Fiesta sa EDSA (People Power Anniversary)

The Fiesta sa EDSA is a commemoration of the bloodless People Power Revolution in the Philippines on February 22-25, 1986, in which the dictatorial regime of Ferdinand Marcos was toppled. Two key government officers rebelled in protest of Marcos’s oppression and demanded his resignation. Pro-Marcos forces threatened to annihilate them, but two million unarmed people, with offerings of flowers, food, and prayers, provided a human shield and overcame the military’s firepower. The day is marked with ceremonies at the site of the revolution in Quezon City, a part of Manila. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841)

Renoir’s paintings number in the thousands and are notable for their saturated color, vibrant light, and warm sensuality. Early in his career, Renoir developed a close relationship with Claude Monet and became a celebrated artist of the Impressionist style. At times the two painters worked side-by-side, creating several pairs of paintings that depict the same scenes. Though crippled with rheumatoid arthritis in his later life, Renoir continued to paint. How did he manage to do so? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Zorro

Zorro, Spanish for “fox,” is a fictional character created by Johnston McCulley. The masked swordsman made his first appearance in The Curse of Capistrano, serialized in a pulp magazine in 1919. Zorro’s true identity is Don Diego de la Vega, a nobleman who lives in Spanish-era California and disguises himself in a mask to protect the common people from tyrannical officials. It has been noted that Zorro was actually one of the original inspirations for what comic strip action heroes? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Marbury v. Madison Establishes Judicial Review (1803)

Marbury v. Madison was a landmark case in American law that resulted in the first decision by the Supreme Court to declare unconstitutional and void an act passed by Congress. It established the basis for the exercise of judicial review of federal statutes by the US Supreme Court. By identifying the Supreme Court as the authoritative interpreter of the Constitution, this decision bolstered power, respect, and prestige in the federal judiciary. Who were the “Midnight Judges”? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

St. Matthias’s Day

The story of how St. Matthias was elected to replace Judas Iscariot as one of the 12 apostles after Judas committed suicide can be found in the Bible’s Book of Acts. There is no historical record of Matthias’s deeds or death. His fame rests almost entirely upon the fact that he took the betrayer Judas’ place, although legend claims that he was stoned and beheaded in Ethiopia in 64 CE. Episcopalians celebrate his feast day on February 24. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (1500)

Charles V was the influential 16th-century European monarch who held the thrones of both the Holy Roman Empire and Spain for approximately 40 years. He played a key role in fighting Protestantism during the Reformation and was later an ardent supporter of the Counter Reformation. He also fought several wars against France and the Ottoman Empire before abdicating in the 1550s, dividing his realms between his son and brother and retiring to a monastery. What saying about Paris originated with him? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

Incunabula

Incunabula are “books of the cradle days” of printing, or books printed in the 15th century. The known incunabula represent about 40,000 editions. The books include products of more than 1,000 presses, including such famous printers as Gutenberg, Caxton, and Aldus Manutius, and give evidence as to the development of typography in its formative period. These books were generally large quarto size, bound in calf over boards of wood, and decorated with borders. What are some famous incunabula? Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary