On December 31, 1904, the first New Years Eve celebration was held in New York City, New York. Since 1917, a huge ball has been dropped on top of One Times Square every year to celebrate the New Year. The custom derives from the time signal that used to be given at noon in harbors. From 1981-1988 a huge apple was dropped instead to recognize the nickname of New York City, "The Big Apple," but that was stopped after a few years.
The 11,875-pound, 12-foot diameter Waterford crystal ball located high above Times Square is lowered, starting at 11:59 pm and reaches the bottom of its tower sixty seconds later, at the stroke of midnight. The crowd along with the host of the show usually counts down the final ten seconds as the ball is dropped. Toshiba's Times Square advertising screen will also tell the viewer exactly when the New Year officially begins.
Since 1972, Dick Clark has hosted an ABC program that televises the live event. In 2009 he was joined by Ryan Seacrest. Although there are scores of other television hosts that have their own programs, Dick Clark's is widely regarded as the largest and most popular one.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
2004 Earthquake and Tsunami
On December 26, 2004, a massive 9.1-9.3 magnitude earthquake triggered a giant tsunami near Indonesia that killed off more than 200,000 people. That tsunami has many names including the Boxing Day Tsunami and the South Asian Tsunami.
That particular earthquake is the third largest earthquake ever recorded on a seismograph. It triggered other earthquakes all the way up to Alaska. Shock waves were felt all the way to the state of Oklahoma. It caused Earth to wobble on its axis by 2.5 centimeters. This particular earthquake released as much energy as 1500 atomic bombs. Some islands were reported to have actually sunk by a few inches or moved around a few inches as a result.
The tsunami itself was also extremely powerful. It released over two times as much energy as all the explosives used in World War II including both atomic bombs. The area hit the hardest was Indonesia with almost 170,000 people killed. It was one of the top ten deadliest tsunamis in terms of lives lost. Many diseases from the dead bodies also arose such as cholera, dysentery, and typhoid.
Countries around the world donated $14 billion total to Indonesia and the other countries hit by the earthquake and tsunami.
That particular earthquake is the third largest earthquake ever recorded on a seismograph. It triggered other earthquakes all the way up to Alaska. Shock waves were felt all the way to the state of Oklahoma. It caused Earth to wobble on its axis by 2.5 centimeters. This particular earthquake released as much energy as 1500 atomic bombs. Some islands were reported to have actually sunk by a few inches or moved around a few inches as a result.
The tsunami itself was also extremely powerful. It released over two times as much energy as all the explosives used in World War II including both atomic bombs. The area hit the hardest was Indonesia with almost 170,000 people killed. It was one of the top ten deadliest tsunamis in terms of lives lost. Many diseases from the dead bodies also arose such as cholera, dysentery, and typhoid.
Countries around the world donated $14 billion total to Indonesia and the other countries hit by the earthquake and tsunami.
Plymouth Rock
On December 21, 1620, pilgrims from Britain arrived in what is today called Plymouth, Massachusetts. The plans to build houses and other settlements were slightly delayed due to the bad weather, but after two weeks, the first house was finally built. Only seven residences and four common houses were built during that winter because it was so bad.
Many colonists suffered from the disease, scurvy, and others succumbed to the very harsh winter and the lack of shelter. 45 of the 102 emigrants died over the winter. By the end of January, some of the pilgrims were able to live in the settlement. In February, the first contact was made with the Native Americans.
The pilgrims figured out that many Native Americans had died of smallpox. Many of them were very apprehensive towards the English settlers. In an earlier expedition, the English had massacred many Native Americans. Many corn stores were stolen by the English in order to feed their own people. A famous Native American by the name of Squanto had been taken to Europe six years before and enslaved.
Squanto and the other leaders of the nearby tribes came to Plymouth bearing gifts and organized a peace treaty with the English settlers. The first Thanksgiving happened later that year.
Many colonists suffered from the disease, scurvy, and others succumbed to the very harsh winter and the lack of shelter. 45 of the 102 emigrants died over the winter. By the end of January, some of the pilgrims were able to live in the settlement. In February, the first contact was made with the Native Americans.
The pilgrims figured out that many Native Americans had died of smallpox. Many of them were very apprehensive towards the English settlers. In an earlier expedition, the English had massacred many Native Americans. Many corn stores were stolen by the English in order to feed their own people. A famous Native American by the name of Squanto had been taken to Europe six years before and enslaved.
Squanto and the other leaders of the nearby tribes came to Plymouth bearing gifts and organized a peace treaty with the English settlers. The first Thanksgiving happened later that year.
First Airplane
On December 17, 1903, the Wright Brothers made the first planned airplane flight. They had been trying for many years before. They had suffered weeks of delays due to broken equipment and such.
The first flight attempt three days earlier lasted 3 seconds but caused major damage to the propeller. Following repairs, the very first flight happened on December 14, lasting 12 seconds and going over 100 feet.
In 1904 they invited many news reporters to watch another scheduled flight with the assurance that no photographs be taken. The flight more or less failed, and the reporters ignored them for the next year and a half. No one knows if the brothers intentionally failed to get rid of the reporters for awhile, or if it was an accident.
There were many lawsuits and patent wars involved with the "Flying Machine." After many legal issues, the Wright company was established in 1909 and the Wrights began air transport. The Wright Brothers eventually set up flying schools and test flight fields at a place called Huffman Prairie. Many US Air Force pilots got their training at these facilities including Henry Arnold, who became commander of the Air Force in World War II and rose to the rank of five star general.
The first flight attempt three days earlier lasted 3 seconds but caused major damage to the propeller. Following repairs, the very first flight happened on December 14, lasting 12 seconds and going over 100 feet.
In 1904 they invited many news reporters to watch another scheduled flight with the assurance that no photographs be taken. The flight more or less failed, and the reporters ignored them for the next year and a half. No one knows if the brothers intentionally failed to get rid of the reporters for awhile, or if it was an accident.
There were many lawsuits and patent wars involved with the "Flying Machine." After many legal issues, the Wright company was established in 1909 and the Wrights began air transport. The Wright Brothers eventually set up flying schools and test flight fields at a place called Huffman Prairie. Many US Air Force pilots got their training at these facilities including Henry Arnold, who became commander of the Air Force in World War II and rose to the rank of five star general.
Boston Tea Party
On December 16, 1773, 30-130 members of the Sons of Liberty dumped 342 chests of tea into Boston Harbor. The tea had come from England and had cost a lot of money. The members were thinly dressed as Mohawk Indians and did this as a protest because they felt that had little constitutional rights.
The reaction to this was predictably furious. Britian passed the Coercive Acts which was a group of "Intolerable" laws that made colonists feel like slaves. Also, Britain close Boston Harbor effectively preventing anything coming in or going out of Boston overseas.
Ben Franklin insisted that all 90,000 pounds of tea had to be paid for. A New York merchant, Robert Murray, offered to pay for the losses but was refused. Many other similar acts were performed as a result of this, including the burning of an important naval vessel.
Ultimately this was one of the biggest contributing factors to the Revolutionary War. Not just the Act itself, but what was formed as a result of this, the Intolerable Acts. Many people in America were very reluctant to give credit to the members of the Sons of Liberty until the 1830's when they realized how important it was in the American Revolution.
The reaction to this was predictably furious. Britian passed the Coercive Acts which was a group of "Intolerable" laws that made colonists feel like slaves. Also, Britain close Boston Harbor effectively preventing anything coming in or going out of Boston overseas.
Ben Franklin insisted that all 90,000 pounds of tea had to be paid for. A New York merchant, Robert Murray, offered to pay for the losses but was refused. Many other similar acts were performed as a result of this, including the burning of an important naval vessel.
Ultimately this was one of the biggest contributing factors to the Revolutionary War. Not just the Act itself, but what was formed as a result of this, the Intolerable Acts. Many people in America were very reluctant to give credit to the members of the Sons of Liberty until the 1830's when they realized how important it was in the American Revolution.
Alabama
On December 14, 1819, Alabama became the twenty-second state in the Union. It was originally part of Georgia and it was heavily disputed because it had no coast.
Alabama was one of the biggest slave states. The soil was very fertile and it was an excellent place to grow cotton. It soon became one of the richest states in the Union. In 1860, enslaved African-Americans comprised 45% of the population of Alabama. There were only a little over two thousand free white men living in Alabama.
Alabama joined the Confederate States of America in January 1861, however very few battles were actually fought there. Alabama did contribute many soldiers to the Confederate Army, almost 120,000. After the Civil War, the state still relied heavily on its cotton and farming. Many laws against African-Americans were put into place thanks to the KKK and other white supremacist groups.
Problems persisted for blacks in Alabama until the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. After 1972 many of the white voters shifted from the Democrat Party to the Republican Party, and the state is now primarily right wing. In 2010, Republicans won control of both houses of legislature for the first time in 136 years.
Alabama was one of the biggest slave states. The soil was very fertile and it was an excellent place to grow cotton. It soon became one of the richest states in the Union. In 1860, enslaved African-Americans comprised 45% of the population of Alabama. There were only a little over two thousand free white men living in Alabama.
Alabama joined the Confederate States of America in January 1861, however very few battles were actually fought there. Alabama did contribute many soldiers to the Confederate Army, almost 120,000. After the Civil War, the state still relied heavily on its cotton and farming. Many laws against African-Americans were put into place thanks to the KKK and other white supremacist groups.
Problems persisted for blacks in Alabama until the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. After 1972 many of the white voters shifted from the Democrat Party to the Republican Party, and the state is now primarily right wing. In 2010, Republicans won control of both houses of legislature for the first time in 136 years.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Rosa Parks
Rosa Parks was one of the most defining figures in the Civil Rights movement. On December 1, 1955, she was asked to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama. She refused and was quickly arrested. Her actions sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott and it was said that her actions sparked the entire Civil Rights movement itself
As she was arrested, she asked the policeman why he was doing this. "Why do you push us around?" The officer's response to her was, "I don't know, but the law's the law, and you're under arrest." She was found guilty on charges of disorderly conduct and had to pay a $10 fine. After this, she and others decided to hold a bus boycott to protest the unfairness of what had happened.
They put articles in the paper and met at the local church to discuss plans. They decided to continue the boycott until black drivers were hired and the racial segregation on the bus ended. The next day, it was asked that everyone try and not ride the bus for one day. Walk, carpool, or get a taxi, but not ride the bus for one day. The boycott actually lasted over a year and severely damaged the incoming revenue of the bus company. They finally lifted the racial segregation laws. Following this, the entire Civil Rights movement began and the rest is history.
As she was arrested, she asked the policeman why he was doing this. "Why do you push us around?" The officer's response to her was, "I don't know, but the law's the law, and you're under arrest." She was found guilty on charges of disorderly conduct and had to pay a $10 fine. After this, she and others decided to hold a bus boycott to protest the unfairness of what had happened.
They put articles in the paper and met at the local church to discuss plans. They decided to continue the boycott until black drivers were hired and the racial segregation on the bus ended. The next day, it was asked that everyone try and not ride the bus for one day. Walk, carpool, or get a taxi, but not ride the bus for one day. The boycott actually lasted over a year and severely damaged the incoming revenue of the bus company. They finally lifted the racial segregation laws. Following this, the entire Civil Rights movement began and the rest is history.
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