Saint Paul is one of the most central figures in the religious history of the western world. Following his conversion from Judaism to Christianity, he travelled tens of thousands of miles around the Mediterranean Sea. During four, long missionary journeys, he spread the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It was Saint Paul who planted theContinue reading “How Saint Paul spread Christianity in the Roman Empire”
Category Archives: Forgotten History
Smallpox and the American Revolution
During the 1700’s, smallpox epidemics raged throughout the American colonies. They would severely impact the new Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. The first signs came during the early battles of the American Revolution in 1775-1776 – at the siege of Boston, the siege of Quebec, and Britain’s Virginia regiments. These deadly outbreaks pushed WashingtonContinue reading “Smallpox and the American Revolution”
Devil’s Island, the French Guiana Penal Colony
Long before Alcatraz Prison there was Devil’s Island. It was a living hell, not just a violent, tropical prison, but also rampant with malaria, cholera and yellow fever. From 1852 to 1953, Devil’s Island operated as part of the Îles du Salut Penal Colony in French Guiana. Up to 90% of prisoners perished there dueContinue reading “Devil’s Island, the French Guiana Penal Colony”
The Real Musketeer d’Artagnan, Fact vs Fiction
The Three Musketeers is a classic novel full of intrigue, friendships, adventure and love. The central character is the brave, young hero d’Artagnan. Les Trois Mousquetaires was published in 1844 by French novelist Alexandre Dumas. But d’Artagnan and the Musketeers were real 17th century characters and NOT fiction. Dumas did however take some liberties withContinue reading “The Real Musketeer d’Artagnan, Fact vs Fiction”
The Red Summer Race Riots of 1919
A wave of deadly, anti-black violence swept across the United States in the summer of 1919. The name Red Summer was coined to recognize the amount blood that was shed. During that spring to fall season, at least 26 major riots and white mob actions broke out across the country. Hundreds of blacks were killed,Continue reading “The Red Summer Race Riots of 1919”
The Tragic Death of Harry Houdini
Harry Houdini was perhaps the greatest illusionist/escape artist who ever lived. He jumped into icy rivers while in handcuffs and leg irons. He escaped from a sealed milk can filled with water. He hung by his ankles from the side of a building in a straight-jacket. And he devised the famous “Chinese Water Torture Cell,”Continue reading “The Tragic Death of Harry Houdini”
The Hunt for the Source of the Nile River
For centuries, the quest to discover the source of Africa’s great Nile River has captivated explorers, much like the race to reach the North Pole or climb Mt. Everest first. The river’s vast expanse across central Africa complicated matters though, making exploration both daunting and dangerous. Egyptian and Sudanese kingdoms depended on the river and itsContinue reading “The Hunt for the Source of the Nile River”
Were the Luddites right all along?
Today, Luddite is often used as a derogatory term to describe a technophobe, any person who scorns new technology. But its origin dates back over two hundred years to an early 19th-century English labor rebellion. Luddites railed against mechanized manufacturing that threatened the livelihood of skilled craftsmen and artisans during the Industrial Revolution. The originalContinue reading “Were the Luddites right all along?”
King Shaka Zulu – the Napoleon of Africa
In the early 1800’s, in what is now KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, a powerful kingdom arose. Its leader was the cruel yet clever King Shaka. Under his rule, the small Zulu tribe grew and conquered all other tribes in the region. During his reign, more than a hundred chiefdoms were brought together in a unifiedContinue reading “King Shaka Zulu – the Napoleon of Africa”
The Hickory Polio Miracle
In the spring on 1944 , World War II was still raging in both Europe and the Pacific. At the same time, another deadly threat was invading the U.S. state of North Carolina – a dreaded polio epidemic. Regional hospitals were quickly maxed out with young, sick children. Desperate parents needed a solution, but whatContinue reading “The Hickory Polio Miracle”