Shays’ rebellion of 1786
“Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.”Robert Brault – American Author I bet you never realised that a rebellion by a farm hand called Shays led to the American Constitution as we know it today. It was all because of high Taxes. You see […]
To vote or not to vote, that is the question?
Many years ago, in another century, I stood for the local council and I lost by two votes! Almost immediately after this there was a general election and I went out knocking on doors for my candidate. I lost count of the number of doors I knocked on and was told they hadn’t voted for […]
Was this the Start of British Democracy?
The Putney Debates The Putney Debates took place from 28 October to 8 November 1647, and they were a series of discussions over how they would run the country should they, Parliament, win the civil war. Basically, it was a discussion as to what they would do if they were in charge of the country […]
What is the Stone of Scone?
With King Charles’ coronation you will have heard them talk about the Stone of Scone, but do we know what it is, and why it is so important? What is it? It is simply an oblong block of red sandstone. This block of stone has been used for many years for the coronation of the […]
Battle of Beverhoutsveld – was it the first official drunken battle!
It became famous because the Ghent army beat a drunken one from the nearby town of Bruges. I am sure it has happened before, but it is the first time an army has actually admitted they were all drunk! Though it could also have been recorder as the first use, in battle, of The Organ […]
The End of the Aztec Civilization
The Aztec Civilization was brought to an end by the Spanish. What was it? The Aztec Empire was a confederation of three city-states established in 1427: Then the Spanish arrived! It was left basically untouched until 1517 when Hernandez de Cordoba visited and reported back to the Spanish Governor, Diego Velasquez, in Cuba, what he […]
Who was the first woman doctor?
She was a lady called Agnodice, who lived in Athens in Ancient Greece, at a time when women were forbidden to practice medicine. How did she get away with it? First of all, she went to Alexandria, in Egypt, where she studied medicine under Herophilus, who was a Greek physician who many regard as one […]
Why do we call politicians right or the left?
The media describe politicians as from the “Left” or “Right”, but do you know why we call them left or right? Well, recently a teacher contacted me to say that she had been asked to explain the difference between Left and Right in politics to her class, she asked me if I could send her […]
What is the Stone of Scone?
With King Charles’ coronation you will have heard them talk about the Stone of Scone, but do we know what it is, and why it is so important? What is it? It is simply an oblong block of red sandstone. This block of stone has been used for many years for the coronation of the […]
Crossing the Rubicon
How often have you heard the expression “Crossing the Rubicon”, which is one that describes when you make an irrevocable decision. I am asking if you know that the expression came from an event that actually happened on January 10, 49 B.C! The Gallic Wars. At this time the Roman Republic was teetering on the […]