A Brief History On January 11, 1569, the first documented example of a lottery in England took place. Although 1569 seems like a long time ago, lotteries actually go back much, much farther! Digging Deeper The first evidence of any sort of government run lottery for money game takes us back to the Chinese Han Dynasty somewhere between 205 and 187 BC. This money raising scheme was for the purpose of financing public works, including The Great Wall of China. Lotteries first showed up in Europe in the Roman Empire, first in private parties and later under Emperor Augustus as…
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A Brief History On December 23, 2022, we at History and Headlines would like to wish all our great viewers and subscribers a hearty and happy Festivus! Digging Deeper So what is Festivus? It is a secular pseudo-holiday first introduced on the Seinfeld television sitcom back in 1997, supposedly to compete with religious and other winter holidays. No presents are needed and no religious affiliation is attached, and celebrants are welcome to make up their own rules, though there are a few general guidelines. Some of the staples of Festivus include “The Festivus Pole” and some sort of snacks and…
A Brief History On September 10, 2022, we have the pleasure of reviewing a new History oriented board game for you! Called Trekking Through History, this game is different than most others and provides a unique board game playing experience for those weary of electronic video games. NOTE: Dr. Zar, the owner of this site, received a free review copy of this game for the purpose of reviewing it on his site. Dr. Zar’s father, Major Dan, is the author of this review. Digging Deeper One of the key features of the game is its “game cards,” with each card…
A Brief History On June 27, 1985, US Route 66, known as “The Main Street of America,” was officially taken off the list of US highways. Established in 1926, it was the main road from Chicago to Los Angeles (Santa Monica). Spawning a hit song (by Nat “King” Cole) and a hit television series, this route was the American highway, at least until superseded by the Interstate Highway System. It survives (barely) today in pieces as “State Route 66” in some states and as stretches of a “National Scenic Byway.” We previously discussed “10 Iconic American Things You Do Not…
A Brief History On March 22, 1978, Karl Wallenda of the famous “Flying Wallendas” family of risk takers and circus performers, tragically died during a daring high wire stunt, falling to his death from a high wire strung between 2 hotels in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Digging Deeper Born into a circus family in Germany in 1905, Karl founded the troupe that became “The Great Wallendas,” a name that was changed in the 1940’s when the popular press kept referring to the family by the “Flying Wallendas” tag. The original crew included Karl, his future wife, his brother Herman, and…
