Diane de Poitiers (1499)

As a lady-in-waiting at the French royal court, Diane captivated the man who would become King Henry II of France—though he was 20 years her junior. After the death of her husband, she became Henry’s mistress. Following his coronation in 1547, Diane held court as queen in all but name, while the real queen lived in relative obscurity. However, after Henry’s 1559 death, she was forced to retire from court. Her death may have been the result of drinking too much gold in an elixir meant to do what? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Order of the Solar Temple

Shrouded in mystery, the Order of the Solar Temple was a secret society founded in 1984 that claimed descent from the original Knights Templar. Though little information about the group has been confirmed, its practices are believed to incorporate elements of Protestantism, new age philosophy, and Freemasonry. In 1994, mass murder-suicides at Solar Temple lodges in Switzerland and Canada left over 100 dead. What artifact did one founder claim he was given in a previous life 1,000 years earlier? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

“Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick” (1901)

While speaking at the 1901 Minnesota State Fair, US Vice President Theodore Roosevelt used the proverb, “Speak softly and carry a big stick.” Four days later, President McKinley was shot, and, after McKinley died on the 14th, Roosevelt became president. The statement he made in Minnesota became forever associated with his foreign policy of backing up negotiations with implicit military might, and political cartoons often portrayed him toting the proverbial stick. What is the rest of the saying? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Cherokee National Holiday

The Cherokee National Holiday has been held since 1953 in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, to commemorate the signing of the 1839 Cherokee Constitution and the establishment of the Cherokee Nation. There is a rodeo, a native dance competition, a powwow, and a parade with colorful floats and Cherokees in ceremonial dress. Native American arts and crafts are on display, and visitors can sample Native American foods. Games and sports at the festival include a golf tournament, a horseshoe tournament, a cornstalk shoot, a blowgun shoot, and a traditional Indian marble game. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Frederick Soddy (1877)

Working with Ernest Rutherford, Soddy developed a theory of the disintegration of radioactive elements. In 1912, the British chemist was among the first to conclude that elements might exist in chemically indistinguishable forms—now known as isotopes—of different atomic weights. In his 1920 book Science and Life, he described the use of isotopes in determining geologic age. He later applied his scientific background to economic theories. What H.G. Wells novel was inspired by his work? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Smeed’s Law

First proposed in 1949, Smeed’s Law is an empirical rule relating traffic fatalities to motor vehicle registration and country population. According to this law, annually increasing traffic volume ironically leads to a decrease in accidents per vehicle. Though the law was revisited in the 1980s and 90s with data from more than 60 countries supporting its validity, it has been disputed by several scholars. What supposed truth about human psychology did Smeed say the law reveals? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary