The city of Leiden played a prominent role in the revolt that would create an independent Dutch nation. In 1575—a year after Leiden had survived a siege by the Spanish—Prince William the Silent founded a university in the city. Today, Leiden University is the oldest in the Netherlands. Its library, once housed in a single room, is now home to a monumental collection of books, manuscripts, maps, and letters—some of which are centuries old and very rare. What was the library's first book? Discussfrom This Day in History http://ift.tt/2z0hN3T
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A volcanically active country, Japan is home to thousands of geothermally heated hot springs called onsen. Traditionally used as public bathing places, onsen now play a central role in domestic tourism and are often enjoyed by those who want to escape the hectic life of the city, relax, and benefit from the healing powers believed to be derived from the water's mineral content. When discussing onsen, the Japanese often cite the virtues of "naked communion," which refers to what? 
This is another name for 
From 1631 until his death in 1706, Evelyn kept a diary that is today an invaluable source of information on 17th-century British social, cultural, and political life. He corresponded frequently with Samuel Pepys, another now-famous diarist of the time. Living as a wealthy country gentleman in Deptford, he wrote about 30 books on various subjects including reforestation, vegetarianism, and numismatics. In 1661, he wrote the Fumifugium, believed to be the first book written on what topic? 
As a noble from the House of Lancaster, Henry fled England when the rival House of York triumphed in 1471. He later returned, rallied his supporters, and defeated Richard III in 1485. He then married Elizabeth of York and ended the Wars of the Roses between the two houses. Plots against him persisted, and two years later, Yorkists rebelled in support of Lambert Simnel, a boy they claimed was the Earl of Warwick. The rebellion was crushed by Henry's forces. What did Henry do with young Lambert? 
Swiss-born painter Angelica Kauffman studied art in Italy as a child. She was a protégée of Joshua Reynolds, who took her to London in 1766. Two years later, Reynolds became the first president of the Royal Academy and Kauffman one of the founding members. She became known for her decorative work and her portraits of female sitters. Returning to Italy, she flourished in artistic and literary circles. In 1775, how did a fellow member of the Royal Academy ridicule her and Reynolds in a painting? 
For much of his adult life, Charles Darwin was afflicted by an illness or illnesses whose uncommon combination of symptoms affected him intermittently and left him severely debilitated for long periods of time. The list of symptoms is quite extensive and includes vertigo, cramps, tremors, eczema, vomiting, and anxiety. Recently, there has been an increase in speculation about the nature of his condition, yet it remains a mystery. What are some explanations that have been proposed over the years? 
Also known as the 
After joining the US Army as an infantryman in 1940, Mauldin began sketching cartoons about enlisted life. In 1944, he began producing his cartoons full time for the US military newspaper, Stars and Stripes. His portrayal of two cynical and unkempt American soldiers, Willie and Joe, made Mauldin a hero to American soldiers in World War II. Later, Mauldin became a political cartoonist for civilian papers. What fate had Mauldin intended for Willie and Joe at the end of the war? 
Founded as an aerial crop dusting operation in Georgia, Delta became the world's largest commercial air carrier more than 80 years after its inception when it merged with Northwest Airlines. The consolidation process was completed by January 31, 2010. Today, Delta has approximately 75,000 employees, and its headquarters in Atlanta includes the world's largest connecting hub. What employee relations issue caused problems during and after the merger with Northwest? 
Sarin is a colorless and odorless nerve agent estimated to be more than 500 times as toxic as cyanide. A cholinesterase inhibitor, it effectively causes nerve impulses to be continually transmitted, resulting in a loss of control of bodily functions, suffocation, and death. Discovered in 1938 by German scientists attempting to create stronger pesticides, sarin was mass produced by the German military during World War II. Did the Nazis use sarin against Allied targets? 
Founded with a grant from the General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, Harvard College was named for its first benefactor, John Harvard. He bequeathed his books and about £780 to the fledgling college. The oldest and one of the most prestigious institutions of higher education in the US, Harvard originally trained Puritan ministers. Today, it has the largest university endowment in the US, estimated at more than $25 billion in 2009. Why did Harvard athletes first adopt the color red? 
"Reeducation Camp" is the official name given to prison camps operated by the Vietnamese government following the Vietnam War. Both a means of revenge and a sophisticated repression and indoctrination system, the camps were used by the government to "reeducate"—through hard labor—several hundred thousand former military officers and government workers from South Vietnam. Tens of thousands are estimated to have died under the harsh conditions. Were the prisoners ever released? 
A religious brotherhood affiliated with the church of Las Nazarenas in 
Waugh was an English novelist who is widely considered the greatest satirist of his generation. His novels, characterized by sardonic wit, technical brilliance, and his devoted Catholicism, include A Handful of Dust and Brideshead Revisited. Waugh also wrote amusing travel books. After service in World War II, he led a retired life, and his writing grew increasingly misanthropic. In 1925, Waugh's suicide attempt was thwarted when he was coincidentally attacked by what animal? 
This national holiday commemorates 
Also commonly known as TTM and "trich," trichotillomania is an impulse control disorder characterized by the repeated urge to pull out one's hair. Classified by many clinicians as a habit behavior that falls into the same class as nail biting, TTM has no cure but can sometimes be managed with habit reversal training and pharmacotherapy. It is estimated that up to 5% of the world's population has TTM. In recent years, the number of reported TTM cases has increased, a fact some attribute to what? 
