The Reformation Incited French Wars of Religion

For more than half a century, 1534 to 1598, France was engaged in wars of religion between Catholics and Huguenots. In this short 10-minute documentary, History Matters explains: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmcMVOKa2Os Recommended reading: The French Wars of Religion, 1562-1629 by Mack P. Holt. - Pretty much THE go to book about the French Wars of Religion. You …

Why Wasn’t Japan Colonized?

Knowledgia: "Japan wasn’t actually completely free of European interference. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to land in Japan when a group of Portuguese traders anchored their ship on the shores of Nipponese in 1543. A new relationship between Japan and Portugal suddenly began to grow, mostly centered on economics, but religion quickly became a …

‘Bloody Mary’: Catholic Daughter of Catherine of Aragon and Henry VIII, Was A Religious Fanatic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqLcxzv2_-o Mary I  (1516-1558) was Queen of England and Ireland from July 1553 until her death. Her executions of Protestants caused her opponents to give her the sobriquet “Bloody Mary.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=942&v=tV89qCXpVco&feature=emb_logo Among The Most Evil Woman in World History: "She was the only child of Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon who …

Scotland’s Mary Queen of Scots’ Rivalry with England’s Queen Elizabeth I Is Focus of Movie and Documentary

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5l8cvuo7IA The 2018 film, Mary Queen of Scots, told the remarkable story of the girl "who became Queen of France at 16 and widowed at 18. Mary Stuart defied pressure to remarry. Instead, she returned to her native Scotland to reclaim her rightful throne. However, Scotland and England fell under the rule of the compelling …

Still Fighting Against Magical, Irrational Thinking with the Scientific Method

"Do you believe in ghosts?" I start out the class asking students. The subject is always welcome, especially because it seems less than academic. Many students have ghost stories and are fascinated by the topic. After the class shares a few anecdotes about ghosts, I ask "who believes in witches or warlocks?" I tell the …