OMG WWII on FACEBOOK!

Did you know that Germany and Italy were Facebook friends prior to World War Two? Very cool summary of the war at "OMG WWII on FACEBOOK!"

Who Was the Better Roman Emperor?

Princeton researchers have created a website called All Our Ideas. It allows people to compare two ideas and vote on the one they think is best.  So, for instance, the site asks, "What is our most important national priority?" You then click on one of two ideas. When you do, you're offered another pair of ideas. You're free to add your own suggestions, too.

Someone has set up a page there to ask Who Was the Better Roman Emperor?  Very amusing but I am not sure if I can really say if Florianus was better than Galba. Other votes were easy. Augustus beats Caligula hand down.

The Portent: John Brown's Raid in American Memory

The Portent: John Brown's Raid in American Memory  is an nice site from the Virginia Historical Association. It describes Brown's raid and explores its immediate aftermath in American politics and its meaning over time.

From the site:

Throughout the twentieth century and during the past decade, apologists for John Brown have turned out imagery and biographies while his detractors have not been active. It has mattered little—the imagery and biographies have changed few opinions. Americans remain as divided over Brown now as ever.

To this day mention of the name John Brown brings powerful feelings to the surface. His violent attack against slavery continues to inspire debate about issues of liberation, justice, vigilantism, and terrorism. Do individuals ever have the right to carry out violent acts based on conscience? Does society have the right to protect itself by any means from such acts of violence and the fear they engender? If John Brown believed that he would succeed in what he saw as his God-directed assault on slavery, does the precedent of his attempt give anyone so inspired the freedom to pursue whatever course seems appropriate to carry out his or her righteous (or self-righteous) aims? If he believed he would ultimately fail but launched the attack anyway in an effort to make himself into a martyr, is Brown so different from the bombers of today—from Oklahoma City to Iraq—who attempt to galvanize public opinion and in that way incite political and social change? Do fanatical individuals ever have the right to put the lives of others at risk?

History Wiz

History Wiz is a source for history with original content. This includes multimedia exhibits, as well as links to other sites. Topics include world history, American history, and current events.

From the site:

The mission of this site is to promote an interest in history, to help us understand where we have been so we can know where we are going, and to provide high-quality history materials free of charge to everyone. We believe that history is more than a compilation of facts - it is the stories of the great and small, the causes and the effects. It is not just the political, but the social, religious, economic, and philosophical development of humankind. We try to bring this to life through exhibits. In addition, we provide a geographical, chronological, and topical interface which provides a basis for research. Although this site is based in the United States and American history is well represented, the focus is on an inter-connected world free of nationalistic bias. 

The director of HistoryWiz is Jennifer Brainard, BA, MAT, JD. Much of the information and recommendations found on these pages are based on her knowledge and experience as an educator and history journalist. This experience includes teaching in college and high school and authoring many articles on history. All materials on this site are copyrighted.

Mysteries of Çatalhöyük

Mysteries of Çatalhöyük is an interactive tour of this archaeological dig in Turkey. It includes a timeline and photographs of the project, and details of the techniques used.The site is geared towards children.

From the site:

What are they excavating at Çatalhöyük?
Archaeologists are excavating the remains of a Neolithic town. 9,000 years ago, this place was one of the world's largest settlements. At a time when most of the world's people were wandering hunter-gatherers, as many as 10,000 people lived at Çatalhöyük.

What does Çatalhöyük mean?
Çatalhöyük means 'forked mound' and refers to the site's east and west mounds, which formed as centuries of townspeople tore down and rebuilt the settlement's mud-brick houses. No one knows what the townspeople called their home 9,000 years ago.

Where is Çatalhöyük?
The site is in central Turkey, southeast of the modern city of Konya.

The Midwestern U.S. 16,000 Years Ago

The Midwestern U.S. 16,000 Years Ago is an online exhibit by the Illinois State Museum depicting the environments, plants, and animals of the late Pleistocene.

From the site:

The landscape of the Midwest was very different 16,000 years ago. Although glaciers were retreating, much of the midwestern U.S. was still under ice. Some areas had been only recently deglaciated. These areas may have been covered with bare sheets of till that were slowly being revegetated. Large, proglacial lakes formed where morraines dammed the water coming off the melting glaciers. Dust storms were depositing thick layers of loess (windblown dust) over many areas. Lakes, marshes, and mires were common.

Sixteen thousand years ago the climate was quite different in the area. Temperatures in the summer were significantly cooler than today. Winter temperatures were colder than those experienced today but not dramatically so.

Camarines Sur History

I discovered a brief but interesting history from the Philippines. It is Camarines Sur History. The same site also has Camarines Sur Capitol History Both are brief reads and taught me something about a place I knew little about.

From the site:

In 1569, Luis Enriquez de Guzman, with Augustinian friar Alonzo Jimenez, reached the present town of Camalig, then a thriving village or rancheria. They found the natives living in thatched sheds called “kamalig”, which translates to ""rice granary."" Andrez de Ibarra, while in search of provisions, followed the route taken by de Guzman and reached Kalilingo and Bua (the present towns of Bato and Nabua) in 1570.

In 1573, Miguel Lopez de Legaspi dispatched Juan de Salcedo, grandson of Miguel Lopez de Legaspi, to explore the region as far as Paracale in search of gold and other precious stones. A year later, Salcedo cruised the Bicol River and reached Bato Lake. Hence, the first recorded account of the discovery of the place.

In 1574, at the height of the Spanish colonization of the islands, Guido de Lavizares mentioned in his letter to the King of Spain the land of ""Los Camarines"" – apparently referring to the area of what is now Camalig, Albay, where rice storehouses and granaries or “camarin” abound. Thus, the name “Camarines” was coined and somehow stuck. Spanish colonizers later denominated the area into two distinct aggrupations.