Andrew Jackson Kills Charles Dickinson in a Duel (1806)

In 1806, nationally famous duelist and expert marksman Charles Dickinson—whose dueling career included 26 kills—was goaded by political opponents of future US President Andrew Jackson to insult Jackson’s wife. A duel was arranged between the men, and Jackson took a shot to the ribs before firing what would be a fatal shot at Dickinson—the only man Jackson ever killed in his 13 duels. Jackson’s wife died in 1828, two weeks after Jackson was elected president. Whom did Jackson blame for her death? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Indian Arrival Day

The people of Trinidad and Tobago observe May 30 as Indian Arrival Day. This holiday honors the nation’s citizens of Indian descent and acknowledges their contribution to the social and cultural landscape of Trinidad and Tobago. In particular, it recalls the arrival of the first boats from India in 1845. The holiday is celebrated with reenactments of the arrival of the first ships bringing Indians to Trinidad, parades honoring the history of the nation’s Indian citizens and their festivals, and various cultural events. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Peter Carl Fabergé (1846)

Famed for the decorative eggs that bear his name, Fabergé was a Russian goldsmith and jeweler. After inheriting his father’s jewelry business, Fabergé decided to expand its scope to include the production of objects made with precious materials like silver, gold, and gems. His studio’s opulent, intricate, and ingenious Easter eggs, which were often commissioned as gifts by tsars Alexander III and Nicholas II, are perhaps his most enduring legacy. Why did Fabergé eventually flee Russia? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Winchester Mystery House

The Winchester Mystery House is a famous California mansion that is reputed to be haunted. Sarah Winchester, the widow of a gun magnate, began building the Winchester Mystery House in 1884 after a medium advised her to construct a house to appease the ghosts of all those killed by Winchester rifles. Construction continued for 38 years, since Sarah Winchester believed that if she stopped working on the house, she would die. What significance does the number 13 have in the mansion? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Waxhaw Massacre (1780)

The Battle of Waxhaws took place during the American Revolution, when 150 mounted Loyalist soldiers overtook a detachment of about 350 Virginia Continentals in South Carolina. According to American accounts, the Loyalist forces ignored the Continentals’ surrender and massacred them. Americans therefore refer to the incident as the Waxhaw Massacre. The British, meanwhile, call it the Battle of Waxhaw Creek. What future US president helped to treat those wounded in the clash? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Ascension of Baha’u’llah

This marks the anniversary of the death in 1892 of Mirza Husayn Ali, known as Baha’u’llah, founder of the Baha’i religion. “Ascension” is not meant literally, but is considered the ascension of the spirit. The day is one of nine Baha’i holy days on which work is suspended. It is observed by gathering together at 3:00 a.m., the time of Baha’u’llah’s death in Acre, Palestine (now Israel), for prayers and sometimes readings from Baha’i historical works. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Oswald Spengler (1880)

Spengler was a German historian and philosopher whose major work, The Decline of the West, brought him worldwide fame. In it, he contends that every civilization passes through a life cycle, blossoming and decaying like a natural organism, and that Western culture has passed its creative stage and entered the period of decline. He was ostracized after 1933 for refusing to support Nazi ideas of racial superiority. What major historic event occurred on the ninth anniversary of his death? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Mount Everest

The peak of Mount Everest is 29,035 ft (8,850 m) above sea level, making it the highest point on earth. It is called Chomo-Lungma, or “Mother of the Universe,” by the Tibetans, and Devgri in Sanskrit, meaning “Holy Mountain.” The first confirmed ascent of the mountain took place in 1953, by Hillary of New Zealand and Norgay of Nepal; however, whether George Mallory had successfully ascended the mountain in 1924 before dying is a matter of controversy. What is the Death zone? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary