To be quiet. Often used as an imperative. Watch the video
Month: September 2022
Quilombo dos Palmares
In colonial Brazil, a community of fugitive slaves was known as a quilombo. Located in inaccessible areas, quilombos usually consisted of fewer than 100 people. But one, Palmares, grew into an autonomous republic that eventually had 20,000 inhabitants. Ironically, this community founded by runaway slaves owed much of its prosperity to slave labor, as inhabitants abducted slaves that were then kept in bondage. How many attacks did the community successfully repel before being destroyed in 1694? Discuss
decrepitude
Definition: (noun) The quality or condition of being weakened, worn out, impaired, or broken down by old age, illness, or hard use.
Synonyms: dilapidation.
Usage: Despite his sixty years and snow-white hair, his handshake was firmly hearty, and he showed no signs of decrepitude.
Discuss
Bulgaria Gains Independence (1908)
Bulgaria was absorbed into the Ottoman Empire in 1396, but Turkish rule was often oppressive, and rebellions were frequent. In 1908, taking advantage of the Young Turk revolution in Constantinople and the annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina by Austria, Prince Ferdinand proclaimed Bulgaria independent with himself as czar. Bulgaria then became involved in a series of conflicts—two Balkan Wars and World War I—that led to Ferdinand’s abdication. Why was Bulgaria regarded as the Balkan Prussia? Discuss
Mali Independence Day
Mali gained its independence from France on September 22, 1960. As a colony since the 1890s, it was known as French Sudan. In ancient and medieval times Mali had a prominent role in a series of illustrious empires that spanned western Africa. Also known as Republic Day, this is an important national holiday in Mali. Discuss
Ben Chifley (1885)
Chifley was the 16th prime minister of Australia, serving from 1945 to 1949. Originally an engine driver, Chifley got his first taste of politics helping to establish the Australian engine drivers’ union. He went on to become an active member of the Labor Party and held a parliamentary seat from 1928 to 1931. As prime minister, he oversaw reforms in immigration and citizenship, social services, and banking. One of the few successful referenda to modify what document took place during his term? Discuss
busy little beaver
A very busy, assiduous, or hardworking person. Taken from the phrase “busy as a beaver,” referring to beavers’ reputation for being extremely industrious. Watch the video
The Pomegranate
The pomegranate is a reddish-yellow fruit native to semitropical Asia. Slightly larger than an orange, it has a tough rind, juicy pulp, and many seeds. The fruit is eaten fresh, the juice is a key ingredient in grenadine syrup, and the rind has been used as a medicinal astringent for centuries. The pomegranate has long been a religious and artistic symbol as well, appearing in ancient Asian literature, the Bible, and Greek mythology. Which Greek goddess was tricked into eating pomegranate seeds? Discuss
oenophile
Definition: (noun) A connoisseur of fine wines.
Synonyms: wine lover.
Usage: The oenophile was heartbroken when months of heavy rain ruined a particularly promising grape harvest.
Discuss
Empress Dowager Cixi Ends Hundred Days of Reform in China (1898)
Empress Dowager Cixi was the de facto ruler of China for much of the period between 1861 and 1908. After the death of Emperor Xianfeng, as well as that of his only heir—his son by Cixi—she violated normal succession order and named her adoptive infant nephew Guangxu to the throne. In 1898, during the “hundred days of reform,” Guangxu issued a series of radical decrees modernizing China’s political and social structure. Cixi opposed the reforms and engineered a coup. What became of Guangxu? Discuss