Month: October 2023

French Statesman Leon Gambetta Flees Paris in a Balloon (1870)

Gambetta was a lawyer who gained recognition as an opponent of the Second Empire of Napoleon III and, in 1869, joined the parliamentary opposition. When Napoleon’s empire fell to the Germans, Gambetta organized a government of national defense to drive them out. With Paris under a grueling German siege, he made a spectacular escape to Tours in a balloon, where he continued fighting the Germans as minister of the interior and of war. Gambetta died shortly after being wounded in what accident? Discuss

Niels Bohr (1885)

Bohr was a Danish physicist who was among the first to recognize the importance of an element’s atomic number. He was also the first to apply the quantum theory to atomic and molecular structure, and his concept of the atomic nucleus was a key step in understanding nuclear fission. He won a Nobel Prize for Physics in 1922 for his work on atomic theory. Though he contributed to atomic bomb research during World War II, he later devoted himself to arms control. What element is named in his honor? Discuss

City of the Dead

A necropolis, Greek for “city of the dead,” is a large cemetery or burial ground. The term typically is used in reference to burial grounds that lie in close proximity to centers of ancient civilization. In fantasy literature, the word necropolis takes on a different connotation, often describing cities populated by zombies or the undead. The Hypogeum of Hal-Saflieni, which dates back to 2500 BCE, is probably the world’s oldest necropolis. Why did ancient Romans adopt the necropolis? Discuss

The Jazz Singer Premieres (1927)

In the 1920s, filmmakers began experimenting with sound effects and music in films. With about 15 minutes of dialogue and songs, The Jazz Singer was the first feature-length film to have synchronized dialogue. Based on the earlier stage play, the film was a landmark in the history of motion pictures, and its release heralded the commercial ascendance of “talkies” and the decline of the silent film era. The first all-talking picture was released a year later. What was it? Discuss

Ivy Day

October 6 is the anniversary of the death of Charles Stewart Parnell (1846-1891), the famous Irish statesman and leader of the Home Rule Party. He is a symbol of Irish pride and independence, and his name appears frequently in Irish literature, particularly the poetry of William Butler Yeats and the short story in James Joyce’s Dubliners called “Ivy Day in the Committee Room.” It is somewhat ironic that the sprig of green ivy traditionally worn on this day—chosen by Parnell himself as an emblem—is a color he apparently intensely disliked. Discuss

Henri Christophe (1767)

A freed slave, Christophe was a Haitian revolutionary leader who was army chief under Jean-Jacques Dessalines. When Dessalines declared himself emperor, Christophe took part in a successful plot against his life and was elected president of the republic. In 1811, Christophe declared himself king of North Haiti—as Henri I—and created an autocracy patterned after the absolute monarchies of Europe. Engaging in a tyrannical reign, Christophe surrounded himself with lavish wealth. How did he die? Discuss