In the first part of this series, we looked at how wills originated as a social practice and legal provision. We’ll move on to something a little more lighthearted in this, the second installment in this series. Although wills are usually a somber matter, there are some that stand out for the way they’re structured and the unique items [...]
In our previous article, The Origin and Uses of Runes: The History That Drives Modern Runic, we covered where Futhark runes came from, how they were used, and what constitutes a rune. While the use of Futhark is no longer a daily occurrence, these symbols are still pervasive in cultures around the globe—for both favorable and reprehensible reasons. The [...]
Birth certificates, passports, driving licenses, social security cards, and on and on. There is a seemingly endless stream of legal documents that one is obligated to create through their lifetime to prove their personhood, citizenship, and privileges. One document that holds special legal import not just while you’re alive, but even after, is your will and testament. As you’re [...]
Runes may be part of a linguistic system whose daily use is lost to time, but their effects can still be felt today. From technological symbols to ornamentation in fiction TV, the runic alphabet has encountered many changes but continues to hold fast against extinction. Here’s a history of runes: where they came from, what they are made of, [...]
Why Was the Deseret Alphabet Created? The Deseret alphabet was the brainchild of Brigham Young and his colleagues. Young, one of the foundational members of the Mormon Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, sought to create an alternative to English so that adherents of Mormonism could separate themselves from their surrounding culture. In fact, it was Young’s [...]
When Was the Middle Ages? The Middle Ages, often called the “medieval” period, is a nebulous time in history spanning anywhere from the 6th century all the way to around the 14th or 15th century (depending on which region a person is considering). Many scholars would place the true beginning of the Middle Ages at 1150AD, when Old English [...]
Affirmative action has been a contentious topic in the United States since its widespread introduction in 1965 at the hands of then-president John F. Kennedy. However, the US is not the only nation facing internal conflict about the viability of affirmative action as a policy in the workplace and academia. In 2012, Brazil implemented a nationwide mandate to implement affirmative [...]
The oldest known map of the New World and the North and South American Continents is The Universal Chart of Juan de la Cosa. This world map was likely created sometime in the early 16th Century and is attributed to Spanish navigator Juan de la Cosa, who participated in voyages led by Christopher Columbus. The New World is not [...]
The rich history of African American Vernacular English has endured and flourished, undoubtedly leaving an indelible mark on America and how it speaks, but AAVE’s origin, core features, and even very existence continue to be debated by professional linguists and everyday people alike. Despite the debate, and at times controversy, over what exactly AAVE is, there is a very [...]
Whether you’re a devout Catholic or just a fan of Dan Brown thrillers like The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons, you’re likely familiar with one of the world’s most exalted and eccentric places – Vatican City. Despite its name, Vatican City is actually a tiny country, nestled in the heart of Rome, Italy. What it lacks in [...]
