Mayans, Incas & Aztecs – The South American ‘Classical Age’
The people of medieval Europe were aware that there were other magnificent cultures and powerful rulers apart from their own in the near and far east. However they had no idea that west across the Atlantic, beyond the setting sun, there lay a vast continent where there flourished civilizations of unimagined wealth and brilliance, comparable with Europe’s own classical age of Greece and Rome.
Pivotal Moments : November 27 1095 – The Pope orders Crusade
There are key moments in history when on the decisions and actions of men the course of human history is changed forever. November 27 1095 was such a day. It was the day on which Pope Urban II made perhaps the most influential speech of the Middle Ages calling for crusade in the Holy land.
Magna Carta – The Beginning of our Modern Law System
A big deal is made out of Magna Carta. But could a document that is over 800 years old really be that influential in our modern society ?. In this article we take a very brief look at what it is and why it IS actually a big deal.
Guernsey and the English Civil War
A brief look at what happend in Guernsey during this pivotal moment in British History
The Day the Universe Changed – Copernicus and a New World View
Up until the mid 16th century the predominant view was that the Sun revolved around the Earth. It wasn’t until Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543) and later Galileo Galilei (1564–1642) came along that a heliocentric model of the Solar System was able to triumph. In this article we look at the seminal moment our understanding of the Universe changed!
Castel Cornet’s most famous prisoner – General Lambert
Choosing sides in the English Civil War was never easy. Guernsey sided with Parliament whilst Guernsey’s Governor, Sir Peter Osbourne, chose the King. He fled to Castle Cornet and thus began a 9 year siege between Castle and island. Even after the war was over and the Monarchy restored Castle Cornet’s part in this great upheaval was not over as we see in this article.
Are You a Luddite?
Are you a Luddite ? .. A term coined over 200 years ago.. Read on to see if you are (although the chances are that you aren’t, given that you’re using a computer to read this article on the internet)
The Origin of Writing
Writing – The invention that enabled science and knowledge to flourish. However it seems that is wasn’t invented for prose or love poems or literature but for the more mundane and prosaic task of taxation and bookkeeping.
Sark – A Potted History
In this article we have a whirlwind look at the history of one of the most enigmatic of the Channel Islands, Sark.
The Invention of Money – A Short History
From prostitution to dealing on the stock exchange, trading has been around for tens of thousands of years. But when did mankind move from a barter system to exchanging goods for bits of metal and paper ?
Unlocking the Secret of Egyptian Heiroglyphs – The Rosetta Stone
The Rosetta stone is one of the most valuable artefacts ever to have been found by archaeologists. It literally unlocked the secrets of the Ancient Egyptians. Up until its discovery their rich language, culture and beliefs were a complete mystery and one could only marvel at their accomplishments in art & architecture in a kind of mute awe.
What drove the great migrations of the first millennium AD?
A curious thing occurred between 400-800 AD. In Europe and the far east, particularly China, a serious of mass population movements and incursions occurred. What historians are debating today is what caused these massive migrations.
The Enemy Within – The Day the Guernsey Militia faced down a Mutiny
The Guernsey Militia has a long and proud history of defending the Island. But what was to be done when the English Regiment sent to help the Militia in its defense duties turns out to be the enemy itself. In 1783 the Militia had to face this very problem.
The Humble Potato – a History
The potato’s story begins about 8,000 years ago near Lake Titicaca, in South America. In this article we look at how it became the one of most popular foodstuff in the world today.
Why did we swap hunter-gathering for farms and villages ?
About 10,000 years ago mankind began to abandon hunter-gathering as a way of life for farms and village life. We would naturally assume because it was better, more efficient, healthier. However there are puzzling problems with these reasons.
