A Brief History On April 23, 1348, King Edward III of England proclaimed The Order of the Garter on the feast day of St. George, the Patron Saint of England. Originally called The Most Noble Order of the Garter, it was conceived as the highest award for chivalry in the age of knights. Today, the Order still exists, but ranks behind the Victoria Cross and the George Cross in the hierarchy of British medals. Digging Deeper As you may expect, the Order of the Garter comes from an incident concerning a woman’s garter, a mini-belt that holds up one’s stockings.…
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A Brief History On April 23, 1516, the region of Bavaria, a region world famous for their wonderful beer, signed on to the Reinheitsgebot, the laws in German and former Holy Roman Empire districts that regulate the ingredients and purity of beer. Digging Deeper Although versions of this law were made as early as 1487, the 1516 Bavarian version signed in Ingolstadt is the most famous and influential of the Reinheitsgebot (meaning “purity order”) and was campaigned by Bavaria for adoption across Germany as the various German states unified in the 19th Century. The law allows for only water, hops…
A Brief History On April 23, 1985, Coca-Cola, that icon of American soft drinks, one of the symbols of what stands for America, changed its formula! A mistake of epic proportions, eventually Coke had to bring back “Coca-Cola Classic.” As idiotic as the decision may seem in hindsight, Coke had good reason to change the formula. Pepsi-Cola had steadily been gaining market share, and blind taste tests proved that people preferred the sweeter Pepsi, and that people preferred an even sweeter alternative. Still, even Fidel Castro was upset with the New Coke! At times, otherwise smart executives make bad decisions.…
A Brief History On April 23, 1016, Edmund Ironside was crowned King of England, replacing his father Aethelred the Unready. Digging Deeper Names used to mean more than just something looked up in a book or passed down from your parents. People used to earn their names based on where they lived, what they looked like or what they accomplished. Of course, it is easiest for us in the United States to understand English names, but other societies have named people the same way. Surely the kings noted above had “ironsides” and was “unready” for something, and the Indian (Native…
A Brief History On April 23, 1910, former President Theodore Roosevelt (TR) gave one of his most famous speeches at the Sorbonne in Paris, France. In what is known as the “Man In the Arena” speech, but actually titled “Citizenship in a Republic,” TR contrasted the bold man of action to the “timid souls that neither know victory or defeat.” A man of action himself, and the youngest president, Teddy Roosevelt had numerous times been in the arena. Here are 10 reasons why Theodore Roosevelt is one of the greatest of Americans. Digging Deeper 10. The Great White Fleet. Roosevelt…
