What the Barista is Brewing Today
Grab some espresso and dive in for some brewmination
When Dorothy Parker Got Fired from ‘Vanity Fair’
How Parker’s determination to speak her mind — even when it angered men in positions of power — gave her pride of place. This article, When Dorothy Parker Got Fired from Vanity Fair, was originally published in The Public Domain Review under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0. If you wish to reuse it please see: https://publicdomainreview.org/legal/ Dorothy[…]
Picturing a Voice: Margaret Watts-Hughes and the Eidophone
Exploring the significance of the 19th-centurty Welsh singer’s ingenious set of images, which until recently were thought to be lost. This article, Picturing a Voice: Margaret Watts-Hughes and the Eidophone, was originally published in The Public Domain Review under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0. If you wish to reuse it please see: https://publicdomainreview.org/legal/ Recorded sound began as[…]
The History and Culture of Ukraine from Late Antiquity to Today
Ukraine has been occupied since the Chalcolithic (Copper Age) and the Sredny Stog culture from 4500 BCE. Introduction Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe, formerly a part of the Soviet Union, bordering Russia, Romania and the Black Sea. From at least the ninth century, the territory of present-day Ukraine was a center of medieval[…]
Queen Constantinople of the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires
In the Middle Ages, Constantinople was the richest European city and was known as the “Queen of Cities”. Introduction Constantinople (Greek: Κωνσταντινούπολη) was the capital of the Byzantine Empire and, following its fall in 1453, of the Ottoman Empire until 1930, when it was renamed Istanbul as part of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s Turkish national reforms.[…]
Celtic Christianity in the Early Medieval British Isles
The term is misleading since it implies a notion of a self-identifying unity that did not exist. Introduction Celtic Christianity (also called Insular Christianity) refers to a distinct form of Christianity that developed in the British Isles during the fifth and sixth centuries among the Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Cornish, and Manx (Isle of Man) peoples.[…]
Jewish Christians in Ancient Israel
Jewish Christians predominated in the movement of early Christianity. They bore the brunt of persecution from their fellow Jews. Introduction Jewish Christians (sometimes called also Hebrew Christians or Christian Jews) is a term which can have two meanings. The first describes the members of the early Christian movement, who were Jews that accepted Jesus of[…]
A Flair for the Dramatic: Baroque Architecture in Early Modern Europe
The period was characterized by a fluidity of design accented by a sense of drama. Introduction The seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries marked the Baroque period in Europe and the Americas. The period was characterized by a fluidity of design accented by a sense of drama. The architecture of the period departed from the traditionalist[…]
An Introduction to Baroque Art History
While the Protestants harshly criticized the cult of images, the Catholic Church ardently embraced the religious power of art. Rome: From the “Whore of Babylon” to the Resplendent Bride of Christ When Martin Luther tacked his 95 theses to the doors of Wittenberg Cathedral in 1517 protesting the Catholic Church’s corruption, he initiated a movement[…]
‘Risen from Foam’: Aphrodite, Ancient Greek Goddess of Love
The lure of Aphrodite still resonates in Western popular culture today. Introduction Aphrodite is the ancient Greek goddess of love, beauty, and sexuality. She is primarily associated with selfish sexual desire and lust. Thus, it is not surprising that Aphrodite is characterized in many myths as vain, ill-tempered, and easily offended. She is also often[…]
Spells, Charms, Erotic Dolls: Love Magic in the Ancient Mediterranean
Erotic spells were a popular form of magic in ancient Greece and Rome. Ancient spells were often violent, brutal and without any sense of caution or remorse. It was a well-kept secret among historians during the late 19th and early 20th centuries that the practice of magic was widespread in the ancient Mediterranean. Historians wanted[…]
Human Origins and ‘Ghost’ DNA in West Africans
Our own species — Homo sapiens — lived alongside other groups that split off from the same genetic family tree at different times. About 50,000 years ago, ancient humans in what is now West Africa apparently procreated with another group of ancient humans that scientists didn’t know existed. There aren’t any bones or ancient DNA[…]
Investigating Homo Floresiensis and the Myth of the Ebu Gogo
According to folklore, such tiny, hairy people as her once roamed the tropical forests alongside modern humans. An ancient legend from the Indonesian island of Flores speaks of a mysterious, wild grandmother of the forest who eats everything: the ‘ebu gogo’. According to folklore, such tiny, hairy people as her once roamed the tropical forests[…]
American Indian Culture of the West
Many different groups of American Indians with distinct cultures inhabited the western region of North America. Geographic and Temporal Setting: The Diverse West The West of United States, extending from the top corner of Washington, through California and into parts of Nevada, Utah, Colorado, and Idaho, was home to a diverse array of Native American[…]
A Brief History of the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas
Some indigenous peoples of the Americas supported agriculturally advanced societies for thousands of years. Introduction The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of the Americas, their descendants, and many ethnic groups who identify with those peoples. They are often also referred to as “Native Americans” or “American Indians,” although such terms are[…]
Avicenna and His Medical Influence in Medieval Europe
Avicenna’s Canon of Medicine was used for several centuries in medieval Europe and the Arab world as a major medical textbook. Introduction Ibn Sina (980-1037 C.E.), often referred to by his Latinized name Avicenna, was a Persian physician, philosopher, and scientist. He was one of the major Islamic philosophers and his philosophical writings had a[…]
Paracelsus: Aggressive and Outspoken Medieval Medical Practitioner
His aggressive manner of teaching and his outspoken criticism of traditional medical theory made him unwelcome in medieval universities. Introduction Paracelsus (November 11 or December 17, 1493 – 24 September, 1541) was a Swiss alchemist, physician, astrologer, and philosopher. Born Theophrastus Philippus Aureolus Bombastus von Hohenheim, he took the name Paracelsus later in life, meaning[…]
Gaius Julius Caesar: The First Emperor before the First Emperor in Ancient Rome
Caesar fought in a civil war that left him undisputed master of the Roman world. Introduction Gaius Julius Caesar (July 13, 100 B.C.E. – March 15, 44 B.C.E.) was a Roman military and political leader whose role in the transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire changed the course of Western civilization. His[…]
Pompey the Great: Vying for Power in the Last Years of the Roman Republic
Pompey fought on the side of the Optimates, the conservative faction in the Roman Senate, until he was defeated by Caesar. Introduction Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, commonly known as Pompey /’pɑmpi/, Pompey the Great or Pompey the Triumvir (September 29, 106 B.C.E.–September 28, 48 B.C.E.), was a distinguished military and political leader of the late Roman[…]
The Changing Face of Digital and Physical Shopping
The Internet has dramatically changed the ways that people browse, shop for, and purchase their goods. The landscape has evolved; physical storefronts now compete, interact with, and employ digital storefronts and software. This gives shoppers far more options than ever before. However, in light of these changes, the boundaries between traditional and online stores have[…]
Carpetbaggers and Scalawags: Reconstruction after the Civil War
Introduction Reconstruction is the name of the historical period following the American Civil War during which the U.S. government attempted to resolve the divisions of the war, rebuild the southern economy, and integrate former slaves into the political and social life of the country. With the end of the war and the collapse of the[…]
The American Civil War, from Fort Sumter to Palmito Ranch
The Constitutional Convention of 1789, following the Revolution, had failed to address slavery, and it took another war to step forward. Introduction The watershed event of United States history was the American Civil War (1861–1865), fought in North America within the territory of the United States of America, between 24 mostly northern states of the[…]
Tahuantinsuyu: The Rise and Fall of the Inca Empire, 1438-1533
The main legacy of the civilization was its power to inspire, including that of later resistance groups in the area against Spanish rule. Introduction The Inca Empire (called Tawantinsuyu in modern spelling, Aymara and Quechua, or Tahuantinsuyu in old spelling Quechua), was an empire located in South America from 1438 C.E. to 1533 C.E. Over[…]
Mayan Mesoamerican Culture and Civilization
Introduction The Maya civilization is a Mesoamerican culture, noted for having the only known fully developed written language of the pre-Columbian Americas, as well as for its spectacular art, monumental architecture, and sophisticated mathematical and astronomical systems. Unfortunately, a public fascination with the morbid has meant that for many people in Europe and the Americas[…]
Civil Service Examinations in Ancient and Medieval Imperial China
The exams were in place for over a thousand years and are the principal reason why education is still particularly revered in Chinese culture today. By Mark CartwrightHistorian Introduction The civil service examinations of Imperial China allowed the state to find the best candidates to staff the vast bureaucracy that governed China from the Han[…]
Ethical Advice for Nobles and Civil Servants in Ancient China
Confucius looked to “the wisdom of the ancients” and a “return to li”. Introduction The teachings and writings of Confucius (551–479 BCE; also called Kung Fu Tzu or Master Kung) not only have endured more than two and a half millennia but have influenced Chinese culture to such a degree that they remain part of[…]
What to Expect from New Gaming Consoles Xbox ‘Series X’ and PS5?
The next-generation video gaming consoles are to be launched in 2020. The avid console users are waiting to see the upgrades that the devices will be coming up with to improve the gaming experience. There is always a big fight in the gaming market, even around online slots as to who offers the best-updated console.[…]
Fascismo: Italian Fascism under Benito Mussolini, 1922-1943
Fascism in Italy was strongly identified with the cult of Mussolini and with the idea, even with the idolization, of the “state.” Introduction Italian Fascism (in Italian, fascismo) was the authoritarian political movement which ruled Italy from 1922 to 1943 under the leadership of Benito Mussolini. German Nazism, under Adolf Hitler, was inspired by Italian[…]
A History and Description of Fascism
Fascists promote a type of national unity that is usually based on (but not limited to) ethnic, cultural, national, racial, and/or religious attributes. Introduction Fascism is a term used to describe authoritarian nationalist political ideologies or mass movements that are concerned with notions of cultural decline or decadence and seek to achieve a millenarian national[…]
A History of the Industrial Revolution
The effects spread throughout Western Europe and North America during the nineteenth century. Introduction The Industrial Revolution was a major shift of technological, socioeconomic, and cultural conditions that occurred in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century in some Western countries. It began in Britain and spread throughout the world, a process that continues as[…]
History and Theories of Social Class
The notion of social class is still questioned as it becomes even more difficult to define in an increasingly fluid and globalized society. Introduction Social class refers to the hierarchical distinctions between individuals or groups in societies or cultures. Anthropologists, historians, and sociologists identify class as universal, although what determines class will vary widely from[…]
