St. Vincent’s Day

São Vicente (St. Vincent of Saragossa) is the patron saint of Lisbon, Portugal. In Lisbon, people celebrate his feast day with processions and prayers. But in the surrounding rural areas, there are a number of folk traditions associated with this day. Farmers believe that by carrying a resin torch to the top of a high hill on January 22, they can predict what the coming harvest will be like. If the wind extinguishes the flame, the crops will be abundant; if the torch continues to burn, a poor growing season lies ahead. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Sir Francis Bacon (1561)

Bacon was a British statesman and philosopher widely regarded as the father of modern scientific method. His elaborate classification of the sciences inspired the 18th-century French Encyclopedists, and his empiricism inspired 19th-century British philosophers of science. Bacon began his public career as a member of Parliament, later serving as attorney general and lord chancellor. However, his career as a public servant ended when he was convicted and briefly imprisoned in 1621 for what crime? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Terezín

The fortress of Terezín was constructed in the late 18th century in what is now the Czech Republic. In the early 1900s, it held famed prisoner Gavrilo Princip, who assassinated the Archduke of Austria, causing the outbreak of WWI. The Nazis took control of Terezín in 1940 and quickly turned it into concentration camp called Theresienstadt. The camp was presented to the outside world as a model Jewish settlement, but of the approximately 144,000 Jews sent to Theresienstadt, how many survived? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Death of Last Native Speaker Leads to Extinction of Eyak Language (2008)

Eyak is an extinct language that was spoken in Alaska, near the mouth of the Copper River. Marie Smith Jones, the language’s last native speaker, as well as the last full-blooded Eyak, died in 2008 at the age of 89. Before her death, she worked with experts to compile a dictionary that would allow future generations to revive the language. With no native speakers left in the world, Eyak became a symbol in the effort against language extinction. Which languages are the closest relatives to Eyak? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Barrow Day

This national public holiday honors Barbados‘ first prime minister. Errol Barrow was born in 1920, earned a law degree in England, then returned to Barbados, where he became finance minister in 1959 and prime minister in 1961. He was reelected in 1966 and, soon after, Barbados gained independence from Great Britain. Barrow was voted out in 1976 but regained office in 1986; he died the next year. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Karl Wallenda (1905)

Wallenda was a German-born US circus acrobat and founder and leader of the acrobatic troupe that came to be known as the Flying Wallendas. The group gained notoriety in Europe for its high-wire acts without a safety net before developing its most famous act—the seven-person pyramid, topped by Wallenda’s wife, Helen. The troupe traveled with the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus and later performed as freelancers. Wallenda continued performing until age 73. How did he die? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Red Square

Red Square, located in Moscow, is one of the most famous city squares in Russia, with a rich history that is reflected in many works of art. After the square was cleared of buildings in 1493, it became Moscow’s primary marketplace as well as the site for various ceremonies, proclamations, and coronations. During the Soviet era, Red Square maintained its significance and was the site of the 1945 victory parade held after the defeat of Nazi Germany. What is the origin of the name “Red Square”? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary