This Week In History Series!

This week In History: Week 1!

December 29^th:1891 - Thomas Edison patents "transmission of signals electrically", which was a type of radio /electromagnetic induction system. (More information about radio patents: http://www.patent-invent.com/radio_patents.html)

 

December 30^th:1865 - On this day poet, author and journalist Rudyard Kipling, was born in Bombay. (Born Joseph Rudyard Kipling.) His notable works include The Jungle Book and my favourite poem by him; My Boy Jack, whom he wrote about his own son, after he was killed in WW1. Kipling also won A Nobel Prize in Literature.

Rudyard Kipling and Jack Kipling

December 31^st:1911 - The Chemist Marie Curie receives her 2nd Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Her first Nobel Prize was for Physics in 1903. This Nobel Prize was for the discovery of the elements radium and polonium. She was the first person to win or share two Nobel Prizes.

Marie Curie

January 1^st:1907 - President Theodore Roosevelt shakes a record 8,513 hands in 1 day. Teddy invited all citizens who were sober, washed, and free of bodily advertising to go to the White House and wish him a Happy New Year.  They lined up ready to meet him and he shakes 8,513 hands (averaging 50 grips a minute) in under 3 hours.

 

January 2^nd: 1959 – Cuban Dictator Fulgencio Batista flees to the Dominican Republic. Fidel Castro proclaims a new Government for Cuba.

 

January 3^rd:1521 - Martin Luther, a German Friar, known for his movements of Lutheranism and Protestantism was excommunicated by Pope Leo X from the Roman Catholic Church.

 

January 4^th:1958 - Sir Edmund Hillary reaches the South Pole as part of the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition, for which he led the New Zealand section. His party was the first to reach the Pole overland since Amundsen in 1911 and Scott in 1912. They were also the first ever to do so using motor vehicles.

Hillary and His Men at the South Pole on their
vehicles!

That's it for this week!
See you next time
For
THIS WEEK IN HISTORY!

Christmas Day!

Hello again everyone! As it is Christmas Day I wish you all a Merry Christmas!!!

 

However, as it is Christmas day I thought I’d do a post about different historical events that took place on this day other than Jesus being born!

 

So best way to start would be in chronological order haha!

  

Firstly, in 1066; the Duke, William II of Normandy, also known as William the Conqueror/ William I of England was crowned king of England after winning at the Battle of Hastings (14^th October 1066.) Becoming the first king of The House of Normandy on the English throne.

William the Conqueror

The next event I’ve chosen is in 1223; when St Francis of Assisi assembles the 1st Nativity scene in Greccio, Italy.  While St Francis was living in this small village, He wanted to have a midnight mass for the villagers, but the chapel was too small. So to help the people who couldn’t understand Latin, he created the nativity scene so the people could imagine what Bethlehem looked like when Jesus was born. 

 “The scene, which was set up in a cave just outside Greccio, featured a wax figure of the infant Jesus, costumed people playing the roles of Mary and Joseph, and the live donkey and ox that John had loaned to Francis. Local shepherds watched over their sheep in nearby fields, just as shepherds in Bethlehem had watched over sheep on the first Christmas, when the sky suddenly filled with angels who announced Christ’s birth to them.”

The Nativity or Crèche as St Francis Depicted it!

For More information follow the link below!

 (http://angels.about.com/od/MiracleBasics/f/How-Did-Francis-Of-Assisi-Begin-The-Christmas-Nativity-Scene-Tradition.htm)

This to me is quite a fascinating piece of history to finally know where the idea and creation of the nativity started!

The next event took place nearly 400 years later, which again has always fascinated me.

 In 1643; Christmas Island was founded and named by Captain William Mynors of the East India Ship Company vessel, the Royal Mary. This island is a part of the Australian territory, located in the Indian Ocean. The island was given this name because of the day it was founded.  The culture of this Island is very diverse as it resided by Chinese, Europeans and Malays.  It also has many different religious beliefs such as; Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Islam, and Christianity.

 

 

The Last event I have chosen is probably now more famous than Jesus being born. You guessed it!

THE CHRISTMAS DAY TRUCE!         

 

To me this day event should always be remembered as during the rest of the war, this never happened again. The soldiers from both sides on Christmas Eve were sat singing Christmas songs in their trenches.  Upon Christmas morning the German Soldiers shouted over to the Allies trenches “frohe weihnachten!” (I’m sure you can take a guess what it translates too!)

 However the Allied Soldiers thought it was a trick to begin with before they called the truce and both sides came out of the trenches and shook hands. Some soldiers played in infamous game of Football and they exchanged presents in the form of cigarettes and parcels their loved ones had sent to them. 

 

British and German Soldiers Shaking hands!

 The soldiers from both sides also used this cease fire as an opportunity to bury their dead that had fallen in No Man’s Land and give them a proper burial that they deserved. It showed that even after five months into the war that Christmas spirit wouldn’t be dampened even in a foreign land.

 

Soldiers playing Football.

 

Unfortunately, the following morning the war began again and more bloodshed continued.

 

 Looking at all these past events has made me thankful for the World we live in today and even more thankful to the Soldiers who died for us to be living in the here and now!

Once again, MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL! I hope each and every one of you has a lovely day!

 

 



 


About Moi

About Me

Welcome to my brand new blog page!

 

  First off, My Name is Claire and I’m an English graduate who also adores History and Travelling. I’m not very good at writing about myself so to make it a tiny bit easier I’m answering some questions I have found so you can know me a little bit more!

1. What’s your full name?

I’m Claire Louise Tibbetts

 

2. Zodiac sign

I’m a Pisces and I do read all about my sign whenever I get the chance to do so!

 

3. What 3 things do I fear most?

 

Firstly, I have a huge fear of Snakes and an even bigger fear of Spiders. My third biggest fear is what people think of me. It’s something I worry about 24/7 but as I get older I’m starting to ignore it!

 

4. How old are you?

 

Well, I’m 23, will be 24 in March. But that is only my physical age. Mentally I have about 2 different ages. Some days I’m 5 and can be really immature and do nothing but act like a child. Other days I’m about 70, as I’m usually more mature due to the thing I like and take an interest in (As well as going to bed at 10pm every night haha!)

 

 

 

Me as The Mad Hatter!

 

5. What have I done with my life so far?

 

My biggest accomplishment in my life so is that I have graduated from university and have my Degree in English; as well as me currently training to be a Teaching Assistant. (Which is tough as I also work as waitress!)

 

6. What’s something that amazes you?

 

I found this question the hardest of all. It may sound like a simple answer but something that amazes me is how we are all here living on the earth. By this I mean so many of us, the number of people on earth still amazes and how long it’s been alive.

 

7. What do think about the most?

 

I 100% think about the future all the time, like most people probably do! It’s always on my mind and I find it hard to shake it off. I’m always was wondering where my life will lead, if I’ll get married or if I’ll ever make my goals or even be able to travel more.

 

8. What are your top 3 interests?

 

Best way to start this is with my biggest interest which is reading/ literature. Since I was a child I have always had a great passion for it! (Hence the English Degree Ha!) I would love to be able to go back into the times of Dickens or the Gothic era! My Second interest is History! It is a very broad subject, I know! Ha! I do have my favourite parts/eras of history. So not to take away from future posts I’ll only give you my top 3 eras: Tudors, Victorians and WW1.

 

 

Me with Oscar Wilde!

 

9. How would you describe yourself?

 

This question I found to be hard also; I find it hard to talk about myself in a positive way. So I cheated slightly and asked some friends how they would describe me!

Firstly, my friend Catherine said “You are a loving friend and gentle natured!”

 

My other friend Sarah messaged me back with “loyal, caring, honest, passionate, clever, beautiful and thoughtful”

 

I then thought to ask a family member, my Cousin Lara Said “Compassionate, Passionate, Cheeky, Fun, Loving, Unpredictable and Reserved.”

(http://allmumsareslightlyinsane.blogspot.co.uk/)

 

I would have to agree with some but maybe I’m too modest to agree with some others!

 

 

So enough about me for now!

I’d like to thank my friends for helping me with my final question!

 

I’d also like to thank my Oldest Friend Danielle who helped me create this blog, if it wasn’t for her it wouldn’t be up and running! (http://www.underlandtowonderland.blogspot.co.uk/)

 

Hope you like this and can’t wait to write my first proper series post!

(LOOK OUT FOR THIS WEEK IN HISTORY!)