She is known in pop culture as simply Cleopatra, although there were six Egyptian queens before her with the same name. Cleopatra VII (69 – 30 BCE) was the last pharaoh in the Ptolemy dynasty, and although ruthless at times, …[Continue]
Who Discovered the South Pole?
The South Pole is the southernmost point of the Earth’s surface. It is in Antarctica, at an elevation of 9300 feet, surrounded by miles and miles of icy terrain. It was discovered on December 14, 1911 by Roald Amundsen (1872-1928), …[Continue]
Mummies
Although mummies share the big screen and Halloween streets with make-believe monsters such as werewolves and vampires, they are real! A mummy is a corpse with preserved skin and internal organs. Although often associated with Ancient Egypt, mummies have been …[Continue]
Ireland
The island of Ireland is the third largest island in Europe. Politically, it consists of the independent Republic of Ireland (covering five-sixths of the island) and Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom. Because of the popularity of …[Continue]
European Union
The European Union (EU) is an economic and political umbrella uniting twenty-seven countries. Established in 1993, the EU traces its history back to six countries who formed the European Coal and Steel Community in 1951. After World War II, the …[Continue]
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British colony occupying 2.25 square miles on the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, sharing a border with Spain. It sits on the Strait of Gibraltar, which separates the Atlantic from the Mediterranean, and Europe from Africa. …[Continue]
Antarctica
Antarctica is a cold, dry, icy, mountainous continent that surrounds the South Pole. Although few animals can survive the extreme conditions in the interior of the continent, the surrounding seas are home to penguins, seals, whales, and many kinds of …[Continue]
Italy
In celebration of their World Cup victory (and my recent vacation there) this week’s topic is Italy. Italy is a republic in southern Europe known for its rich history, good food, natural beauty and excellent soccer team….[Continue]
Korea
June 25 marks the fifty-fifth anniversary of the eruption of war in Korea. That war ended in 1953 in a hostile truce between the communist Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) and the democratic Republic of Korea (South Korea). …[Continue]
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a man-made waterway, completed in 1914, linking the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans through the Isthmus of Panama. An eight-hour trip through the fifty-mile Panama Canal saves a ship 5,200 miles on a voyage from Los Angeles …[Continue]