Lichtenstein was an American artist best known for his brilliantly colored paintings in the style of large-scale comic strips, such as Whaam! and Drowning Girl. Originally an abstract expressionist, he turned to the New York-based pop art movement in the 1960s. In addition to his comic-book inspired panels, he created ironic pop art reinterpretations of famous paintings by artists such as Picasso. Which of his works was destroyed in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks? 
So, naturalists observe, a flea
If you don't get what you want, it's a sign either that you did not seriously want it, or that you tried to bargain over the price. 
Even before the start of World War II, some Nazi officials sought to remove Adolf Hitler from power. As the war dragged on, Nazi leaders desiring to assassinate Hitler and seek more favorable peace terms from the Allies hatched the so-called July 20 Plot. On that day in 1944, German colonel Claus von Stauffenberg planted a bomb in a briefcase at a meeting with Hitler, but the Führer escaped with minor injuries. How many people were arrested and executed in the Gestapo's subsequent investigation? .svg.png)
The area that is now Zambia came under British control in the early 1900s with the development of the copper mining industry. After decades of nationalist struggle, the British protectorate of Northern Rhodesia became the independent Republic of Zambia. Kenneth Kaunda, a former schoolteacher who had been jailed for nationalist political activities prior to independence, became its first president. Zambia may have been the first country to do what during the Olympics? 
While pursuing a medical degree at Harvard University, the intensely private Crichton began writing novels under a pseudonym. He published The Andromeda Strain during his final year and went on to write several best-selling works, many of which were made into films, including Jurassic Park and Congo. He unexpectedly died of throat cancer in 2008. While in college, he once submitted an essay by George Orwell under his own name as an experiment. What grade did he receive? 
The defeat of the Central Powers in WWI brought the dual monarchy of Austria-Hungary to an end and led to the creation of an independent Hungarian republic, which, in 1949, came under Communist control. Though a 1956 uprising was suppressed, Hungary became the most tolerant of the Soviet bloc nations of Europe and finally replaced Communism with a multi-party democracy with free elections in 1989. Hungary's relative freedom compared to other Eastern bloc countries led to what satirical nickname? 
The first so-called transatlantic operation, the Lindbergh Operation was a telesurgical procedure performed in September 2001 by a team of French surgeons located in New York on a patient in Strasbourg, France. The minimally invasive procedure to remove the patient's gallbladder was performed by a surgical robot that received instructions from a doctor via a high-speed fiber optic service. The virtual elimination of what inherent aspect of long-distance transmissions made the procedure possible? 
Guilt has very quick ears to an accusation. 
Chulalongkorn Day is a national holiday in 
A mondegreen is a series of words that result from the mishearing of a statement or lyric, creating an often humorous new meaning for the original phrase. Perhaps one of the most famous mondegreens is the misinterpretation of the line "there's a bad moon on the rise" in Creedence Clearwater Revival's song "Bad Moon Rising" as "there's a bathroom on the right." The word "mondegreen" was coined in 1954 by writer Sylvia Wright and is itself a mondegreen. From what misheard phrase did it originate? 
For three weeks in October 2002, John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo terrorized the Washington, DC, metropolitan area by shooting random victims from a distance. Ten people were killed and three others wounded in the spree, which was later linked to earlier shootings. Two days after killing their final victim, Muhammad and Malvo were arrested after being found sleeping in the car from which they had shot their victims. Before the arrest, the pair had planned to travel to Canada to do what? 
Liszt was a revolutionary figure of romantic music. Born in Hungary, he made his debut at age 9 and studied in Vienna with Salieri. After his father's death and a disastrous love affair, he almost gave up music for the priesthood. Nevertheless, "Lisztomania" swept Europe in the 1840s, and Liszt enthralled audiences with his astounding technique and grand, dramatic style of playing. Thereafter, he taught and composed prolifically. In 1861, he nearly married a princess but was thwarted—by what? 
Modeled on the celebration of 
Considered one of the main innovators of bebop along with Charlie Parker, Gillespie was an American jazz trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader. His virtuosity and comic wit—in addition to his trademark puffed cheeks and 45-degree upturned trumpet bell—made him one of the most charismatic and influential musicians in jazz. Gillespie was once struck by a car while riding his bicycle. Though he was injured only slightly, a jury awarded him $1,000 because he could no longer do what? 
Bridge Day is both a celebration of the 
The central structure in the ancient Mayan complex of Uxmal, Mexico, the Pyramid of the Magician is a step pyramid that was begun in the 6th century and expanded over the next 400 years. At the time, new temple pyramids were commonly built atop older ones, and this pyramid is the result of five nested temples. With its rounded sides, considerable height, steep slope, and elliptical base, the structure represents the pinnacle of late Maya art and architecture. How did it get its mysterious name? 
Following the assassination of Somalia's president in 1969, a military coup installed Major General Mohamed Siad Barre as leader. His dictatorial administration was marked by human rights abuses and civil strife. Though he sought to end pervasive clan loyalties, warfare among rival factions intensified. In 1991, he was ousted. The country plunged into a civil war and has had no effective central government since. How did Siad Barre's regime terrorize the Majeerteen clan in particular? 
