Month: January 2024

Parmigianino (1503)

Girolamo Francesco Maria Mazzola was an Italian Mannerist painter and etcher commonly known by his nickname Parmigianino, meaning “the little one from Parma.” His works possess remarkable grace and sensuality, and he is regarded as one of the period’s finest draftsmen. He was one of the first artists to practice etching, and through this medium his style became influential in Italy and beyond. One of his most curious works is a self portrait in which his image has been distorted by what? Discuss

The Golem

While the term golem, a Hebrew word meaning “undeveloped lump,” is used today to refer to someone who is clumsy or slow, the golem of Jewish folklore is a very different creature—an automaton-like servant made of clay that is supernaturally endowed with life. The most famous golem legend involves 16th century rabbi Judah Löw, who created a massive clay servant to protect Prague’s Jewish ghetto from violence and persecution. What events compelled Rabbi Löw to later destroy his golem? Discuss

First Great Texas Oil Gusher Discovered at Spindletop (1901)

In 1892, a company was formed in Texas to investigate long-held suspicions that oil might be under an area known as Spindletop Hill. After nine years of exploratory drilling, oil was struck at a depth of 1,139 ft (347 m), resulting in the “Lucas Gusher,” which blew oil more than 150 ft (46 m) in the air. The well produced an estimated 100,000 barrels per day, marking what many consider the birth of the modern petroleum industry. What now well-known companies were involved in the find? Discuss

Margaret of Austria (1480)

Daughter of Emperor Maximilian I, Margaret was a Hapsburg princess and regent of the Netherlands. When she was three, she was betrothed to French dauphin and future King Charles VIII, who later renounced the agreement and married Anne of Brittany. In 1497, she married John of Spain—son of Ferdinand and Isabella—but he died later that year. In 1501, she married Philibert of Savoy; he died in 1504. In 1507, she was made regent of the Netherlands and guardian of what future Holy Roman Emperor? Discuss

The Rabbit-Proof Fence

When Thomas Austin released 24 rabbits onto his Australian farm in 1859, he was unaware of the damage they would cause to the Australian ecosystem. Within 35 years, the rabbits, which had no natural predators in Australia, spread throughout the mainland and destroyed millions of acres of farmland. In 1901, construction began on a fence that would traverse Western Australia from north to south and was intended to contain the rabbits east of the barrier. What animal was used to inspect the fence? Discuss

Martyrs' Day: Riots over Sovereignty of Panama Canal Zone (1964)

Martyrs’ Day is a Panamanian holiday commemorating the 1964 riots that began after a Panamanian flag was torn in a conflict between Panamanian and Canal Zone students over the right of the Panamanian flag to be flown alongside the US flag. US Army units became involved in suppressing the violence, and 4 soldiers and more than 20 Panamanians were killed. The incident contributed to the US decision to transfer control of the Canal Zone to Panama. When was full control of the canal given to Panama? Discuss