Humanities

An examination of religion in modern Japan, including sociological analysis of ideological conflicts, a short history of Japanese religion and modernization, and speculation on future societal changes

Booker T. Washington and W. E. B. Du Bois both fought in different ways for African American equal rights. But Du Bois accused Washington of counseling blacks to accept second class status.

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.

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.

Buried in the woods of Cornwall is the Lake House, frozen the day when a little boy disappeared. Detective Sadie contacts the aged mystery-novel author who lived there to find the missing baby.

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

The inspiration behind the many pre-Raphaelite paintings of Arthurian lore.

The Normans struggle to maintain rule in England.

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.

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.

The life of the Ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus. The often misunderstood exponent of hedonism. Life's pleasures and joy can be easily attained by those with basic wants and limited desires.

Kipling dramatizes humanity's imprudent notions, measuring them against the wisdom of the ages as found in an important learning tool for students.

A criminal slang known as "Patter Flash" was used among pickpockets and thieves in 19th century London. This criminal slang was used to confuse police and create a secret mode of communication between thieves, who often worked in large gangs known as battalions.

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.

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

This is a study on the first three letters of the Hebrew Aleph-bet in their ancient pictograph forms. Each representative image will reveal a facet of God's goodness and character.

The state of Texas has the unique distinction of being the only state to enter the Union as an independent nation, the Republic of Texas. The issue of slavery and potential war with Mexico would delay until 1845 Texas becoming the 28th state.

In December 1968, while fighting in Quảng Trị Province, Vietnam, Second Lieutenant Robert S. Mueller earned the Bronze Star for rescuing a fellow Marine. His time in Vietnam set the stage for a career in service to his country.

Russian literature is known for its great psychological depth and a focus on moral dilemmas.

This article discusses the impact and legacy of the rebellion led by Nat Turner in 1831.

A jack o'lantern is a carved and lighted Halloween pumpkin. It's also a name for the mysterious light that appears near the surface of a wetland.

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.

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.

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.

Some saints traveled to Heaven by way of an illumined path. Others, no less holy, journeyed in darkness. These saints teach us how to bear with doubts.

St. John of the Cross is the patron of Spanish poets. His most illuminative poetry emerged from the darkness of imprisonment.

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?

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

The Great Depression was a severe economic downturn that occurred in the 1930s. It was triggered by a stock market crash in the United States, but went on to affect the whole world.

Kate Atkinson, Gillian Flynn, Tana French, and Carol Goodman deliver modern literary mysteries guaranteed to add spookiness, dread, and thrills to your reading experience.

Anastasia Romanov was believed to have escaped the brutal killing of her family. Many years later, there was a woman who claimed to have been the real Anastasia. She went by the name of Anna Anderson.

A mystic perceives spiritual realities that lay beyond the realm of ordinary human consciousness. Caryll Houselander is a modern mystic.

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.

Europe is rising from the Middle Ages, looking back on the darkness and into the light of new ideas, new inventions, and new...worlds? I explore the reasons Europeans wanted to explore and colonize.

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

The Cotton States and International Exposition of 1895 featured three men who sought to unite a post-bellum U.S. Unity would not come soon but the respective roles of Grover Cleveland, Booker T. Washington and John Philip Sousa point to cultural forces as the real agents of .national solidarity.

An overview of Sir Walter Raleigh's "The Nymph's Reply to the Shepherd" and an analysis of the recurring motifs of mortality, lack of reasoning, love versus lust, and time.

Mandalay is high among my favorite poems and, I would guess, is fairly high in any collection. My personal analysis, and defense of the poem, is given below from an open-minded point of view without the modern political, somewhat embarrassed-Colonial era, and modern gender-bashing of the composition

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 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.

With the growing popularity of knitting, it's not surprising that knitting-themed fiction books, or "knit lit", has become popular too. Here is an introduction to some of the best titles and authors.

On its way to the Battle of Gettysburg, the Confederate army under Robert E. Lee terrorized black citizens by attempting to capture and transport them south into slavery.

In this article about historic Okmulgee, significant historic perspectives are outlined, as well as some interesting tales of Okmulgee, a historic timeline, and shop prices in and around Okmulgee.

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 is not meant to argue with beliefs, but to discuss various concepts of the universe, and suggest alternative views about creation and the hereafter to be considered.

An overview of the political ans social landscape that shaped and determined the events of Jesus Christ's life and death

Before the Civil War, William T. Sherman helped found the military academy that became Louisiana State University. He was still loved by Confederate former students even as they fought against him.

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.

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 18th and 19th centuries, children in Britain were encouraged to read the lurid tales of felons in the hope that the stories of their gruesome ends would act as an example.

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.

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.

This article includes a summary of "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson, as well as a look at themes and symbolism.

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.

How did our forebears record the precious moments in life before the advent of photography? They took out their brushes and painted, or commissioned someone who was up to the job. Here are some of those paintings from years gone by.

"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.

St. Philip Neri revived Rome during the Renaissance, earning him the title of “Apostle of Rome,” but his most endearing quality is his joy.

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

Review and summary of Orlando Figes' book, "A People's Tragedy: A History of the Russian Revolution."

Magazines, books, art materials, toilet tissue, wall-coverings, tickets, posters, packaging and even money are all made from paper. But where does paper come from, who invented it and how is it made?

Sylvia Plath's poem "Mirror" is a reflection on what it means to be a woman uncertain of the future, haunted by the past. When we look into the mirror, is what we see what we get?

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.

Society has a great influence on people and their way of life, and can either liberate or oppress them, depending on the accepted standards of the time. Societies which believe in total male superiority cause women to be oppressed and unsatisfied with their lives. The wives in Trifles and A Raisin in the Sun are alienated from their husbands as a result of societal beliefs which dictate complete female submission, male dominance in marriage, and the need for material goods to ensure a happy marr

Sherlock Holmes stories from the 19th century remain popular. Anthony Horowitz has written a new story using familiar characters in the style of the original author, Arthur Conan Doyle.

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? Wars between natives and settlers? Read on to find out.

The Fog of War documentary with Robert S. McNamara is about the Cold War, Vietnam War, and Cuban Missile Crisis. McNamara shares his role in these events, as well as his birth during WWI and service in WWII. Additionally, he applies his lessons to the Iraq War. I summarize and analyze the film.

Did General George Gordon Meade, Union commander at Gettysburg, miss a golden opportunity to end the Civil War in 1863 by failing to cut off Robert E. Lee’s retreat?

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

The Beast in the Jungle, by Henry James, is a poignant story about a man who is expecting a great event that never happens. He wastes his entire life, awaiting this, and misses out on life as a result.

The United States flag is an integral part of our history. This article will discuss the meaning behind the stars and stripes and how it relates to our culture.

Get to know The Wife of Bath, one of the pilgrims in the Canterbury Tales. She is a strong willed woman, married five times and on the look out for number six! Never dull, she wants equality with men.

"Still I Rise" is one of Maya Angelou's best poems. It's a defiant, hopeful, and uplifting lyrical poem that stirs the heart, prepares the soul for struggle, and gives us food for thought.

A line-by-line analysis of the elements used by Robert Frost within his poem "After Apple Picking" that give it depth and meaning.

Emily Dickinson's keen intellect serves her well as she allows her speaker to demonstrate a profound truth that is still today widely and tragically misconstrued.

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 "Marry Poppins" movie. "Saving Mr. Banks" offers a semifictionalized look at the life of the writer.

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.

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.

How an obscure New Jersey pol made Theodore Roosevelt president of the United States.

The life of the early church cannot be understood without understanding its persecution, most notably at the hands of the Romans. But why did the Romans so desire to rid the world of Christianity?

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.

Vietnam Veterans Memorial salutes Veterans who died during the war. The Wall has an interesting history surrounded by controversy. The Three Servicemen Statue and Womens Memorial are also in the park.

Kevin Barry was 18 years old when he was caught by British troops during the Irish War of Independence and hanged. The story of the Black and Tans in 1920 is a sad unfolding of Irish history.

Unbridled arrogance and overweening vanity have coupled to bring about the destruction of the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Pantier.

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.

Is death the end of consciousness? Why are there so many documented cases of people having out-of-body experiences and being conscious of their surroundings while near death? Let's examine this question.

Thousands of years ago, Doggerland connected Britain to Europe where the North Sea exists today. The area had a rich Mesolithic culture, which researchers are exploring.

Emily Dickinson's American (innovative) sonnet reveals an attitude dramatized in the Shakespeare sonnets: the poet's confidence in her creation of a world of beauty that will last forever.

The values of the Cult of Domesticity focused on the happiness of the family unit and the wholeness of the home. Popular in the 1800s to early 1900s, 1950s, and now 2010s as the New Domesticity.

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

A harsh critique of the philosophy of Ayn Rand, with comparisons with Kant, Hume and Descartes.

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

"Tom’s Midnight Garden" is a classic children’s book about time travel, loneliness, and friendship. The appealing and popular story was written by Philippa Pearce.

The Epicurean worldview is build on a materialistic metaphysics. We'll see an ethics of pleasure rooted in materialism, the practice of limiting desires and eliminating the fear of death.

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

"The Blue People of Kentucky" are not a myth. They are members of the Fugate family, who carry a rare, recessive gene that makes their skin appear blue.

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 one.

Imagine a future where emotions hardly exist, babies are hatched, social destiny is preconditioned and casual sex has displaced violence. Welcome to Huxley's Brave New World, a dystopian novel in which everyone is blissfully happy and never question their place in society. Or do they?

Every person has a guardian angel. Only the rarest of souls have seen them. Padre Pio saw and spoke regularly with the guardian angels of his spiritual children.

The Roman Baths complex in the city of Bath, England, is a major tourist attraction. It offers a fascinating look at the lives of Ancient Romans in Britain.

Anne Sexton's poetry is unique in that it confronts mental illness head on, gives direct access to the heart and soul of a troubled mother, artist and poet. 'I hold back nothing,' she wrote. So true.