On this day in 1918, Estonia issued a declaration of independence from the new Soviet Russia, which was followed by war with the Soviets to maintain Estonian liberty. Following a strong independence movement during the late 1980s, Estonia officially declared its independence from the former USSR on August 20, 1991, a day which is also commemorated with a public holiday. On September 6, independence was formally recognized by the former Soviet Union. Estonians celebrate their Independence Day with a parade, church services, speeches, and concerts in the capital city, Tallinn. Discuss
Month: February 2023
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (1500)
Charles V was the influential 16th-century European monarch who held the thrones of both the Holy Roman Empire and Spain for approximately 40 years. He played a key role in fighting Protestantism during the Reformation and was later an ardent supporter of the Counter Reformation. He also fought several wars against France and the Ottoman Empire before abdicating in the 1550s, dividing his realms between his son and brother and retiring to a monastery. What saying about Paris originated with him? Discuss
cloud the issue
To obfuscate or distract from the topic at hand by introducing irrelevant and/or misleading information. Watch the video
The Battle of Leyte Gulf
Widely considered one of the greatest naval engagements of all time, the Battle of Leyte Gulf was fought in the seas near the Philippines during World War II. The Japanese occupied the island of Leyte, which became the site of the first American landing in the campaign to recover the Philippines. Over three days in October 1944, American naval forces defeated almost the entire Japanese navy—thereby ensuring ultimate Allied victory. The battle saw the first use of what kind of aircraft tactic? Discuss
succinct
Definition: (adjective) Characterized by clear, precise expression in few words; concise and terse.
Synonyms: compendious, summary, compact.
Usage: Some students enjoyed the teacher’s succinct style, while others wished she would elaborate on certain topics.
Discuss
Cuba Leases Guantánamo Bay to the United States (1903)
The city of Guantánamo is located in southeast Cuba. Founded in the early 19th century by French colonists from Haiti, it is well known today as the home of the US Guantánamo Bay Naval Base, which has installations covering roughly 45 sq mi (116 sq km). The site was leased to the US in 1903, but the Cuban government has refused since 1960 to accept the token annual rent of $5,000 from the US and has pressured for the surrender of the base. What was established at the base in 2002? Discuss
W.E.B. Du Bois (1868)
Du Bois was an early African-American civil rights leader and scholar, as well as the first African American to receive a PhD from Harvard University. He was an outspoken critic of the social inequalities that existed in the US during the early part of the 20th century, and he helped found the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). What led Du Bois to seek Ghanaian citizenship at the age of 95? Discuss
bucket list
A list of accomplishments or tasks one hopes to do or achieve before one dies. “Bucket” here is taken from the phrase “kick the bucket,” meaning to die. Watch the video
The Great Gatsby
Written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, an American novelist of the Jazz Age, The Great Gatsby is today considered standard reading in high school courses on American literature. It tells the story of a bootlegger whose obsessive dream of wealth and lost love is destroyed by a corrupt reality. Cynical yet poignant, the novel is a devastating portrait of the so-called American Dream, which measures success and love in terms of money. What other titles did Fitzgerald consider for this novel? Discuss