Haymarket Riot (1886)

This violent confrontation between Chicago police and labor protesters, which dramatized the labor movement’s struggle for recognition, began when a bomb was thrown into the police ranks at a gathering of radical unionists protesting police brutality against strikers. With seven officers dead and 60 wounded, the police opened fire on the crowd. Seven anarchist leaders were later sentenced to death. Why is their trial regarded as one of the most serious miscarriages of justice in US history? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Greenery Day

This day formerly observed the birthday of Emperor Hirohito of Japan (1901-1989), who was the world’s longest ruling monarch. Today this day is celebrated as Greenery Day (Midori-no-Hi) with parades featuring elaborate floats, paper lanterns, traditional Japanese costumes, and fireworks. People also mark the day by planting trees and with other activities centered around the appreciation of nature. Greenery Day is a part of Golden Week, which also includes Japan Constitution Memorial Day (May 3) and Kodomo-no-Hi (Children’s Day, May 5). Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Bartolomeo Cristofori (1655)

Scholars believe that though Cristofori was employed as the custodian of musical instruments at the court of Prince Ferdinand de’ Medici, he was hired for the position largely because of his other talent—inventing instruments. His most successful creation was the pianoforte, which, unlike the harpsichord, varies the volume of its sound depending on the force with which its keys are struck. He is thus generally regarded as the inventor of the piano. What other instruments did Cristofori invent? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

How Does Dry Cleaning Work?

Dry cleaning is the process of cleaning fabrics without water. Special solvents and soaps are used so as not to harm fabrics. The practice began in France in the middle of the 19th century, after a dye-works owner noticed that his tablecloth became cleaner after his maid spilled kerosene on it. Early solvents were extremely flammable and led to many fires and explosions. Newer chlorinated hydrocarbon synthetic solvents, such as perchlorethylene, are nonflammable but pose what other dangers? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Sport of Geocaching Begins (2000)

Geocaching is an outdoor treasure-hunting game in which participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS) to hide and seek watertight containers filled with trinkets, hoards known as “geocaches” or simply “caches.” The improved accuracy of GPS devices allowed the pastime to develop, since the specific locations of the small containers could finally be logged and shared. Geocaches are now hidden in more than 100 countries and on all seven continents. What did the world’s first geocache contain? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Blessing of the Shrimp Fleet

In the coastal town of Bayou La Bartre, Alabama, the shrimp blessing has been celebrated since 1950. The fleet blessing began simply: a priest went up and down the bayou blessing the boats tied to the docks. Now some 25,000 people come for the blessing ceremony by the priest of St. Margaret Roman Catholic Church, and a parade of boats decorated with pennants, bunting, and papier-mâché figures. Other events include contests in oyster shucking, shrimp heading, and crab picking; seafood and gumbo dinners; a fiddler-crab race for children; and the crowning of the Fleet Queen. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Golda Meir (1898)

Meir was Israel’s first female prime minister and the third woman in the world to hold such an office, after Sirimavo Bandaranaike of Sri Lanka and Indira Gandhi of India. A signer of Israel’s declaration of independence in 1948, she served in the fledgling nation’s parliament and held posts as minister of labor and foreign minister before becoming Israel’s fourth prime minister in 1969. During her tenure, she sought to ease tensions in the region through diplomacy. Why did she resign in 1974? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

The Puerto Rican Parrot

The Puerto Rican Parrot is the only remaining native parrot in US territory and one of the 10 most endangered bird species in the world. It has green feathers with black edges, a red forehead, and white ovals around the eyes. It was abundant at the time of Columbus’ arrival, but its numbers declined with the clearing of Puerto Rico’s virgin forests to make way for agricultural, mainly sugar cane, production. In 1975, the population reached an absolute low of how many individuals? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary