Shirley Chisholm (1924)

Chisholm was elected to the US House of Representatives in 1968, becoming the first African-American woman to serve in Congress. During her 15 years in the House, she was known for her strong, liberal views, including her opposition to US involvement in the Vietnam War and her advocacy of employment programs. As a candidate for the 1972 Democratic presidential nomination, she won 152 delegates before withdrawing from the race. How many assassination attempts did she survive during her campaign? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Klondike Gold Rush

In August 1896, a party led by Skookum Jim Mason discovered rich gold deposits near the confluence of the Klondike and Yukon rivers in northwest Canada. The news quickly spread to other mining camps in the river valley and reached the US within a year, setting off the Klondike Gold Rush that drew more than 30,000 prospectors to the area. By the time mining ended in 1966, the area had yielded $250 million in gold. What famous American author took part in the gold rush? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Scientists Say Dinosaur-Killing Asteroid Made Earth’s Surface Act Like Liquid

When the asteroid believed to have killed off the dinosaurs smashed into Earth some 66 million years ago, its sheer force made the planet’s surface momentarily act like a liquid. The asteroid ripped open a 60-mile-wide hole. From miles deep in that … Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Warren Commission Is Established (1963)

Chaired by US Chief Justice Earl Warren, the Warren Commission was appointed by US President Lyndon B. Johnson to investigate the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and the shooting of his assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald. After months of investigation, it reported that Kennedy was killed by Oswald’s rifle shots from the Texas School Book Depository and that Oswald’s murder by Jack Ruby was not part of a conspiracy to assassinate Kennedy. What later reports questioned its findings? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People

In 1977, the General Assembly of the United Nations declared November 29 International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. On December 1, 2000, the Assembly reaffirmed the UN’s responsibility to work towards the peaceful creation of a Palestinian homeland and lauded those countries that observed the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Empress Dowager Cixi (1835)

Cixi was the Imperial consort who controlled the Chinese Qing dynasty for almost half a century. A low-ranking concubine of the Xianfeng emperor, she bore his only son, the future Tongzhi emperor, in 1856. After the emperor’s death, Cixi joined a triumviral regency that governed in the name of her son, who was only six at his accession. During that period, the Taiping and Nian rebellions were put down and the government was briefly revitalized. What happened when Cixi’s son died in 1875? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Mirror Neurons

The discovery of mirror neurons in primates is considered by some to be one of the most important findings in neuroscience in the last decade. These neurons, which are also believed to exist in humans, act as a “mirror” for behavior, firing both when an animal performs an action and when it observes another carrying out that action. This system may play a role in learning new skills and understanding the behavior of others. What human brain disorder may be linked to a mirror neuron deficiency? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Underwater Stone Age Settlement a Haven for Fishing – and Yields Mysterious Elk-Antler Pick Axe

A Stone Age settlement submerged off the coast of Sweden has been comprehensively mapped for the first time. Modern-day fishermen have been getting their nets stuck on stumps under the water around Hanö Bay for years, but only recently has the site been fully … Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary