Author: Ian

Weimar Constitution Signed into Law (1919)

Written immediately after World War I, the Weimar Constitution was the document that governed the short-lived Weimar Republic of Germany. It declared the nation a federal republic governed by a president and parliament and was a strong attempt to establish a liberal democracy in Germany. However, it was adopted during a time of civil conflict and failed with the ascent of the Nazi Party in 1933. How did Hitler manage to subvert the Weimar Constitution after he came to power? Discuss

Charles Darrow (1889)

Darrow was a heating engineer who is generally credited with developing “Monopoly,” a board game in which players compete to purchase real estate and bankrupt their opponents, though there is evidence that he merely adapted Elizabeth Magie’s realty and taxation game “The Landlord’s Game.” “Monopoly” was initially rejected by Parker Brothers, but after Darrow met with success selling the game himself, the toy firm reconsidered and bought it in 1935. What were their initial objections? Discuss

Pueblo Revolt Begins (1680)

The Pueblo Revolt was an uprising of Native American communities against Spanish colonization in New Mexico. Organized by a medicine man called Popé and other Pueblo leaders, the uprising led to the deaths of some 400 colonists and missionaries and forced the surviving Spaniards to retreat to El Paso, freeing the Pueblo of Spanish rule for the first time in 82 years. However, internal dissension and Apache raids soon weakened the unity of the Pueblo. What happened in 1692 after Popé’s death? Discuss

Yerba Mate

Yerba mate is a plant whose leaves are used to make a beverage called mate, the national drink of Argentina and Uruguay. Mate is a caffeinated infusion, much like a cross between green tee and coffee, that is prepared by steeping dried leaves in hot water. It is traditionally served in a hollow gourd with a metal straw and is usually enjoyed in a social setting. Uruguay enacted a national law that prohibits drinking mate while performing what other activity? Discuss

"Fat Man" Detonated over Nagasaki, Japan (1945)

During WWII, Nagasaki became the target of the second atomic bomb ever detonated on a populated area. Three days after the US dropped a uranium bomb on Hiroshima, a more powerful plutonium device, code-named “Fat Man,” was dropped on Nagasaki. Approximately 40,000 people were killed outright, and a total of 75,000 were killed or wounded. More than a third of the city was devastated. The necessity of the attack is still debated. The “Fat Man” was supposedly named after a character in what film? Discuss

Drachenstich (Spearing the Dragon)

This annual event centers around the performance of an open-air play, Drachenstich, in Fürth, Germany, in the Bavarian Forest. The climax of the play is a battle between a knight on horseback and a huge (about 50 feet long and 10 feet tall), fire-spewing dragon. The knight, of course, wins—by thrusting his spear into the dragon’s throat, thereby piercing a pig’s bladder filled with ox blood. The celebrations also include various merrymaking events and a street procession. The play has been performed for about 500 years and is thought to be the oldest folk play in Germany. Discuss

Jean Piaget (1896)

Regarded as the foremost developmental psychologist of the 20th century, Piaget developed a theory of “genetic epistemology,” a natural timetable for the development of the child’s ability to think, in which he traced four stages—the sensorimotor (ages 0–2), preoperational or symbolic (2–7), concrete operational (7–12), and formal operational (12 and up)—each marked by increased cognitive sophistication and ability to use symbols. What specific developments occur in each stage? Discuss

Internet Flaming

Whether it takes the form of a long-term “holy war” or a brief “pie fight,” Internet flaming, a form of hostile interaction that occurs between users of a public electronic forum, can be devastating to an online community. Flames are often malicious, offensive attacks on points of view that differ from the flamer’s. Many believe the phenomenon is perpetuated by the anonymity of online interaction, which allows flamers to avoid real-life consequences. What are some famous examples of flaming? Discuss