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June 7, 2022


FAMOUS DUELS

Duels have a long and colorful—though sometimes tragic—history. We’re
highlighting a few notable ones.
Andrew Jackson versus everyone
The seventh U.S. president was something of a hothead. He reportedly was
involved in more than 100 duels—most of which were in defense of his wife—and in
1806 he killed a man.
The most famous duel?
Thanks to the musical Hamilton, the answer might be the confrontation between
Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton in 1804.
“Benefit of the clergy”
In 1598 the playwright Ben Jonson killed an actor in a sword duel. He was
ordered to be hanged but was granted clemency because he could read a Latin
Bible.
“The most serene order of cuckolds”
In 1837 Aleksandr Pushkin, the founder of modern Russian literature, fought a
man rumored to be having an affair with his wife and was mortally wounded.
A topless duel
In the late 19th century, an argument over floral arrangements escalated into a
sword fight between two women—sans tops. Learn more about it and other duels in
our list.


HOME SWEET HOME

On June 7, 1982, Graceland—the mansion once owned by Elvis Presley—opened to the
public. Since then it has become a Memphis landmark and one of the most-visited
houses in the United States. We take a look at some other incredible places
people have called home in the United States.
43 Bathrooms, 65 Fireplaces, and 34 Bedrooms
article / Geography & Travel
© Marrero Imagery/Shutterstock.com
“Hollywood’s Party Pad”
article / Geography & Travel
David L. Jennings
A Masterpiece of “Organic Architecture”
article / Visual Arts
© Greg Payan/Dreamstime.com

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


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Entertainment & Pop Culture
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storytelling have a long tradition throughout history, even as the styles and
available methods of delivery have shifted dramatically.
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Geography & Travel
Planet Earth contains some extraordinarily diverse environments, some of which
are easily habitable and some not so much. In different areas of Earth, one
might find sweltering deserts, dense tropical rainforests, or bone-chilling
tundras. Each biome and habitat comes with its own selection of flora and fauna,
and it may include physical features such as canyons, volcanoes, rivers, or
caves. Human beings have built homes in many different environments, settling
the area and organizing it into units such as cities, states, regions, and
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migration have resulted in a human geography that is profoundly different from
that of centuries ago.
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The study of the human mind and body, how these function, and how they
interact—not only with each other but also with their environment—has been of
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and preventive medicine has expanded greatly with the development of modern
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Lifestyles & Social Issues
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and collective well-being. History has shown us, however, that it's not so easy
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environmentalism, gay rights, and much more.
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   English philosopher
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   A cadaver trial, an unauthorized cremation, a creepy...
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   Pride Month: From Stonewall riots to annual celebration.

Literature
With the development of language, the human imagination has found a way to
create and communicate through the written word. A literary work can transport
us into a fictional, fantastic new world, describe a fleeting feeling, or simply
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of knowledge, truth, good and evil, love, friendship, and much more. Philosophy
involves a methodical assessment of any and all aspects of human existence and
experience. The realms of philosophy and religion have sometimes intersected in
conducting such inquiries as these. As with philosophy, the study of religion
underscores how humankind has long speculated about its origins. The possibility
of a higher being (or beings) to which livings things owe their existence has
long captived human thought. Many religions also offer their own views on the
nature of good and evil, and they may prescribe guidelines and judgment on
different kinds of human behavior.
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   philosophy
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Politics, Law & Government
The world today is divided territorially into more than 190 countries, each of
which possesses a national government that claims to exercise sovereignty and
seeks to compel obedience to its will by its citizens. Governments can be
classified in any number of ways. For example, they might be classified by the
number of rulers, thus distinguishing government by one (as in a monarchy or a
tyranny) from government by the few (in an aristocracy or oligarchy) and from
government by the many (as in a democracy). Governments can also be classified
by mode of succession; for example, ascension to governmental leadership may
follow the rules of hereditary succession, or it may be determined through
elections or by force. Governments also vary in terms of the laws and rules of
conduct that each political entity follows.
Featured
 * economics
   
 * 9 U.S. Presidents with the Most Vetoes
   Hail to the chief.
 * Structures of Government: Fact or Fiction?
   Parliamentary democracy. Monarchies. Feudalism. All...

Science
How can the sky be blue one day and stormy the next? Why do heavy objects tend
to fall downwards when dropped? How are birds able to fly (and why can’t I do
the same?)? Human beings have long been curious about the world in which we
live, striving to identify connections among the phenomenons we witness and to
understand how it all works. The field of science has developed over many
centuries as a way of studying and understanding the world, beginning with the
primitive stage of simply noting important regularities in nature and continuing
through the rise of modern science. The modern-day sciences cover a vast range
of fields, including biology, chemistry, meteorology, astronomy, physics, and
much more.
Featured
 * typology
   
 * Mathematics: Fact or Fiction?
   Will parallel lines eventually meet? Does a rectangle...
 * Seeing Stars: Fact or Fiction?
   Are there twelve signs in the zodiac? Is Sirius the...

Sports & Recreation
Physical contests and recreational games have long played a part in human
society. In both team and solo sports, the human body has been pushed to its
limits in the name of improving athletic performance and in order to break
record upon record. The ancient Olympic Games are an early example of the
contests in which humans have engaged to showcase physical prowess. In modern
times, sports and games have evolved into a lucrative and competitive industry,
while other leisure activities, such as card and video games, can be competitive
or just serve as a way to unwind or socialize.
Featured
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   ride
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Technology
Humankind has long striven to improve its living conditions through the
development of tools, instruments, and transportation and communications
systems, all with the goal of making our lives easier, more productive and—why
not?—more fun, too. Thanks to human curiosity and technological research, many
significant inventions have been made throughout history that in turn made a
difference in our daily lives.
Featured
 * instrumentation
   technology
 * Weaponry, Energy, and Power Systems Quiz
   Which English engineer and inventor built and patented...
 * 18 Questions About Farming Answered
   Find out what really happens down on the farm.

Visual Arts
These are the arts that meet the eye and evoke an emotion through an expression
of skill and imagination. They include the most ancient forms, such as painting
and drawing, and the arts that were born thanks to the development of
technology, like sculpture, printmaking, photography, and installation art.
Though beauty is in the eye of the beholder, different eras in art history have
had their own principles to define beauty, from the richly ornamented taste of
the Baroque to the simple utilitarian style of the Prairie School.
Featured
 * African art
   visual arts
 * 11 or 12 Things Remembered Well About the Chelsea Hotel
   A who’s who of an infamous inn.
 * Woman-made: 8 Architects You May Not Know
   Breaking ground.

World History
Does history really repeat itself, or can we learn from the mistakes of those
who came before us? History provides a chronological, statistical, and cultural
record of the events, people, and movements that have made an impact on
humankind and the world at large throughout the ages.
Featured
 * World War I
   1914–1918
 * The Perils of Industry: 10 Notable Accidents and Catastrophes
   Innovation has its price.
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