Historical
Don't Quit
Everyone remembers things about their childhood that stood out as interesting or important. When I was younger I had a lot of moments like that. The first time I traveled outside of the U.S and my first day of middle school. When I first rode a bike, when I learned to swim, and when I went to Las Vegas for a family reunion. The most important parts of me that shaped me became memories I could look back on and smile about. As a kid something I loved was history and I used to live with my aunt. On her door, every day I walked by it I looked at a poem taped on it. That poem is a part of history, of my history, and the history of the person who writes it. It's the most inspirational poem I've ever read. I memorized it and carry it as a memory today. The poem is called "Don't Quit" and some people credit the author Edgar A. Guest as the author but others believe it to be John G. Whittier.
By Porsha Greer3 years ago in FYI
The WW1 weapon you can’t live without
When people think of WW1, they often conjure up thoughts of the infamous phrase “trench warfare.” Images of shell-shocked soldiers sitting in trenches with eyes that hold a million stories many would never be able to tell and gruesome wounds that forever shaped a generation may spring to thought. Just as likely would the history class every student takes in 10th grade explaining the bare-bones facts of the war with glossy pages detailing mustard gas and the newly emerging concept of “shell shock” that would later go on the be named PTSD. Students in advanced world history might cover a bit of the politics that took place before the bubbling cauldron in the Balkans finally boiled over. It might cover the assassination that sent an entire generation to the front lines that took a backseat to WW2 when it came time for their yearly history exam. However, while mustard gas often left painful and debilitating blisters on soldiers. It wasn’t even close to being the deadliest chemical weapon used on the battlefield.
By Mukena Addict3 years ago in FYI
Hidden History
I think it's safe to say America likes to be forgetful, and to leave pertinent histories undisclosed. This has become increasingly apparent over the last year, with a plethora of information coming to light and mass movements gaining momentum to protect our waters and BIPOC. What I'm sharing today is part of a short research project I took on for an environmental studies class at my local community college, addressing some of these issues. For this report I was to use the National Inventory of Dams and other resources to identify and compare two dams of different sizes, listing their benefits and drawbacks, age, safety risks, whether or not they include a fish passage to travel upriver, the habitats they flood, recreation opportunities, etc. The two dams I chose are both significant to me, and both of which have caused much conflict with and heavily impact Native populations (human, animal, and plant life). And honestly the more I read about all this, the more it seems that this is not unique to these dams alone. This makes sense because life exists from and by water, and so of course the choices of American society and industry would violate the sacred grounds of many First Peoples.
By Lucy Whitesell3 years ago in FYI
A Capitalist, a Murderer, a Gambling Bet, a Brain Injury, and an Earthquake
The cigar smoke in Leland Stanford’s parlor hung heavy in the air. The lucky men who attended Stanford’s elaborate dinner party in the spring of 1872 were brimming with privilege and money. Their wool vests barely buttoned around their swollen stomachs. Brandy in their hands, they discussed the current events of the day from the sweetness of Stanford's mansion in San Francisco.
By joy ellen sauter3 years ago in FYI
Olga of Kiev
Ever wondered about Saints and how they gain a title that is known throughout history? Well, none will make you question canonization more than the story of Helga otherwise known as Saint Olga of Kiev. She was canonized as the Saint of Widows and Converts in 1547 as the first saint of the Russian Orthodox Church. Many might question why she was sainted in the first place, and why she is still honored as a saint if they knew her full story.
By Josh Mallernee3 years ago in FYI
The Deadliest Disaster You Never Heard Of
The Titanic. The Hindenburg. The Great Chicago Fire. These are disasters we are all familiar with, terrible events that killed far too many people and traumatized even more. But is it possible that today, in the age of Google and endless information at our fingertips, there could be another tragedy, perhaps even worse, that most Americans are unaware of?
By Elissa Vaunting3 years ago in FYI
Plutarch: The Original Influencer
Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus was born in 46 AD and died around 119 AD. Although he was born in Chaeronea, Boeotia, Greece, Rome ruled the area at the time. Lucius Mestrius was added to his name when he was granted Roman citizenship. Throughout his life, he was a philosopher. The core of his philosophy was Platonic but he did borrow from other philosophies like the Stoics and Peripatetics. Other vocations listed for him are biographer and essayist. He was also a priest at the Temple of Apollo in Delphi.
By Yvonne Lovejoy3 years ago in FYI
Ever Hear of the Greek Hero Born Hercules?
Classical and Norse mythology first grabbed my attention when I was in middle school in the early '90s, an interest stemming off comic book characters such as Marvel's Thor and Hercules. The former had some relational differences from its source material, but it had all of the names of the Norse Aesir correct (this, long before the Marvel Cinematic Universe turned them from actual gods into extraterrestrial beings). However, the latter of those two heroes, who was often a thorn in Thor's side – though a fellow Avenger – was part of the Greek characters Marvel had, along with his father Zeus and half-brother Ares. Sounds right.... right?
By Michael B Puskar3 years ago in FYI