Article: The Gideons and Hotel Rooms

The link below is to an article that takes a look at how Bibles began to appear in hotel rooms, a practice begun by the Gideons.

For more visit:
http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2013/07/why-there-are-bibles-in-hotel-rooms/

Today in History: 02 April 1982

Argentina Invades the Falkland Islands

On this day in 1982, the short but bloody war between Argentina and the United Kingdom, over the Falkland Islands, begun with the invasion of the islands by Argentina. Below are a series of videos dealing with the conflict and the third video deals with rising tensions over the islands once again. Argentina also occupied South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.

For more, visit:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1982_invasion_of_the_Falkland_Islands
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falklands_War
http://www.falklandswar.org.uk/

Today in History – 1 May 1328 and 1707

Scotland: Independence Gained and Lost

Scotland became a unified kingdom in 843 under King Cináed I, who united the Scots and the Picts. It would grow in size over time, but the Kingdom of Scotland began in 843.

Edward 1 (England) brought the majority of Scotland under his control in 1296, though Scotland regained its independence via the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. The wars for regaining Scottish independence was begun by William Wallace and Robert the Bruce (King Robert I). The independence of Scotland was recognized by England with the Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton, signed on this day in 1328.

In 1603 the realms of England and Scotland were united by the accession of James VI to the throne of England. However, it wasn’t until this day in 1707, when the Treaty of Union was passed by the Parliament of Scotland which brought into being the United Kingdom. With this act Scotland lost its independence and there remains a movement to regain it.

 

Today in History – 19 April 1587

Sir Francis Drake Destroys the Spanish Fleet in Cadiz, Spain

War had broken out (Anglo-Spanish War of 1585 to 1604) between the Spanish and English – between Roman Catholic Spain and Protestant England. But it was more than just a religious war, for there were also political and economic agitations. English privateers were having a major impact on Spanish shipping. English support for the Netherlands in their fight for independence against Spain and also their support for an alternative Portuguese ruler (Portugal were in league with Spain) were a constant annoyance to the Spanish Empire. England saw Spain as a major threat to their security. Soon it was war, with Spain determined to invade England and crush Protestantism in its infancy.

Sir Francis Drake had been one of the thorns in Spain’s side, acting as a privateer in the Spanish Indies and taking many a Spanish ship as a prize. He was given command of an English fleet and set out to attack the Spanish on the 12th April 1587. On the 19th April 1587, Sir Francis Drake carried out what he described as having ‘singed the beard of the King of Spain,’ by sinking the Spanish fleet at harbor in the Bay of Cadiz, Spain. Up to 33 ships were destroyed and four were captured. This occurred the year prior to the sinking of the Spanish Armada during the attempted invasion of England.

When the fleet returned to England on the 6th of July, they had sunk over 100 enemy vessels and suceeded in setting back the planned Spanish invasion of England by a year. Drake had already sealed his place in history as one of England’s heroes, but his work had only just begun.