Browsing: July

A Brief History On July 9, 1540, the marriage between Henry VIII and his fourth wife, Anne of Cleves, was annulled. Digging Deeper Annulled on the basis of non-consummation of the marriage, the real reason Henry wanted the divorce was because he found Anne unattractive, if not revolting.  Yes, it sounds very harsh, but it was probably a bit of an exaggeration as Henry had to get his point across to morally win his case.  How could he possibly be expected to make love to a woman who did not turn him on?  Well, he should have asked his forefathers who…

A Brief History On July 31, 1970, the British Royal Navy experienced one of the darkest days in their long and glorious history, Black Tot Day.  This episode was the last day the Royal Navy would follow the long tradition of supplying a daily drink of rum to their sailors.  Many military and civilian traditions have fallen by the wayside, some with good riddance, some longingly missed.  Many of these traditions were written down as official policy, and others were just things people usually did.  Some ended with a clear cut finale, and others faded away.  Here we list 10 of…

A Brief History On July 30, 1864, Union forces exploded 8,000 pounds of black powder in a tunnel underneath Confederate trenches at Petersburg, Virginia, creating a crater 170 feet long and 120 feet wide, and 30 feet deep.  The unorganized rush of Union troops into the crater resulted in Union failure, with Federal troops suffering well over double the casualties inflicted on the Confederate troops.  The Battle of the Crater as this action was called is an example of an unconventional military idea that did not work.  Back on May 15, 2014 History and Headlines featured a list of 10 Weapons and Weapons…

A Brief History On July 30, 1975, Teamsters leader James R. Hoffa was last seen outside a suburban Detroit restaurant.  He has not been seen since, and as of July 30, 1982 has been presumed dead.  Ever since, speculation about what happened to the fiery 62 year old union leader has run wild.  Digging Deeper Rumors about who killed him and why have abounded, as have a plethora of places his body is alleged to have been hidden or disposed of.  Is he buried under the Giants stadium at the Meadowlands?  Or under tons of concrete at a Detroit building…

A Brief History On July 29, 1565, Mary, Queen of Scots, married her first cousin Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley. In her case, the only thing advantageous about this marriage, was that it ensured that the Scottish throne stay under the control of the House of Stuart by keeping it in the family so to say. Other that that, except for producing a son to carry on the lineage, the marriage was a complete disaster. Digging Deeper First cousins are defined as cousins who share at least one grandparent. Marriages between first cousins have taken place throughout history in both royal houses…