Saturday, May 10, 2008
U.S. vs. the pirates
In 1801, the Barbary Pirates declared war on the U.S. We had been paying them tribute since 1784, but Thomas Jefferson (then ambassador to France) eventually argued successfully that paying further tribute would only encourage more attacks. By 1800, the US was paying nearly 20% of its annual revenues in ransom and tribute to privateering states. When Jefferson was elected President, he sent a group of frigates to the Mediterranean to provoke the Pasha of Tripoli (sometime leader of the Barbary states). The Pasha backed down immediately, but other Barbary leaders did not, and war ensued. Hostilities did not end until 1805.
Monday, May 05, 2008
Oh it's been funny
Oy, I've been busy. My arm is finally getting back into shape (yeah, I messed it up pretty bad), just in time to help put together the set for Skyview's spring musical, Fiorello! What I've been working on is the design and construction of two large wooden rooms, on wheels, which spin and open and close on stage (with the help of stage hands), to create six different sets. It's kinda spectacular; I'll try to get good pictures.
We spent all weekend building them- it was great fun. I was a little nervous about how well the swinging walls would work, but thankfully a couple of dads (who happen to be contractors, and so know how to hang doors) showed up to help. Doors are hard!
As a result of having to work so much over the weekend, I was not able to note a couple of interesting historical anniversaries: May 3 (Saturday) was the day in 326 ce, that the Empress Helena (mother of Constantine the Great) discovered the Cross deep inside a well (one has to wonder, what was she doing deep inside a well?) on Calvary Hill in Jerusalem. She bequeathed it to the Bishop of Jerusalem, who promptly started selling it off in splinters; like most medieval relics, it seemed to have magic regenerative powers and the splinters just kept coming. The cross did not appear in Christian art till the 6th century; it was condemned by early Christian fathers as pagan, and still survives as such in scarecrows (thanks to Fortean Times for this).
May 3 is also Constitution Day in Poland. Poland was the first country in Europe to adopt a constitution (1791), and only the second country in the world (behind the United States). It's also the birthday of Pete Seeger and James Brown, and the anniversary of George Brett's first major-league hit.
May 4 (Sunday) marked the anniversary of the Haymarket Square riot: a Labor rally had been organized in Haymarket Square in Chicago, and someone lobbed a bomb. Police fired into the crowd in response, and a riot ensued. Eight were killed.
And then in 1970, four student protesters were killed by National Guardsmen, at Kent State University, Ohio. Nine others were injured.
Today in 1813, Soren Kirkegaard was born.
And in 1818, Karl Marx was born.
We spent all weekend building them- it was great fun. I was a little nervous about how well the swinging walls would work, but thankfully a couple of dads (who happen to be contractors, and so know how to hang doors) showed up to help. Doors are hard!
As a result of having to work so much over the weekend, I was not able to note a couple of interesting historical anniversaries: May 3 (Saturday) was the day in 326 ce, that the Empress Helena (mother of Constantine the Great) discovered the Cross deep inside a well (one has to wonder, what was she doing deep inside a well?) on Calvary Hill in Jerusalem. She bequeathed it to the Bishop of Jerusalem, who promptly started selling it off in splinters; like most medieval relics, it seemed to have magic regenerative powers and the splinters just kept coming. The cross did not appear in Christian art till the 6th century; it was condemned by early Christian fathers as pagan, and still survives as such in scarecrows (thanks to Fortean Times for this).
May 3 is also Constitution Day in Poland. Poland was the first country in Europe to adopt a constitution (1791), and only the second country in the world (behind the United States). It's also the birthday of Pete Seeger and James Brown, and the anniversary of George Brett's first major-league hit.
May 4 (Sunday) marked the anniversary of the Haymarket Square riot: a Labor rally had been organized in Haymarket Square in Chicago, and someone lobbed a bomb. Police fired into the crowd in response, and a riot ensued. Eight were killed.
And then in 1970, four student protesters were killed by National Guardsmen, at Kent State University, Ohio. Nine others were injured.
Today in 1813, Soren Kirkegaard was born.
And in 1818, Karl Marx was born.
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