Humanities

Habsburg Emperor Joseph II tried to reform Austria into “ideal Enlightened state”. He abolished serfdom, removed restrictions against Jews, gave religious freedom to Protestants and Orthodox and tried to weaken power of Catholic church. But as soon he died all his reforms were abolished

Government, Humanities / April 5, 2021

Josephinism “Josephists” redirects here. For the medieval heretics, see Josephines. For other uses, see Josephites. Joseph II by Anton von Maron, 1775 Josephinism was the collective domestic policies of Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor (1765–1790). During the ten years in which Joseph was the sole ruler of the Habsburg Monarchy (1780–1790), he attempted to legislate […]

Habsburg Emperor Joseph II tried to reform Austria into “ideal Enlightened state”. He abolished serfdom, removed restrictions against Jews, gave religious freedom to Protestants and Orthodox and tried to weaken power of Catholic church. But as soon he died all his reforms were abolished Read More »

Harriet Tubman suffered a violent head injury as a child causing her to frequently slip into into sleep like states. These would produce vivid dreamlike hallucinations that Tubman interpreted as messages from god, to devote her life to freeing southern slaves through the Underground Railroad.

History, Sensitive Subjects, Social Issues & Advocacy / March 29, 2021

The Brain Injury That Helped End Slavery An American icon of freedom and resilience, Harriet Tubman’s portrait is slated to grace the $20 bill beginning in 2030. It’s an auspicious achievement for a hero of civil rights who escaped from slavery, led hundreds of others to do the same, all while balancing a challenging array

Harriet Tubman suffered a violent head injury as a child causing her to frequently slip into into sleep like states. These would produce vivid dreamlike hallucinations that Tubman interpreted as messages from god, to devote her life to freeing southern slaves through the Underground Railroad. Read More »

People who speak Icelandic can still understand the old Icelandic Sagas because of how little the language has changed over the past 1000 years.

Humanities / March 22, 2021

Icelandic language Main article: History of Icelandic The oldest preserved texts in Icelandic were written around 1100 AD. Many of the texts are based on poetry and laws traditionally preserved orally. The most famous of the texts, which were written in Iceland from the 12th century onward, are the Icelandic Sagas, which encompass the historical

People who speak Icelandic can still understand the old Icelandic Sagas because of how little the language has changed over the past 1000 years. Read More »

For centuries the city of Troy was considered a myth until it was re-discovered in 1871 in present day Turkey. The area had been excavated before but the ruins of Troy were beneath newer excavations and had gone untouched for millennia even though the site had people living on top of it.

History, Myth & Folklore, Tourist Destinations / March 20, 2021

The search for the lost city of Troy Exhibitions and events The myth of the Trojan War has captivated people for thousands of years and has led pilgrims, explorers and archaeologists to search for the location where the famed conflict took place. But did the city really exist? In anticipation of our major autumn exhibition,

For centuries the city of Troy was considered a myth until it was re-discovered in 1871 in present day Turkey. The area had been excavated before but the ruins of Troy were beneath newer excavations and had gone untouched for millennia even though the site had people living on top of it. Read More »

The old man who died in the Mt St Helens eruption was once sunk by a U-boat, smuggled booze, threw his ex-wife into a lake during arguments, got park rangers drunk, impersonated game wardens, assaulted taxmen, hated hippies, chased off a Supreme Court Justice and died with his cats on a volcano

History / March 12, 2021

Harry R. Truman Harry R. Truman (October 1896 – May 18, 1980) was an American businessman, bootlegger, and prospector. He lived near Mount St. Helens, an active volcano in Washington state, and was the owner and caretaker of Mount St. Helens Lodge at Spirit Lake near the foot of the mountain. Truman came to fame

The old man who died in the Mt St Helens eruption was once sunk by a U-boat, smuggled booze, threw his ex-wife into a lake during arguments, got park rangers drunk, impersonated game wardens, assaulted taxmen, hated hippies, chased off a Supreme Court Justice and died with his cats on a volcano Read More »

The Black Death was responsible for the beginning of the end of European Feudalism/Manoralism. As there were fewer workers, their lords were forced to pay higher wages. With higher wages, there were fewer restrictions on travel. Eventually, this would lead to a trade class/middle class.

History / March 9, 2021

Consequences of the Black Death The great population loss brought favourable results to the surviving peasants in England and Western Europe. There was increased social mobility, as depopulation further eroded the peasants’ already weakened obligations to remain on their traditional holdings. Seigneurialism never recovered. Land was plentiful, wages high, and serfdom had all but disappeared.

The Black Death was responsible for the beginning of the end of European Feudalism/Manoralism. As there were fewer workers, their lords were forced to pay higher wages. With higher wages, there were fewer restrictions on travel. Eventually, this would lead to a trade class/middle class. Read More »

Czechoslovakia split up against the wishes of its people: “only 37% of Slovaks and 36% of Czechs favoured dissolution”

History / March 5, 2021

Dissolution of Czechoslovakia Part of a series on the History of Czechoslovakia Origins of Czechoslovakia 1918 First Czechoslovak Republic 1918–1938 Munich Agreement 1938 Second Czechoslovak Republic 1938–1939 German occupation 1939–1945 Bohemia and Moravia 1939–1945 Slovak Republic 1939–1945 Third Czechoslovak Republic 1945–1948 Coup d’état 1948 Czechoslovak Socialist Republic 1948–1989 Prague Spring/Invasion 1968 Velvet Revolution 1989 Post-revolution

Czechoslovakia split up against the wishes of its people: “only 37% of Slovaks and 36% of Czechs favoured dissolution” Read More »

At an Allied checkpoint during the Battle of the Bulge, US General Omar Bradley was detained as a possible spy when he correctly identified Springfield as the capital of Illinois. The American military police officer who questioned him mistakenly believed the capital was Chicago

History, Military / March 4, 2021

Battle of the Bulge This article is about the 1944 German offensive in World War II. For other uses, see Battle of the Bulge (disambiguation). Not to be confused with the 1940 German Army Group A Ardennes offensive in the Battle of France. Map showing the swelling of “the Bulge” as the German offensive progressed

At an Allied checkpoint during the Battle of the Bulge, US General Omar Bradley was detained as a possible spy when he correctly identified Springfield as the capital of Illinois. The American military police officer who questioned him mistakenly believed the capital was Chicago Read More »

At an Allied checkpoint during the Battle of the Bulge, US General Omar Bradley was detained as a possible spy when he correctly identified Springfield as the capital of Illinois. The American military police officer who questioned him mistakenly believed the capital was Chicago

History, Military / March 4, 2021

When Truman told Stalin about the Manhattan project in July of 1945, Stalin displayed little reaction, since Stalin had known about the project for almost 4 years before Truman, and he arguably knew more about it than Truman himself did.

Biographies & Quotations, Books & Literature, History, Politics / February 25, 2021

POTSDAM AND THE FINAL DECISION TO USE THE BOMB After President Harry S. Truman received word of the success of the Trinity test, his need for the help of the Soviet Union in the war against Japan was greatly diminished. The Soviet leader, Joseph Stalin, had promised to join the war against Japan by August

When Truman told Stalin about the Manhattan project in July of 1945, Stalin displayed little reaction, since Stalin had known about the project for almost 4 years before Truman, and he arguably knew more about it than Truman himself did. Read More »