Ocean Ranger Drilling Rig Sinks (1982)

The Ocean Ranger was a semi-submersible mobile offshore drilling unit that sank in Canadian waters on February 15, 1982, killing all 84 men on board. The crew had been drilling an exploration well in the Grand Banks area, 166 miles (267 km) east of St. John’s, Newfoundland, for Mobil Oil of Canada, Ltd., when a sudden storm struck the rig. Rescue attempts were thwarted by the severe weather. After a two-year investigation into the disaster, what did a Canadian Royal Commission conclude? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

St. Valentine’s Day Massacre (1929)

When Jack McGurn, a member of Al Capone’s gang, was almost killed by members of rival George “Bugs” Moran’s gang, Capone decided to retaliate by luring Bugs and some of his men to a warehouse and killing them. On the day of the massacre, Capone’s men thought that the rival crime boss had entered the warehouse and opened fire. They killed seven men but not Bugs—he had grown suspicious and changed his plans. One of the seven victims initially survived, despite how many gunshot wounds? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Last Original Peanuts Strip Is Printed (2000)

With 355 million readers in 75 countries at the peak of its popularity, Charles Schulz’s Peanuts is one of the most beloved comic strips in the history of the medium. Among its principal characters are Charlie Brown, a gentle, puzzled boy, usually failing but always persevering; Lucy, his bossy, know-it-all friend; Linus, a philosophical tyke with a security blanket; and Snoopy, a romantic, self-deluded beagle. When Schulz created the strip in 1950, it had a different title. What was it? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

US President Bill Clinton Is Acquitted (1999)

In January 1998, President Clinton was questioned in a civil suit charging him with sexual harassment. Before the Grand Jury, he denied having an affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky, which turned out to be untrue. The US House of Representatives impeached Clinton on December 19, 1998, charging him with perjury and obstruction of justice. In 1999, two impeachment counts were tried in the Senate, which voted to acquit Clinton. Who is the only other US President to have been impeached? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Nelson Mandela Is Freed (1990)

As a young man, Mandela was an active opponent of South Africa’s apartheid regime. Initially committed to non-violent struggle, he became the leader of the armed wing of the African National Congress after the 1960 Sharpeville Massacre, when police opened fire on several thousand protesters. He was sentenced to life in prison in 1964, but international pressure led to his release in 1990. Mandela won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 and was elected his country’s first black president in what year? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

General Tom Thumb Marries Lavinia Warren (1863)

General Tom Thumb, born Charles Sherwood Stratton, began touring with circus pioneer P.T. Barnum in 1843 at the tender age of four. Stratton’s short stature—he was a mere 3 feet, 4 inches (102 cm) tall when he died—and his comedic impersonations made him an international hit. His courtship of Lavinia Warren, another one of Barnum’s performers, led to a fashionable New York City wedding in 1863, and the pair was later received at the White House. Stratton died in 1883. What marks his grave? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

William G. Morgan Invents Volleyball (1895)

William G. Morgan invented volleyball in Holyoke, Massachusetts, just four years after basketball was invented in the neighboring town of Springfield. Morgan, a physical education director, created “Mintonette” for older athletes who wanted to play indoor sports but deemed basketball too rough. The name volleyball came from the nature of the game: “volleying” a ball back and forth over a net. Players can also “spike” the ball and drive it downward into the opponents’ court. What is a “pancake”? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Boy Scouts of America Founded (1910)

One of the largest youth organizations in the US is the Boy Scouts of America, which promotes community service and character building. The scouts’ activities aim at mental, moral, and physical development, stressing outdoor skills and training in citizenship and lifesaving. Scouts receive recognition in the form of merit badges and awards. The basic scout unit is a troop of about 15 boys, under the leadership of an adult scoutmaster. How many of the 12 men to walk on the moon were Boy Scouts? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Maastricht Treaty Establishes the European Union (1992)

The history of the European Union (EU) began soon after World War II, when there developed in Europe a strong revulsion against national rivalries and parochial loyalties. European strength and security seemed to lie in a united Europe, and the European Coal and Steel Company—established in 1952—was the first attempt at accomplishing such a union. In 1992, the Maastricht Treaty, formally the Treaty on European Union, officially established the EU. How many member states does the EU have? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Singapore Established as a Trading Post (1819)

A trading center as early as the 14th century, Singapore was later part of Johor, a region of the southern Malay Peninsula. In 1819, the island of Singapore was ceded to the British East India Company, and the city was founded the same year by Sir Thomas Raffles. Under Raffles’ direction, Singapore developed a vital role in the lucrative China trade. Today, the city is one of the world’s biggest ports. The earliest known settlement on the island of Singapore was referred to by what name? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary