Edwin Drake Strikes Oil in Titusville, Pennsylvania (1859)

In the late 1850s, Drake hired a salt well driller to start digging on a piece of land near Titusville, Pennsylvania. Though oil was known to exist nearby, there was no practical way to extract it, and its primary use was in medicine. In August 1859, Drake struck oil at a depth of 69 feet (21 m), an event that marked the birth of the oil industry. Once a quiet village, Titusville became a bustling town as prospectors flocked to the area. What disaster struck the town more than once? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Wheat Harvest Festival

The small village of Provins in north-central France celebrates its wheat harvest at the end of the summer. On the last Sunday of August, villagers decorate their homes and shops with wheat and wildflowers. There are also exhibits of antique farming tools and parades featuring harvest floats pulled by tractors. The villagers reenact ancient rituals involving wheat and perform demonstrations of how the grain is separated, ground, and baked to make bread. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Charles Stewart Rolls (1877)

A member of the British aristocracy, Rolls developed an interest in engines and cars while studying at Cambridge. He became the first person there to have a car—a Peugeot—and, in 1902, he went into the automobile sales business. Striking a deal with manufacturer Frederick Royce in 1906, he co-founded the Rolls-Royce automobile company, which quickly earned a reputation for its engineering. In 1910, at the age of 32, Rolls became the first Briton to die in what unusual way? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Q Document

In the 19th century, New Testament scholars noted that the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, which display similarity in word choice and event placement, share material not found in their generally recognized common source, the Gospel of Mark. Accordingly, some theorized that, independently of one another, the authors used the Gospel of Mark along with a hypothetical second source, dubbed the Q document, when composing their manuscripts. What is the theoretical lost text said to contain? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Bomb Delivered to Harvey’s Resort Hotel (1980)

After losing a substantial amount of money gambling at Harvey’s Resort Hotel in Stateline, Nevada, John Birges devised a plan to recoup his losses. On August 26, 1980, he planted a bomb containing nearly 1,000 pounds (453 kg) of dynamite at the casino. His attempt to extort millions of dollars failed, but so did efforts to disarm his sophisticated, tamper-proof bomb. The resulting explosion destroyed much of the casino on August 27. No one was injured. How did experts try to disarm the bomb? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Paryushana (Paryushan Parva)

Like most other Jaina festivals, the Paryushana festival is observed by focusing on the 10 cardinal virtues: forgiveness, charity, simplicity, contentment, truthfulness, self-restraint, fasting, detachment, humility, and continence. Believers ask those whom they may have offended to forgive them, and friendships that have lapsed during the year are restored. The Paryushana festival is observed all over India in the month of Bhadrapada (August-September). Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary