From the 16th to the 18th centuries, the Spanish Empire used a system of convoys, called treasure fleets, to transport a wide variety of items to Spain from its territories in the New World. Seven days after departing from Havana, Cuba, all 11 of the ships in the 1715 treasure fleet sank during a hurricane near present-day Florida, resulting in the deaths of thousands of sailors. The disaster also resulted in the loss of what precious items, some of which still occasionally wash ashore? Discuss
Month: July 2024
Peter Benenson (1921)
Peter Benenson was an English lawyer who organized a letter-writing campaign in 1961 calling for amnesty for “prisoners of conscience.” His campaign resulted in the establishment of Amnesty International, a human-rights organization that works to combat violations of human rights, especially abridgments of freedom of speech and religion and the imprisonment and torture of political dissidents. Why did Benenson resign from his position within Amnesty International in 1967? Discuss
The Pig-Footed Bandicoot
Extinct since the mid 20th century, the pig-footed bandicoot was a small, mostly herbivorous marsupial of the plains of inland Australia. About the size of a kitten, the pig-footed bandicoot had large, pointed ears, a long tail, long, slender limbs, and, as its name suggests, hoof-like nails on its forefeet and hind legs, making it unique among marsupials. Though its decline coincided with the arrival of Europeans, the cause of its extinction remains uncertain. What are some theories? Discuss
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WWI: Black Tom Explosion (1916)
In the midst of WWI, German saboteurs demolished a US munitions stockpile in the Black Tom section of Jersey City, New Jersey. The series of massive explosions killed a few, injured hundreds, damaged all sorts of structures, including the Statue of Liberty, and was heard hundreds of miles away. Sued by the US government in 1922 but vindicated in 1930 by an international claims commission, the German government was ultimately ordered to pay $50 million in damages. When was the final payment made? Discuss
Emily Brontë (1818)
Sister of writers Charlotte and Anne Brontë, Emily Brontë was an English author who is most famous for her novel Wuthering Heights, a highly imaginative story of passion and hatred set on the Yorkshire moors. Emily’s unusual character and intellect seem to have been unrecognized by her family until quite late in her short life—she died at 30 of tuberculosis—but Charlotte was astonished by her poetry and regarded her work as unparalleled. Emily originally published under what pen name? Discuss
Bacchanalia
Now a term used to describe any drunken revelry, bacchanalia were wild festivals honoring the Greco-Roman god of wine, Bacchus. Introduced around 200 BCE, bacchanalia were originally held in secret 3 times a year and attended only by women. Later, admission was opened to men and celebrations became as frequent as 5 times a month. The notoriety of the festivals led to a Senate decree in 186 BCE prohibiting them except in the event of special approval. What happened to those who defied the decree? Discuss
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National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Established (1958)
NASA is an agency of the US government charged with aeronautics research and the nation’s civilian space program. During its history, it has been responsible for manned trips to the Moon, orbiting observatories, and unmanned programs that explored other planets and interplanetary space. Today, its goals include improving human understanding of the universe and establishing a permanent human presence in space. NASA was created by an act of Congress passed largely in response to what 1957 event? Discuss
Alexis de Tocqueville (1805)
Tocqueville was a French political scientist, historian, and politician. Born into an aristocratic family with ties to the king, his future in government was jeopardized by a revolution in 1830. To distance himself from the trying political situation at home, he embarked on a government-sanctioned mission to the US. Out of it came his best-known work, Democracy in America—the first analytical study of the strengths and weaknesses of US society. What conclusions did Tocqueville draw in it? Discuss