Sophia Alekseyevna (1657)

Sophia Alekseyevna seized power in Russia after the death of her father, Czar Feodor III, and became regent during the minority of her disabled brother, Ivan V, and her half-brother, Peter I. She brutally eliminated her opponents and ruled dictatorially with her lover, Vasily V. Gallitzin. She aspired to be crowned czarina, but lacked support from the nobility and clergy. When it was rumored that she intended to kill Peter to become sole ruler, he overthrew the regency and confined her where? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Nebra Sky Disk

Now a beautiful blue-green hue due to millennia of corrosion, the Nebra sky disk is a bronze artifact inlaid with gold symbols that likely represent the Sun or full moon, a lunar crescent, and stars, including a cluster interpreted as the Pleiades. Allegedly found near Nebra, Germany, by illegal treasure hunters, the disk was acquired by archeologists through a police sting operation and dated to around 1600 BCE. Now widely considered authentic, the disk was first suspected to be a forgery. Why? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

MV Joola Disaster in Senegal (2002)

In 2002, a Senegalese ferry capsized off the coast of Gambia, claiming more lives than the notorious Titanic disaster. At least 1,863 people died in the sinking of the MV Joola, making it one of the deadliest civilian maritime disasters in history. A number of factors likely contributed to the tragedy, including bad weather, overloading—the ferry was carrying more than triple the number of passengers it was designed to hold—and a delayed rescue effort. How many survived? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Johnny Appleseed (1774)

Born John Chapman, Johnny Appleseed was an American folk hero known for planting apple trees. Around 1800, he traveled from Pennsylvania, where he had sold or given saplings and apple seeds to families migrating westward, to present-day Ohio, sowing apple seeds as he went. For more than 40 years, he continued to wander up and down Ohio, Indiana, and Pennsylvania, pruning and caring for his forest nurseries and helping hundreds of settlers to establish orchards. Do any of his trees still exist? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Reductio ad Hitlerum

Reductio ad Hitlerum is a type of modern logical fallacy. Derived from the well-known logical argument called reductio ad absurdum, the phrase was coined in 1950 by political philosopher Leo Strauss, who noted the increasing trend of trying to discredit views or practices simply because they are said to have been shared by Hitler. Use of the tactic often derails arguments, since such comparisons distract from the debate. Engaging in this fallacy is sometimes known as playing what? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Running of the First Chicago Marathon (1977)

The largest marathon in the world at that time, the first running of the Mayor Daley Marathon—now the Bank of America Chicago Marathon—drew 4,200 participants. Since then it has grown both in size and prestige. The race is now capped at 45,000 runners and is considered one of the world’s most renowned marathons. The 30th anniversary running of the race was unique in several respects. For one thing, it featured a special CEO challenge, and for another, it was halted after just 3 ½ hours. Why? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary