Today, Feb. 13, in History

1566 St. Augustine, Florida founded

1601 John Lancaster leads 1st East India Company voyage from London

1633 Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei arrived in Rome for trial before Inquisition for professing belief that earth revolves around the Sun

Galileo's Battle for the Heavens 1


1858 Sir Richard Burton and John Speake explore Lake Tanganyika, Africa





1907 English suffragettes storm British Parliament and 60 women are arrested

1920 Switzerland rejoin League of Nations; League of Nations recognizes perpetual neutrality of Switzerland

Today in American History

In 1733, Georgia founded by James Oglethorpe, at site of Savannah



In 1793, 1st U.S. fugitive slave law passed; requires return of escaped slaves

In 1821, Mercantile Library of City of New York opens

In 1825, Creek Indian treaty signed. Tribal chiefs agree to turn over all their land in Georgia to the government and migrate west by Sept 1, 1826



In 1839, Aroostock War: Boundary dispute between Maine and New Brunswick

In 1861, State troops seize U.S. munitions in Napoleon, Arkansas

Please leave a comment below, and come prepared to discuss one of these events above.

How to Fight the Man

New York Times Opinion Pages
By DAVID BROOKS
Published: February 2, 2012

David Brooks is one of my favorite public thinkers. In this article, he discusses how difficult it is to bring a focused and coherent agenda to reform and rebellion. He suggests that reformers and rebels, in the religious sphere as well as the social and political spheres, should find an alternative or counter-tradition with which to critique the failures of the current system.

Today, Feb. 4 in history

1967 "Wild Thing" hits #20 on the pop singles chart by Senator Bobby

1945 FDR, Churchill and Stalin meet at Yalta

1938 Hitler seizes control of German army and puts Nazi in key posts

1932 Japanese troop occupy Harbin, Manchuria

1899 Revolt against U.S. occupation of Philippines

1849 University of Wisconsin begins in 1 room with 20 students

1847 1st U.S. telegraph co established in Maryland

1794 French National Convention proclaims abolishment of slavery

1789 1st electoral college chooses Washington and Adams as President and Vice President

1787 1st Anglican bishops of New York and Pennsylvania consecrated in London
1787 Shays' Rebellion (of debt-ridden Massachusetts farmers) fails

December 23, 1961

In December 23 1961, Fidel Castro announces Cuba will release 1,113 prisoners from failed 1961 Bay of Pigs Invasion for $62M worth of food and medical supplies.

Dorothy Day and the Catholic Worker Movement

This is an awesome documentary (with cool music) on the life of Dorothy Day and the Catholic Workers Movement. They could be said to be spiritual parents of the best of the Occupy movement (I wish my conservative friends could appreciate the progressive threads of the gospel and the upward struggle toward the KoG!)

John Adam's early years - History Channel