and largest track and field event in the United States. The first relay meet held on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia was on April 21, 1895, but even back then the tents and atmosphere contributed to its reputation as a carnival rather than just a series of races. Since that time, the Penn Relays have served as a springboard for athletes who later went on to win Olympic medals. It is also a breeding ground for rising track and field stars, with more than 700 high school teams and 180 college teams participating. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Nelle Harper Lee (1926)

The daughter of an Alabama lawyer, Lee studied law before publishing her first and only novel in 1960. To Kill a Mockingbird, the story of a white lawyer who defends a black man falsely accused of raping a white girl, immediately found national acclaim. It won a Pulitzer Prize in 1961 and was adapted for film the next year. Though her novel is still widely read, Lee has largely stayed out of the spotlight. What did she write in response to a school board’s decision to ban her novel? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Hammond Circus Train Wreck

On June 22, 1918, a locomotive pulling 20 empty passenger cars rear-ended the Hagenbeck-Wallace circus train near Hammond, Indiana. The wreck and subsequent fire—likely ignited by the oil lamps in the circus train’s wooden sleeping cars—resulted in 86 deaths and 127 injuries. Most of the dead were buried five days later in a nearby cemetery in a section called Showmen’s Rest, which had been purchased by the Showmen’s League of America just months earlier. What caused the collision? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

US President Abraham Lincoln Suspends Habeas Corpus (1861)

In law, habeas corpus is a writ ordering that a person be brought before a judge, especially to decide whether a prisoner’s detention is lawful. Its suspension means that prisoners can be held indefinitely without being charged. During the US Civil War, President Lincoln suspended habeas corpus to arrest and silence Southern dissenters. A legal battle ensued, and Lincoln prevailed. How was habeas corpus treated in the Confederacy at this time? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Buccaneer Days

During Buccanner Days, the city of Corpus Christi, Texas, by proclamation of the mayor, is under pirate rule. What began in 1938 to honor the discovery of Corpus Christi Bay by Spanish explorer Alonzo Alvarez Pineda in 1519 has become a month-long carnival, calling to mind the days when the settlement was a hideaway for pirates. Pirates sail into town, capture the mayor, and demand revelry throughout the city. Events include a professional rodeo, sailboat regattas, parades, sporting events, concerts, a coronation and ball, and fireworks on the bayfront. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary