Christmas was one of the most important festivals, both religiously and socially, in Tudor England. This period, spanning from 1485 to 1603, saw Christmas meld into a unique blend of religious practices, political reflections, social divisions, and more. The increased pressure from the English Reformation further shaped the season, and the celebration was more than […]
Celebrating Christmas in Tudor England Read More »
Most countries have at least one food closely associated with their unique history, and for Scotland, haggis fills this role. It is made with the offal (internal organs) of a sheep, using the stomach as the casing in which to cook the meal. Typically, haggis combines the sheep’s heart, liver, and lungs and minces them
Haggis: History of the quintessential Scottish dish Read More »
Japan has had a history of intense political fragmentation, and its relationship with global trade networks and even outside contact in general has been tenuous. In the mid-sixteenth century, Christianity’s appearance inside Japan was inextricably tied to these facts. While the religion initially surged thanks to the support of powerful allies like Oda Nobunaga, it
The Tumultuous History of Christianity in Japan Read More »
World War II fundamentally changed the world, not just politically, but also ideologically. Many US veterans who returned from the war expected to see changes stemming from their actions overseas. For one subset of service members who returned to their Tennessee homes in the mid-1940s, however, things did not look the way they anticipated. The
The Battle of Athens: How Americans Overthrew Their Corrupt Local Government Read More »
Polygamy is the practice of having more than one husband or wife at the same time. When people think of polygamy, one of the first things that comes to mind is its seemingly constant presence in the Bible. However, when people reference polygamy in the Bible, what they actually mean is polygyny: having more than
Was polygamy practiced in the bible and what does it say about it? Read More »
Few paranormal narratives are as widely known as The Conjuring. Made in 2013, the film exploded in popularity, earning more than $319 million off of a $20 million budget and spawning an entire franchise that continues into the 2020s. However, this haunting story of a dark entity attacking a family and possessing people did not
Bathesheba, the Demon from the Conjuring Read More »
When people think of conquering a mountain, Everest almost ubiquitously comes to mind. While it is impossible to know how many people have truly reached the summit, this journey has been documented repeatedly since 1953, when Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay proved that a successful summit was possible. However, even the most experienced mountain
Hannelore Schmatz: The tragic story of the first woman to die Mt. Everest Read More »
It’s probably obvious to anyone who’s spent more than five minutes on our site that we have been delving into some pretty dark historical moments. There’s a particular kind of chill that comes from real history that movies and urban legends can never replicate. These are actual documented moments that happened to real people. So
Chilling historical photos you’ve probably never seen before Read More »
On March 5, 1949, Robin Lee Graham was born in California. Though his childhood resembled most others, he took the world by surprise when, at age 16, he began a multi-year journey to circumnavigate the world in a 24-foot boat. His age was not the only element of note; Robin also committed to sailing alone,
Robin Lee Graham sailed around the world with his cat Read More »
Civilizations throughout history have approached succession from numerous fronts, from religiously ordained kings to democracy and trials by physical prowess. These decisions arise from cultural, religious, and social beliefs, and what one civilization may view as just, another may not. In the case of the Ottomans, the means of succession occupied a middle ground: accepted
Fratricide: The brutal history of Ottoman succession Read More »
