According to a centuries-old legend set in Hamelin, Germany, the Pied Piper was hired by local residents in 1284 to rid the town of rats, which he did by charming them with music and leading them to the river to drown. When the citizens refused to pay him the agreed upon price, he exacted his revenge by charming away their children. Famous versions of the legend were immortalized by Goethe, Robert Browning, and the Brothers Grimm. What historic events may have inspired the tale? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
Popularly known as “Custer’s Last Stand,” the Battle of the Little Bighorn occurred during the US government’s campaign to force the Cheyenne and Sioux onto reservations using federal troops. Upon encountering a large encampment of the tribes, General George Custer launched an early attack with a party of approximately 200 soldiers. The troops were annihilated by the vastly larger force, and Custer himself was killed during the battle along with two of his brothers. Who led the Indian alliance? 
In 1995, the recently unified nation of South Africa hosted the third Rugby World Cup. The first major event to be held in what had been dubbed “the Rainbow Nation,” it is now remembered as one of the greatest moments in the country’s sporting history. The dramatic victory of the South African team, supported by President Nelson Mandela, is seen as a major step in the reconciliation of white and black South Africans in the post-Apartheid era. What team did South Africa defeat in the final match? 
As a teen, American inventor Christopher Latham Sholes apprenticed with a printer and later became a newspaper publisher. In 1868, he, Carlos Glidden, and Samuel W. Soulé were granted a patent for their design for the first practical typewriter. Five years later, he sold his rights for $12,000 to the Remington Arms Co., which developed the Remington Typewriter. Sholes went on to invent the so-called QWERTY keyboard that is still in use today. Why did he arrange the letters in this unusual order? 
The largest military operation of World War II, Operation Barbarossa was the codename for Nazi Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union. Named for 12th-century crusader and Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, the Axis operation included more than 4.5 million troops over a 1,800-mile (2,900-km) front. Though the Red Army suffered heavy losses, Operation Barbarossa failed and marked a turning point in the war that many believe sealed the Nazis’ fate. How many were killed during the operation? 
The Molly Maguires was a secret organization of Irish-Americans who fought against the oppressive working conditions in the anthracite mining districts of Pennsylvania. Members often resorted to intimidation or murder when dealing with police, who were entirely controlled by the mine owners. At around the time the organization reached the height of its power, a detective was hired to infiltrate its ranks. His testimony led to the eventual hanging of 10 “Mollies.” How did the group get its name? 
During the Cuban Missile Crisis, it took the US nearly 12 hours to receive and decode Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev’s initial settlement message. By the time the US drafted a reply, Moscow had already sent new demands. Afterward, it was decided that the crisis could have been resolved more quickly with faster communication. In 1963, a “hot line”—the so-called “red telephone”—was established to provide a direct link between the White House and the Kremlin. When was the hotline first used? 
Also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, Juneteenth is a US holiday that commemorates the day when the slaves of Texas learned that they were legally free. Although President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation was formally issued on Jan 1, 1863, it had little immediate effect on slaves’ day-to-day lives. In Texas, it was not until June 19, 1865, when Union General Gordon Granger and 2,000 federal troops took over the state, that it was enforced. How is Juneteenth often celebrated? 
Giordano Bruno is a small lunar impact crater that is estimated to have been formed less than 350 million years ago. Some believe that its age can be pinpointed exactly thanks to five English monks who reported that on June 18, 1178, during the annual Taurid meteor shower, they saw “two horns of light” on the shaded part of the moon—a description some say is consistent with the visual phenomena associated with such a crater’s formation. How do others interpret the monks’ sighting? 
Mumtaz was one of the three wives of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan I, his constant companion and trusted confidant—and his favorite. She died during the birth of their fourteenth child, while accompanying him on a military campaign. According to legend, her dying wish was for there to be built a monument to their love. The bereaved emperor soon began to plan a magnificent mausoleum for his late wife, a structure that would take more than 20 years to complete and become what world-famous building?