Humanities

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.

The Civil War Battle Of Vicksburg gave the North a great strategic advantage, and brought US Grant to the top among Union generals, positioning him to finally win the war.

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.

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

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.

A secret coded message to Confederate General Pemberton was finally decoded in 2008.

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.

In "I measure every Grief I meet," the speaker examines the nature of human suffering. The poem is long by Dickinson standards, filling out a whopping ten quatrains.

This article explores the causes (and aftermath) of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster that occurred on 25-26 April 1986 near Pripyat, Ukraine. What prompted reactor #3 to fail? Could the disaster have been avoided altogether?

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.

Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales has impacted literature, history, and many other amazing parts of western civilization.

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.

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.

This event, which concluded on 18th April 1521, has gone down in history with an unfortunate name that means something completely different from what most English-speaking people would assume. It was in fact a fundamental turning point in the history of Christianity.

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.

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.

40 Facts about Tamerlane - Timur the Lame conquered half the world despite his debilitating injuries. However, he is largely forgotten in popular history.

A physician and a poet, William Carlos Williams, modernist, lived and worked in Rutherford, New Jersey most of his life. His poems deal with the everyday things in life, based on the local, becoming universal. Wheelbarrows, plums, people traits, starlings and flowers - No ideas but in things.

The sport of archery, its history, and how it has left its mark on the modern world.

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?

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

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.

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.

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

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.

Britain's “New Army” was an army of volunteers organized by Secretary of State for War Lord Kitchener. The first time New Army divisions fought was at the Battle of Loos. It didn't go well.

The Satanic Temple is a non-theistic religion. This essay provides a basic account of the beliefs and activities of this often misunderstood group.

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

There is a decision to be made. Which road to travel down, which path to take in life? Frost's thoughtful poem on free will and the choices it allows.

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.

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.

When the British made life difficult for German submarines, the U-boats began patrolling US waters. They enjoyed so much success against the unprepared Americans, they called it the Second Happy Time.

Sufism is explored in the novel "The Forty Rules of Love" and the film "Bab'Aziz." Shafak, the author, and Khemir, the director, both show the peacful and loving side of Islam. This essay includes a brief summary of key plot points and an analysis of Sufism in each piece.

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.

One thing that sets humans apart from all other animals is our ability to gain language. Language is such a complex topic and often debated, especially whether it has come from nature or nurture.

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 sixpence and the shilling are pre-decimal coins from the United Kingdom. They have a long history and are associated with some interesting traditions.

Bl. Solanus Casey was an American Capuchin priest. His seven-star virtues cause him to shine in the firmament.

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.

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

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.

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.

Winter is broken and Wyatt doesn't care. With her wanting to keep closed off to the world, Wyatt fights her just enough to tear down the walls Winter built up. The only question is, who it more stubborn?

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

Charles Bukowski was a prolific writer who produced a lot of poetry books in his lifetime (there are over sixty books currently in publication at the last count). It wasn't easy to choose, but here are what I believe to be the 5 best Charles Bukowski poetry books.

Even supreme sovereigns are not spared the drastic permutations of life! Here are 5 tragic Chinese emperors who ended their reigns in the worst way. They either died as slaves or captives.

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..

This article explores the history and legacy of the elite Marine Raiders of the Second World War.

Just when it looked like the Allies might win the Battle of Gallipoli, the actions of a single Turkish minelayer, called Nusret, halted the armada.

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

While Sgt. Alvin York achieved fame in World War 1 for single-handedly capturing 132 German soldiers, unsung hero Marine Private Guy Gabaldon, captured nearly 1,500 Japanese in World War 2.

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.

The Puritans fled England to escape religious persecution, but were the Puritan colonies in the Americas bastions of religious tolerance and freedom of thought?

There is nothing in Scripture that is without significance. The colors and fabric examined in this lesson will form a tapestry of meaning as it concerns the Gospel.

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?

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

Zeus was the most powerful God of Mount Olympus, and his myth is an interesting one! Much can be learned (and avoided) by a study of his archetype!

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.

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.

In 1903, Benjamin and Mary Purnell founded a weird religious sect and set up shop near Benton Harbour, Michigan; one of its distinguishing features was its baseball team.

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.

The Salem Witch trials was a horrendous event in American history where women were persecuted for being different. Many events led to the witchhunts, and many that occurred as a result.

A quick overview and comparison of the four gospels in the New Testament.

This article explores the Battle of Guadalcanal and its impact on both Japanese and American war-efforts.

Hecate is the mature Goddess at the Crossroads, or a mature women whose children are grown, is ready to retire, and is deciding what she wants to do for the rest of her life. She also helps others!

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

The lovely Persephone was consort to Hades for one third of each year. He loved her so much that he kidnapped her with Zeus's permission, though he raped her and scared her half to death.

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.

Hera was the Greek goddess of Marriage and Commitments, something her husband Zeus saw differently. Hera was jealous and possessive, the product of a culture who saw a woman's value as low.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Alfred Nobel was a Swedish chemist, industrialist, inventor of dynamite, and founder of the Nobel Prize. Since the first Nobel Prize was awarded in 1901, nearly a thousand winners have each won world renown and a small fortune for their hard work and creativity.

"A story about a father and a son and mistaken identities and missed chances and vengeance…” with elements of justice, mythology, and questions about the truth in an upstate New York town on the brink of a winter storm.

The Myths and Legends of Robbers Cave: A tale of Jesse James explores both the history of Robbers Cave and the people associated with it. This article covers its early days as an outlaw hideout, the Robbers Cave experiment, and the cave's modern use.

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.

Based on my research of reports written by teachers of language-less people in the deaf community, they have cognitive abilities despite their lack of language.

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.

Hephaestus was handicapped with a clubfoot, making him both the only Olympian who worked, and the only one who was not perfect. He was happy and creative, working with fire and metals in his forge.

Apollo was the favorite son of Zeus and one of the second generation of gods and goddesses in Greek myth. His twin sister was Artemis. He was an archer, a lawyer, the Sun God, and played the lute.

In the Civil War Robert E. Lee was a defender of slavery, while Ulysses S. Grant did all he could to destroy it. But it was Lee who thought slavery was morally wrong, while Grant seemed not to care one way or the other.

Be very greatful that we live in the times we do. Imagine what it was like in days gone by when you had to wipe your bottom with leaves and moss!

Adapted from a IB extended essay, this article examines the linguistic and cultural history resulting in the evolution of Spanish and the regional differences in the language.

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.

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.

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.

Explore the lives of these six lesbian women in history and answer the question: were they, or weren't they?

There are a lot of claims made about the resemblances between Christianity and earlier myths and religions. Some of those claims are true and some aren’t.

The history of British pub signs is a long and fascinating one. A trip around the pubs of England takes you on a journey through myth, legend, heraldry, sport, religion, transport, famous people and so much more.

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.

The true story of how Japanese-American Iva Toguri D'Aquino was unjustly convicted of treason after WW2 because of her broadcasts of Japanese propaganda as the infamous Tokyo Rose.

Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, never once acknowledged Jefferson Davis as the president of the Confederate States. Here’s why.

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

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

Julius Robert Oppenheimer was the leader in the design, development, and construction of the first atomic bomb during World War II. He also was a gifted university teacher and researcher in physics.

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

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.

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

For Clyde Barrow, incarceration at the Eastham Prison Farm marked the beginning of life of rampage and destruction across the Midwest.