Last Pair of Great Auks Killed (1844)

Extinct since 1844, the great auk was a flightless seabird once found in great numbers on rocky islands off eastern Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Ireland, and Britain. The bird was hunted on a significant scale by humans for food, eggs, and down since at least the 8th century, but massive exploitation for its down and the collecting of its eggs eventually contributed to the demise of the species. Specimens are now exhibited in many museums. Where was the last pair of great auks killed? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Marshall Islands Fishermen’s Day

In the Marshall Islands, Fishermen’s Day is a public holiday sponsored by the Marshalls Billfish Club. During the contest, competing fishermen go out into the ocean and attempt to catch the most, the biggest, or the heaviest fish in several categories. In 1981, four friends, Tom Micheals, Wally Milne, Ramsey Reimers, and Ronnie Reimers, founded the Marshalls Billfish Club, and they were inspired to set up an annual tournament in the Marshall Islands every July. The Marshall Islands government endorsed the club, and since then the event has become a national holiday each year. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Robert Adam (1728)

One of the greatest architects of the late 18th century, Adam was a Scottish architect and designer whose work influenced the development of Western architecture both in Europe and North America. Along with his brother James, he developed the Adam style, an essentially decorative style of architecture that is most remembered for its application in interiors and is characterized by contrasting room shapes and delicate Classical ornaments. What are some of Adam’s most famous projects? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Tooth Fairy

The tooth fairy is a character in modern Western culture that attends a child’s loss of a deciduous tooth. In Spanish and Italian culture, the tooth fairy takes the form of a little mouse. Typically, a child who has just lost a tooth places it under his or her pillow before going to sleep; in the morning, the child finds that the tooth has been replaced by a coin, a dollar bill, or a present. What is the origin of the tooth fairy character? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Incident at Xuanwu Gate (626 CE)

After Tang Dynasty founder Emperor Gaozu named his son Li Jiancheng the crown prince, an intense rivalry developed between him and his younger brother, Li Shimin. Each prince was advised by his staff members to act first against the other, and, in 626, believing that Li Jiancheng was plotting to kill him, Li Shimin ambushed and killed the crown prince and another brother of theirs at Xuanwu Gate, which led to Emperor Gaozu’s palace. What did the emperor do when he learned of his sons’ deaths? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Ommegang

Ommegang is a medieval pageant presented on the Grand-Place of Brussels, Belgium, and one of the country’s most popular attractions. The pageant is preceded by strolling musicians, followed by a parade of people representing the magistrate and city officials, the court of Marie of Hungary, and the Court of Charles V. Then the actual procession takes place, led by the Knight of Peace. Participants include trade groups with floats, archers, and groups of dancers and clowns dancing around symbolic animals, including the legendary horse Bayard, a unicorn, dragon, and serpent. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Thurgood Marshall (1908)

As the chief legal counsel of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People for more than 20 years, Marshall argued 32 cases before the US Supreme Court, successfully challenging racial segregation, most notably in Brown v. Board of Education. In 1967, he became the first African American appointed to the Supreme Court, a position he held until his retirement in 1991. How many of the 32 cases that Marshall argued before the Supreme Court did he win? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Midwifery

Midwifery is the art of assisting at childbirth. In ancient Greece and Rome, midwives had some formal training, but as the medical arts declined during medieval times, the skills a midwife possessed were gained solely from experience and lore. With the upsurge in medical science in Europe in the 16th c., formal medical training became more prevalent and professional schools of midwifery were established. How are the criteria for becoming a midwife in the US different from those in the UK? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary