Browsing: Society

A Brief History On June 24, 1779, the largest battle of the American Revolutionary War began at the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea at the British Fortress of Gibraltar.  Spanish and French forces greatly outnumbered the British forces, in men, guns, and ships, and yet after almost 4 years of siege the British had held firm and Gibraltar is known as a metaphor for an impenetrable fortress.  Spain and France had attempted to take advantage of British preoccupation with its war in America to gang up on their old foe, and had gone to war in a back handed support…

A Brief History On July 19, 1848, somewhat earlier than you may have imagined, the modern Women’s Rights movement began with a 2 day convention held in Seneca Falls, New York. Digging Deeper This first Women’s Rights convention, known appropriately as the Seneca Falls Convention, was not to be an aberration.  Only two weeks later, another convention was held, also in New York (Rochester) and within two years annual conventions concerning women’s rights were being held. The convention was organized by several Quaker women, including Lucretia Mott and with the collusion of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, a famous suffragist  and advocate…

A Brief History On October 14, 1939, German submarine U-47 captained by Gunther Prien stealthily crept into the Royal Navy’s main anchorage at Scapa Flow and sank the British battleship HMS Royal Oak, an audacious and remarkable feat of skill and daring.  Military men and women have performed heroically quite often, but not as often with a truly amazing degree of skill and daring.  Here we list 10 of those feats of military success that most captivate us.  What military feats impress you? Digging Deeper 10. Sinking of Royal Oak, 1939. Piloting his sub into the British Navy’s back yard…

A Brief History On April 8, 2013, the Dawlat al-ʻIraq al-Islāmīyah, “Islamic State of Iraq” (ISI) claimed territory in the Levant and thereby became “The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant”.  Now known as just “The Islamic State”, this so-called “caliphate” is arguably one of the most evil entities in human history.  This article lists some of the most horrendous crimes against humanity in chronological order. Digging Deeper 1.  Beheading Abu Musab al-Zarqawi (October 30, 1966 – June 7, 2006), a militant Islamist from Jordan who ran a paramilitary training camp in Afghanistan, became known after going to Iraq and being responsible for a series of bombings, beheadings, and attacks…

Digging Deeper On October 13, 1929, Joze Plecnik, Slovenian architect, revealed his memorial to Napoleon Bonaparte on the Square of the French Revolution in Ljubljana, Slovenia.  A major influence on the architecture of Slovenia, Plecnik was not a favorite of the communists after World War II and fell from influence.  Plecnik and others have left beautiful, imposing, or impressive memorials and monuments to remind us of those memorialized.  Here we list 10 of the author’s favorites, not necessarily the most famous or biggest, but the ones that touch or impress me the most. Digging Deeper 10. Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument,…