Month: September 2024

American Pledge of Allegiance First Published (1892)

The Pledge of Allegiance is an oath of loyalty to the United States. It first appeared in the September 8, 1892, issue of The Youth’s Companion, and its authorship has been ascribed to magazine staff member Francis Bellamy. Officially recognized by the government in 1942, the pledge became compulsory in some public schools, but the following year the Supreme Court ruled that recitation could not be required of any individual. What two words were inserted into the pledge in 1954? Discuss

Ansgar (801 CE)

The patron saint of Scandinavia, Ansgar was a missionary and the first archbishop of Hamburg. He was sent by Louis I to help King Harald Christianize Denmark and King Bjorn Christianize Sweden. He initiated a mission to all Scandinavians and Slavs and was appointed archbishop of Hamburg in 832. When Sweden and Denmark returned to paganism by 845, Ansgar thwarted the pagan rebellion. He was recognized as a saint soon after his death. Ansgar is often called the Apostle of what? Discuss

The Seizure of the Grand Mosque

On November 20, 1979, approximately 200 armed Islamic fundamentalist dissidents opposed to the Saudi ruling family took over Islam’s holiest place, the Al-Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. After 127 Saudi Arabian National Guard members were killed in an unsuccessful attempt to regain control, the nervous Saudi government called in French and Pakistani forces, which retook the shrine in a battle that left approximately 250 dead and 600 wounded. What happened to the surviving militants? Discuss

First Miss America Pageant Held in Atlantic City, New Jersey (1921)

The Miss America Pageant, now an American institution, began in 1921 as an attempt by Atlantic City businessmen to keep tourists in town after Labor Day. The weeklong event features the 50 state pageant winners and includes evening gown, swimsuit, and talent competitions. Its winner receives a $50,000 scholarship and spends the next year traveling and making lucrative personal appearances. What unusual skills have contestants demonstrated in the talent competition over the years? Discuss

Laura Ashley (1925)

Ashley was a British fashion designer and manufacturer. After serving in the Women’s Royal Naval Service during World War II, she founded a company with her husband to produce silkscreened placemats, scarves, and tea towels. Her romantic and old-fashioned look carried over into women’s clothing, home furnishings, children’s wear, fabrics, wall coverings, and decorative accessories. What inspired Ashley to start printing Victorian-style fabric in 1953? Discuss

Etiquette in the Middle East

Travelers who fail to familiarize themselves with a region’s customs before visiting that area risk inadvertently offending or insulting their hosts. For example, in Iraq and Iran, the “thumbs up” gesture—a Western expression of approval—is considered an offensive insult. In the Middle East, where Islam is the predominant religion, modesty and hospitality are strongly valued traits, but their practice varies across ethnic groups. How do Middle Easterners show their respect for the elderly? Discuss

Leningrad's Name Reverts to Saint Petersburg (1991)

Russia’s second largest city, Saint Petersburg is a major seaport, rail junction, and industrial, cultural, and scientific center. The city was built in 1703 by Peter the Great, who sought an outlet to the sea and a port for trade through the Baltic. It was the capital of the Russian Empire from 1712 to 1917. Named “Leningrad” in 1924, the city reverted to its original name, Saint Petersburg, in 1991. What had the city been called between 1914 and 1924? Discuss