UWA History and Social Sciences

06/05/2026

Those da Vinci boys are up to something again.

Historians have discovered a design by Leonardo's lesser known brother, Lambrusco da Vinci.

06/04/2026

On this day in history:

Roquefort cheese created in a cave near Roquefort, France (1070); Pope Innocent II crowned Lothar III Holy Roman Emperor at Rome (1133); Mob led by Ferrand Martinez surrounds and sets fire to the Jewish quarter of Seville in Spain, the surviving Jews are sold into slavery (1391); Henry VIII of England met Francis I of France on "The Field of the Cloth of Gold," sometimes called "The First Summit" (1520); Sh**un Tokugawa Ieyasu, captured Osaka after a six month siege (1615); The Chippewa captured Fort Michilimackinac from the English (1763); The Constitution of the United States went into effect (1789); Radical Protestant preachers incite an violent attacks on Catholics in Brooklyn, who retaliate, requiring the intervention of the 14th Militia (1854); US Congress passed 19th Amendment, granting suffrage to women (1919); USS _Ranger_ (CV-4) commissioned, first US purpose-built carrier (1934); Battle of Midway started (1942); France grants Vietnam independence within the French Union (1954); Angelina Jolie born (1975); Hundreds killed at Tiananmen Square protests (1989); Basketball coaching legend John Wooden dies (2010).

06/03/2026

If your students are looking for a way to prepare for the AP US Government and Politics exam, this might be a good resource.

💻Looking for a way to prepare for the upcoming school year? This summer, we are offering three AP prep courses for high school students (grades 9–12), including AP United States Government and Politics: An Overview.

During this course, students will have the opportunity to understand the AP Gov exam’s structure, learn about key portions of each unit of study, gain insight into the course’s foundational documents, access sample multiple-choice questions, and learn how to successfully answer free-response questions.

The class begins on Thursday, July 16, 2026 and will meet on Zoom once a week at 5:00 p.m. ET/ 2:00 p.m. PT.

We can’t wait for you to join us! For more information, please email [email protected].

06/03/2026

On this day in history:

Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto claims Florida for Spain (1539); Battle of Philippi: Union captures West Virginia (0 k, 21 w, both sides) (1861); Singer and actress Josephine Baker born (1906); German occupiers stamp "J" on passports of Dutch Jews (1941); First African-American graduate of Annapolis, Wesley A. Brown - retires 1969 as Lt. Commander (1949); Ed White becomes first American to walk in space (1965); Tennis player Rafael Nadal born (1986); Muhammad Ali dies (2016).

06/02/2026

On this day in history:

Æthelberht of Kent became the first Christian king in Britain, baptized by St. Augustine of Canterbury (597); Battle of Kurikara: Japanese Minamoto clan defeats the Tiara (1183); First first lady Martha Washington born (1731); The Gordon Riots (June 2-7): Anti-Catholic rioters run amok in London, attack Parliament, embassies -- at least 285 killed, c. 200 wounded, c. 450 arrested (1780); Battle of Ridgeway (Ontario): the Canadians defeat invading Fenians, who retreat back to the US, and are arrested (1866); Baseball legend Babe Ruth retires (1935); The 99th Pursuit Squadron (The Tuskegee Airmen), flies its 1st combat mission, over Italy (1943); Pope Pius XII denounces aerial bombardment of civilians and is totally ignored by everyone (1943); Queen Elizabeth II is coronated (1953); Soccer star Abby Wambach born (1980); Rock 'n' roll pioneer Bo Diddley dies (2008).

06/01/2026

On this day in history:

Anne Boleyn crowned queen of England (1533); Naval Battle of Oland: Dutch defeat the Swedes in the Baltic (1676); British close the Port of Boston in punishment for the "Tea Party" (1774); Battle of Seven Pines: Confederate Gen. Joe Johnston is wounded, and relinquishes command, which will go to Robert E. Lee (1862); US Sailors & Marines land in Korea, to protect U.S. citizens (1871); Three day pogrom begins in Bialystok, c. 110 Jews die (1906); Actress Marilyn Monroe born (1926); Actor Morgan Freeman born (1937); Superman debuted in Action Comics (1938); Germany bans all Catholic publications (1941); Cease-fire ends Israeli War for Independence (1948); Activist Helen Keller dies (1968); Heimlich maneuver first introduced (1974); CNN launches as first 24-hour cable news network (1980).

05/29/2026

Pfft. Everyone knows it was the aliens who put that stuff there.

05/28/2026

This is a great project on Womens history to involve your students.

There are 40 monuments on the National Mall, but not a single one is dedicated to the history of American women. 's Suffrage National Monument Foundation is changing that and wants NHD students and teachers to help.

Through the Monumental Ideas campaign, students can submit design concepts and inspirations for the first-ever monument honoring the suffrage movement in our "National Front Yard." This is a great opportunity for students to help shape how history is memorialized!

Learn more at www.womensmonument.org

05/28/2026

On this day in history:

Solar eclipse, as predicted by Greek philosopher Thales, occurs while Lydians are at war with the Medes and leads to a truce. It is one of the cardinal dates from which other dates are calculated (585 BC); The Vikings sack and burn Paris (861); Anti-Semitic outbreak at Breslau, 60 die (1349); The Papal States order confiscation of all Hebrew books (1731); George Washington defeated a small Franco-Indian force in a skirmish near Ft. Duquesne [Pittsburgh] (1754); Congress authorized Indian removal from the Eastern states (1830); Native American athlete Jim Thorpe born (1887); Britain annexed the Orange Free State in Africa (1900); Alan Turing submits "On Computable Numbers" for publication, in which he sets out the theoretical basis for modern computers (1936); Volkswagen founded in Germany (1937); Singer Gladys Knight born (1944); USSR "Mars 3" launched, first spacecraft to make a soft landing on Mars (1970); White House "plumbers" first break in at the Democratic National Headquarters and install listening devices at Watergate Complex in Washington, D.C. (1972); First 55 women graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy (1980); Poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou died (2014).

05/27/2026

On this day in history:

30 Jews were burned at the stake in Poching, Hungary, accused of "blood ritual" (1529); Habeas Corpus Act passes in England, strengthening a person's right to challenge unlawful arrest and imprisonment (1671); Battle of Fort George: Col. Winfield Scott captured the British post on the Niagara River (1813); The Japanese fleet crushed the Russian fleet in the Battle of Tsu-Shima Strait (1905); Marine biologist and author Rachel Carson born (1907); US statesman Henry Kissinger born (1923); Ford ends manufacture of iconic Model T (1927); Golden Gate Bridge opens in California (1937); The Royal Navy sank the _Bismarck_ (1941); Formation of the European Defense Community (1952); Outkast rapper André 3000 born (1975); South Korean boy band BTS are the first K-pop group to top the US Billboard 200 with their album "Love Yourself: Tear" (2018).