Who is the best-selling musician in American history?
The top spot wasn’t claimed by Elvis Presley or Michael Jackson. Continue reading Who is the best-selling musician in American history?
Category: History
The time the Catholic Church declared cats satanic
Not everyone is a fan of cats. Some might even joke that they are Luciferian in nature. There was a point at which the Catholic Church fueled this belief. Pope Gregory IX has not left a positive image of himself to posterity. The institution of the Papal Inquisition is generally considered the defining feature of his tenure. In fact, it was his zealous pursuit of … Continue reading The time the Catholic Church declared cats satanic
The first parade honoring St. Patrick wasn’t in Ireland
The modern tradition began over 3,000 miles from the Emerald Isle. Continue reading The first parade honoring St. Patrick wasn’t in Ireland
Henry Clay: The Illegitimate Senator?
Henry Clay is one of the most revered figures in American political history. The storied “Great Compromiser,” who, in addition to being a vaunted attorney, served as a U.S. Senator from Kentucky, Speaker of the House, Secretary of State, a lead negotiator of the Treaty of Ghent, and in many other roles. Clay had a head-spinning political resume. Famously, the only political position he couldn’t … Continue reading Henry Clay: The Illegitimate Senator?
John Quincy Adams and the Journey to the Center of the Earth
The sixth President of the United States advocated for a polar expedition to reach the globe’s epicenter. Continue reading John Quincy Adams and the Journey to the Center of the Earth
How January got its name
The first month of the modern Gregorian calendar owes its name to a Roman god. Continue reading How January got its name
The Phoebus cartel: Lighting the way for planned obsolescence
Planned obsolescence is an annoyance to many consumers. The conventional wisdom, that consumer goods were once produced using material that would ensure longer-lasting durability than those today, is based upon solid evidence. What many may not know, however, is that the plethora of cheaper, less durable items lining the shelves of today’s stores is the culmination of several generations. Among the earliest, and perhaps most … Continue reading The Phoebus cartel: Lighting the way for planned obsolescence
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was created by a department store ad man
Robert May, an advertising copywriter for Montgomery Ward, thought up Santa’s most trusty reindeer in 1939. Continue reading Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was created by a department store ad man
America’s first minority vice president: Charles Curtis?
Curtis was born in 1860 in what was then known as the Territory of Kansas (Kansas would be admitted to the Union the following year). He was an enrolled member of the Kaw Nation, and was approximately 3/8 American Indian ancestry. After his mother died at age three, and his father was captured in the Civil War, Curtis was raised by his grandparents. His childhood … Continue reading America’s first minority vice president: Charles Curtis?
Did the Irish reach North America before the Vikings?
According to the Norse sagas, the region south of Viking territory in medieval Canada was called “Irland it Mikla,” or “Greater Ireland.” Continue reading Did the Irish reach North America before the Vikings?
Pulp Sage 