Humanities

At the start of World War Two, 209 Polish defenders in an ammunition depot held off thousands of Germans, a battleship and dive-bombers. Even when hope of relief evaporated, they fought on.

A discussion of the pros and cons of including the Apocrypha in the Bible. I also explain three stories from these books and why they're relevant for today.

Sweet Fanny Adams is used by the British to describe anything worthless. It is also the name of a pretty young girl murdered in Victorian England. This is how Fanny's name became slang for worthless.

'The Emperor's New Clothes' is a fairy tale for children, but it is also a perceptive commentary on the human condition. In this review I look at the story, its history and its great wisdom

The kiss can be an obligatory greeting,  a sign of respect, a personal expression of caring concern, and so much more.

The final four requested items on God's list, as it concerned the Tabernacle as recorded in Exodus 25, will be visited in this article along with its connection with salvation through Jesus Christ..

During the Battle of the Bulge, one segregated unit nearly lost all its men and it took years to be recognized. By helping to defend both St. Vith and Bastogne, it deserves its place in history.

The story of Frances Wills, Harriet Pickens, and Mildred McAfee–Three pioneering female officers who helped integrate the US Navy.

The most efficient branch of the U.S. Army in World War II was the artillery. 20 years of innovations between the wars helped make it the best in the world.

Those wacky royals are always up to something. Unfortunately, in past centuries, that something also included inbreeding. Find out what kinds of conditions a shallow gene pool caused in royalty.

In 1914, military aviation was in its infancy. By the end of World War One, just four years later, Germany had giant bombers larger than those they would use in World War Two.

Gutenberg's printing press was a great historical event. Before it, all books had to be laboriously hand copied. His invention sparked a cultural revolution that would change the world forever...

Mary Elizabeth Bowser operated as a Union spy in the household of Confederate president Jefferson Davis. Never caught, she was one of the most productive Union operatives of the Civil War.

In the first of a series of articles on Medal of Honor winners from the artillery branch, we look at three heroes from World War II.

Kate is an amazingly strong character displayed in Shakespeare's play The Taming of the Shrew. Here you can see how Kate may actually be the tamest of the sisters.

So, I hear you want to learn French. Well, come on and embark on the beautiful journey of learning French. This lesson, we will be covering the very basics of French grammar and vocabulary. Enjoy!

An infamous serial killer lived just down the street from little Ann Marie Burr who vanished in 1961. Was this little girl Ted Bundy's first victim?

Based on my research and studying the reports written by teachers of language-less people in the deaf community, it’s obvious to me that something goes on in their heads despite the lack of language.

Why Abraham Lincoln, as President of the United States, denied any recognition to Jefferson Davis as the Confederate States president.

The artillery personnel in World War II were some of the most skilled soldiers in the US Army and their Battalions were built to fight.

The 1705 Virginia Slave Act turned indentured servants into slaves for life, removed legal protection against torture and murder of slaves, and required runaway slaves to be returned to their owners.

In 1897 Anita Hemmings became the first black graduate of Vassar. But because she was passing for white, when her race was discovered she almost wasn’t allowed to graduate.

Quick help writing parallel sentences correctly. Includes practice exercises with answers.

Evolution is one of the best-supported bodies of knowledge in science. Creationism, Creation Science, and Intelligent Design are religious concepts, not science.

An enhanced-content review of Gwynne Dyer's "Climate Wars" (2010.) Climate change is of deep concern to national security professionals the world over. Find out what they are worrying about.

Edwin Booth, the great Shakespearean actor, achieved his fame through tragedy. Ironically, the tragic assassination of President Lincoln by his younger brother nearly undermined his success.

HMS Perseus, a British submarine with 61 souls on board, sank in the Mediterranean in December 1941. One man, John Capes, escaped a watery grave against impossible odds.

During the Korean War, a little mare was “drafted” into the US Marine Corps and emerged a beloved, decorated war hero who is still being honored to this day.

It would be impossible to visit Ireland's Dingle Peninsula without seeing a clochán, more commonly known as a beehive hut. Who built them, and how old are they?

Winston Churchill, future Prime Minister of Great Britain, spent six months in the trenches during World War I following the disaster at Gallipoli and his resignation as First Lord of the Admiralty.

This article suggests a list of the 10 greatest religious leaders in history. A concise biography is also included with the name of each person or entity.

Hermes was the Greek God, a trickster, messenger between realms, and a soul guide. He was the son of Zeus, brother of Apollo, and lover of Aphrodite. The Hermes archetype is a successful person.

10 'nail houses' - examples of buildings which have remained in place long after their neighbourhood has changed - the result of great obstinacy or business acumen. A fun page of quirky buildings!

Albert Einstein wrote and spoke extensively about God and religion. What you think you know about his beliefs may not be true. What did he really believe and why?

John Charles Fremont was a great explorer but a poor Civil War general. His attempts to evade being replaced required Lincoln to take extraordinary measures to fire him.

Samuel Upham ran a perfectly legal counterfeiting business during the Civil War that helped destroy the value of Confederate money, and hastened the collapse of the Southern economy.

First Nations Canadian men signed up for duty in World War I in large numbers. Many served with high distinction but nobody matched the exploits of Francis Pegahmagabow.

Author of "The Souls of Black Folk," and a founder of the NAACP, W.E.B. Du Bois was a scholar, writer and activist who had a profound and continuing impact on American society.

Learn about some of the most famous witches from ancient history into modern times.

A little-known dialect from the Midlands of England echoes the language spoken by the Anglo-Saxons.

This article summarizes the career of legendary explorer Colonel Percy Fawcett, who vanished in Brazil during 1925. The story also provides many theories explaining how and why he disappeared.

Grinding poverty forced families to send children as young as three off to work in the most appalling conditions imaginable.

To abolition activist Frederick Douglass, Abraham Lincoln's commitment to ending slavery seemed weak and vacillating. But after the two men met, Douglass grew to appreciate Lincoln's true merit.

I’ll discuss two peculiar things about the English language that provide the ability to write outlandish and bizarre sentences.

The Toledo War comprised a comic series of skirmishes between Ohio and Michigan in April, July, and September of 1835. When it was over, politics won. Ohio retained the disputed territory. Michigan was granted the Upper Peninsula. The active conflict faded, but political controversy continued.

Hades is very interesting, because he rules the dead, or people who need periodic times of privacy with which they can use to think about whatever troubles them. Hades also has psychic powers.

When you want to learn about World War II, hear it from people who were there.

The Borrowers is a children's book about tiny people living in secret in a house. They survive by collecting items owned by the big people in the house. Eventually their hiding place is discovered.

This article suggests a list of some of the best archaeological sites in the world. A brief summary explains the historical and archaeological significance of each site.

Fells Point, in Baltimore, Maryland, is a waterfront area filled with 18th-century homes. The National Historic Register of Places recognizes Fells Point's historic and architectural significance.

Anne Bronte employs the use of physiognomy throughout Agnes Grey in order to further character development.

Stephen Hawking said, “There is no God. I am an atheist.” What is the science that informs his statement, and why are his critics wrong?

How Abraham Lincoln mentored his generals in the Civil War through the letters he sent them.

In 1968 Peanuts, the most popular comic strip in history, was still all white. But a concerned schoolteacher convinced Charles Schulz to bring a black kid into the cast.

This article explores death and the afterlife according to Christian and other viewpoints.

"A Good Man is Hard to Find" by Flannery O'Connor is saturated with symbolism and foreshadowing literary techniques. Learn more about unlocking the hidden meanings in her most successful short story about the detiorating state of faith in the South during the 1950s.

States rights or slavery? What Confederates themselves said were the grievances that caused the South to secede from the Union, making the Civil War inevitable.

Was the recklessness showed by Custer at the Little Bighorn fueled by a humiliating rebuke from President Grant?

Henry "Box" Brown escaped from slavery in Richmond, Virginia by hiding himself inside an express package and sending the box as freight to Philadelphia

During the Great War, the Japanese were allied with the Triple Entente. Though their casualties were miniscule, their navy patrolled half the world and even fought in the Mediterranean Sea.

Winter, 1926. In his tiny London laboratory, John Logie Baird turned down the lights on his small, invited audience. Moving images appeared in the darkness. The audience gasped. Television was born...

Examples of architecture designed, constructed or renovated with malice by a seriously annoyed and very determined individual. A fun page of quirky buildings!

False reasoning leads to false conclusions and precludes rational thinking and debate. Learn how to recognize and avoid logical fallacies and how to defend yourself against them.

Who was Buddha? What are the facts and myths of his life? What are the basics of his teachings? Are the teachings of Buddha a practical philosophy for the 21st century?

Sarah Forbes Bonetta was an orphaned African princess given as a gift to Queen Victoria by the King of Dahomey. Victoria became Sarah's godmother, and received her into the royal extended family.

Imprisoned for helping the Jews and aiding the resistance in Nazi-occupied Holland, Cornelia "Corrie" ten Boom survived the Holocaust to found a worldwide ministry based on love and forgiveness.

From antiquity till modernity, China was ruled by over 800 emperors. Here are the greatest among all Chinese emperors. The ones credited with China’s growth and survival as a major civilisation.

Before Jackie Robinson wore #42 for the Brooklyn Dodgers, he was a US Army officer court-martialed after refusing to go to the back of the bus.

What do you know about the hanging coffins of China and the mysterious Bo People? How did they make the hanging coffins and how did they suspend them form the mountainside? And why the high burials?

The Mary Poppins books were written by Pamela Lyndon Travers. The magical nanny is very popular, but her character is very different in the books than in the famous "Mary Poppins" movie. The Disney movie "Saving Mr. Banks" offers a semifictionalized look at the life of P. L. Travers.

