History lessons is a grouping of historical stories and tidbits. The topics range from the American Civil War through interesting items from around the world. Please use the comments area to ask questions and make suggestions for future topics.
By James Breig Mariano Rivera, the storied relief pitcher for the New York Yankees, has retired after 19 years on the team. He set numerous records, appeared in several World Series and is a sure-thing for the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. To celebrate his career, the Yankees honored his achievements during a recent… continue
By James Breig Given their nature and purpose, flags can be saluted or slandered, waved or waved away, raised up or torn down from flagpoles. That duality occurred during the Civil War, when battles in places like Gettysburg, Pa., brought brother into conflict with brother, each of whom saluted a different banner. There, as on… continue
By James Breig If you had to write a letter to your spouse and child that wouldn’t be read until after you died, what would you say? In January 1912, that question was faced by Captain Robert Falcon Scott, a British explorer, when his expedition to the South Pole failed in two ways: *He was… continue
By James Breig When is A flag not THAT flag? That odd but important question lies at the heart of a documentary that debuted Sept. 4 on CNN. The 90-minute program, “The Flag,” went in search of the banner that flew atop the rubble of 9/11 in New York City in 2001. Everyone remembers THAT… continue
By James Breig Mid-September brings back-to-school time, fewer daylight hours, fall football games and the closing of the baseball season. More significantly, it marks the 199th anniversary of the writing of the National Anthem, a song about the U.S. flag. The words, that is. The melody, composed by an Englishman named John Smith, was an… continue