History

• 
  History Podcast

• HP118 The Six Wives of Henry VIII

  25 Dec 2009 | 1:34 pm

  In our first ever video podcast we will look into the six wives of King Henry the VIII, his mistresses and his children. Everything will be presented on an animated timeline. Sorry about the volume being so low, I will try to correct this on the next video podcast. See historyonair.com for more information.

• HP117 - The Melbourne Cup

  29 Dec 2008 | 1:34 pm

  This is an episode written by a listener, Fiona Skepper. Enjoy our last podcast of 2008! Visit the website for more information. Thank you! Please leave your feedback on the webiste. Learn more at historyonair.com.

• HP116 - Pocahontas

  20 Nov 2008 | 1:34 pm

  This is our first episode in some time. Thank you for hanging in there with us and staying subscribed. Visit the website for more information. Thank you! Please leave your feedback on the webiste. Learn more at historyonair.com.

• HP115 - Diabetes

  3 Aug 2008 | 2:34 pm

  This episode is a request from possibly our youngest listener. Eric who is 10 years old. Eric has diabetes type one and wants to know more about the history of diabetes especially type one. Please leave your feedback on the webiste. Learn more at historyonair.com.

• HP114 - Superman

  29 Jun 2008 | 2:34 pm

  This is a request from Drew of Orlando, FL. Please leave your feedback on the webiste. Learn more at historyonair.com.

• 
  Cronaca

• Megafauna extinction: clues in the poo

  David

  19 Nov 2009 | 6:46 pm

  Mammoth dung has proved to be a source of prehistoric information, helping scientists unravel the mystery of what caused the great mammals to die out. . . Their results showed a slow decline in

• Check your mummy's cholesterol

  David

  17 Nov 2009 | 4:38 pm

  Researchers said they found evidence of hardening of the arteries in Egyptian mummies dating as far back as 3,500 years, challenging long-standing assumptions that cardiovascular disease is mainly a malady of modern societies. They

• Abruzzo after the earthquake: agriturismo/agripellegrinaggio?

  David

  17 Nov 2009 | 6:54 am

  From L'Aquila:On a recent autumn afternoon, half a year after a devastating earthquake struck here, a small flock of sheep and goats made its way through the ghostly, ravaged center of this ancient hilltop city.

• More WW2 Japanese submarines located off Hawaii

  David

  14 Nov 2009 | 5:37 am

  Researchers on Thursday announced the discovery of two World War II Japanese submarines, including one meant to carry aircraft for attacks on American cities and the Panama Canal, in deep water off Hawaii, where they

• In like a lion

  David

  13 Nov 2009 | 1:36 pm

  JUST months - that's how long it took for Europe to be engulfed by an ice age. The scenario, which comes straight out of Hollywood blockbuster The Day After Tomorrow, was revealed by the

• 
  Mirabilis.ca

• Birth of new species witnessed by scientists

  Christine

  18 Nov 2009 | 9:31 am

  From wired.com: Birth of New Species Witnessed by Scientists. On one of the Galapagos islands whose finches shaped the theories of a young Charles Darwin, biologists have witnessed that elusive moment when a single species splits in two. In many ways, the split followed predictable patterns, requiring a hybrid newcomer who’d already taken baby steps down a new evolutionary path. But playing an unexpected part was chance, and the newcomer singing his own special song. [continue]

• Face-to-face with a leopard seal

  Christine

  17 Nov 2009 | 10:25 pm

  From liveleak.com: Paul Nicklen describes his most amazing experience as a National Geographic photographer — coming face-to-face with one of the arctic’s most vicious predators. Not only did he get to swim and take photos of a 12-foot leopard seal in the Antarctic (and didn’t get eaten), he was actually adopted by it! You must see this, you just must. Go look.

• The ‘youngest headmaster in the world’

  Christine

  12 Oct 2009 | 7:16 pm

  From the Beeb: The ‘youngest headmaster in the world’ . At 16 years old, Babar Ali must be the youngest headmaster in the world. He’s a teenager who is in charge of teaching hundreds of students in his family’s backyard, where he runs classes for poor children from his village.[continue]

• And so the boy built a windmill

  Christine

  2 Oct 2009 | 7:11 pm

  Now this, this is amazing. It’s a BBC article about what William Kamkwamba did when he was a teenager in Malawi. Unable to attend school, he kept up his education by using a local library. Fascinated by science, his life changed one day when he picked up a tattered textbook and saw a picture of a windmill. And so he knocked together a turbine from spare bicycle parts, a tractor fan blade and an old shock absorber, and fashioned blades from plastic pipes, flattened by being held over a fire. And it worked. Here’s the rest of the article.

• Boy lifts book; librarian changes boy’s life

  Christine

  2 Oct 2009 | 6:59 pm

  This is the most touching story I’ve come across in a while: Boy Lifts Book; Librarian Changes Boy’s Life. Go on now, read it.

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  Pepys' Diary

• Tuesday 20 November 1666

  Samuel Pepys

  20 Nov 2009 | 3:00 pm

  Called up by Mr. Sheply, who is going into the country to-day to Hinchingbroke, I sent my service to my Lady, and in general for newes: that the world do think well of my Lord, and do wish he were here again, but that the publique matters of the State as to the war are in the worst condition that is possible. By and by Sir W. Warren, and with him half an hour discoursing of several businesses, and some I hope will bring me a little profit. He gone, and Sheply, I to the office a little, and then to church, it being thanksgiving-day for the cessation of the plague; but, Lord! how the towne do…

• Monday 19 November 1666

  Samuel Pepys

  19 Nov 2009 | 3:00 pm

  Lay pretty long in bed talking with pleasure with my wife, and then up and all the morning at my own chamber fitting some Tangier matters against the afternoon for a meeting. This morning also came Mr. Caesar, and I heard him on the lute very finely, and my boy begins to play well. After dinner I carried and set my wife down at her brother's, and then to Barkeshire-house, where my Lord Chancellor hath been ever since the fire, but he is not come home yet, so I to Westminster Hall, where the Lords newly up and the Commons still sitting. Here I met with Mr. Robinson, who did give me a printed…

• Sunday 18 November 1666

  Samuel Pepys

  18 Nov 2009 | 3:00 pm

  (Lord's day). Up by candle-light and on foote to White Hall, where by appointment I met Lord Bruncker at Sir W. Coventry's chamber, and there I read over my great letter, and they approved it: and as I do do our business in defence of the Board, so I think it is as good a letter in the manner, and believe it is the worst in the matter of it, as ever come from any office to a Prince. Back home in my Lord Bruncker's coach, and there W. Hewer and I to write it over fair; dined at noon, and Mercer with us, and mighty merry, and then to finish my letter; and it being three o'clock ere we had done,…

• Saturday 17 November 1666

  Samuel Pepys

  17 Nov 2009 | 3:00 pm

  Up, and to the office, where all the morning. At noon home to dinner, and in the afternoon shut myself in my chamber, and there till twelve at night finishing my great letter to the Duke of York, which do lay the ill condition of the Navy so open to him, that it is impossible if the King and he minds any thing of their business, but it will operate upon them to set all matters right, and get money to carry on the war, before it be too late, or else lay out for a peace upon any termes. It was a great convenience to-night that what I had writ foule in short hand, I could read to W. Hewer, and…

• Friday 16 November 1666

  Samuel Pepys

  16 Nov 2009 | 3:00 pm

  Up again betimes to attend the examination of Mr. Gawden's accounts, where we all met, but I did little but fit myself for the drawing my great letter to the Duke of York of the state of the Navy for want of money. At noon to the 'Change, and thence back to the new taverne come by us; the Three Tuns, where D. Gawden did feast us all with a chine of beef and other good things, and an infinite dish of fowl, but all spoiled in the dressing. This noon I met with Mr. Hooke, and he tells me the dog which was filled with another dog's blood, at the College the other day, is very well, and like to be…

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  World History Blog

• What Lies Beneath

  M

  19 Nov 2009 | 7:16 am

  The site What Lies Beneath was suggested to me by a reader named Tom Stewart. The YouTube clip notes, "Ah. The Cold War. How very British we all were about the prospect of being vaporised at any moment by a hydrogen bomb - the threat of nuclear war was nothing more than a passing annoyance to the ordinary British gent in the street..!"Tom describes the site itself as, "Its a site that acts as an online exhibition of sorts, looking into European experiences of the cold war. Its a period that fascinates me, and given the nature of your blog I thought it would be interesting if you could post…

• Does the History Channel show too much non-history programming?

  M

  18 Nov 2009 | 7:13 am

  The poll has closed for the question, "Does the History Channel show too much non-history programming?" Thanks to all who participated by voting.Yes won with 68%. I guess these voters do not believe shows on monsters, UFOs, and ice road truckers are really history. No came in second with 17%. Not sure came in last with 14%.

• History Computerization Project

  M

  5 Nov 2009 | 11:27 am

  The History Computerization Project aims to create a network for exchanging historical information. The site includes details about the computer database program for historical research, writing and cataloging; advice on organizing materials; and links to mostly-US research resources. From the site:The program is used by individual researchers as well as by institutions such as archival centers, libraries, museums, historical societies, historical landmark commissions, and preservationist groups. Single-user and multi-user versions, running on IBM PC compatible computers, bridge the gap…

• OZ Fossils: The Age of Reptiles

  M

  4 Nov 2009 | 7:09 am

  I discovered a nice site on pre-historic Australian fossils. It is The Eromanga Sea - OZ Fossils: The Age of Reptiles. Readers can learn about the Pliosaurs and Plesiosaurs, Ichthyosaurs, Ammonites, and Beleminites that lived in the shallow sea that covered inland Australia ten million years ago.From the site:About one hundred and ten million years ago a shallow sea covered what is now arid inland Australia. Australia’s most beautiful and complete fossils of this period are of the spectacular marine creatures that lived in this cold sea.Despite the impressive size of some of these fossils,…

• Smithsonian Urban Legends

  M

  3 Nov 2009 | 5:37 am

  With permission, I am republishing the post Smithsonian Urban Legends written by Jennie Weber. I think it is interesting and worth publishing again.-----------Smithsonian Magazine had an article on urban myths (to refute) them recently. My personal favorite:Myth #8: There is a subterranean archive center underneath the National Mall.Fact: The Smithsonian’s storage facilities are mostly located in Suitland, Maryland.Backstory: The notion that a labyrinthine network of storage space exists beneath the Smithsonian museums, under the National Mall, may have started with Gore Vidal’s novel The…

• 
  History in the News

• Maine Medal of Honor winner dies in Calif. at 88

  21 Nov 2009 | 1:55 am

  A Mechanic Falls native who won the Medal of Honor for leading a bayonet charge against an enemy position during the Korean War has died.

• Senate block may cost Boeing $7.5 bil

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:27 pm

  A four-month delay by the U.S. Senate in confirming President Barack Obama's nominee for ambassador to Brazil may cost Boeing Co.

• Fat free falsehoods

  20 Nov 2009 | 5:05 pm

  In the battle of the bulge, every gram of fat counts, especially when its saturated or trans fats.

• Clinton a 'tease' claims British MP

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:47 pm

  TALK about Washington and London's special relationship. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has admitted she has a "crush" on Britain's youthful-looking, 44-year-old Foreign Minister David Miliband, according to an interview published in US Vogue magazine.

• Clinton: Presidential library teaches that action brings change

  20 Nov 2009 | 8:20 am

  Former President Bill Clinton said today he intended for his presidential library to teach the lesson that taking action can change the world - a lesson he said is important as the nation debates issues like health care reform and global warming.

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  Breaking News

• Vietnam Vet Stages Hunger Strike in Front of White House to Raise Awareness About PTSD

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:51 pm

  Source: Truthout (11-20-09)Since Veterans Day, Thomas E. Mahany, a 62-year-old Vietnam War veteran, has been on a hunger strike in front of the White House to raise awareness about post-traumatic stress disorder and protest the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Mahany recently wrote a letter to President Obama calling on him to "withdraw our military men and women from the Middle East now." He said he plans to only drink water "until specific action is taken by your administration and our military to stem the tragic and ever-increasing rise in the incidence of post-traumatic stress…

• Climatologists Baffled by Global Warming Time-Out

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:36 pm

  Source: Spiegel Online (11-19-09)Global warming appears to have stalled. Climatologists are puzzled as to why average global temperatures have stopped rising over the last 10 years. Some attribute the trend to a lack of sunspots, while others explain it through ocean currents. At least the weather in Copenhagen is likely to be cooperating. The Danish Meteorological Institute predicts that temperatures in December, when the city will host the United Nations Climate Change Conference, will be one degree above the long-term average. Otherwise, however, not much is happening with global warming…

• A New Garden at the U. of California at Davis Honors Patwin People

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:24 pm

  Source: The Chronicle of Higher Education (11-20-09)A new contemplation garden at the University of California at Davis honors the Patwin people, who once inhabited the land that became the campus. The garden, part of the university's 100-acre arboretum, is located on the bank of Putah Creek and includes 34 kinds of trees and plants that the Patwin used. The garden identifies many by their Patwin names. The garden also includes a series of engraved basalt columns, one of which records the names of 51 Patwin men, women, and children who were removed to missions between 1817 and 1836, when…

• Evangelicals Give Away 170,000 Copies of Darwin's Book With 'Special Introduction'

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:06 pm

  Source: CNSNews (11-20-09)About 1,200 Christian activists mobilized on college campuses nationwide on Wednesday to give away 170,000 copies of Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species, the classic text on evolution. The book, however, contains a ‘Special Introduction’ by evangelist Ray Comfort that argues against Darwin’s theory and presents a creationist alternative to man’s origins and nature’s growth... ...November 24 is the 150th anniversary of the publication of On the Origin of Species. Because the book is more than 100 years old, it is in the public…

• The Rise of China's Auto Industry

  20 Nov 2009 | 6:37 pm

  Source: Secrecy News (11-20-09)“In recent years, China has become the world’s fastest growing automotive producer,” according to a new report (pdf) from the Congressional Research Service. “[China's] annual vehicle output has increased from less than 2 million vehicles in the late 1990s to 9.5 million in 2008. In terms of production volume in 2008, China has surpassed Korea, France, Germany, and the United States, trailing only Japan.” “China’s automobile industry has continued to expand despite the global economic downturn. From January to October…

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  Blog 4 History: American & Civil War History

• American Exceptionalism?

  Chris

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:28 am

  A week or so ago the Pew Global Attitudes Project released a study titled “The Pulse of Europe 2009: 20 Years After the Fall of the Berlin Wall” that centered on the attitudes in Eastern Europe and Russia about the collapse of Communism. The results are fascinating and led me to consider something after reading this short op-ed piece by Karlyn Bowman. The report describes the “long-existing transatlantic divide,” a divide that suggests what? Well let’s look at the data. The study revealed that “fewer people [in eastern Europe] today than in 1991 think that…

• U.S History Studies, Yes!

  Chris

  19 Nov 2009 | 8:04 pm

  I have found out today that my efforts to start an early American History survey course has been approved. Some of you who already have such a thing might be saying, “So What.” Thus, allow me to explain. Starting next year, here in our School District in Colorado, U.S. History A and B will start post-Reconstruction with the Gilded Age. No more early American history. I made a proposal to keep this time period, up to 1877, as a “U.S. History Studies” class as they wanted to call it. Well it has been approved and I have a few weeks to write a description and propose a…

• New Acquisitions…

  Chris

  18 Nov 2009 | 9:41 am

  I recieved from Oxford University Press a couple of new books. This Mighty Scourge: Perspectives on the Civil War and Stand Firm Ye Boys from Maine: The 20th Maine and the Gettysburg Campaign. This Mighty Scourge is the new paperback edition and Stand Firm the 15th Anniversary reprint. I have not read Stand Firm, but will do so soon. I have read some great reviews concering Thomas A. Desjardin and his book. I was assigned part of McPherson’s book for my Civil War graduate class last Spring and read part of it, I will finish the rest and post some comments soon.

• The Richard Dreyfuss Show!?

  Chris

  17 Nov 2009 | 7:20 pm

  Sounds like Richard Dreyfuss was a complete bomb today at Kevin Levin’s private school in Virginia. Levin and his school had the unfortunate pleasure (I guess) to have this Hollywood actor/ historian (?) as a guest speaker. Levin titled his blog story today as The Richard Dreyfuss Show, very catchy! I like it. I will agree with Levin, that based on his description, Dreyfuss indeed did not know the audience he was addressing and did not, as it sounds, stay on message that was appropriate for that audience. I do not know, I was not there. So who was in the audience besides Levin? This is…

• Further Evidence of the Decline of American Exceptionalism… According to Dirty Harry!

  Chris

  17 Nov 2009 | 12:59 pm

  Recently Clint Eastwood, famed Hollywood actor and now director / producer, was interviewed for a cover story by GQ Magazine. When asked about America today, he had some rather “pointed” [ha, ha] comments. I have enjoyed his recent films: Flags of our Fathers; Letters from Iwo Jima, Million Dollar Baby, ect. I don’t know what his political affliliation is and I don’t particularily care. I will always follow his work. His new movie is called “Invictus,” and is the true story of Nelson Mandela.  During the interview he had this to say: “The world…

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  Wig-Wags

• National Geographic’s New Atlas of the Civil War

  Rene Tyree

  3 Nov 2009 | 7:46 pm

  Hardcover: 256 pages Publisher: National Geographic (October 20, 2009) Language: English ISBN-10: 1426203470 ISBN-13: 978-1426203473 Product Dimensions: 13.7 x 10.7 x 1.1 inches The good folks at National Geographic sent me a review copy of their new Atlas of the Civil War: A Comprehensive Guide to the Tactics and the Terrain of Battle. I’m impressed. This is one of those books that as a kid I would spread out on the floor in front of the fire and lose myself in for hours. It’s FULL size means just that. Images that many of us have seen for years, and many we’ve never seen,…

• On the Hunt for Sources on David G. Farragut’s Leadership

  Rene Tyree

  31 Oct 2009 | 7:37 am

  I’ve decided choose as topic for the research paper I’m writing for my current class, the leadership of David G. Farragut during the New Orleans Campaign. I’m on the hunt for both primary and secondary sources. Let me know if you have recommendations. Portrait of Rear Adm. David G. Farragut, officer of the Federal Navy (Vice Adm. from Dec. 3, 1864) Source: Library of Congress LC-B813- 1561 A Tagged: American Civil War, Civil War Naval History, David G. Farragut, Library of Congress images, New Orleans Campaign

• Book Review: Jefferson Davis and His Generals – The Failure of Confederate Command in the West

  Rene Tyree

  27 Oct 2009 | 5:19 pm

  STEVEN E. WOODWORTH. Jefferson Davis and His Generals: The Failure of Confederate Command in the WestLawrence, Kansas: University Press of Kansas. 1990. Pp. xv, 380. $16.95. Much has been written about the political and military genius of Abraham Lincoln and the successful leader he grew to be while Commander in Chief of a fractured union.  But as the country divided and civil war became a reality, a new leader was called upon to assume the role of Commander in Chief for the Confederacy, the seasoned Jefferson Davis.  At the precipice of war, betting men looking at the comparative…

• The War of 1812 in the Age of Napoleon by Jeremy Black

  Rene Tyree

  25 Oct 2009 | 1:53 pm

  The good folks at the University of Oklahoma Press forwarded a review copy of Jeremy Black’s new book, The War of 1812 in the Age of Napoleon. In my usual fashion, I am making an initial post about the book before a full reading. ISBN: 978-0-8061-4078-0 Hardcover 288 pages 6″ x 9″ x 0″ 1 B&W Illus., 3 Maps Published: 2009, Oklahoma University Press Jeremy Black (Photo: athens.edu) The quick perusal reveals several compelling reasons for recommending the book. First, it is written from “an Atlantic vantage point, which accounts for its contribution to the…

• 200,000th View of Wig Wags

  Rene Tyree

  14 Oct 2009 | 7:46 pm

  A moment of celebration for the 200,000th view of Wig Wags that occurred sometime today. Many thanks to those who have stopped by. Ahem.  Carry on… OH and thanks to Gabriel Pollard for the photo. Tagged: Blogging, wigwags blog

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  American Presidents Blog

• Marie Curie and two American Presidents

  20 Nov 2009 | 10:04 am

  I admit it – when I was looking up the information for my last series of posts, I got distracted looking at other winners in all the fields (I had to find my personal favorite....actually not a US President, so if you are really curious, you'll have to check out my personal blog), but I found a fun little connection to share, so hey, I can call it productive time!Marie Curie shared the 1903 Nobel Prize in Physics for her work on spontaneous radiation She shared this award with her husband and Antoine Henri Becquerel. Madame Curie actually also won a Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1911 for her…

• Jimmy's Nobel Peace Prize

  19 Nov 2009 | 11:46 am

  The most recent presidential Nobel Prize winner is Jimmy Carter, who won it in 2002, well after his presidency. Carter was awarded this honor for his decades of work for international peace: The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2002 to Jimmy Carter, for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.During his presidency (1977-1981), Carter's mediation was a vital contribution to the Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt, in…

• Which former American President would you most like to have a beer with?

  18 Nov 2009 | 7:06 am

  The poll has closed for the question, "Which former American President would you most like to have a beer with?" Thanks to all who particpated by voting.Bill Clinton came in first with 44%. George W. Bush was second with 24%. Jimmy Carter was third with 20%. Finishing last was George H.W. Bush with 10%.

• A Parent's Love...

  17 Nov 2009 | 8:03 pm

  Halloween night Mr. EHT and I received a phone call that every parent dreads…one from a stranger identifying himself as an EMT. My mind worked furiously to comprehend what he was saying, but all I wanted to say was, “Surely sir, you have the wrong number.” He just kept rattling off information ---he was with my daughter, there had been an accident, he and his wife ( a nurse) had been driving by, he assured me they would stay by Dear Daughter’s side until she was in the ambulance. Ambulance?????? I finally got the words out…..”Is she….is she ok?” The voice on the other end of…

• Woodrow’s Nobel Peace Prize

  17 Nov 2009 | 10:25 am

  After Teddy Roosevelt, the next US President to win a Nobel Peace Prize was Woodrow Wilson in 1919. Wilson received his Nobel Peace Prize for his work ending the First World War and creating the League of Nations:On this day in 1920, the Nobel Prize for Peace is awarded to U.S. President Woodrow Wilson for his work in ending the First World War and creating the League of Nations. Although Wilson could not attend the award ceremony in Oslo, Norway, the U.S. Ambassador to Norway, Albert Schmedeman, delivered a telegram from Wilson to the Nobel Committee.Wilson’s involvement in devising a plan…

• 
  History According to Bob

• Antietam Results

  Bob Packett

  20 Nov 2009 | 4:00 am

  This show is about the results of the Antietam Campaign in 1862.

• Battle of Trafalgar Part 3

  Bob Packett

  19 Nov 2009 | 4:00 am

  This show is part 3 of 5 on the Battle of Trafalgar.Battle is joined.

• Caesar Runs for Quaestor 70BC

  Bob Packett

  18 Nov 2009 | 4:00 am

  This show is about Julius Caesar's run for the regular offices of the Roman Republic, this one is his run for Quaestor.

• Assassin Mehmet Ali Agca

  Bob Packett

  17 Nov 2009 | 4:00 am

  This show is about Mehmet Ali Agca the man who shot the pope..

• 5th Italian War Part 3

  Bob Packett

  16 Nov 2009 | 4:00 am

  This show is part 3 of 3. The show covers the end of the 5th Italian War, 5 down 3 to go.

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  HistoryNet - From the World's Largest History Magazine Publisher

• Daily Quiz for November 21, 2009

  HistoryNet Staff

  20 Nov 2009 | 4:01 pm

  This commander was called "The Old Corporal."

• The Makeshift MP3008

  cnewman

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:20 pm

  The homely MP3008, a German submachine gun (SMG) produced in 1945, was a low point in the German tradition of innovation in close-range automatic weapons development.

• Laurence Rees’s WWII Reading List

  cnewman

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:00 pm

  Laurence Rees, the British historian and documentary filmmaker, shares his reading list with World War II magazine.

• Patrick Hitler Makes a Case to Fight the Reich

  cnewman

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:20 am

  After the U.S. declared war on Germany William Patrick Hitler, the half-English nephew of Adolf Hitler, appealed directly to Franklin Roosevelt in his effort to join the U.S. military.

• Hannah Pakula: A Biographer Traces the Rise of Madame Chiang Kai-shek

  cnewman

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:10 am

  Hannah Pakula, acclaimed author of An Uncommon Woman, tells World War II magazine about her new book, The Last Empress: Madame Chiang Kai-shek and the Birth of Modern China.

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  african american history - Google News

• Behind the scenes Wally Triplett looks back - Detroit Free Press

  21 Nov 2009 | 12:41 am

  Behind the scenes Wally Triplett looks backDetroit Free PressWally Triplett was the first drafted African American to play in the NFL. He played for the Lions in 1949-50 before two years in the Army.

• Nothing controversial in Rev. Wright's remarks - Baltimore Sun

  21 Nov 2009 | 12:24 am

  Nothing controversial in Rev. Wright's remarksBaltimore SunWright delivered a speech, spoken in the cadence of a preacher in the pulpit on Sunday, steeped in African-American history and intertwined with family lore Wright urges unity in NAACP speechMaryland Gazetteall 3 news articles »

• To Blacks, Precious Is 'Demeaned' or 'Angelic' - New York Times

  20 Nov 2009 | 1:34 pm

  Washington PostTo Blacks, Precious Is 'Demeaned' or 'Angelic'New York Times said Nathan McCall, a novelist and former newspaper reporter who teaches a course on the history of African-American images at Emory University. 'Precious' delivers shock with message -- Story of girl's experience praised California Chronicleall 213 news articles »

• Muslims, critics have work to do, Islamic scholar says - Louisville Courier-Journal

  20 Nov 2009 | 12:10 pm

  NewsweekMuslims, critics have work to do, Islamic scholar saysLouisville Courier-JournalIf you think everybody's going to embrace and help you and say, 'Welcome to America,' you have not read American history. … You have to prove yourselves. Warlord Obama Walking the Plank to a Dhimmi NationRight Side NewsAmerican Muslims must defend the Constitution of the United StatesAmerican MuslimMuslims In 21st Century America: Political Correctness DeadlyRight Side Newsall 49 news articles »

• Oprah Winfrey: It's good to talk - BBC News

  20 Nov 2009 | 6:14 am

  Telegraph.co.ukOprah Winfrey: It's good to talkBBC NewsFrom her early career as Nashville's first African-American TV correspondent to global superstar, Oprah Winfrey has well and truly conquered the United Oprah Winfrey announces her departure on today's 'Oprah Winfrey Show'Examiner.comThe Oprah Winfrey Show To EndSame SameTearful Oprah announces end to iconic talk showAFPLos Angeles Public Relations News -Los Angeles Times -WSETall 3,891 news articles »

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  The History Channel - This Day in History - Lead Story

• Millions tune in to find out who shot J.R.

  21 Nov 2009 | 2:39 am

  On this day in 1980, 350 million people around the world tune in to television's popular primetime drama "Dallas" to find out who shot J.R. Ewing, the character fans loved to hate. J.R. had been shot on the season-ending episode the previous March 21, which now stands as one of television's most famous cliffhangers. The plot twist inspired widespread media coverage and left America wondering "Who shot J.R.?" for the next eight months.  The November 21 episode solved the mystery, identifying Kristin Shepard, J.R.'s wife's sister and his former mistress, as the culprit.  The CBS…

• 
  On this day in history

• 1620: The 'Pilgrim Fathers' on the 'Mayflower' make first landfall in North America, at Cape Cod, New England.

  20 Nov 2009 | 5:15 pm

• 1953: Piltdown Man, an archaeological discovery hailed as the 'missing link' in 1911, is exposed as a fake.

  20 Nov 2009 | 5:15 pm

• 1995: The Dayton Agreement between Serb, Croat and Bosnian leaders ends more than three years of war in Bosnia.

  20 Nov 2009 | 5:15 pm

• 
  World War II History» World War II History

• More Than 4000 WWII Objects Sold in Auction

  Steven Terjeson

  20 Nov 2009 | 8:30 am

  More Than 4,000 Objects Sold in Auction by Leading Militaria Auction House, Hermann Historica oHG Largest Private Collection of Normandy Invasion Artifacts Fetches Nearly US$2 Million in Auction Hermann Historica oHG of Munich, Germany, the world leader in handling sales of militaria antiquities, antique arms and armour, firearms, hunting collectibles, orders and decorations as well as objects of military history, today concluded its auction of one of the most extensive and well preserved private collections of World War II artifacts. Following two days of bidding at the auction site in La…

• Lois Herr – Author – Dear Coach

  Steven Terjeson

  17 Nov 2009 | 1:33 pm

  Author Lois Herr has stopped by to share with us a letter taken from her new book “Dear Coach: Letters Home from WWII.” Please join me in welcoming Lois Herr. Thank you for having me! In “Dear Coach: Letters Home from WWII” I’ve compiled together a variety of the letters mom and I stumbled across in the attic written to dad by his athletes during WWII, with pictures, scrapbook clippings, newspaper articles and a wide variety of historical information from the time to paint a picture of what life must have been like for these small-town college men and women as not only their country…

• Dear Coach Letters Home from WWII

  Steven Terjeson

  13 Nov 2009 | 3:34 pm

  On November 17th, Lois Herr, author of “Dear Coach: Letters Home from WWII” will be stopping by to share a sample letter from her new book with us. A collection of not only letters but historical facts, pictures and vivid commentary, “Dear Coach” features letters from WWII that were sent to Lois’s father, the famous Elizabethtown College coach Ira Herr, by various students, friends and family members who once played for the coach. The book gives an inside look at not only the impact of war to a small college community, but that of multiple heartfelt player and coach relationships.

