Interesting History of Stonehenge Word Origin and History of Stonehenge: "A prehistoric monument on Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire, England, consisting of a large circle of megaliths surrounding a smaller circle and four massive trilithons; dating to late Neolithic and early Bronze Age times (circa 1700-1200 BC) and believed to have been connected with a sun cult or used for astronomical observations. "Early 12th century, Stanenges, literally 'stone gallows', perhaps so called from fancied resemblance to old-style gallows with two posts, with the second element related to the verb hang. Some...

Interesting History of the Columbia River Definition of Columbia River "A river in southwest Canada and the northwest United States, flowing south and west from southeast British Columbia through Washington along the boundary between Washington and Oregon and into the Pacific. 1214 (1955 km) long." http: //www.dictionary.com/browse/columbia--river John Melish; A Geographical Description of the United States: With the Contiguous Countries, Including Mexico and the West Indies; Intended as an Accompaniment of Melish's Map of These Countries; AT Goodrich; 1826 John Melish writes: "Historical...

Interesting History of "Bad" Poetry Word Origin and History of Poetaster "An inferior poet; a writer of indifferent verse. "1590s, from Middle French poetastre (1550s), from Latin poeta (see poet) + -aster, diminutive (pejorative) suffix. Old Norse had skaldfifl 'poetaster'." http: //www.dictionary.com/browse/poetaster Samuel Taylor Coleridge; The Poems of ST Coleridge; William Pickering; 1844 Samuel Taylor Coleridge writes: "Good verse most good, and bad verse then seems better / Received from absent friend by way of Letter. / For what so sweet can laboured lays impart / As one rude rhyme...

Interesting History of the Congo River Definition of Congo River "Also called Zaire, a river in central Africa, flowing in a great loop from southeast Democratic Republic of the Congo to the Atlantic. About 3000 miles (4800 km) long. "Congo - African nation, named for the river that runs through it, which is from a Bantu word meaning 'mountains' (ie, the river that flows from the mountains). As an adjective, Congoese is native English (1797) but has been supplanted by Congolese (1900), from French Congolais. "Congo River - One of the world's longest rivers, it is Africa's largest potential...

Interesting History of the Planet Saturn Word Origin and History of the Planet Saturn "The planet sixth in order from the sun, having an equatorial diameter of 74,600 miles (120,000 km), a mean distance from the sun of 886.7 million miles (1427 million km), a period of revolution of 29.46 years, and 21 known moons. It is the second largest planet in the solar system, encompassed by a series of thin, flat rings composed of small particles of ice. "Old English Saetern, a Roman gold, also 'most remote planet' (then known), from Latin Saturnus, originally a name of an Italic god of agriculture,...

Word Origin and History of Singapore: "An island on the Strait of Singapore, off the south tip of the Malay Peninsula. "An independent republic comprising this island and a few adjacent islets: member of the Commonwealth of Nations; formerly a British crown colony (1946-59) and member of the federation of Malaysia (1963-65). 220 square mi (570 square km). "A seaport in and the capital of this republic. "From Sanskrit Simhapuram 'Lion City', from simhah 'lion' and puram 'city', from Proto-Indo-European *pele- 'citadel, fortified high place' (see polis). The name is perhaps metaphoric of...

Word Origin and History of Diamond: "A pure or nearly pure, extremely hard form of carbon, naturally crystallized in the isometric system. "A piece of this stone. "A transparent, flawless or almost flawless piece of this stone, especially when cut and polished, valued as a precious gem. "A ring or other piece of jewelry containing such a precious stone, especially an engagement ring. "A piece of this stone used in a drill or cutting tool. "A tool provided with such an uncut stone, used for cutting glass. "Crystallized carbon, or a piece of it, artificially produced. "Early 14th century, from...

Tragic (but Interesting and Very Short) History of Sodomites, Lesbians, and Sapphics Daniel Dafoe; A True Collection of the Writings of the Author of The True Born English-man: Corrected by Himself; printed, and are to be sold by most booksellers in London and Westminster; 1703 Daniel Dafoe writes: "With what stupendous Impudence can he / Punish a Poor Man's Immorality? / How shou'd a Vicious Magistrate assent / To mend our Manners, or our Government? / How shall new Laws for Reformation pass, / If Vice the Legislation shou'd possess? / To fee Old S-y Blasphemy decry, / And S- e vote to...

Interesting History of Earthquakes Word Origin and History of Earthquakes "A series of vibrations induced in the earth's crust by the abrupt rupture and rebound of rocks in which elastic strain has been slowly accumulating. "Something that is severely disruptive; upheaval. "Late 13th century, eorthequakynge, from earth + quake. In this sense Old English had eorodyn, eorohrernes, eorobeofung, eorostyren." http: //www.dictionary.com/browse/earthquake Jabez Hughes; Miscellamies in verse and prose; John Watts; 1737 Jabez Hughes writes: "Nor is it strange the Fires above decay, / While inwardly...