Pearl Harbor, Busting Trusts and Rise of Charlemange
Giving you the full scoop on the historical events of this week and keeping you up to date with the latest news and finds about history.
This Week In History
December 3rd, 1901: In a State of the Union message, U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt delivers a 20,000-word speech to the House of Representatives asking Congress to curb the power of trusts "within reasonable limits"
December 4th, 771: Austrasian king Carloman I passes away, leaving his brother Charlemagne as sole king of the Frankish Kingdom.
December 5th, 1955: E. D. Nixon and Rosa Parks lead the Montgomery bus boycott.
December 6th, 2017: Donald Trump's administration officially announces the recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
December 7th, 1941: The Imperial Japanese Navy carries out a surprise attack on the United States Pacific Fleet and its defending Army and Marine air forces at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
December 8th, 1941: Japanese forces simultaneously invade Shanghai International Settlement, Malaya, Thailand, Hong Kong, the Philippines, and the Dutch East Indies.
December 9th, 1851: The first YMCA in North America is established in Montreal.
Looking Back In Time
Pearl Harbor was a naval base in Hawaii, and was the unsuspecting target of a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy. The attack resulted in the destruction of a significant portion of the Pacific Fleet and the loss of thousands of lives. The stark image captured in the historical photograph serves as a poignant reminder of the cost of war and the sacrifices made by those who were thrust into the midst of conflict.
As we reflect on the importance of Pearl Harbor, let us remember the resilience of those who faced adversity on that fateful day.
History News
Archaeologists reveal life stories of hundreds of people from medieval Cambridge
Cambridge University archaeologists have reconstructed the life stories of numerous medieval residents by meticulously analyzing skeletons discovered in the grounds of a medieval hospital. The study, which focuses on over 400 individuals buried between AD 1200 and 1500, employs advanced scientific techniques such as DNA analysis to create detailed "biographies" for those whose identities have been lost to history.
The research not only sheds light on the lives, health, and appearances of these ordinary medieval citizens but also offers intriguing insights into the functioning of the medieval hospital's charitable system. By examining the skeletal remains, the archaeologists have gained valuable clues about how the institution managed its "benefits system," making decisions about who in the community was deemed worthy of assistance amid what must have been a vast landscape of need.
This study is a remarkable exploration into the past, providing a nuanced understanding of medieval Cambridge and humanizing individuals who were previously nameless in historical records. By unlocking the secrets hidden within the bones of those who once called this city home, the research brings to life the forgotten stories of our ancestors, demonstrating the profound impact of archaeological inquiry and scientific analysis.
The researchers found that the individuals interred in the hospital grounds did not belong to a single social class. Instead, the diverse group encompassed orphaned children, scholars from the university, and a segment referred to as the "shame-faced poor." This category comprised individuals who had once enjoyed relative prosperity but had experienced a downturn in circumstances, making them particularly deserving recipients of charitable aid.
In 2010, the hospital site of St John the Evangelist was excavated, revealing numerous unidentified graves. Experts across various disciplines, including DNA and isotope analysis, examined up to 50 characteristics of each skeleton, creating an exceptionally rich dataset for medieval England. A new website, launched alongside a research paper in Antiquity, narrates stories of individuals like "Wat," a resilient man who, despite surviving the Black Death, succumbed to cancer around age 60. "Maria," a short individual with an impoverished past, likely saw an improved diet at the hospital but died in her early 20s from tuberculosis. The study challenges the notion of the hospital solely housing an underclass, revealing varied paths of admission and raising questions about decision-making criteria. The authors propose that the hospital's 300-year survival was sustained by caring for diverse individuals, appealing to a wide range of donors and emotions.
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