Bangladesh Liberation War Begins (1971)

The Bangladesh Liberation War was fought between West Pakistan and East Pakistan—now Pakistan and Bangladesh, respectively. It began as an uprising in East Pakistan led by a guerilla force called the Mukti Bahini. Indian support bolstered the Bangladeshi rebellion and led to a separate but simultaneous war between India and Pakistan. Eventually, West Pakistan’s forces were defeated and East Pakistan gained its independence, becoming the new nation of Bangladesh. Why did India support the rebels? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Bangladesh Independence Day

This public holiday celebrates the the declaration of independence of the state of Bangladesh on March 26, 1971. When India gained independence from Britain in 1947, the region that is now Bangladesh became East Pakistan and was governed together with West Pakistan as one country. By early 1971, differences between East and West Pakistan led to war. When India entered the war in November, independence was assured. Bangladeshis observe this national holiday in the capital city of Dhaka with memorial ceremonies, a boat race on the Buriganga River, and other festivities. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Tennessee Williams (1911)

One of America’s foremost 20th-century playwrights and the author of more than 70 plays, Tennessee Williams achieved his first successes with The Glass Menagerie and A Streetcar Named Desire, for which he won the Pulitzer Prize in 1948. Noted for his scenes of high dramatic tension and brilliant, often lyrical dialogue, Williams received a Tony Award for 1950’s The Rose Tattoo and won another Pulitzer in 1955 for Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. What was his real first name? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Ice Sculpture

Sculpting ice presents a number of difficulties stemming from the material’s variability with regard to purity and air content, as well as its tendency to melt. Ice sculptures feature decoratively in some cuisines, especially in Asia, and numerous competitions are held annually around the world where competitors sculpt realistic as well as abstract forms. In Kiruna, Sweden, a hotel made entirely of ice blocks is open from November to May. Where can you visit an ice hotel in North America? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

World’s First Passenger Railway Begins Service (1807)

In 1804, British Parliament approved the laying of a railway line between Swansea and Oystermouth in South Wales to move limestone from the quarries of Mumbles to Swansea and to the markets beyond. Later renamed the Swansea and Mumbles Railway, the line was approved to carry passengers in 1807. The world’s first regular passenger service began that same year and operated in one form or another for more than a century and a half before it was decommissioned. What powered the line’s first trains? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Tichborne Dole

The custom of handing out a dole, or allotment of flour, to the village poor in Tichborne, Hampshire, England, dates back to the 12th or 13th century. Lady Mabella Tichborne, who was on her deathbed at the time, begged her husband to grant her enough land to provide an annual bounty of bread to the poor, who were suffering from a recent failure of the wheat crop. On March 25, or Lady Day, each year, villagers in need of assistance gather at the porch of Tichborne House to claim their portion of the gift: a gallon of flour for adults, half as much for children. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Aretha Franklin (1942)

Known as the “Queen of Soul,” Aretha Franklin began singing in church choirs as a child before achieving mainstream success with a string of hit songs including “Respect,” “Think,” and “Natural Woman.” In 1987, she became the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and, in 2005, she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian decoration in the US. She is the second most honored female singer in the history of the Grammy Awards. How many has she won? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Lego

Lego is a line of toys featuring colorful plastic bricks, gears, and minifigures that can be assembled to create models of almost anything imaginable. The company had very humble beginnings in the workshop of Ole Kirk Christiansen, a poor carpenter from Denmark, but today manufactures about 20 billion bricks a year. A substantial fan culture has developed that has used the toys to build such things as a harpsichord, a pendulum clock, and an electronic lab kit. What does “Lego” mean? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary