In 1822, France's government had a smart idea. They wanted more people to get vaccinated against smallpox. So, they asked a French artist named Constant Joseph Desbordes to create a painting that would teach people about the benefits of the vaccine. Desbordes came up with "La Vaccine, " which shows one of France's top doctors, Jean-Louis Alibert, giving someone the v...
Bob Fernandez, a centenarian who survived the infamous 1941 Pearl Harbor attack, recently left us quietly in California. At 100 years old, he couldn't attend the December 7 remembrance ceremony, marking 83 years since the tragedy. The event that plunged the US into World War II had shaken his life as a 17-year-old mess cook aboard the USS Curtiss. He witnessed the fr...
In the heart of the Renaissance, the office of the Venetian Doge produced a wealth of official documents. These records offer a deep dive into the worlds of history, diplomacy, and culture. One such document is a ducal letter penned by Francesco Donato, the Doge of Venice, in the 16th century. This letter, now preserved in the State Archives in Pazin, holds a unique ...
Feliks Badowski, born in Warsaw on May 17, 1923, was a fighter in the ZWZ-AK (Union of Armed Struggle-Home Army). His story starts with his educational background and work in occupied Warsaw. He studied at the Technical Courses Association and worked in industry during the occupation. His account focuses on his experiences during the Warsaw Uprising. Badowski shares...
Let's take a trip back in time to the late 19th century. When British officials first stepped onto the island of Cyprus, they meticulously documented its features. This historical geospatial dataset, crafted from maps made between 1878 and 1883, gives us a snapshot of Cyprus's past environment. The maps, including Horatio Herbert Kitchener's famous 1885 chart, were d...
Ever wondered what happened to the Confederates after the American Civil War ended? Well, some of them headed south, literally. They migrated to Mexico, hoping for a new beginning. Todd W. Wahlstrom's book, "The Southern Exodus to Mexico, " dives into this lesser-known story. It's not just about losing a cause, but maybe finding a new one. Imagine the Confederates a...
In the twilight years of the Ottoman Empire, a fascinating dance began between new technologies and the expansive, diverse empire. Historians have long debated how the Ottoman ruling elites embraced innovations like steamships, railways, and electricity to bolster their geopolitical power. However, this period was dominated by intense competition among empires, the r...
Imagine this: a tiny silver coin, just a bit bigger than a nickel, sold for a whopping $2. 52 million at an auction! This coin is special because it's from way back in 1652, before the United States even existed. It was found in an old cabinet in Amsterdam eight years ago, and it's been a hot topic since then. The coin is a threepence, which means it's worth three p...
Imagine a web of power spun with silk threads of marriage. This web was woven in the heart of Venice, a city-state that lasted for over a thousand years. The Venetian Republic, known for its innovation and trading prowess, was led by a special ruler called a doge. But who decided who became this doge? That's where the patrician families come in. These families were t...
Imagine if we had a world where every country worked together for peace and progress. That's what the United Nations (UN) aims to do. Back on Oct. 24, 1945, the UN officially started its mission after 29 countries gave the green light and agreed on its rules, known as the Charter of the United Nations. This day is now remembered every year as United Nations Day. But ...