History Schmistory: April 10. Great Gatsby published.
Thursday, April 10, 2025
1925. “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald was published. A popular sequel to the far lesser known and poorly selling “The Pretty Good Gatsby” and “The Not So Bad Gatsby.”
History Schmistory: April 10. Robert the Bruce.
Thursday, April 10, 2025
1307: The Battle of Loudoun Hill: Robert the Bruce is victorious over English forces. Robin the Bruce Wayne was nowhere to be found.
History Schmistory: April 9. Lee Surrenders to Grant.
Wednesday, April 9, 2025
On April 9, 1865, Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered his army to Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House in Virginia. Grant allows Confederate soldiers to keep their rifles, horses, and Lynyrd Skynyrd albums.
History Schmistory: April 8. Picasso dies.
Tuesday, April 8, 2025
1973. Artist Pablo Picasso dies at age 91. Friends and relatives experience a blue period.
History Schmistory: April 8. France Goes Metric.
Tuesday, April 8, 2025
1790: France adopts the metric system. US announces plans to adopt the same system, in about 300 years.
History Schmistory: April 7. First cancelled TV show.
Monday, April 7, 2025
1927. Commerce secretary Herbert Hoover is first TV guest. Good news: The first successful long-distance demonstration of television. Bad news: The show featured Herbert Hoover.
History Schmistory: April 6. After 1500 Years…Boring Sports are Back!
Sunday, April 6, 2025
1896. Athens, Greece–The Olympics are back for the first time since 369 AD when Emperor Theodosius abolished the Games as he considered them pagan. Finally, sports so boring that you’re only willing to watch them every four years are back!
History Schmistory: April 5. Harvard weeps.
Saturday, April 5, 2025
1649. Elihu Yale, the English philanthropist for whom Yale University is named, was born in Boston. Dave Harvard, in the next crib, is immediately jealous.
Team Marco Polo Presents: History Schmistory
History Schmistory, April 5: Bring Me Back Some Scones!
Saturday, April 5, 2025
1621Â –Â Mayflower sails from Plymouth on a return trip to England.
Culture Buzz: Savage Easter
Friday, April 4, 2025
In the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary it is an Easter tradition to torment women for the day. This typically includes dousing them with water and/or lightly spanking them. Seriously. Somehow, symbolically the ritual is meant to keep them young and fertile, derived from an old medieval tradition that probably should’ve stayed just that. Though most observe the tradition playfully, there are always a few who ruin it for everyone. So, to be safe, many ladies of Central Europe will justifiably choose to stay in this Sunday.