• WWII History for November 9 – Kristallnacht

  Steven Terjeson

  9 Nov 2009 | 5:49 pm

  Today in WWII History World War II History for November 9 11.09.1938-11.10.1938 – Kristallnacht, “Crystal Night” or “Night of Broken Glass.” Nazi’s launch a campaign of terror against Jews in Germany in retaliation to the killing German diplomat Ernst vom Rath in Paris. The event got it’s name from the shattered window glass which was valued at over 6 million marks. 267 synagogues and 815 shops were wrecked, 36 Jews were killed and 20,000 were arrested.

• Franklin D Roosevelt

  Steven Terjeson

  3 Nov 2009 | 9:23 am

  Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882 – April 12, 1945) 32nd President of the United States Franklin Delano Roosevelt was born on January 30, 1882 in Hyde Park, New York to James and Sara Roosevelt, both from wealthy old New York families. He grew up in a privileged home, going to boarding school and later to Harvard. After graduating from Harvard he went on to Columbia Law School (1905) until 1907 when he passed the New York Bar Exam and started work in corporate law. On March 17, 1905, Roosevelt married Eleanor, with his 5th cousin (and Elanor’s uncle) President Theodore…

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  Blog 4 History: American & Civil War History

• American Exceptionalism?

  Chris

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:28 am

  A week or so ago the Pew Global Attitudes Project released a study titled “The Pulse of Europe 2009: 20 Years After the Fall of the Berlin Wall” that centered on the attitudes in Eastern Europe and Russia about the collapse of Communism. The results are fascinating and led me to consider something after reading this short op-ed piece by Karlyn Bowman. The report describes the “long-existing transatlantic divide,” a divide that suggests what? Well let’s look at the data. The study revealed that “fewer people [in eastern Europe] today than in 1991 think that…

• U.S History Studies, Yes!

  Chris

  19 Nov 2009 | 8:04 pm

  I have found out today that my efforts to start an early American History survey course has been approved. Some of you who already have such a thing might be saying, “So What.” Thus, allow me to explain. Starting next year, here in our School District in Colorado, U.S. History A and B will start post-Reconstruction with the Gilded Age. No more early American history. I made a proposal to keep this time period, up to 1877, as a “U.S. History Studies” class as they wanted to call it. Well it has been approved and I have a few weeks to write a description and propose a…

• New Acquisitions…

  Chris

  18 Nov 2009 | 9:41 am

  I recieved from Oxford University Press a couple of new books. This Mighty Scourge: Perspectives on the Civil War and Stand Firm Ye Boys from Maine: The 20th Maine and the Gettysburg Campaign. This Mighty Scourge is the new paperback edition and Stand Firm the 15th Anniversary reprint. I have not read Stand Firm, but will do so soon. I have read some great reviews concering Thomas A. Desjardin and his book. I was assigned part of McPherson’s book for my Civil War graduate class last Spring and read part of it, I will finish the rest and post some comments soon.

• The Richard Dreyfuss Show!?

  Chris

  17 Nov 2009 | 7:20 pm

  Sounds like Richard Dreyfuss was a complete bomb today at Kevin Levin’s private school in Virginia. Levin and his school had the unfortunate pleasure (I guess) to have this Hollywood actor/ historian (?) as a guest speaker. Levin titled his blog story today as The Richard Dreyfuss Show, very catchy! I like it. I will agree with Levin, that based on his description, Dreyfuss indeed did not know the audience he was addressing and did not, as it sounds, stay on message that was appropriate for that audience. I do not know, I was not there. So who was in the audience besides Levin? This is…

• Further Evidence of the Decline of American Exceptionalism… According to Dirty Harry!

  Chris

  17 Nov 2009 | 12:59 pm

  Recently Clint Eastwood, famed Hollywood actor and now director / producer, was interviewed for a cover story by GQ Magazine. When asked about America today, he had some rather “pointed” [ha, ha] comments. I have enjoyed his recent films: Flags of our Fathers; Letters from Iwo Jima, Million Dollar Baby, ect. I don’t know what his political affliliation is and I don’t particularily care. I will always follow his work. His new movie is called “Invictus,” and is the true story of Nelson Mandela.  During the interview he had this to say: “The world…

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  New York History

• This Week's New York History Web Highlights

  John Warren

  20 Nov 2009 | 9:00 am

  Each Friday New York History compiles for our readers the week's best stories and links from the web about the history of New York. You can find all our weekly web highlights here.

• This Week's Top New York History News

  John Warren

  20 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am

• Research Fellowship in Museum Anthropology

  John Warren

  19 Nov 2009 | 9:00 am

  The Bard Graduate Center and the American Museum of Natural History announce a Research Fellowship in Museum Anthropology. The fellowship provides support to a postdoctoral investigator to carry out a specific project over a two-year period. The program is designed to advance the training of the participant by having her/him pursue a project in association with a curator in the Division of

• Researching New York 2009: 400 Years of Exploration

  John Warren

  19 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am

  The annual Researching New York Conference, entitled 400 Years of Exploration: The Hudson-Champlain Corridor and Beyond, will take place today and tomorrow (November 19th and 20th). What follows is the conferences free and open to the public featured events, and even those who cannot attend the conference will find the Thursday evening sessions at the State Museum, as well as the Friday plenary

• CFP: Farmingdale State College 'Borders' Conference

  John Warren

  18 Nov 2009 | 9:00 am

  The intriguing concept of borders involves discussions of identity, nationality, ethnicity, hybridity, and community. The Liberal Arts and Sciences Department at Farmingdale State College/ SUNY announces a one-day interdisciplinary conference exploring the nature of borders on October 16, 2010 on its campus.Organizers are especially interested in papers exploring “self” and the “other,” imagined

• 
  Wig-Wags

• National Geographic’s New Atlas of the Civil War

  Rene Tyree

  3 Nov 2009 | 7:46 pm

  Hardcover: 256 pages Publisher: National Geographic (October 20, 2009) Language: English ISBN-10: 1426203470 ISBN-13: 978-1426203473 Product Dimensions: 13.7 x 10.7 x 1.1 inches The good folks at National Geographic sent me a review copy of their new Atlas of the Civil War: A Comprehensive Guide to the Tactics and the Terrain of Battle. I’m impressed. This is one of those books that as a kid I would spread out on the floor in front of the fire and lose myself in for hours. It’s FULL size means just that. Images that many of us have seen for years, and many we’ve never seen,…

• On the Hunt for Sources on David G. Farragut’s Leadership

  Rene Tyree

  31 Oct 2009 | 7:37 am

  I’ve decided choose as topic for the research paper I’m writing for my current class, the leadership of David G. Farragut during the New Orleans Campaign. I’m on the hunt for both primary and secondary sources. Let me know if you have recommendations. Portrait of Rear Adm. David G. Farragut, officer of the Federal Navy (Vice Adm. from Dec. 3, 1864) Source: Library of Congress LC-B813- 1561 A Tagged: American Civil War, Civil War Naval History, David G. Farragut, Library of Congress images, New Orleans Campaign

• Book Review: Jefferson Davis and His Generals – The Failure of Confederate Command in the West

  Rene Tyree

  27 Oct 2009 | 5:19 pm

  STEVEN E. WOODWORTH. Jefferson Davis and His Generals: The Failure of Confederate Command in the WestLawrence, Kansas: University Press of Kansas. 1990. Pp. xv, 380. $16.95. Much has been written about the political and military genius of Abraham Lincoln and the successful leader he grew to be while Commander in Chief of a fractured union.  But as the country divided and civil war became a reality, a new leader was called upon to assume the role of Commander in Chief for the Confederacy, the seasoned Jefferson Davis.  At the precipice of war, betting men looking at the comparative…

• The War of 1812 in the Age of Napoleon by Jeremy Black

  Rene Tyree

  25 Oct 2009 | 1:53 pm

  The good folks at the University of Oklahoma Press forwarded a review copy of Jeremy Black’s new book, The War of 1812 in the Age of Napoleon. In my usual fashion, I am making an initial post about the book before a full reading. ISBN: 978-0-8061-4078-0 Hardcover 288 pages 6″ x 9″ x 0″ 1 B&W Illus., 3 Maps Published: 2009, Oklahoma University Press Jeremy Black (Photo: athens.edu) The quick perusal reveals several compelling reasons for recommending the book. First, it is written from “an Atlantic vantage point, which accounts for its contribution to the…

• 200,000th View of Wig Wags

  Rene Tyree

  14 Oct 2009 | 7:46 pm

  A moment of celebration for the 200,000th view of Wig Wags that occurred sometime today. Many thanks to those who have stopped by. Ahem.  Carry on… OH and thanks to Gabriel Pollard for the photo. Tagged: Blogging, wigwags blog

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  Progressive Historians: History For Our Future

• Friday Ramblings, November 20

  AndrewMc

  20 Nov 2009 | 10:01 am

  It's Friday. Ramble on! Whew. What a week. Follow me on below . . . A shift in university governance away from faculty toward administrators means that faculty have a much weaker voice than... (Read the full post at ProgressiveHistorians.)

• The Cliopatria Awards

  Jeremy Young

  19 Nov 2009 | 6:00 am

  For the second year in a row, I've been snookered into asked to help judge the Cliopatria Awards. These are the premier awards for history blogging, sponsored by Ralph Luker's excellent group blog... (Read the full post at ProgressiveHistorians.)

• Origins Of The Native American Flute

  Winter Rabbit

  18 Nov 2009 | 2:14 pm

  The clear origins of the Native American Flute date back several thousand millennia to flutes made of bone, to petroglyphs, and oral history. Unclear "origins" involve the Spanish Conquest insofar as... (Read the full post at ProgressiveHistorians.)

• "We are all leaders"

  midtowng

  14 Nov 2009 | 2:13 pm

  By any standard measure the suicide of Wesley Everest should be considered unusual. Everest had only recently returned from the front lines of WWI France, so a suicide isn't all that shocking.... (Read the full post at ProgressiveHistorians.)

• Friday Ramblings, November 13

  AndrewMc

  13 Nov 2009 | 10:01 am

  It's Friday the 13th! If you are paraskevidekatriaphobic, you're slowing economic recovery. So, get back to work you loafer. I'll be at an eCitizenship initiative this week, so this "rambling" will... (Read the full post at ProgressiveHistorians.)

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  Soldiers of the 38th

• Captain Ernest Gilbert Hudgin

  20 Nov 2009 | 6:30 am

  Born on 15 August 1895 in Picton, Ontario - son of Captain Nelson Hudgin, Picton, Ontario - at the time of his enlistment in 1915: present address same as father, trade as bank clerk, Methodist, currently a member of the 16th Regiment, previously served with Camps of Instruction (four weeks), the 1st Contingent (eight weeks) and the 59th Battalion, CEF, (two weeks).Joined the 80th Battalion, CEF, in Barriefield Camp, Ontario, on 22 October 1915 - taken on the strength of the 38th Battalion, CEF, in England as a Captain on 7 July 1916 - landed in France with the 38th Battalion on 13 August…

• Private Hugh Cecil Huckett

  20 Nov 2009 | 6:26 am

  Born on 13 July 1890 in Antanarrivo, Madagascar - next of kin listed as Mrs. W. Huckett, Cuckfield, Sussex, England - at the time of his enlistment in 1915: trade as student, single, currently a member of the Active Militia, previously served with the Officers' Training Corps at Guelph, Congregationalist, height of 5 feet 10.5 inches, chest of 38 inches fully expanded, dark complexion, brown eyes, dark hair.Joined the 38th Battalion, CEF, in Guelph, Ontario, on 16 March 1915 (number 411002) - transferred to Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry on 16 July 1915 - wounded on 2 or 3 June…

• Private William Nicholas Huck

  19 Nov 2009 | 6:20 am

  Born on 8 August 1885 in Bruce County, Ontario - father [son?] of Jacob Huck, Point Anne, Ontario - at the time of his conscription in 1918: present address in Point Anne, Ontario, single, Roman Catholic, trade as carpenter, no current or previous military service, height of 5 feet 8 inches, chest of 36 inches fully expanded, dark complexion, blue eyes, brown hair.Conscripted into the 1st Depot Battalion, Eastern Ontario Regiment, CEF, in Belleville, Ontario, on 12 March 1918 (number 3057293) - taken on the strength of the 38th Battalion, CEF, on 10 or 11 October 1918 - struck off the…

• Private Edward Charles Hoy

  19 Nov 2009 | 6:16 am

  Born on 20 December 1896 in Prescott, Ontario - son of William James Hoy, Prescott, Ontario - at the time of his conscription in 1918: present address in Prescott, Ontario, single, Church of England, trade as locomotive fireman, no current or previous military service, height of 5 feet 4.5 inches, chest of 34.5 inches fully expanded, fair complexion, blue eyes, dark hair.Conscripted into the 1st Depot Battalion, Eastern Ontario Regiment, CEF, in Kingston, Ontario, on 12 March 1918 (number 3057243) - taken on the strength of the 38th Battalion, CEF, on 10 or 11 October 1918 - struck off the…

• Private John Howse

  18 Nov 2009 | 6:11 am

  Born on 25 June 1893 in Canada - next of kin listed as Mrs. Elizabeth Howse, Ottawa, Ontario - at the time of his enlistment in 1915: trade as plumber, single, no current or previous military service, Protestant, height of 5 feet 8.25 inches, chest of 34 inches fully expanded, ruddy complexion, grey eyes, blonde hair.Joined the 38th Battalion, CEF, in Ottawa, Ontario, on 26 February 1915 (number 410120) - transferred to the 2nd Battalion, CEF, on 25 August 1915 - wounded on 3 September 1916 - wounded on 9 or 13 October 1916 - wounded on 6 November 1917 - wounded on 30 or 31 August…

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  USHistoryBlog.com

• Veteran's Day

  klkatz

  10 Nov 2009 | 9:18 am

  So as not to reinvent the wheel... I'm bringing back a post from last year...This year, my favorite veteran... my grandfather is no longer with us - and I know he took this day to call many of his friends from the service and the great men he's met throughout his years.Now Grandpop is in the sky hanging out with all his 'doughboys' celebrating upstairs.Here's a brief history of veterans day - http://ushistorysite.blogspot.com/2008/11/veterans-day-brief-history.htmlThis content is copyrighted. Copyright (c) 2009 - Original post at USHistoryBlog.com Part of the USHistorySite.com Network.

• Gettysburg: One Man's Visit

  klkatz

  6 Nov 2009 | 1:41 pm

  I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm an excitable reader. By this, I mean that I get excited about reading, and usually try to bite off more than I can chew. But this is never a bad thing.When it comes to books, I have a problem. I rarely finish them. This is probably due to my excitability around books and the subjects they cover. I'll read 90% and gladly pick up another if the mood suits me. I'll read 4, 5, 6 books at one time. And as a dedicated teacher and father it is hard to find time to sit back and relax with a good book.This weekend is no different. I'm going to Gettysburg,…

• Top Ten US History Inspired Halloween Costumes

  klkatz

  28 Oct 2009 | 4:26 pm

  The following comes from an email I received from my good friends at Shmoop.com - Shmoop is an awesome site for teachers and students. It's history and literature lessons with a twist...Check out the links below...This Halloween, scare up some fun with these US history and lit-inspired costumes Ten US History-Inspired Halloween Costumes1. Put on a three-corner hat and cape, pull a cardboard boat around your waist, and pose as George Washington crossing the Delaware during the American Revolution. 2. Dress up as Benjamin Franklin with a kite and singed hair. Be careful around the French maids.

• Still Out there....

  klkatz

  25 Oct 2009 | 6:25 am

  It's been some time since I've addressed this blog. A few things have been happening. I have a 3 month old son, and as always my role as teacher, and now athletic director and father take away much of my time. A big thank you to those that still keep me in your "inbox" and RSS feeds. There will be much more for me to contribute in due time. I've taken steps to simplify my life - perhaps from a new found perspective of fatherhood - and this blog and is something I love to do... and thus, will be part of that simplified life.I know I've promised some of you the opportunity to contribute to…

• Daily History Quiz

  klkatz

  22 Oct 2009 | 9:14 am

  For fun... here's a site where you can test your American history knowledge. Enjoy a new contest everyday.http://www.historynet.com/quiz This content is copyrighted. Copyright (c) 2009 - Original post at USHistoryBlog.com Part of the USHistorySite.com Network.

• 
  The Virtual Dime Museum

• The Inexhaustible Cow

  18 Nov 2009 | 6:47 am

  One of the many attractions at Coney Island in the late 19th century was a tireless mechanical wooden cow which dispensed glasses of milk, served by costumed dairy maids, who unfortunately cannot been seen in this charming late-Victorian stereograph entitled "The Inexhaustible Cow." The cow stood in a pavilion at Culver Plaza, next to the iron observation tower that had been brought there from the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition in 1878. Culver Plaza, on Surf Avenue, was named for developer Andrew R. Culver, whose Prospect Park and Coney Island Railroad had its terminus there. A glass of…

• Afternoon Tea at the Claremont Inn

  16 Nov 2009 | 8:44 am

  This beautiful inn is long gone, but in the 1930s the Claremont still stood at Riverside Drive and 125th Street, just opposite Grant's Tomb. According to Helen Worden in This Is New York (1939), you could have lunch or afternoon tea on the terrace overlooking the Hudson River, and it was a lovely place "although it lost much if its charm when the interior was altered" (p. 167). The house was built in 1797 by the Post family.Worden writes that the Claremont stood on the site of the Battle of Harlem Heights, fought in September 1776 during the Revolution. And it was here that people gathered to…

• Le Flou-Flou

  14 Nov 2009 | 8:46 am

  The plan today was to write about some of the research that I'm doing for my NaNoWriMo novel, which is set in 1896 in Brooklyn and New York City. However, I'll be getting to more research after I hit the 50,000 word mark. I hope to make it to that point within a week or so - thanks to writing masses at first and then plugging away every day since then. Though I must tell you I am looking forward to slowing down and working on some of the descriptive stuff. I just need to get Eleanor (the amateur detective) out of her final dangerous incident, and then wrap things up. I will still have a lot…

• The Quintessence Of Petroleum

  11 Nov 2009 | 6:53 am

  Here is Petrolina, an 1880s rival of Vaseline, a petroleum jelly invented by Robert Chesebrough in the 1870s. It is still widely used for everything from lip balm to eye makeup removal. What is amusing about Petrolina is the name - the oil-refinery tang of the word 'petroleum' coupled with the Victorian way of naming medicines as if they were the heroines of third-rate yellowback novels. Petrolina sounds pretty close to being something that Mrs. E.D.E.N. Southworth or Augusta Evans Wilson might have written (I've read novels by both ladies, and would not have been surprised to find a…

• The Mystery of the Catacombs in Manhattan

  9 Nov 2009 | 6:39 am

  This really is a history mystery, and I'm hoping that someone will be able to confirm or deny this (actually, I hope that it is true). Back when Frozen Charlotte (my NaNoWriMo mystery) was in a previous incarnation as The Black Mirror (which draft will someday become the second in the Eleanor Grey detective series, I hope) I did a lot of research into New York's underground places - not just the subways and secret passages under the street, but also hidden rooms (as in the Seabury Tredwell house) and other odd semi-subterranean and secret places. Julia Solis' New York Underground is a superb…

• 
  History Is Elementary

• Who the Heck Is Thorfinn Karlsefni?

  19 Nov 2009 | 5:26 am

  Quick!Dig down deep into that creaky file cabinet in your mind and pull out the folder labeled “Vikings” and name a few of the more famous ones for me.I’ll wait.No, not the football team. There should be another folder there for the OTHER Vikings. You know, the Norsemen who were explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates.There you go. That’s it. Wow, that folder hasn’t seen the light of day in…..well, just blow the dust off it and open it up.So, what have you got?Erik the RedLeif Ericsson….son of Erik the RedCanute (Knut or Cnut) Sweynsson….better known as Canute the…

• A Parent's Love....

  17 Nov 2009 | 7:55 pm

  Halloween night Mr. EHT and I received a phone call that every parent dreads…one from a stranger identifying himself as an EMT.My mind worked furiously to comprehend what he was saying, but all I wanted to say was, “Surely sir, you have the wrong number.” He just kept rattling off information ---he was with my daughter, there had been an accident, he and his wife ( a nurse) had been driving by, he assured me they would stay by Dear Daughter’s side until she was in the ambulance.Ambulance??????I finally got the words out…..”Is she….is she ok?”The voice on the other end of the…

• How to Achieve World Domination in One 50-Minute Class Period or the Post in Which I Discuss Diversionary Tactics

  15 Nov 2009 | 9:34 pm

  When I was growing up my dad had a constant supply of gravel around our house because he was always using one of his tractors to move the gravel around to fill up potholes that would form on the many gravel drives around the lumberyard. From time to time my friends and I would climb the huge pile of white and grey granite stones and proclaim ourselves kings and queens of the world. That is, until we got knocked off our perch and onto our keisters. To this day I have scars and divets in my shins, knees and elbows from my rather abrupt ousters from being a world ruler.From time to time I need a…

• Glober Trekker

  4 Nov 2009 | 8:22 am

  I have this deep dark secret.I’ve never really shared it with anyone.My secret doesn’t exactly fit the image many have of me….the quiet unassuming married school marm who in the past has lugged home not just one but two large bags each night filled to capacity with papers to grade, materials to review and to plan lessons with, paperwork to complete, and an assortment of other effects that teachers just seem to accumulate.Teachers just have that image...always doing the right thing, always saying the right thing, always being where they are expected to be, but I have this desire…If I…

• ....If the Creeks Don't Rise

  26 Oct 2009 | 7:56 pm

  There are so many interesting points to bring up when discussing the War of 1812 – the writing of the Star Spangled Banner, the tornado that actually killed more British during the Washington D.C. invasion than bullets, General Andrew Jackson’s successful attempt to unite the people of New Orleans for its defense, Dolly Madison’s quick action to save the Gilbert Stuart painting of President George Washington – and the list goes on.It’s sad really that so few Americans know about this time in American history, but I believe our first performance on the world stage defending American…

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  Discovery News - History News

• Shroud of Turin May Hold Death Certificate

  20 Nov 2009 | 3:16 pm

  The debate over the Shroud of Turin is reignited by alleged writing on the artifact.

• Galileo's Fingers and Tooth Recovered by Collector

  20 Nov 2009 | 7:24 am

  The macabre remains of the famous, once-damned astronomer were spotted at an auction.

• Flashback: Images From the Week's News

  20 Nov 2009 | 4:00 am

  Take a look back at the top stories of the past week in the Discovery News Flashback Slide Show.

• Fidel Castro Killed by Rumors, Again

  18 Nov 2009 | 11:09 am

  Today, the Internet was buzzing with the rumor that Fidel Castro, known as "El Presidente" in Cuba until 2008, when he ceded control to his brother Raul, has died. False reports of Castro's death have been circulating for years, especially ...

• Australia Apologizes to Mistreated British Children

  16 Nov 2009 | 4:12 am

  The apology is directed to the thousands of impoverished children who were shipped to Australia with false promise.

• 
  O Say Can You See?

• Snake oil is no balm for America

  NMAH

  19 Nov 2009 | 9:45 am

  There is no shortage of snake oil in America. Whether sold by politicians as endless campaign promises, or by spammers tempting us with virility enhancers and other elixirs of life, we are all too familiar with snake oil and its salesmen. What America needs is a good, honest BALM . And I have just the thing—a little something for most anything that ails you—in our patent medicine collection at the National Museum of American History. Currently we have over 600 remedies available (for browsing only!) on our Web site Balm of America: Patent Medicine Collection. Here you will find humor…

• American history through Iraqi eyes

  NMAH

  17 Nov 2009 | 8:30 am

  As soon as more than sixty Iraqi public officials sat down in our auditorium, I knew I was facing a tough audience. These men and one woman (with a few female officials and interpreters) have been through a very tumultuous period marked by dictatorship, invasion, civil war, suicide bombings, and the rigors of electoral politics. I had twenty minutes to discuss a serious and complex topic—how can a national history museum create a greater understanding of national identity? In my prepared remarks, I observed that a national museum must maintain a delicate balance between celebration and…

• Recipe of the week: Julia Child's Pain d’Épices (honey spice cake)

  NMAH

  16 Nov 2009 | 8:33 am

  Today’s post is the thirteenth in a series of weekly Julia Child recipes. This week, curator Helena Wright gets a start on holiday baking by pulling out one of her favorite Julia Child recipes. "Although you can prepare the dough by hand, a heavy-duty mixer with flat beater attachment makes light work of it . . ." Julia Child loved her stand mixer and the one that sits on the counter in her kitchen at the Smithsonian contains a special feature: the mixing bowl is engraved with “Bon Appétit Julia Child.” This stand mixer was a workhorse in her kitchen and appeared regularly on…

• Digital Stradivari: computer models of violins reveal master luthier’s techniques

  NMAH

  13 Nov 2009 | 7:23 am

  Editor's Note: This post was originally published on the Science at the Smithsonian blog. With the help of a high-resolution CT scanner, researchers at the Smithsonian Institution recently took a giant leap forward to a better understanding of the engineering and craftsmanship that Antonio Stradivari (1644-1737), master violin maker of Cremona, Italy, built into each of his renowned instruments. The CT, or computed tomography, scanner is a medical imaging device normally used in hospitals to create 3-D X-ray images of the human body.  These two images show measurements of wood…

• The life cycle of a place of invention

  NMAH

  12 Nov 2009 | 11:23 am

  My ears perked up at the announcement of this year’s Nobel Prize in physics. Not only was it awarded to an invention that revolutionized photography—the CCD (charge-coupled device) sensor at the heart of digital camera imaging—but it resulted from work undertaken at a historic industrial lab. Two of the three winners, Willard S. Boyle and George E. Smith, had done their pioneering research in the 1960s at AT&T's Bell Labs in Murray Hill, New Jersey—birthplace of the transistor. Theirs was just the latest in a string of Nobel Prizes coming out of that lab. Image of…

• 
  Page in History

• New Evidence of Giant Deer Extinction

  18 Nov 2009 | 10:03 am

  Back about 11,000 years ago, a huge deer (Megaloceros giganteus), sometimes called the Irish deer or Irish elk (wiki), ceased to wander the forests of Ireland.At first, scientists conjectured that man hunted them to extinction. However, there was a problem with that theory in that people did not arrive in Ireland until after most, if not all, of the deer were gone.A search was made forother

• You say Freya, I say Frigga

  14 Nov 2009 | 4:33 am

  I am totally frustrated this morning. I simply cannot find out more about these beautiful, beautiful silver pieces, other than what's on the site I'll link you to. That might have to do with the screamingly bad headache I've got this morning, but until more info becomes available, enjoy these lovelies.From Dr. Martin Rundkvist :She's wearing a floor-length dress. And a shawl. And four finely

• Beautiful 15th Century Gold Coin

  14 Nov 2009 | 4:06 am

  The article isn't particularly interesting, but the coin is just lovely. I'm afraid you'll have to watch an ad before the BBC video begins. =====Rare gold coin sparks legal row (BBC News)The discovery of a rare 15th Century gold coin in Powys has triggered a legal row.The coin, from the reign of Henry IV, was unearthed by contractor Shaun Bufton on 28 April while he was working on a new water

• Saxon Activity Detected Beneath Oxford

  13 Nov 2009 | 2:41 am

  ScienceDaily (Nov. 9, 2009) — Archaeologists excavating the former Radcliffe Infirmary site in Oxford have uncovered evidence of a prehistoric monumental landscape stretching across the gravel terrace between the Thames and Cherwell rivers.The work was carried out over the summer in preparation for Oxford University's proposed Radcliffe Observatory Quarter -- plans for which were revealed earlier

• Lost Army of Persian King Cambyses II Found (525 BC)

  10 Nov 2009 | 6:25 am

  MSNBC and DiscoveryNews is reporting on a stupendous discovery this morning. "The remains of a mighty Persian army said to have drowned in the sands of the western Egyptian desert 2,500 years ago."Herodotus reported on the tradegy that overtook the 50,000 soldiers, but this is the first concrete evidence to prove the accuracy of the ancient historian.Bronze weapons, some small pieces of jewelry

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  19th Century History

• Anniversary of the Gettysburg Address

  19 Nov 2009 | 2:35 am

  Today marks the anniversary of one of the most quoted speeches in history, Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. The speech was brief, and Lincoln only needed a few minutes to deliver it on November 19, 1863 during a ceremony to dedicate a military cemetery at the site of the Battle of Gettysburg. At a time of great crisis, with the Civil War grinding on at enormous cost in human life, Lincoln desired an opportunity to make a statement about the war and its purpose. And when invited to speak at the event in Gettysburg, Lincoln crafted a profound text. In less than 300 words, Lincoln gave a…

• The War in Afghanistan, Circa 1870s

  16 Nov 2009 | 3:35 am

  Stories of foreign troops battling in Afghanistan while diplomats try to find a strong leader for the remote and rugged country sound like today's headlines. Yet they perfectly describe Britain's war in Afghanistan in the late 1870s. When the British invaded Afghanistan for the second time it wasn't to fight the Afghans so much as it was to thwart the Russian Empire. The feeling in London was that Russia wanted to eventually move southward and seize Britain's prize possession, India. When the British Army marched into Afghanistan in late 1878 things actually went too well at first. A weak…

• The 19th Century Is Now the Height of Fashion

  12 Nov 2009 | 3:46 pm

  A report in the Fashion and Style section of the New York Times makes it official: the 19th century is the current big trend. Seriously. Apparently fashion is looking backward, and what's trendy today are designs with their roots in the 1800s. As the Times puts it: As with home design, where curio cases, taxidermy and other stylish clutter of the Victorian era have been taken up by young hipsters, many of today's popular men's styles have their roots in the late 19th century. There are the three-piece suits once favored by mustachioed Gilded Age bankers; the military greatcoats and boots of…

• The Election Denounced as "The Corrupt Bargain"

  9 Nov 2009 | 3:10 am

  If you think overheated political rhetoric is something new, consider a classic controversy that rocked American politics long before the appearance of cable channels. The presidential election of 1824 featured four candidates, and when the voting ended in November there was no winner. The Constitution provides a solution, a presidential election to be held in the House of Representatives. In early 1825 that turned into a monumental drama with three strong characters, Andrew Jackson, John Quincy Adams, and Henry Clay, who happened to be the speaker of the house. When the dust settled, John…

• Anniversary of Lincoln's Election

  6 Nov 2009 | 2:12 pm

  On November 6, 1860 Abraham Lincoln was elected president in one of the most significant elections in American history. Lincoln, who had barely been known outside Illinois a year earlier, had engineered a brilliant campaign which took off after he gave a speech in New York City that made him a suddenly prominent voice against slavery and the politicians who accepted it. Lincoln was elected without a single electoral vote from the south. And the news of his election as president prompted a number of southern states to make good on their threats to secede from the Union. By the time of…

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  20th Century History

• The Last Survivors of China's Foot-binding

  19 Nov 2009 | 10:27 am

  For centuries in China, it was common for young girls to have their feet bound, with their toes pulled under the base of the foot. This binding would deform the girls' feet, resulting in feet so petite that they were hardly larger than a child's. The other result of foot-binding made women hardly able, or completely unable, to walk. Although foot-binding was banned in 1912, the long-held practice lingered in many areas. When the Communists came to power in China in 1949, foot-binding finally ended. The history of this practice is fascinating. Were girls' feet bound purely for erotic reasons?

• 90-Year-Old Former SS Member Charged With Murder

  19 Nov 2009 | 6:38 am

  After police raided his home in Duisburg, Germany, a man known as Adolf Storms was arrested and charged with 58 counts of murder. It is believed that Storms is a former member of the fifth SS Tank Division "Viking" and helped hatch a plan on March 28, 1945 to kill Jewish laborers at the end of World War II. Carrying out their plan, Storms and other SS took 57 Jewish inmates into the woods outside of Deutsch Schuetzen, Austria and shot them. He is also accused of killing another Jewish prisoner during a death march. For more information about Storms, read this AFP article.90-Year-Old Former SS…

• UN Tribunal Overturns Rwandan Genocide Ruling

  18 Nov 2009 | 5:47 am

  On Monday, November 16, 2009, a United Nations appeals court overturned the ruling against Protais Zigiranyirazo (also known as "Z"), the brother-in-law of ex-Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana. In 2008, Zigiranyirazo had been found guilty of genocide and extermination and had been sentenced to 22 years in prison for his participation in the 1994 Rwandan genocide. The appeals court decided to overturn the ruling of the lower court because they found serious errors in the original trial which seriously impeded justice. Shortly after the announcement that the ruling had been overturned,…

• Charles Manson Turns 75

  15 Nov 2009 | 3:55 am

  On November 12, 2009, convicted serial killer Charles Manson turned 75 years old. Manson, who once headed the "Manson Family," still mesmerizes people. His new supporters believe he has insight into the environment. As Manson sits in the state prison in Corcoran, California he espouses his beliefs on ATWA (an acronym for air, trees, water, animals). Manson believes that the government is covering up how bad pollution has really gotten. For more about Manson and his new followers, see this CNN article (this page also includes a few recent pictures of Manson).Charles Manson Turns 75 originally…

• Hitler's House for Sale

  11 Nov 2009 | 2:38 pm

  Adolf Hitler was born on April 20, 1889 in a room on the first floor of the building at Salzburger Vorstadt 15 in Braunau-am-Inn, Austria. At the time, Hitler's parents rented a room upstairs in the building. During the Nazi era, Martin Bormann declared the building a national monument. The building is now being put up for sale for an estimated $3.3 million (£2 million). Town officials are worried that neo-Nazis might buy the property and turn it into a shrine to Hitler. Although the town officials would like to buy the property, they currently lack the funds to meet the asking price.

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  About.com: African History

• Apartheid Quotes - Bantu Education

  19 Nov 2009 | 4:10 pm

  It is well known that one of the fundamental differences between the experiences of Whites and Blacks in Apartheid era South Africa was education. Whilst the battle against education in Afrikaans was eventually won, the Apartheid government's 'Bantu' education policy meant that Black children did not receive the same opportunities as White children. Find out more about the opposing views in Apartheid South Africa from this selection of quotes about Bantu Education. More on Bantu Education • School Enrollment in Apartheid South Africa • South African Students' Organisation •…

• More than One Billion in Africa

  19 Nov 2009 | 1:06 am

  According to the United Nations Population Fund continental Africa's population has passed the one billion level. Uganda and Nigeria are highlighted as regions of highest growth. Passing this milestone means that Africa's population doubled in only 27 years. Thoraya Obeid, UNPF's Executive Director, talking to journalists at the BBC, suggested the reason for the massive increase is because "there is large number of women who have no access to planning their families". The population boom has also led to children and young adults representing a much higher proportion of the population than in…

• Africa Past and Present -- Podcast 35 from MSU

  16 Nov 2009 | 9:29 pm

  Episode 35 of Africa Past and Present -- Michigan State University's podcast about African history,culture, and politics is now available. Peter Alegi and Peter Limb present a report by Dr. Wendi Manuel-Scott and Dr. Benedict Carton (George Mason University) on the recent 'African Identities in the Age of Obama' conference. Bridging the gap between African Studies, African-American Studies, and Caribbean Studies, the conference participants grappled with complex issues, including who and what does Obama represent? How do cultural aspects of the Obama phenomenon intersect with political and…

• A Few Words From Ngugi wa Thiong'o ...

  15 Nov 2009 | 10:42 pm

  "Christianity and Western civilization -- what countless crimes have been committed in thy name!"

• This Day in African History – Winston Churchill Captured

  14 Nov 2009 | 4:10 pm

  On 15 Novmber 1899 Republican forces in southern Natal ambushed a British armored train departing from Estcourt. The train was partially wrecked and in the ensuing fight four British soldiers were killed and 34 wounded. Winston Churchill, a war correspondent for The Morning Post was amongst 69 taken prisoner - he was captured trying to help the injured reach Estcourt. Churchill, although supposedly due non-combatant status as a war reporter was treated as a prisoner-of-war. (Just under a month later, on 12 December, Churchill managed to escape captivity by climbing over the wall of the State…

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  About.com: American History

• Women's Christian Temperence Union Formed

  17 Nov 2009 | 4:00 pm

  On November 18, 1874, the Women's Christian Temperance Union was formed in Cleveland, Ohio. Under Miss Frances Elizabeth Caroline Willard, the WCTU aimed to protect Christians through commitment, abstinence, and abolition of the liquor trade. Prohibition Timeline Women's Christian Temperence Union Formed originally appeared on About.com American History on Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 at 00:00:54.Permalink | Comment | Email this

• Sherman Orders the Burning of Atlanta

  14 Nov 2009 | 4:57 pm

  On November 15, 1864, General Sherman gave orders to burn all public buildings, machine shops, depots, and arsenals in Atlanta during the Civil War. While setting out for Savannah that same day Sherman stated, "Behind us lay Atlanta smoldering and in ruins, the black smoke rising high in the air and hanging like a ball over the ruined city." Sherman Orders the Burning of Atlanta originally appeared on About.com American History on Sunday, November 15th, 2009 at 00:57:09.Permalink | Comment | Email this

• The Second American Revolution

  12 Nov 2009 | 4:00 pm

  Termed the Second American Revolution, the War of 1812 had a major impact on American life. Take a look at the timeline of events that took place during this ordeal that involved President James Madison fleeing from the White House. The Second American Revolution originally appeared on About.com American History on Friday, November 13th, 2009 at 00:00:44.Permalink | Comment | Email this

• Remembering Our Veterans

  10 Nov 2009 | 4:14 pm

  November 11th is the day that all Americans salute the men and women who have served time in our armed forces. Thousands of these men and women have put their lives on the line during war, not to mention being very far from home for a long period of time. These individuals have risked their lives to protect each and every one of us, so it's important that we show our appreciation to our veterans. Take some time this Veteran's Day to remember and if possible thank a veteran. Remembering Our Veterans originally appeared on About.com American History on Wednesday, November 11th, 2009 at…

• William Quantrill: Murderer or Soldier?

