Droughts and heat waves were common in the 1930s. The 1930s (the Dust Bowl years) are remembered as the driest and warmest decade for the United States, and the summer of 1936 featured the most widespread and destructive heat wave to occur in the Americas in centuries. Why was 1930s…
Montezuma II, also spelled Moctezuma, (born 1466—died c. June 30, 1520, Tenochtitlán, within modern Mexico City), ninth Aztec emperor of Mexico, famous for his dramatic confrontation with the Spanish conquistador Hernán CortésHernán CortésHernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro Altamirano, 1st Marquess of the Valley of Oaxaca (/kɔːrˈtɛs/; Spanish: [eɾˈnaŋ koɾˈtez…
Chan was 40 when “The Legend of the Drunken Master” was made, and although he is still in superb shape, he is reaching the age when he might want to produce and direct these movies instead of starring in them. How old was Jackie Chan Drunken Master? Chan was 40…
King James I of England, formerly James VI of Scotland, was a successful monarch in most aspects during his 23-year rule. Like most kings he had glaring shortcomings. These included a streak of laziness, uncouthness, spendthrift habits, and poor adaptation to English politics. James’s rule of Scotland was basically successful.…
Even though Dean’s life on this planet was extremely short, he did leave a very large impact on the film world, with three major films under his belt: East of Eden (1955), Rebel Without a Cause (1955), and his final film, Giant (1956). Giant is kind of like a contemporary…
When James Madison and the other 56 delegates to the Constitutional Convention met in Philadelphia in May 1787, they intended to amend the Articles of Confederation. They ended up creating a new constitution, and Madison, representing Virginia, became the chief recorder of information (he took a lot of notes). The…
Jan van Eyck (c. 1390-1441 CE) was a Netherlandish Renaissance painter who was famous in his own lifetime for his mastery of oil painting, colouring, naturalistic scenes, and eye for detail. How does Jan Van Eyck represent the Renaissance? Jan van Eyck was important not only to the northern Renaissance,…
Joyce never accepted Irish citizenship and he died as a British citizen. Was James Joyce Irish or British? James Augustine Aloysius Joyce (2 February 1882 – 13 January 1941) was an Irish novelist, short story writer, poet, and literary critic. Did James Joyce know Irish? James Joyce had been raised…
As a Yankee, Giambi was a three-time All-Star, a Silver Slugger, finished top five in MVP voting in 2002, and was the 2005 American League Comeback Player of the Year. His OPS, OPS+, and 619 walks are all good for second among Yankees first basemen. Who is the best Yankee…
Jamestown was placed on a peninsula with just a narrow link to the mainland, located 50 miles upstream from the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. Was Jamestown founded on a peninsula? When the settlers arrived in 1607, they founded Jamestown on a narrow peninsula bordered on three sides by the…