Category: This day in History

Emperor Gaozu was the founder of the greatest of China’s imperial dynasties, the Tang dynasty (618-907 CE), which ruled over what was then the world’s largest empire and initiated a golden age for art, science, and Buddhism. Before becoming emperor, Li Yuan, as he was then known, was governor of a province under the Sui Dynasty. When the Sui emperor, Yangdi, was assassinated in 618, Li Yuan reunited the empire and took power. Why did he later abdicate the throne in favor of his son, Li Shimin? Discuss

The Night Attack was a battle fought between the forces of Wallachian Prince Vlad III, known as Vlad the Impaler, and the forces of Mehmed II, sultan of the Ottoman Empire. After Vlad raided Bulgaria and killed more than 20,000 Turks and Bulgarians, Mehmed marched on Wallachia, and the two powers fought a series of skirmishes. In the Night Attack, Vlad attacked the Turkish camp in an attempt to assassinate Mehmed. The attempt failed, but Mehmed retreated anyway. Why? Discuss

Tereshkova was a Soviet cosmonaut who became the first woman to fly in space. In 1963, she was the solo pilot of a three-day flight aboard Vostok 6, orbiting the Earth 48 times. Her flight was her only experience in space, and she left the Soviet space program soon after and married cosmonaut Andriyan Nikolayev. Their daughter, Elena, born a year later, was the first child of parents who had both been in space. What was Tereshkova’s job before she was recruited as a cosmonaut? Discuss

The Magna Carta—Latin for “Great Charter”—was signed by King John under pressure from his barons. Resentful of high taxes and aware of the king’s waning power, the barons demanded a solemn grant of their rights. Among the charter’s provisions were clauses reforming law and controlling the behavior of royal officials. Though it reflects the feudal order rather than democracy, the Magna Carta is traditionally considered the foundation of British constitutionalism. How did King John sign it? Discuss

Compiled by official Roman Catholic censors, Index Librorum Prohibitorum—”List of Prohibited Books”—was a catalog of works considered dangerous to the faith or morals of Catholics. The Index was never a complete catalog of forbidden reading; rather, it contained only works that the ecclesiastical authority was asked to act on. The first catalog of banned books to be called an index was published in 1559. Its publication ceased in 1966. What were some of the works listed over the years? Discuss

The Pentagon Papers were top secret government documents detailing US involvement in SE Asia from WWII to 1968. In 1971, a former government employee leaked portions of the 47-volume study, which revealed both miscalculation and deception on the part of US policymakers, to The New York Times, which began publishing articles about it. Citing national security, the Justice Department obtained an injunction against further publication, and the case went to the Supreme Court. How did it rule? Discuss

The Berlin Wall was erected in 1961 by the East German government and later extended along the entire border between East and West Germany. Built to prevent defections, it became a symbol of the Cold War. In 1987, US President Reagan visited Berlin to commemorate the city’s 750th anniversary and used his speech to publicly challenge Gorbachev to destroy the wall. Two years later, it was dismantled in a failed bid by the Communists to retain power. Why did some Reagan staffers oppose his speech? Discuss

Twelve-year-old Alexander Obrenovic became king of Serbia in 1889, when his father, King Milan I, abdicated. Proclaiming himself of age in 1893, he took over the government, abolished the relatively liberal constitution of 1889, and restored the conservative one of 1869. In 1903, after Alexander temporarily suspended the liberal constitution he had granted in 1901 so that he could replace certain government officials, he and his wife were assassinated. Who succeeded him? Discuss

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is an international organization dedicated to helping alcoholics stop drinking and maintain their sobriety. It functions through local groups that meet regularly and emphasizes a 12-step recovery program that includes acknowledgment of the problem, faith in a “higher power,” and a desire to change for the better and to help others recover. The organization was founded in 1935 by two alcoholics, who were known by what names within the group? Discuss

A member of Thailand’s Chakri dynasty, Bhumibol began his reign when his brother, King Ananda Mahidol, died in 1946 under mysterious circumstances. Bhumibol ruled with a regent until 1950, when he was formally crowned Rama IX. The longest-ruling monarch in Thailand’s history, he also became the longest-reigning ruler in the world in 2000. Although his power is largely ceremonial, he has enjoyed great popular support and serves as a focus of national unity. Who is Bhumibol’s heir apparent? Discuss