  7 Nov 2009 | 4:54 pm

  The controversy swirls around William Clarke Quantrill. Some people would consider him a patriot of the South, doing his part again Northern tyranny. Others would consider him to be a lawless butcher that took advantage of the disarray brought about by the Civil War to assuage his need for brutality and cruelty. Which was he? Read this article to get a historical look at this controversial man. William Quantrill: Murderer or Soldier? originally appeared on About.com American History on Sunday, November 8th, 2009 at 00:54:22.Permalink | Comment | Email this

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  About.com: Ancient History

• Forum Topic of the Week - SPQR

  19 Nov 2009 | 11:59 pm

  This week there has been a flurry of activity in the forum, including posts in two threads on the topic of the famous Roman letters SPQR. Here is what veteran forum user Aulus has to say on the matter: SPQR at Vindolanda CC Flickr User Alun Salt. Truth be told, we really do not absolutely know what the acronym SPQR stood for. The most common interpretation is Senatus Populusque Romanus, but it could equally be Senatus Populusque Romae or a few other combinations which I cannot recall right now, but are rather tenuous. In fact, the acronym SPQR, as far as I have been able to find it, does not…

• Thursday's Term to Learn - Black Figure

  19 Nov 2009 | 7:04 am

  Peleus and Thetis, Boeotian black-figure dish, c. 500 B.C. - 475 B.C.PD Courtesy of Marie-Lan Nguyen/Wikimedia Commons. The term "black figure" comes up when you look at the captions under some of the images on this site, so in case you've been wondering, it refers to the color of the painting in Greek pottery. Now, the later "red figure" pottery also uses black (all over the background), so, clearly, I need to explain it a bit better. In black figure painting, the pottery remains clay colored, so it is usually red, but the figures are painted. Figures painted black are sometimes enhanced by…

• It's Not Too Early For (Stoic) Resolutions

  18 Nov 2009 | 10:55 pm

  Gym classes may be a great way to lose weight and gain muscle, but they're also good for chatting and learning about health and lifestyle. In one of my classes, a fellow participant said a major reason for our collective weight problem is that people set up New Year's Day as the time to start dieting. Then from U.S.-Thanksgiving through New Year's Eve they binge because it doesn't yet count and they want to get it all in before they have to deprive themselves. This has the predictable, dire consequences. While behavioral resolutions won't necessarily be compromised by a few extra pounds of…

• Wordless Wednesday - Guess Who

  17 Nov 2009 | 10:55 pm

  CC Flickr User unforth.Need a clue? He was an emperor of Rome. He became emperor at age 17. He might have made a better performer than emperor. Give up? Click the image or the photo credit for the answer. Wordless Wednesday and About.com's Wordless Wednesday Wordless Wednesday - Guess Who originally appeared on About.com Ancient / Classical History on Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 at 06:55:49.Permalink | Comment | Email this

• On This Day in Ancient History - November 17

  16 Nov 2009 | 11:53 pm

  © Trustees of the British Museum, produced by Natalia Bauer for the Portable Antiquities SchemeAbbreviations on a Coin of VespasianOn this day in A.D. 9, the future Roman emperor Vespasian was born. Vespasian was officially Imperator Titus Flavius Vespasianus Caesar. He was born at Falacrinae, and died June 23, 79, of "diarrhea" at Aquae Cutiliae. He was the first of the Flavian Dynasty. For fans of Lindsey Davis, the Falco mysteries are set under the reign of Vespasian. Davis also wrote about Vespasian's mistress, Caenis.On this day in 3 B.C., Jesus was born, according to Clement of…

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  About.com: Asian History

• Cambodian Students Learn about Khmer Rouge

  19 Nov 2009 | 7:07 am

  The majority of today's Cambodian people were not even born in the late 1970s, when the Khmer Rouge unleashed its reign of terror on that country. Cambodians under the age of 30 have had to rely on older surviving relatives to tell them what happened when Pol Pot and his regime killed an estimated 1/5 of their own population. Many of the survivors are so traumatized that they have a hard time speaking about their ordeals; sometimes younger family members find it impossible to believe what they hear from those who do tell their stories. Today, though, the current generation of students in…

• Travel the Silk Road

  15 Nov 2009 | 12:18 pm

  The American Museum of Natural History has a new exhibit on the Silk Road, history's most famous trade route. "Traveling the Silk Road: Ancient Pathway to the Modern World" takes visitors from Xi'an, China to Baghdad, in the company of grunting camels, armed bandits and exotic trade goods. A New York Times review notes that the shows stops short - goods from China moved on from Baghdad to Constantinople, thence to Venice and the rest of Europe. Nonetheless, the exhibit sounds very interesting. It opened yesterday, November 14. Photo by wildxplorer on Flickr.com. Travel the Silk Road…

• Queen Himiko of Japan's Palace Discovered

  15 Nov 2009 | 12:02 pm

  Japanese history and legends tell the tale of Queen Himiko or Pimiko, a warrior-queen endowed with magical powers who ruled the Yamatai state during the 3rd century CE. Himiko may be a different name for the Empress Consort Jingu, but nobody knows for certain. On November 11, 2009, archaeologists announced the discovery of a three-tiered palace in the ancient capital of Nara. They speculate that this could be the seat of Queen Himiko's power, 1,700 years ago. We may never know for sure, however. Japan's current emperor, Akihito, and the Imperial Household Agency has forbidden the excavation…

• Cambyses' Army Found in the Sands of Egypt?

  11 Nov 2009 | 12:22 pm

  According to Herodotus, in 525 BCE the Persian king Cambyses, son of Cyrus the Great, sent a mighty army of 50,000 men to the oasis at Siwa. Cambyses sent this overwhelming force to crush the Temple of Amun, after its priests refused to recognize his right to rule Egypt. The ancient historian tells us, however, that a blinding sandstorm sprang up from the Sahara and buried the Persian host alive. They were never heard from again. For much of the intervening 2,500 years, people have regarded this legend with skepticism. After all, Herodotus includes some pretty amazing flights of fancy in with…

• World War Zero - The Russo-Japanese War

  8 Nov 2009 | 2:12 pm

  In 1904-05, two expanding imperial powers clashed furiously on land and at sea. Japan sought to exert itself as a global player, in order to enhance its own prestige and prove that it belonged among the colonial powers. Russia likewise needed to enhance its image with the other European powers - and the czar needed a victory to quell domestic opposition. With Qing China on its last legs, these two of its neighbors fought over Manchuria, the rich northern section of China (and the Qing imperial family's home region). To complicate matters further, in 1902 Japan had signed a treaty of amity…

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  Toptenz

• Top 10 Deadliest Female Killers

  Heather Matthews

  20 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am

  Throughout history, some women have committed horrific crimes, ones that shock society to its very core. From the murders of their own innocent children, to chillingly cold-blooded serial crimes, these women have truly given in to the very worst aspects of themselves – and of human nature. Here is our list of top ten deadliest [...]

• Top 10 Bad Corporate Decisions

  TopTenz Master

  17 Nov 2009 | 8:01 pm

  Everyone makes bad decisions in life. Fortunately for most of us, the bad decisions we make aren’t broadcast to the world. When you’re a major corporation and you trip and fall flat on your face for all the world to see? Heck, even that isn’t as bad as all the money you may lose your shareholders. Some [...]

• Top 10 Hippie Travel Destinations

  TopTenz Master

  15 Nov 2009 | 8:02 pm

  The sixties may be long gone but the hippies haven’t. With alternative lifestyles which embraced peace, love and a whole lot of tripping out, the hippies had a profound influence on culture as we see it today. They still congregate in few corners of the world, practicing the ideals which they believe in and reliving [...]

• 10 Facts You Didn’t Know About the Orgasm

  TopTenz Master

  12 Nov 2009 | 8:01 pm

  Orgasms are somewhat of an untold mystery. Nowhere is this fact driven home more, than when you start looking up its definition and realize that there are nearly 30 different ways to describe its physical and emotional properties. You probably already know orgasms result in muscular contractions, increase heart rate/blood pressure, are associated with intense [...]

• Top 10 John Cusack Movie Roles

  Elizabeth Downing Johnson

  11 Nov 2009 | 2:31 am

  With a career that spans over 25 years, John Cusack has had the chance to touch a lot of hearts – and he has succeeded in doing so.  Plus, how can you help but love an actor who collaborates with family so often, and who plays such a wide range of characters.  Though a “Top [...]

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  1776

• Oddments

  Theodore Scott

  19 Nov 2009 | 10:16 pm

    Here are 100 Great Moments in American History You Can Catch on YouTube. Did you know that in 1924, Professor David Todd persuaded the US Navy and Army to listen for messages from Mars? The Nation reviewed The First Tycoon: The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt, which just won the National Book Award. A Dartmouth College professor has analyzed the famous photo of Lee Harvey Oswald. He thinks it is real, despite the weird shadows. Now, enjoy a rap about Alexander Hamilton:     Related posts:George Washington Book Prize Winner Announced The Hemingses of Monticello: An American…

• History Channel: WWII in HD

  Theodore Scott

  13 Nov 2009 | 10:24 pm

  The History Channel has a new 10-hour series called WWII in HD. The first two hours starts on Sunday at 9pm ET. I just finished watching the first two episodes. The name of the series highlights The History Channels efforts to hunt down rare WWII footage and restore it to high quality. You won’t have seen this a lot of this video anywhere else. The show follows twelve different Americans throughout WWII. It gives the big picture view of the war, but that is to place the personal stories into context. The series attempts to show you, as best as possible, how the war was experienced by…

• New History Books - November 2009

  Theodore Scott

  3 Nov 2009 | 8:59 pm

  American Sketches: Great Leaders, Creative Thinkers, and Heroes of a Hurricane By Walter Isaacson (View on Amazon) Abigail Adams By Woody Holton (View on Amazon) A Country of Vast Designs: James K. Polk, the Mexican War and the Conquest of the American Continent By Robert W. Merry (View on Amazon) Woodrow Wilson: A Biography By John Milton Cooper Jr. (View on Amazon) The Imperial Cruise: A Secret History of Empire and War By James Bradley (View on Amazon) Lincoln for President: An Unlikely Candidate, An Audacious Strategy, and the Victory No One Saw Coming By Bruce Chadwick (View on Amazon)…

• Oddments

  Theodore Scott

  2 Nov 2009 | 1:03 pm

  A dredge-boat, sunk by a Confederate shell on Thanksgiving Day, 1864.   James McPherson reviewed John Keegan’s new book, The American Civil War. Read the sparse, but interesting, 1869 journal turned into a blog called A Day In The Life of a Blacksmith. Early American Crime explained how Robin Hood is more American than British. PhiloBiblos reviewed Gordon S. Wood’s new book Empire of Liberty. Smithsonian Magazine explained how World War II German POWs were shipped to the United States and kept in rural areas across the country.     Related posts:New History Books -…

• Book Review: The Big Burn

  Theodore Scott

  18 Oct 2009 | 7:16 pm

  The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire that Saved America, by Timothy Egan This book tells two stories. The first is about the largest wildfire in American history burning through the Pacific Northwest’s national forests in 1910. It destroyed towns and killed many people. The Forest Service was under-manned and ill-equiped. The rangers and the volunteers had no hope of stopping a fire that size. In one weekend, 3 million acres burned. The second story is about how Theodore Roosevelt and Gifford Pinchot fought to set aside and protect these forests for the American people. Corrupt…