| Thor Heyerdahl Lands in Polynesia |
| Heyerdahl was a great adventurer with a background in zoology and geography. His real passion, however, lay in cultural anthropology, and he theorized that the first settlers of Polynesia were of South American origin. To support this theory, he and 5 companions made the crossing from Peru to the Tuamotu Archipelago on a primitive log raft. Heyerdahl describes the voyage in the international bestseller Kon-Tiki. Why did he deliberately burn his sailing vessel during an expedition in 1978? |
| Read More...(Source: This Day in History - Thu, 7 Aug 2008 05:00:00 GMT) |
| End of the Holy Roman Empire: Francis II Abdicates |
| Francis II, last of the Holy Roman Emperors, came to power shortly before the outbreak of war with Napoleon's France. His armies were defeated, and he ceded the left bank of the Rhine to France but was granted Venetia and Dalmatia. In 1798, he joined the Second Coalition against France, but he was again defeated and eventually consented to the virtual dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire. Who was his famous aunt, a woman executed by guillotine at the beginning of his reign? |
| Read More...(Source: This Day in History - Wed, 6 Aug 2008 05:00:00 GMT) |
| Statue of Liberty's Cornerstone Is Laid |
| The Statue of Liberty, located on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, was a gift to the US from France to commemorate the centennial of the Declaration of Independence. The statue, a gesture of friendship and a symbol of freedom, is visited by millions each year, but many forget that “Lady Liberty” also served as a functioning lighthouse from 1886 to 1902. Designed by French sculptor F.A. Bartholdi, the statue depicts a woman with an uplifted arm holding a torch. Who served as Bartholdi's model? |
| Read More...(Source: This Day in History - Tue, 5 Aug 2008 05:00:00 GMT) |