After years of preaching and having many followers, popular Bishop Carlton Pearson was ostracized because he changed his mind and began preaching there is no hell. His true story is in a Netflix biopic that premiered on April 13, 2018.

Is death the end of consciousness? Why are there so many documented cases in the medical field of people having out-of-body experiences and being conscious of their surroundings while near death?

It is hard to believe that in the 19th century, a man could have his wife committed to a psychiatric hospital based solely upon his whim. Yet it was the law that made this possible.

The famous “Pascal’s Wager” asks us to consider the question of the existence of God as a wager. Which is the better bet—belief or disbelief?

I'll explain why backward time travel is doubtful but forward time travel can't be ruled out.

Edward Jenner infected people with cowpox to protect them from smallpox. Mary Montagu gave people a mild case of smallpox to protect them from a serious case.

In early modern Europe, gender played a huge role in who was a victim of the witch trials and witch hunts.

The Effingham hospital fire on the night of April 4, 1949, was the second largest in United States history, with a total of 77 fatalities. The tragedy resulted in a nationwide overhaul of hospital fire safety regulations thereafter.

Poe was a master at reaching out to awaken the deepest emotions in others by shedding light on his own sorrows. Poe expressed the deepest love and deeper sorrows that was very much a part of himself.

What would the world be like if it was socially acceptable to experiment on orphans, slaves, prisoners, and other voiceless individuals? Our past has the answer and it's not pretty.

People want to say that Christianity and Paganism are separate, but in fact they are much the same. Read about the pagan elements and traditions of Christianity here.

Overcoming fierce racial discrimination, Hugh Mulzac became the first African American to command a Liberty Ship in World War II.

Lost in the woods of the Ardennes, a lone American artillery lieutenant sets out to fight his own war against the Germans.

A version of English is spoken widely throughout what used to be the British Empire. It’s a mixture of local languages and simplified English grammar used by people who don’t share a common tongue.

Death of a Salesman's Willy Loman, was really a low man. He led a very sad life, accoplished little, but had big dreams. Here is an analysis of the man behind the story.

During the scourge of warfare, defenseless children are often exploited in the most ruthless scenarios. Whether evacuated to safer places, tested for ethnic purity or imprisoned, they suffer.

God reveals Himself by many names throughout the scriptures that express a quality of His character that is vital for us to know. One in particular stands out to me lately in reference to the miracle of the five loaves and two fish as told in all four of the Gospels (Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 6:31-44, Luke 9:10-16, and John 6:5-14) - signifying a lesson that applies to every sphere of our life. El Shaddai the "All Sufficient One" is the name that reminds me of the Lord at this event.

William Wallace is most often associated by many with the movie, Braveheart. William Wallace, however, was very real and this page looks at the truth behind the myths.

Confederate civilians trapped in Vicksburg during General Ulysses Grant’s 1863 Vicksburg campaign dug caves to avoid the shelling, and were reduced to eating dogs, cats, and rats.

Sister Nazarena was an American Camaldolese nun, who lived like an Egyptian hermit in a Roman convent for forty-five years.

Sam Patch, a mill worker from Pawtucket, Rhode Island, captivated the American public in the 1820s with his spectacular, death-defying leaps off waterfalls and other high, dangerous places. Patch became known as the "Jersey Jumper" and the "Yankee Leaper," as he conquered the Great Falls in Paterson, New Jersey, Niagara Falls, and the Upper Falls of the Genesee River in Rochester, New York. He died making his second jump at the Genesee falls, but he became an American folk hero.

Everyone's heard of the Wild West. But what was it that made it so wild? Lawlessness? Crazy characters? New inventions? The lure of gold? The cowboy life? Wars between natives and settlers? Read on...

An oral storytelling performance can be both entertaining and educational. Prose, poems, and songs can all tell a story. Myths and traditional tales are often shared orally.

Learn about 5 of the most significant battles of the American Civil War and how their outcomes changed the fate of a nation on the brink of ruin.

Obsessed with fairy tales and building castles King Ludwig II had almost bankrupted Bavaria when he was found dead, under circumstances which remain mysterious to this day.

The Battle of the Bulge was the largest land battle fought by the U.S. in World War II. It was also was the baptism of fire for an entire American Infantry Division.

The Secret Garden is a story about a seemingly magical garden that has healing powers. The garden has been hidden for ten years when a young girl discovers it.

To drive the Germans out of the city of Zwolle in the Netherlands, the Canadian Army was prepared to level it. French-Canadian Private Leo Major had other plans.

In the Civil War, Col. Hiram Berdan’s Sharpshooters were an elite corps in the Union army. Even the Confederates recognized their effectiveness.

St. Philip Neri (1515-1595), was instrumental in Rome’s spiritual rejuvenation during the late Renaissance, earning him the title of “Apostle of Rome.” His most endearing quality however, is his joy and humor; he is the patron saint of mirth.