Ste. Genevieve became the first permanent settlement in the state of Missouri when the French arrived in 1725. At one time it rivaled St. Louis in size and importance, and the town still prides itself on its authentic 18th- and 19th-century architecture. The annual Jour de Fête that has been held in mid-August each year since 1965 not only celebrates the area’s French heritage but is a German and Spanish festival as well. Historic homes dating back to 1770 are opened to the public, people dress in colonial costumes, and arts and crafts are on display. Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
In 1847, Stone became the first Massachusetts woman to graduate college. Not long after, she began speaking on women’s rights. An effective orator, she is said to have swayed antagonistic audiences and inspired Susan B. Anthony to join the cause. She kept her own name after marriage as a protest against the unequal laws applied to married women, and others who did the same called themselves “Lucy Stoners.” She caused an uproar by wearing “bloomers.” What were they, and why were they so named? 
Elements from Taoism, Buddhism, and traditional Chinese folk religion are all incorporated in the Chinese concept of Diyu, a mythological realm of the dead. A purgatory of sorts, Diyu is a maze of underground levels and chambers where souls atone for their earthly sins and prepare for reincarnation. According to some legends, Diyu has 18 levels, each of which is reserved for specific categories of offenders. What are some of the punishments found in each level? 
Before the advent of the sewing machine, sewing was a laborious task. Singer’s 1851 sewing machine patent made him a very rich man. Several other people laid claim to having invented the sewing machine, notably Elias Howe, who won a lawsuit against Singer for infringement. Nevertheless, Singer’s company was already well established and was able to pool its patents with other claimants to avoid litigation. At times, Singer used alternate names to accomplish what scandalous feat? 
Best known as the birthplace of U.S. President 
In 1954, a few years after identical twins Norris and Ross McWhirter founded a London fact-finding agency, they met a director of the Guinness brewing company, Sir Hugh Beaver, who commissioned a compilation of world records that was intended to settle bar-room disputes. The first edition of the McWhirters’ Guinness Book of Records was given to bars for free as a marketing gimmick, but the book quickly became a phenomenal success. In 1975, Ross was assassinated. Why? 
Though no longer the televised spectacle it was around the turn of the century, robot combat continues to be the focus of numerous tournaments in which two or more radio-controlled machines are pitted against one another and directed to destroy or disable their opponents. Such robots range from tiny “fleaweight” devices to sophisticated contraptions weighing more than 300 pounds and equipped with weapons such as rammers, flippers, and overhead axes. What weapons have been banned in competition?