A Brief History On May 31, 1866, Irish nationalists known as Fenian Brotherhood invaded Canada in an attempt to force Britain into granting Ireland independence. This invasion was not the first raid into Canada by the Fenians, an American based Irish Republican group, nor would it be the last, with raids starting in April of 1866 and continuing until 1871. Digging Deeper As many as 10,000 Irish Americans were involved in the Fenian movement, a movement motivated by the British crushing of the Irish Independence movement in 1865. Those Fenians involved with the raids were mostly battle hardened veterans of…

A Brief History On May 30, 2017, we had the opportunity to preview the DC Comics major motion picture, Wonder Woman, at Cleveland, Ohio’s historic Capitol Theatre (built in 1921!).  Without building any suspense, we will tell you right off the bat that the audience stood up and clapped at the end! Digging Deeper Yes, we enjoyed the movie, too.  Lots of action, lots of beautiful Gal Gadot in the title role, and for the ladies an “above average” Chris Pine as the male lead.  (You have to watch the film to get that reference.) Some critics, such as Molly…

A Brief History On May 30, 1431, Joan of Arc (Jeanne d’Arc) was put to death by being burned alive at the stake for the alleged crime of heresy. Probably the most famous person to be burned to death, Saint Joan joins four other famous people on this list that died in this horrible fashion.  Digging Deeper 1.  Joan of Arc. Only 19 when she was executed, Joan had fought for the French against the English during the Hundred Years War, gaining fame and a mythical legendary status.  For her efforts, she was later canonized by the Catholic Church as…

A Brief History On May 29, 1733, the colonial government of New France located in Quebec City reaffirmed the right of Canadians (meaning European Canadians, citizens of New France) to own and keep slaves. Digging Deeper Slavery in Canada is a subject often ignored, especially when the topic of escaped slaves from the United States fleeing to Canada is discussed. (No mention of Canadian slavery ever came up when I went to school.) In fact, New France allowed the practice of slavery for 2 centuries, from 1632 to 1834. This area includes New France in what is now the independent…

A Brief History On May 28, 1802, 400 former slaves revolting against the reinstatement of slavery by the French under Napoleon Bonaparte in the Caribbean department of Guadalupe blew themselves up rather than surrender to the French. Digging Deeper Revolutionary France had abolished slavery, but after Napoleon Bonaparte took control of the country his wife, Josephine, herself a native of Martinique, talked the Emperor into reinstating slavery in the West Indies, as slaves were vital to the plantation way of life for the rich French overseers. Resistance to the French authorities was led by Louis Delgres, a mulatto (half white,…