‘Mad’ King Ludwig II of Bavaria was responsible for building some of the most impressive castles and palaces in all of Europe. Known as the “Fairytale King”, his Herrenchiemsee, Linderhof, and especially Neuschwanstein attract millions of visitors a year. His castles represent an operatic fantasy world built to escape from reality, which was ultimately hisContinue reading “Mad King Ludwig and Neuschwanstein Castle”
Author Archives: andrewspaulw
Milton Hershey and his Chocolate Factory
Before Willie Wonka there was Milton Hershey. He created one of America’s most beloved chocolate and candy brands. He made milk chocolate a treat Americans and those around the world could afford. In the process, he created a fortune. Hershey used his vast wealth for philanthropy rather than personal gain. He built an extraordinary orphanage thatContinue reading “Milton Hershey and his Chocolate Factory”
Heroic WWI Nurse Edith Cavell – shot by German Firing Squad
Edith Cavell was a pioneering British Red Cross nurse, working in German-occupied Belgium during the World War I. Despite the risks, she secretly helped hundreds of wounded British, French and Belgian soldiers escape from German custody into Holland. She was arrested and executed in October 1915 by a firing squad of German soldiers. Who wasContinue reading “Heroic WWI Nurse Edith Cavell – shot by German Firing Squad”
The Windscale Nuclear Disaster – Britain’s Chernobyl
In 1957, in an English seaside town, a new type of disaster occurred when a fire broke out at the Windscale nuclear reactors. The fire, at the two-reactor facility in Cumbria (now Sellafield), was due to poor design and gross mismanagement, leading to deadly consequences. The incident became embroiled in Cold War-era secrecy and provedContinue reading “The Windscale Nuclear Disaster – Britain’s Chernobyl”
The MV Doña Paz – the Worst Maritime Disaster in History
While the Titanic and Lusitania may be the more famous shipwrecks, their death toll was but a third of the world’s deadliest, taking the lives of over 4,300 souls. Just five days before Christmas, the MV Doña Paz ferry collided with an oil tanker, burnt to the water line, and sank in the Philippine Sea. Continue reading “The MV Doña Paz – the Worst Maritime Disaster in History”
The Spirited Alice Roosevelt Longworth – Teddy’s Oldest Daughter
Alice Roosevelt Longworth was the oldest daughter of President Theodore Roosevelt. She grew up to become just as outspoken and strong-willed as her father. Alice was the most unconventional first daughter ever to live in the White House. She became a Washington socialite and political power broker with a keen intellect and a razor-sharp tongue.Continue reading “The Spirited Alice Roosevelt Longworth – Teddy’s Oldest Daughter”
How Saint Paul spread Christianity in the Roman Empire
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”
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”
The Great Bengal Famine and the Boston Tea Party
The Indian Famine of 1770 is one of the greatest disasters in human history. Over ten million people, a third of the population of Bengal, died. A drought lasting 5 years, bad harvests, and cruel British rule all contributed. The British East India Company compounded the famine with heavy taxation, leading to millions of BengalisContinue reading “The Great Bengal Famine and the Boston Tea Party”
The Downfall of New York’s Boss Tweed
William Tweed, aka “Boss Tweed,” was a ruthless 19th-century New York City politician. He is known for his powerful influence within the NY Democratic political machine (Tammany Hall), and well as for flaunting his over-the-top corruption, fraud, and greed for over two decades.