Month: November 2022

Tasmania Sighted by Dutch (1642)

While in the service of the Dutch East India Company, Abel Tasman became the first European to sight the island of Tasmania, naming it Van Diemen’s Land after the Governor of the Dutch East Indies. In 1803, Britain took possession of the island and established a penal colony there. The indigenous population, which had been on the island some 35,000 years, was soon decimated. In 1856, the island was granted self-government and renamed Tasmania. Today, Tasmania is a state of what country? Discuss

Frances Hodgson Burnett (1849)

Burnett, a British-American playwright and author, began writing professionally in her late teens in order to help support her struggling family. Her stories were initially printed in magazines, and her first novel was published in 1877. Her books for adults were well received, but it was her children’s novels—particularly Little Lord Fauntleroy and The Secret Garden—that brought Burnett her greatest and most enduring success. How did her writings influence the fashions of the day? Discuss

Spelunking

Spelunking, or caving, is the recreational sport of exploring caves. The term comes from spelunk, the Middle English word for “cave.” Many people are drawn to spelunking because virgin cave systems comprise some of the last unexplored regions on Earth. Edouard-Alfred Martel pioneered caving in the 19th century, and widespread interest in the activity led to the creation of the National Speleological Society in 1941. What distinction do purists draw between “cavers” and “spelunkers”? Discuss

First episode of Doctor Who Debuts on BBC (1963)

This long-running British science-fiction program about a time-traveling adventurer known only as “the Doctor” has, over the years, gained an international cult following that spans generations. The original series ran for 26 seasons, going off the air at the end of 1989. A modestly successful Doctor Who TV movie in 1996 was followed in 2005 by the revival of the series. Over the years, 12 different actors have played “the Doctor,” who travels through time and space using what machine? Discuss

Billy the Kid (1859)

Billy the Kid, who went by the name William H. Bonney and whose real name may have been Henry McCarty, was an infamous outlaw and murderer who roamed the American West from his teenage years until his death at the age of 21. The young fugitive was captured and jailed several times but escaped each time until he was finally killed by Sheriff Pat Garrett. Although rooted in history, the story of Billy the Kid has developed into a popular legend. Why is his gravesite enclosed by a steel cage? Discuss

Robin Hood

This legendary hero of 12th-century England is celebrated for robbing the rich to help the poor. Chivalrous, manly, fair, and always ready for a joke, Hood reflected many of the ideals of the English yeoman. He is said to have lived in Sherwood Forest with Little John, Friar Tuck, Maid Marion, and his band and is the hero of numerous Middle English ballads and many later stories and plays. There is, however, no evidence that he was an actual historical figure. In what text is he first mentioned? Discuss