Team Marco Polo

History Schmistory, March 20: You’re Fired

Monday, March 20, 2023 by teammarcopolo

1890. German emperor Wilhelm II fires republic chancellor Otto Von Bismarck.

Ludicrous Latin Returns!

Monday, March 20, 2023 by teammarcopolo

Words to live by.

History Schmistory, March 19: Vienna goes into Haydn

Sunday, March 19, 2023 by teammarcopolo

1799. Joseph Haydn’s “Die Schopfung,” premieres in Vienna. Great show. Joe gets his wig done for the premiere, and looks fabu.

History Schmistory, March 18: Start Your Engines!

Saturday, March 18, 2023 by teammarcopolo

1858. Rudolf Diesel, German engineer and Diesel motor inventor, is born. He wears cool clothes, but, turns down a part in “Fast and Furious.”

History Schmistory: St. Patrick’s Day

Friday, March 17, 2023 by teammarcopolo

St. Patrick’s Day is observed on March 17 because that is the feast day of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. It is believed that he died on March 17 in the year 461 AD.

History Schmistory, March 16: Who’s Yer Daddy, Chris?

Thursday, March 16, 2023 by teammarcopolo

Ferdinand Magellan, the "Weekend at Bernies" of Explorers

1521 Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan reaches Philippines. Magellan had survived eighteen months at sea, but he was killed in battle in the Philippines. A local warrior persuaded Magellan to defeat his rival in battle. Most of Magellanâ€™s men considered the battle both pointless and dangerous, so they refused to participate. Magellan was hit with a poison arrow in the battle and died. One of Magellanâ€™s five ships did make it back to Spain, only twelve days less than three years after their journey started. Only one ship and eighteen sailors remained of the 265 men accompanied Magellan.

History Schmistory: Yo Ferdman & Izzy–I’m back!

Wednesday, March 15, 2023 by teammarcopolo

1493. Christopher Columbus returns to Spain after 1st new world voyage. He brings potatoes, stories of Indians, and “Dancing with the Stars.”

You’re the Apple of my Pi

Tuesday, March 14, 2023 by teammarcopolo

Everyone knows it’s pi day today (3/14). But did you know that the earliest known textually evidenced approximations of pi date from around 1900 BC? They are found in the Egyptian Rhind Papyrus 256/81 â‰ˆ 3.160 and on Babylonian tablets 25/8 = 3.125, both within 1 percent of the true value.Unfortunately, it was only a pie of pi ; )