Armenian Genocide Begins (1915)

Known by Armenians as the Great Calamity, the Armenian Genocide refers to the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Ottoman Empire’s Armenian population during and after World War I. Characterized by the use of massacres and forced marches designed to lead to the death of deportees, the genocide is estimated to have claimed up to 1 million Armenian lives. The onset of the genocide is generally accepted to be April 24, 1915, the day that Ottoman authorities did what? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Oldest Free Public School Opened in the US (1635)

The Boston Latin School in Massachusetts, originally a school for boys that had just a handful of students, is now a coeducational institution serving more than 2,000 youngsters. It has the distinction of being the oldest public school in the US and claims many influential Bostonians as alumni, including four Harvard University presidents, four Massachusetts governors, and five signers of the Declaration of Independence. Who are the school’s most famous dropouts? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Oklahoma Land Rush (1889)

On April 22, 1889, some 50,000 people lined up to grab a piece of the 2 million acres (8,000 sq km) being made available by the US government in the first land run into the Unassigned Lands, later known as the state of Oklahoma. Each settler could claim a lot of up to 160 acres (0.65 sq km). A number of participants illegally entered and hid in the area before the run officially began at noon in order to quickly claim the choicest homesteads. What did the early entrants come to be known as? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Battle of Mutina (43 BCE)

The Battle of Mutina was fought in 43 BCE between Marc Antony and the combined forces of Gaius Vibius Pansa Caetronianus and Aulus Hirtius, who were providing aid to one of Julius Caesar’s assassins, Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus. When negotiations between the Roman Senate and Antony broke off a year after Caesar’s murder, Antony gathered his legions and marched against Decimus Brutus. Though Hirtius died in the battle, Antony was defeated. Not long after, a truce was formed between whom? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

First Pasteurization Test Conducted (1862)

Pasteurization is the process of heating beverages or food, such as milk, beer, or cheese, to a specific temperature for a specific period of time in order to kill microorganisms that could cause disease, spoilage, or undesired fermentation. The process was named after its creator, French chemist and microbiologist Louis Pasteur, who conducted the first pasteurization test with fellow French scientist Claude Bernard in 1862. Why is pasteurization not designed to kill all microorganisms in food? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The World’s First Space Station Is Launched (1971)

The world’s first space station, the Soviet Salyut 1, was launched in 1971. The cosmonauts aboard the Soyuz 11 spacecraft were the first to enter, remaining aboard for 22 days. By 1982, five more Salyut space stations had been orbited successfully, two of them for military purposes. By rotating the crews regularly, the Soviets were able to staff the stations for extended periods. All the Salyut space stations decayed and are no longer in orbit. What happened to Salyut 1? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

WWI: French Pilot Roland Garros Lands Behind Enemy Lines (1915)

One of the first flying aces in history, Roland Garros was a French aviator and WWI fighter pilot. Early in the war, Garros fitted a machine gun to the front of his plane so that he could shoot while flying and soon downed three German aircrafts. While on a mission in 1915, his fuel line clogged, and he was forced to land behind German lines. He was captured and held as a prisoner of war until 1918, when he managed to escape and rejoin the French army. What happened when he returned to combat? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Bay of Pigs Invasion Begins (1961)

The ill-fated Bay of Pigs invasion was a US-supported invasion of Cuba by an armed force of approximately 1,500 Cuban exiles attempting to overthrow the government of Fidel Castro. Trained and armed by the US government, the rebels intended to foment an insurrection in Cuba, but the rebellion never materialized and the Cuban army defeated the invading forces in a matter of days. An internal CIA report investigating the incident later identified what factors as responsible for the failure? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Masada Falls to the Romans, Ending Jewish Revolt (73 CE)

Masada is an ancient mountaintop fortress in Israel’s Judaean Desert. In 66 CE, with the outbreak of the Jewish war against Rome, the Zealots, an extremist Jewish sect, seized the fortress in a surprise attack and massacred its Roman garrison. After the fall of Jerusalem, Masada, the last remnant of Jewish rule, refused to surrender. Masada remained under Zealot control until 73 CE, when, after months of siege, the Romans finally breached the walls. What did they discover when they entered? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Johnson’s A Dictionary of the English Language Published (1755)

Written by literary scholar Samuel Johnson, A Dictionary of the English Language was the first comprehensive English lexicographical work ever undertaken and is among the most influential dictionaries in the history of the English language. Remarkably, Johnson completed the work nearly single-handedly over a period of nine years. Unlike most modern lexicographers, he introduced humor into a number of his more than 42,000 definitions. What are some examples? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary