Apollo-Soyuz Test Project: First Docking of Russian and US Spacecrafts (1975)

The Apollo-Soyuz Test Project was the first joint flight of the US and Soviet space programs. Its primary purpose was symbolic, to show that the two superpowers were easing the tensions of their Space Race. The two mission commanders exchanged the first international handshake in space through the open hatch of the Soyuz. Though American Deke Slayton had been selected for the Mercury mission in the 1950s, the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project was his first flight into space. Why did he have to wait? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Alpenfest

At an altitude of 1,348 feet, Gaylord is one of the highest incorporated communities in Michigan. Gaylord receives nearly 150 inches of snow each year, and the town’s annual Alpenfest is a celebration of summer. A highlight of the festival is the “Burning of the Boogg.” People write their troubles on slips of paper and place them in the Boogg—a 300-pound, 10-foot-high monster—which is then burned, giving spectators a chance to watch their troubles literally go up in smoke. The festival also boasts a number of outdoor cafes which host “the World’s Largest Coffee Break.” Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Ismail I (1487)

The young Ismail I went into hiding after his father’s death and emerged at age 14 to proclaim himself Shah of Iran. Despite his youth, he was able to reunify Iran and establish the Safavid Empire, which remained intact until 1736. Ismail converted Iran from the Sunni to the Shi’a sect of Islam, drawing the ire of Selim I, the Sunni sultan of the Ottoman Empire, who wrote Ismail belligerent letters before invading Iran. Ismail was also a prolific poet who wrote under what pseudonym? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Medieval Scholar Forgers

The False Decretals, a collection of documents that address church law, were composed between 847 and 852 and were intended to reform canon law and support bishops against secular interference. Though the collection was widely accepted in the Middle Ages, even by the papacy, it was exposed as a hoax in the 16th century. Many of the papal letters and decrees included in the collection are forgeries, and among those that are genuine, many show evidence of tampering. Who forged the documents? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

World’s First Parking Meter Installed (1935)

The parking meter was invented in 1935 by Carl C. Magee in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The first meter was installed there later that year, guaranteeing drivers a parking space for an amount of purchased time. Used until the 1980s, Magee’s original design had a coin acceptor, a dial, and a visible flag indicating the expiration of paid time. Reverend C.H. North was the first person in the US to get a parking ticket because of an expired meter. What happened when he disputed his ticket in court? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Pilgrimage of Saut d’Eau

The pilgrimage to the church in Ville-Bonheur, Haiti, combines both Christian and Voodoo beliefs. There is a sacred grove just outside Ville-Bonheur where, according to legend, the Virgin Mary once appeared on top of a palm tree. At this holy place, known as Saut d’Eau (waterfall), two waterfalls tumble from a precipice more than 100 feet high to create a kind of natural cathedral. This is the home of Damballah-wedo and other African deities who play a part in Voodoo. Some worshipers tie colored cords to the sacred trees at the foot of the falls, while others bathe in the water. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

King Philip’s War

King Philip’s War was, proportionately, one of the bloodiest and costliest conflicts in America’s history. By 1660, New England settlers had pushed into Native American territory in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. To protect their lands, Wampanoag chief Metacom—also known as King Philip—organized a federation of tribes, which destroyed several frontier settlements in 1675. In retaliation, the colonial militia burned villages and crops. How many people died in the conflict? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary