Month: December 2023

The Flushing Remonstrance Signed (1657)

While serving as governor of the Dutch colony of New Netherland, Peter Stuyvesant became known for his harsh rule and intolerance of religious dissenters. In 1657, several citizens petitioned Stuyvesant to remove his ban on Quaker worship. Now known as the Flushing Remonstrance—named for the town of Flushing that is today a part of Queens, New York—the petition is considered a precursor to the US Constitution’s provision on freedom of religion in the Bill of Rights. How did Stuyvesant respond? Discuss

Jakob Bernoulli (1654)

Bernoulli was a Swiss mathematician who, with his brother Johann, pioneered German mathematician Gottfried Leibniz’s calculus. The first to use the word “integral” in solving Leibniz’s problem of the isochronous curve, Jakob used calculus to study the forms of many curves arising in practical situations. In 1713, he wrote Ars Conjectandi, or The Art of Conjecture, an important treatise on the theory of probability that contained the Bernoulli numbers, which are what? Discuss

The Killing Fields

The Khmer Rouge was the extremist Communist organization that ruled Cambodia from 1975 to 1979. It was one of the most lethal regimes of the 20th c and was responsible for the deaths of an estimated 1.7 million people through execution, starvation, and forced labor. Victims were often buried in mass grave sites, known as The Killing Fields, scattered throughout Cambodia. Whom did the Khmer Rouge target for their “re-education” campaigns? Discuss

First Kwanzaa Celebrated (1966)

Observed from December 26 to January 1 and patterned after African harvest festivals, Kwanzaa is a secular festival celebrating the African heritage of African Americans. Developed by black-studies professor Maulana Karenga, Kwanzaa emphasizes the role of the family and community in African-American culture. Each day is dedicated to a particular principle—such as unity, creativity, or faith. The holiday’s name is taken from the Swahili phrase matunda ya kwanzaa, which means what? Discuss

Fiesta de Sumamao

The Argentine ritual drama known as sumamao (“beautiful river”) is named after the location in which it is traditionally performed—near the Rio Dulce. On San Esteban’s (St. Stephen‘s) Day, December 26, an avenue of arcos, or arches, tied together by cords hung with ichas (cakes in the form of puppets), leads up to the altar. The drama begins at dawn with trumpets and fireworks, followed by a slow procession through the arches. The rest of the drama unfolds throughout the day, culminating in the demolition of the arcos and the eating of the ichas. Discuss

Charles Babbage (1791)

Babbage was an English mathematician and inventor who devoted most of his life and private fortune to trying to perfect a mechanical calculating machine. In 1837, he described the so-called Analytical Engine, a machine capable of performing arithmetical operations with the use of instructions from punched cards. Although the device was never built, his idea is considered the forerunner of modern computers. Babbage also invented other devices, including the cowcatcher, which is used to do what? Discuss

Chives

Chives grow wild throughout most of the northern hemisphere, forming perennial clumps about 5 in (12 cm) high. Chives consist of an underground bulb, long hollow tubular leaves, and globe-shaped purple flower heads. They are the mildest and smallest member of the onion family and lack the bitterness of raw onions. Their leaves are often used as a garnish for salads or to flavor foods such as fish, potatoes, and soup. What effect does eating chives have on the circulatory system? Discuss