Anecdote
THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY
The most famous train robbery in British history occurred on August 8, 1963. It was the robbery of the Royal Mail train on its run from Glasgow to London. The robbery had been planned for a long time and Read more…
Anecdote
FACTS ABOUT GUADALCANAL
It was the first battle in American History where all branches of the current military participated: Navy, Army, Air Force, and Coast Guard. Signalman First Class Douglas Munro became the only member of the Coast Guard to ever earn the Read more…
Anecdote
FACTS ABOUT THE ATOMIC BOMBINGS
There were five cities on the list of potential targets: Hiroshima, Kokura, Yokohama, Nigata, and Kyoto. Secretary of War Henry Stimson removed Kyoto because he argued it was a cultural center (and he had spent his honeymoon there). Nagasaki took Read more…
Anecdote
HISTORICAL ACCURACY: BRAVEHEART
On this day in 1305, William Wallace was captured by the British. The following is part of my review of the movie “Braveheart” on my blog The War Movie Buff (https://warmoviebuff.blogspot.com/2011/04/67-braveheart.html ). As history teachers, movies can be a good Read more…
News
SITE STATUS UPDATE
This week marked a milestone in the history of this site. I have completed all the basic sections with the recent addition of the areas of anecdotes prior to 1870. This means American History teachers now have access to stories Read more…
Uncategorized
FACTS ABOUT COLUMBUS
Columbus was probably born in Genoa, Italy. His birth name was Cristoforo Colombo. In his teens, he went to sea. At age 25, his merchant ship was sunk by pirates. He floated to shore on a piece of wood and Read more…
Anecdote
HANNIBAL: ROME’S WORST NIGHTMARE
This post is for my Western Civilization and World History teachers who want something entertaining and educational to enhance their Roman history units or on a “rainy day” or for a substitute to show. “Hannibal: Rome’s Worst Nightmare” fits any Read more…
Anecdote
FACTS ABOUT HORATIO NELSON
He was the sixth of eleven kids from a poor upper-class family. He was sent to sea under his uncle at age 12. His uncle famously said that perhaps a cannon ball would take off his head and thus solve Read more…
Uncategorized
KING TUT’S BABIES
On Nov. 4, 1922, the greatest archeological find in history was made by British archeologist Howard Carter. On that day, he uncovered a stairway that led to a seal indicated it was the tomb of the pharaoh Tutankhamun, the Read more…
Anecdote
THE AMISTAD CASE
In Feb., 1839, Portuguese slave hunters kidnapped hundreds of Africans and brought them to Cuba for sale. Two Spanish plantation owners bought 53 at auction. They were loaded on a ship called the Amistad (“friendship”) and sailed for the Read more…