Definition: (noun) A restaurant that specializes in steaks.
Synonyms: steakhouse.
Usage: The best steak we ever ate was at a small chophouse in California.
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Month: May 2023
Beethoven's Ninth Symphony Premieres in Vienna (1824)
The Symphony No. 9 in D Minor is the last complete symphony composed by Ludwig van Beethoven. One of the best known works of the Western repertoire, it is considered one of Beethoven’s greatest masterpieces. Incorporating part of Johann Schiller’s “Ode to Joy,” sung by soloists and a chorus, it is the first symphony in which a major composer utilizes human voices on the same level as instruments. How many standing ovations reportedly followed its premiere performance in 1824? Discuss
Olympe de Gouges (1748)
Born Marie Gouze, de Gouges was a French author whose feminist writings during the French Revolution demanded the same rights for French women that French men were demanding. In 1791, alarmed that the new constitution did not address woman’s suffrage, she wrote Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen, challenging the practice of male authority and the notion of male-female inequality. Why was she executed by guillotine during the Reign of Terror? Discuss
gentleman's agreement
A legally non-binding arrangement that is guaranteed only by a verbal or mutually understood agreement by the parties involved. Watch the video
The Harlem Globetrotters
The Harlem Globetrotters, a basketball team that combines athleticism and comedy, entertains spectators around the world. Initially a standard competitive team, the Globetrotters began relying on comic routines after experiencing difficulty attracting and retaining talent in the 1950s. Players demonstrate skills such as juggling, spinning balls on their fingertips, and making unusual, difficult shots. Who are the “honorary Globetrotters?” Discuss
chrism
Definition: (noun) A consecrated mixture of oil and balsam, used for anointing in church sacraments such as baptism and confirmation.
Synonyms: holy oil, sacramental oil.
Usage: Though his parents told him it was unlikely, he believed he could remember the smell of the chrism used in his baptism.
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Pope John Paul II Visits Mosque (2001)
When Pope John Paul II visited Syria’s Umayyad Mosque, where the head of John the Baptist—a holy figure in both Christianity and Islam—is said to be interred, he became the first Catholic Pope to enter and pray in an Islamic mosque. The address he delivered there, promoting peace between Muslims and Christians, reflected his ongoing ecumenical efforts, which included meeting with religious leaders from other faiths and denominations. While in Syria, the pope aroused controversy by kissing what? Discuss
Robert Peary (1856)
Peary was a US naval officer and explorer who made several attempts to reach the geographic North Pole between 1898 and 1909. On April 6, 1909, accompanied by fellow explorer Matthew Henson and four Inuit men, he reached what he thought was the pole and became widely acknowledged as the first explorer to attain that goal. His claims, however, have since come into question. What factors have led experts to doubt the veracity of Peary’s account of the expedition? Discuss
from a mile away
Well or far in advance; exceptionally easily. Watch the video
The Ajanta Caves
These caves in Maharashtra, India, discovered in 1819, are carved out of the side of a steep horseshoe-shaped ravine and contain remarkable examples of Buddhist art. They consist of chapels and monasteries dating from about 200 BCE to 650 CE, with magnificent frescoes and sculpture depicting scenes from the life of Buddha. Changes in Buddhist thought in what century made it possible for the image of the Buddha to become a focus of worship? Discuss