Public Kinetoscope Parlor Opens in New York (1894)

The kinetoscope is an early motion picture exhibition device that creates the illusion of movement by conveying a filmstrip of sequential images over a light source with a high-speed shutter. The first public kinetoscope parlor was opened in New York City in 1894 and introduced the basic approach that would become the standard for all cinematic projection before the advent of video. The venue had 10 machines, each showing a different short movie. How much did it cost to view all 10 films? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (1919)

Named for the enclosed park where it took place, the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre occurred in India on April 13, 1919, when British troops under the command of General Reginald Dyer opened fire without warning on a crowd of roughly 10,000 Indians protesting the arrest of two Indian National Congress leaders. At least 379 demonstrators were killed and another 1,200 were wounded during the barrage, which is said to have lasted 10 minutes. Who was killed 21 years later in retribution for the massacre? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Record-Setting Wind Gust Recorded on Mt. Washington (1934)

The highest peak in the northeastern US, New Hampshire’s Mount Washington is famous for its erratic weather, caused partly by the convergence of storm tracks from the South Atlantic, Gulf region, and Pacific Northwest. Winds exceeding hurricane force occur there an average of 110 days a year. It is also where the highest directly measured surface wind speed—not including tornadoes or hurricanes—was recorded: 231 mph (372 km/h). What broke the world’s wind speed record? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Attempted Overthrow of Venezuelan President Chavez (2002)

In 2002, anger over Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez’s reform plans led to an attempted coup d’état. On April 11, Chavez was detained and Venezuelan Federation of Chambers of Commerce President Pedro Carmona was installed as interim president. Carmona quickly dissolved the National Assembly and the Supreme Court and voided Venezuela’s constitution, but within 48 hours, the Presidential Guard retook the presidential palace, and Chavez was reinstalled as president. What happened to Carmona? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

10,500 Besieged Residents Flee Messolonghi (1826)

Messolonghi was a major stronghold of Greek insurgents in the Greek War of Independence. Its inhabitants successfully resisted a siege by forces of the Ottoman Empire in 1822 and 1823 and held out heroically against a second siege from 1825 to 1826, when the Ottomans captured the town. Facing starvation after a year of relentless attacks, the people of Messolonghi—approximately 10,500—finally decided to leave the beleaguered city on the night of April 10, 1826. What happened when they left? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Henry V Becomes King of England (1413)

Henry was knighted by Richard II in 1399 and created prince of Wales when his father, Henry IV, usurped the throne the same year. Although his early recklessness was celebrated—and probably exaggerated—by Shakespeare, Henry became a great popular hero. He lifted England from the near anarchy of his father’s reign to civil order and a high spirit of nationalism. His main interest, however, was in gaining control of lands in France—lands that he sincerely believed to be his right. Did he succeed? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Krak des Chevaliers Conquered (1271)

One of the most important preserved medieval military castles in the world, the Krak des Chevaliers in Syria was the headquarters of the Knights Hospitaller during the Crusades. The largest Crusader fortress in the Holy Land, it could hold up to 2,000 soldiers and included a chapel, a storage facility, and two stables that could accommodate up to 1,000 horses. Though it is estimated that the Hospitallers could have withstood a siege for five years, the fortress was captured in 1271. How? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Thomas D’Arcy McGee Is First Canadian Politician to Be Assassinated (1868)

Thomas D’Arcy McGee was a journalist, Canadian Father of Confederation, and the only Canadian victim of political assassination at the federal level. Patrick J. Whelan, a Fenian sympathizer, was convicted and hanged for the murder, but many now suspect that he was simply a scapegoat and not the killer. The bullet that took McGee’s life had been in the possession of the Library and Archives Canada but was recently reported missing. Where was McGee murdered? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Opening of the First Modern Olympic Games (1896)

In 1894, after efforts by Frenchman Pierre de Coubertin to revive the ancient Greek Olympics, the newly established International Olympic Committee appointed the Greek capital of Athens as the host city for the first modern international Olympic Games. Held between April 6 and 15, 1896, the games drew athletes from 14 countries for several athletic events, including the first modern marathon. Though women were not allowed to compete, one woman protested the day after the marathon by doing what? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Battle of the Ice (1242)

The Teutonic Knights attacked the Republic of Novgorod in 1242 as part of their Northern Crusades, which were directed against pagans and Eastern Orthodox Christians rather than Muslims in the Holy Land. Waged on the frozen surface of Lake Peipus, which now sits on the border of Estonia and Russia, the Battle of the Ice proved disastrous for the knights. Though some historians consider the battle a major turning point in the Northern Crusades, others believe it was only a minor skirmish. Why? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary