October 13, 2025
Cornerstone of the White House Is Laid in Washington, DC (1792)
Originally called the "President's Palace," the official residence of the president of the United States was designed by Irish-American architect James Hoban with guidance from President George Washington, whose term ended before he was able to move in. Some slaves took part in the construction, which lasted eight years. Today, the White House is the oldest public building in Washington. Very little of the original structure survived an 1814 fire, set by British troops in retaliation for what? Discuss
October 12, 2025
Margaret Thatcher Escapes Assassination Attempt (1984)
In 1984, five people were killed and over 30 injured when a bomb tore through a hotel in Brighton, England, where Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and her cabinet were staying for a conference. The bomb had been planted weeks earlier by a Provisional Irish Republican Army operative. Though Thatcher's suite was damaged, she was uninjured. She attended the conference that morning as scheduled, and her popularity soared. How did attendees replace their destroyed clothes in time for the conference?
October 11, 2025
Second Vatican Council Convenes (1962)
Held in four sessions over the course of three years, the Second Vatican Council was a meeting of Catholic Church leaders with the announced purpose of reconsidering the position of the church in the modern world. Among many other changes, the council reformed the liturgy, permitting the use of the vernacular language, rather than Latin. Representatives from non-Catholic churches were invited to observe the sessions. What unexpected event nearly ended the council prematurely?
