The Mysteries of History (April 10 Edition)
Volcanic Eruption; ASPCA; Morir Zapata!; Bataan Death March
1815 — Indonesian Volcanic Eruption Kills 100,000
public domain image from wikimedia commons
Indonesia’s Mount Tambora volcano literally blew its top with the worst eruption in human history on this date in 1815.
Mount Tambora is on Sumbawa Island. The explosions from the eruption were so loud that they were heard hundreds of miles away, causing militaries to be mobilized, as some governments thought the noise was coming from an attack.
The liquified rock pouring down the mountainside burned forests, incinerated villages, and literally changed the shape of the island, as much of the unleashed lava streamed into the sea.
The amount of ash expelled was so great that the sun was not seen for days. So much matter was belched forth from the mountain’s belly that its height was reduced by a mile: from 14,000 feet to 9,000 feet. The ash also affected global weather, which experienced cooler temperatures for a year; New England, for instance, had snow and frost in the early summer months of June and July.
100,000 people were immediately killed as a direct result of the eruption, and many others indirectly later (from crop failure, famine, and disease brought about by the massive amounts of ash and gas released).
There had been no volcanic activity from Mount Tambora for thousands of years at the time of its historically massive eruption.
Questions: What other volcanic eruptions have you heard of? Have any large ones occurred during your lifetime? How does the 1883 eruption of Krakatoa compare to 1815 Tambora? What volcanic eruption has been predicted for Yellowstone, and when is it expected? Have you ever been to Indonesia? If not, what is the closest you’ve ever been to it?
1866 — ASPCA Founded
public domain image from wikimedia commons
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) was founded on this date in 1866 (the year following the end of the Civil War) by New York philanthropist and diplomat Henry Bergh (1813-1888).
The ASPCA was patterned after the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, based in London, England, which was founded more than 40 years prior, in 1824.
Bergh did not stop with the founding of the ASPCA. He remained active in personally protecting animals such as dogs, cats, horses, livestock, and even rats (helping shut down not only dog-fighting pits, but rat-fighting pits as well).
Similar to Mark Twain’s daughter Jean (1880-1909, who inherited her love for all animals from her father), Bergh directly intervened when he saw horses being mistreated on the street.
The ASPCA also influenced others to protect other beings in need of such. For example, the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NYSPCC) was founded by Bergh and others in the mid-1870s. The genesis of this was when Etta Angell Wheeler (1834-1921) approached Bergh about an adopted girl, Mary Ellen Wilson (1864-1956) whose father had been killed in the Civil War. Mary Ellen was being severely abused by her foster parents. Bergh used his influence and expertise to rescue the girl.
Questions: Why do you think it was that an organization to help animals was founded before one to help children was? What happened to Mary Ellen Wilson? Have you read Twain’s short story “A Horse’s Tale” (influenced by, and written partially for, his daughter Jean)? Similarly, have you read Twain’s short story “A Dog’s Tale”? Caveat emptor: the purpose of these stories was to combat bullfighting and vivisection (experimental surgery on live animals for research purposes) and are not easy to read (very sad, even heartbreaking, for the animal lover), but they served their purpose and led to some reforms.
1919 — The Mexican Robin Hood is Assassinated by the Government
public domain images from wikimedia commons
Emiliano Zapata (1879-1919), who didn’t quite make it to 40, was a fighter for the rights of the poor. He was in contention with the Mexican government over land rights for farmers and peasants, redistributing land where he and his men could (“robbing” from the rich to give [back] to the poor). He was assassinated by a government hit squad in 1919.
Questions: What were the circumstances of Zapata’s life? Who were his close associates? Why was he willing to spend his life, and risk his life, to help others and to strive for a more egalitarian society? Have you seen the movie “Viva Zapata!” Are there any modern-day Zapatas? If so, do you think they will succeed, or will they suffer the same fate as Zapata at the hands of, or at the behest of, “the establishment”?
1942 — Bataan Death March in the Philippines
public domain image from wikimedia commons
The Bataan death march began on this date in 1942, in the middle of World War 2 but near the beginning of America’s involvement in that global conflagration (in fact, the Japanese invaded the Philippines the day after their attack on Pearl Harbor).
The day before the march began, 75,000 Filipino and American soldiers had been forced to surrender to the Japanese.
The 85-mile forced march to a concentration camp lasted six days. Many have walked further in less time (of their own volition, “for fun”), but what made the trek extremely difficult, and deadly for many, was the fact that those being sent to confinement were beaten along the way and only given one meager meal of rice during the entire trip.
Hundreds of American soldiers died along the way, and even more Filipinos, giving the long walk its well-known name (“The Bataan Death March”). Of those who survived the ordeal and were placed in the concentration camp, few were still alive three years later when the war ended in 1945.
Questions: How many survivors were there when the captives were liberated? How many Americans? How many Filipinos? Were there any of other nationalities, such as Australians? How long did it take before they got home? Have you seen any movies about the Bataan death march? Have you seen the movie “Bridge on the River Kwai” (not about Bataan, but a somewhat similar situation)?
Read about “The Secret Lives of Kids” here.
