This Week in History- September 30th- October 6th

This Week in History

Sunday September 30– On this day in 1955, movie star James Dean dies at age 24 in a car crash on a California highway.

Monday October 1- On this day in 1946, Mensa the well-known high-IQ society is formed which is non-political and free from all social distinctions (racial, religious, etc.). The society is created by Roland Berrill and Dr. Lancelot Ware; the only requirement for membership is a high IQ (within the top 98th percentile).  Membership is now estimated to be over 100,000 worldwide and includes a wide variety of members including boxers, actors, actresses, writers, politicians, and inventors.

Tuesday October 2- On this day in 1492, King Henry VII of England invades France. Cartier landed at Hochelaga, the site of Montreal in 1535.

Wednesday October 3- On this day in 1995, OJ Simpson is acquitted of the brutal double murder of his estranged wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman, after a 252 day trial that rocked the world.

Thursday October 4- On this day in 1909, Governor-General Earl Grey laid the cornerstone of the Parliament Building, Regina.

Friday October 5- In 1982, Laurie Skresiet was the first Canadian to reach Mt. Everest's summit in Nepal.

Saturday October 6- In 1744, a force from Louisburg abandoned the attempt to capture Annapolis Royal.

In 1868, Prime Minister John A. Macdonald proposed better terms for Nova Scotia for joining Confederation. This led Howe to join Macdonald’s government.

Relaunching the Bluenose II

The Bluenose I

The relaunch of restoration of Bluenose II in September 29, 2012.

The Bluenose II an iconic symbol of Canada is undergoing a renewal- starting with being relaunched into the water yesterday, September 29th, 2012 to the applause of thousands of onlookers. The relaunch occurred in Lunenburg Nova Scotia at the same spot where the original Bluenose was launched more than 90 years ago. The connection to the past and history while the finding anew in a classic symbol is a really neat historical moment. There is a sense of pride that surrounds the Bluenose. 

This revival of an icon did not come cheaply- 2 years of extensive restoration and $15.9 million. Much of the deck and hull made out of Douglas Fir has been replaced. There is still work that needs to be completed including two masts, sails, and rigging which will be completed in the upcoming months. Much of the work was done inside a building on the Lunenburg waterfront. 

History: The Bluenose II is a replica of the original Bluenose, a fishing and race schooner designed by William J. Roue that won worldwide fame for its beauty and flat-out speed.The first version of the Bluenose II, was built in 1963 by the Oland family of Halifax Nova Scotia to help promote the sales of Schooner beer. 

By 2013, the Bluenose II will resume a full schedule of sailing.

The image of the original Bluenose is showcased on the Canadian dime since 1937, three postage stamps, and the Nova Scotia license plate. 


Sources:
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2012/09/29/20244881.html
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/1264360--thousands-on-hand-for-relaunch-of-restored-bluenose-ii

The History of Cruise Ships

The History of Cruise Ships

Cruise ships are also known as a cruise liner and are used for passenger ships for pleasure voyages. Transportation is not the primary focus since they often return to the same port but instead it is about exploring, adventure, luxury, and relaxation. Cruise ships are a large part of the tourism industry.

The world's biggest cruise ships are Royal Caribbean International's Oasis of the Seas and its sister ship Allure of the Seas.

The earliest ocean travelling vessels were not concerned with passenger traffic but instead with the volume of cargo they could care.

Black Ball Line in New York, in 1818, was the first shipping company to offer regularly scheduled service from the United States to England and to be concerned with the comfort of their passengers.

By the 1830's, steamships were introduced and dominated the transatlantic market of both passenger and mail transportation.

The dawn of cruises for pleasure has been linked to the year 1844.

During the 1850's and 1860's there were remarkable improvements to the quality of the voyage for passengers; as ships began to cater solely to passenger traffic.

Prior to the dominance of air travel (commercial success in the late 1960's) passenger liners were the preferred mode of travel. The habit of cruising grew gradually out of the practice of transatlantic crossings, which never took fewer than four days. In the competition for passengers, ocean liners added luxuries—the Titanic being the most famous example—such as fine dining and well-appointed staterooms.

By the early 20th century the notion of the superliner was developed and Germany led the market in the development of these immense and elaborate floating hotels. These superliners tried to abolish the discomforts of ocean travel (minimize the movement of the sea). The Mauritania and the Lusitania, were both owned by the Cunard Line of England, started the custom of dressing for dinner and promoted the romance of the voyage. But of course, speed was still the deciding factor in the design of these ships.

The White Star Line was owned by American financier J.P. Morgan. White Star Line introduced the most luxurious passenger ships ever seen in both the Olympic (complete with swimming pool and tennis court) and the Titanic. The sinking of the Titanic on its maiden voyage devastated the company. Cunard bought out the White Star Line in 1934.

World War I interrupted the building of new cruise ships. Many older liners were used to transport troops. The years between 1920 and 1940 were considered the most glamorous years for transatlantic passenger ships. During World War II cruise liners were transformed into troop carriers and all transatlantic cruising ended until after the war.

The 1960's witnessed the early stages of the modern cruise industry. Cruise ship companies concentrated on vacation trips in the Caribbean, and created a “fun ship” image- a need to appeal to a wide market including young families (a need for entertainment for children and teenagers). Cruise ships focused on creating a relaxed and a laid-back environment and for providing wide-ranging on-board entertainment. There was a decrease in the role of ships for transporting people to a particular destination; rather, the emphasis was on the voyage itself. The new cruise line icon/picture was solidified with the popularity of the TV series “The Love Boat” which was popular from 1977 until 1986.

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cruise_ship

http://www.jobmonkey.com/cruise/html/a_brief_history.html

http://www.cruiseshipodyssey.com/timelinemain.htm

http://cruiselinehistory.com/a-brief-history-of-the-cruise-ship-industry/

The Appeal of Cruise Ships

The Appeal of Cruise Ships

As we usher in fall in the city of Saint John and the surrounding area we are seeing a boom in cruise ship visits to our port. The temperature and levels of humidity is moderating, the leaves are changing color (leaf-color peak season) makes for a beautiful season to visit the Maritimes.

There are 3 cruise ships in port today! Very excited to see the beauty of the Queen Mary 2- what an amazing and beautiful ship. At the time of her construction in 2003 by Chantiers de l'Atlantique, Queen Mary 2 was the longest, widest, and tallest passenger ship ever built, and with her gross tonnage of 148,528 also the largest. Although later cruise ships are larger, Queen Mary 2 remains the largest ocean liner (as opposed to cruise ship) ever built.

This week will bring 8 ship calls between Monday and Thursday (Sept 24-27) with triple cruise ship days on Monday, September 24 and Tuesday, September 25. This includes the added call of the 3100 passenger capacity Emerald Princess on Monday, September 24 and puts the total cruise guests expected this year on 74 ships at just over 190,000.

“We are pleased to gain an added visit of Emerald Princess on Monday,” noted Jim Quinn, President and CEO of Port Saint John. “This addition to the schedule gave us a second triple cruise ship day next week and brings to the total cruise guests expected over a four day period to 20,000 guests and 7,800 crew experiencing our city and region”.

He further noted the following week is nearly as busy with more than 17,000 cruise guests and nearly 7,000 crew members.

      What is the appeal of cruise ships as a new form of vacation?

1.       Hassle and stress free (you unpack once)
2.     You don’t have to drive to a variety of places (different ports)
3.        Pampering
4.       Relaxing (being out on the quiet ocean)
5.     Lots of things to do on board (ex. Cooking classes, dance lessons, swimming, yoga, sports, exercising just to name a few)
6.       Get to travel an  extensive geographical area
7.     Opportunity to shop
8.     Wide variety of meals
9.        Accessible to groups and wheelchair accessible
10.        Romantic experiences
11.        A learning environment
12.        Great value for the money!

It may be crazy busy down town but it is also important to recognize the importance of these guests in our city and the economy. These people not only visit museums, take tours, and visit other tourist attractions but also eat in our restaurants and visit stores. This brings a lot of money into our economy. They also take pictures and share the beauty of our city to others (word of mouth about their experiences in the city is the best form of advertisement we can get)!

**I will add some pictures later.

Sources:

http://www.cunard.com/Ships/Queen-Mary-2/About-Queen-Mary-2/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RMS_Queen_Mary_2

http://www.sjport.com/english/news_events/article.asp?PressID=283

http://www.prlog.org/10086319-18-reasons-why-people-take-cruises.html

Continuation from yesterday's post concerning History in the making: Space Shuttle Endeavour's final flight over California

How does an event become a historical moment or historical event?

Every event must first begin in the present.

We can also frame (outlook, approach) the event based on previous events, our own personal experiences, previous knowledge, research, books/articles we have read on the subject, the media.

By creating a frame of reference we can judge, critique, assess, compare/contrast, look at cause and effect of an event.

This event than can be judged (criteria can vary from person to person- subjective).

We can also look at the event in terms of other similar events? How does this event compare to previous events? Look at scale, possible effects, etc.

For example, forest fires have been a major issue in much of the United States in 2012. We can compare these events to previous forest fires. We can also look at the scale (how much forest burnt?) We can also look at where and when these fires took place.We can look at the loss of land, buildings, and unfortunately lives. We can look at cost. But we can also look at it with a historical theme/thought process.
Comparing to previous years or previous forest fires for comparison purposes.
Will this fire be remembered in 5 years, 10 years, or even 20 years? What would people say?
We can look at long-term effects (environmental, etc).
We could study how the media covered the fire coverage.

We need to think of present-day events in terms of their historical implications.

As a society we also need to think and criticize/analyse the world around us not just take everything at face value. 

History in the making: Space Shuttle Endeavour's final flight over California

Space Shuttle Endeavour

How many people as little kids or even big kids at heart have dreamt about being an astronaut or going into outer space?

Why do we have such a fascination in outer space? Where and when did this fascination start?
Importance of the stars (for example, navigation)
Ancient Grecian and Aztec's believed the world was flat.
There is a glimpse into different worlds.
Immense size of outer space.
Mysterious.
The unknown.

As many of us are aware space travel and NASA is changing. The retirement of the Space Shuttle Endeavour marks a change in man's ability to travel in space.

Some statistics:
Endeavour was created in California to replace the Challenger (1986 launch accident).
Endeavour went on to fly 25 missions- 12 to help construct and outfit the space station.
Endeavour logged nearly 123 million miles or 198 million km in flight during 4,671 orbits.
Those are amazing and crazy statistics.

How many people have either watched videos, looked at pictures, or for the lucky few saw the fly over California in person?? Why the popularity? Why the fascination?

We have witnessed the landing on Mars by the Curiosity Rover on Aug. 5th, 2012. Why are we so interested in Mars? The unknown- the nearest planet. Curiosity/willingness to explore it for signs of life.
I think part of this is our curiosity/wanting to know why are we on planet earth and not somewhere else (like Mars).

This is another example of history- history in the making. History happens - history has to happen.

Sources:

http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Space+Shuttle+Endeavour+takes+final+flight+over+California/7281151/story.html

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20120919/NEWS01/309190026?nclick_check=1

http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/09/22/watch-space-shuttle-endeavour-soars-over-los-angeles/

http://spie.org/x90362.xml

http://www.ctvnews.ca/sci-tech/can-curiosity-mars-mission-inspire-like-apollo-1.932892

Defining terms: generation, society, era

1. Generation:

• the entire body of individuals born and living at about the same time: the postwar generation.
• the term of years, roughly 30 among human beings, accepted as the average period between the birth of parents and the birth of their offspring.
• a group of individuals, most of whom are the same approximate age, having similar ideas, problems, attitudes, etc. Compare Beat Generation, Lost Generation.
• a group of individuals belonging to a specific category at the same time: Chaplin belonged to the generation of silent-screen stars.
• a single step in natural descent, as of human beings, animals, or plants.

***To simplify in my mind, I think of a generation as a group of people who be categorized in the same category.

For ex. Generation X- Those born in the post-World War II baby boom (1960s-1980s)

      2. Society:

• an organized group of persons associated together for religious, benevolent, cultural, scientific, political, patriotic, or other purposes.
• a body of individuals living as members of a community; community.
•  the body of human beings generally, associated or viewed as members of a community: the evolution of human society.
• a highly structured system of human organization for large-scale community living that normally furnishes protection, continuity, security, and a national identity for its members: American society.
• such a system characterized by its dominant economic class or form: middle-class society; industrial society.

***To simplify in my mind, I think society is an organized group of people who associate/connect/relate due to a specific purpose or connection. I also like idea of society combining the term of community. What is a community? 

         3. Era: 

• a period of time marked by distinctive character, events, etc.: The use of steam for power marked the beginning of an era.
• the period of time to which anything belongs or is to be assigned: She was born in the era of hansoms and gaslight.
• a system of chronologic notation reckoned from a given date: The era of the Romans was based upon the time the city of Rome was founded.
• a point of time from which succeeding years are numbered, as at the beginning of a system of chronology: Caesar died many years before our era.
• a date or an event forming the beginning of any distinctive period: The year 1492 marks an era in world history.

***To simplify in my mind, when we talk about era it concerns a period of time. 

Structure of this blog

Hello,

I am still developing a format/structure for this blog. I think it is a work in progress.

1. I want to discuss broad topics of history.
2. I want to talk about different themes in history (gender- women in history, history of the family, to name a couple).
3. I want to discuss different areas of history (political, economic, military, criminal, government, but deeper more personal history of specific people and families (lower-class not just upper-class).
4. I want to talk about history from many different places (Provincial, City specific, Countries, Eras) 
5. I also want to mention different historical events- looking at multiple perspectives.
6. We will talk about historical figures.
7. We also talk in more general terms about historical research- how to study history?
8. Terminology- historical terms or terms you might find in a history book.
9. We will also look and discuss different books, articles, magazines, and websites (review of historical literature).

What is the practicality of historical research?

I know there are some people out there who are saying why bother studying history or doing historical research. There is some elements of personal interest but I believe it goes much deeper than that. To me history speaks volumes about the world- about people. I love the element of human connection history evokes- history connects us. History allows us to make connections not just with each other presently but also in the past.

For example: The anniversary of 9/11 was a couple weeks ago and I saw many Facebook posts asking where were you when it happened? This event ties people together- creates an atmosphere to talk (discussion). It can draw people together. This is a historical event (large range of implications, things have happened since than because of it- such as the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and the interactions between different groups of people).

Below are some questions/thoughts on historical study to consider/think about.

Why am I personally interested in history? I am interested in the human connections not just with other people but also how we connect and interact with the larger world. I also find technology, architecture (love old buildings-character), artwork, music, dramas- plays, stories, fairy tales, artefacts (clothing, make-up, hair styles, furniture, household goods, food) etc fascinating. It allows us to explore, to open our minds. To think deeper- about other people.

For ex. Does a particular building style of a particular era say something about how people lived?

Why study history? I think that in order to understand the present, you must understand the past. How can you move forward without understanding the past (where we came from, how we got where we are now).

What is the purpose of studying history? First we must be specific about the word purpose. What is your purpose in studying anything? Why do people study? To gain knowledge. Knowledge is powerful- it leads to understanding.

What is the reasoning behind the studying of history? I think the first 3 questions relate to each other. We need to discuss the reasons behind studying history- to learn about the past, to understand past people, generations, and societies.

We can debate the concept of understanding the past to not repeat the same mistakes in the future. I am not sure exactly how I feel about this idea yet.
Why do people keep having wars? Are we unable to understood the effects of war?

It's in the past. It has already happened/taken place. We are unable to change the past. 
More of a statement than a question but a valuable point (argument that people make about studying history). I think a key word to think about is relevance. People are always looking to make the connection with has it anything relevant to my life. How does this effect my life? How does this connect to my life? How is history relevant to me? Its about making connections with present life- how can you understand (finding meaning, creating connections, interacting with, question, compare/contrast, analyse, critique)  the present world (in terms of economics, political, physical, religious, government, among other terms) if you have no frame of reference. Where we have come from (personally but also as a generation, era, society) impacts where we are now and where we are going in the future.

We need to think of the world in terms of the PAST, PRESENT, and FUTURE. These three eras (time periods) interact together.


How does it effect us/our lives? We can look at history on many different levels.
One way to make history personal is to look at the growing fascination with genealogy and the study of our family history (family tree).
What about studying a monument in your town or city? Who was it created for? Why was it created? When? Who created it? Why was it placed where it was? What is the story behind it?

What is research in terms of historical thought/research? It opens doors for many useful skills- critical thinking, analytical skills, communication, and creativity.
Sometimes you go into research with a question that you want to answer.
Sometimes you are looking to discover more.
Sometimes to analyse previous data- to further explore, compare, contrast, make connections.

I would love to hear what your opinions are. Opening dialogue is an important step in discussing history. It involves more than one viewpoint.

Looking at what is history and how to study history

History..........

There are a wide range of definitions of the word history (depending on context).

Dictionary.com defines history as.....

1. the branch of knowledge dealing with past events.
2. a continuous, systematic narrative of past events as relating to a particular people, country, period, person, etc., usually written as a chronological account; chronicle: a history of France; a medical history of the patient.
3. the aggregate of past events.
4. the record of past events and times, especially in connection with the human race.
5. a past notable for its important, unusual, or interesting events: a ship with a history.

The World English Dictionary defines history as.....

1. a record or account, often chronological in approach, of past events, developments, etc
2. all that is preserved or remembered of the past, esp in written form
3. the discipline of recording and interpreting past events involving human beings
4. past events, esp when considered as an aggregate
5. an event in the past, esp one that has been forgotten or reduced in importance: their quarrel was just history
6. the past, background, previous experiences, etc, of a thing or person: the house had a strange history
7. computing a stored list of the websites that a user has recently visited
8. a play that depicts or is based on historical events
9. a narrative relating the events of a character's life: the history of Joseph Andrews

History really is the telling of stories of the past. Every type of history allows people to tell stories about the past. There is a wide variety of ways to tell stories (we can use art, photographs, newspapers, architecture, magazines, oral stories, and many other forms of artifacts or sources). Every piece of information requires some source (a reference point).

There are also a wide variety of different types of history that you can look and study (depending on your purpose and depending on the questions you are asking) such as military, economic, social, political, art, women's or gender, crime, among others.

History is the art of discovery-asking questions and trying to find the answers through your sources and building on previous found answers (further studying can lead to interpretations). So to study history you must be critical, analytical, put on your thinking cap and act like a detective.

History is the telling of people stories (whether it is one individual, a larger group, a country etc). We must help tell someone's story and use their story to establish what this tells us about the world around them. A story about a stay-at home woman during a war would be very different story than a military man on the front lines but they are both valid and helpful stories that when combined together we can see a fuller/brighter picture of what the world as a whole was like during that time period.

We also can compare history to a puzzle- we are always looking to fill in the missing pieces that create a more well-rounded picture. Will we ever have all the pieces of the puzzle? Not necessarily but we can try to move towards a more complete picture. The advancements in technology have gone along way to allowing us more opportunities to complete stories and pictures of history.

Re-inventing one's self and revitalize and using one's passion in life

I have had blogs in the past and they never lasted. I even tried a blog about history which is my life's passion and for some reason I let it get away from me and instead of trying to revitalize that old blog (2+years); I decided to start a new blog (to start fresh) and to rejuvenate myself. History and studying/sharing history has always been my passion and something enjoy.

I am almost 27 years old.

I have a BA with an honors degree in history with a minor in English- I wrote a thesis many moons ago about Prohibition in Saint John, New Brunswick.

I have since completed my B.ED specializing in secondary education (high school/middle school) social studies and English.

I was a substitute teacher and than a full-time grade 8 teacher in Northern Manitoba.

I am currently un-employed.

Within the last 2 weeks I have started my Master's in Education program in Curriculum Studies.

I think this is the perfect time to research and share my passion for history (in particular looking at British history and the role of the monarch's over the years).