A Horrible King and the Magna Carta

With nicknames like “John Lackland,” “John Softsword,” and “the phoney king,” I thought nothing happened during this English king’s reign. My mum, a Brit herself with lots of knowledge about English royal history, was happy to correct me. “The Robin Hood myth came from the chaos of King John’s reign… Didn’t you pay attention in school, Amber?” I did, actually; thanks for the confidence, Mum. To get away from the constant “Do schools teach anything these days?” I decided to do some of my own research on King John. Let’s see what this phoney king did that my mum thinks was so important.

King John

A Portrait of King John of England

I first learned his birthday: 1167 on Christmas Eve! It’s hard to believe his actions would matter with how long ago he lived. Not to mention, the situation before becoming king wasn’t very memorable, at least not in a good way.

John had four older brothers, my personal worst nightmare, so it was almost impossible he’d be king. His father packed him off to Ireland instead, where he ticked off the English and Irish. He was back in England after just four months… A truly fantastic start.

Three of John’s older brothers died young, so he had a better shot at being king. Unfortunately, the brother who survived would go on to be known as Richard the Lionheart, who had already proved himself worthy of the crown multiple times.

Richard died in battle and had no kids, so it was John’s turn on the throne. To John’s luck, becoming king after Richard was practically open season on him. Personally, I blame Richard for this; older siblings can be a real chore (no offence to mine!).

Things didn’t improve for this guy. John lost lands north of the Loire River and the support of French barons. He killed his own teenage nephew, Prince Arthur, who he considered a threat to his title. Teenagers are terrifying, after all.

The king of France also conquered John’s land in France. This failure was what gave him the nickname “John Softsword.” It’s less funny than what I thought “softsword” was for, but it’s still a great origin story, I guess. Can you believe that things got even worse during John’s feud with the Pope? For a while, religious services weren’t allowed in England, and John was excommunicated.

The Magna Carta

John had alienated himself from his subjects and the barons. His subjects claimed he was a tyrant, ignoring feudal laws, extorting money from the people, selling offices, and raising taxes. The barons were just angry about everything.

An Image of the Magna Carta

England was plunged into a civil war in 1215, and the barons forced John to accept the Magna Carta. This document claimed that no one was above the law, even the monarch, you couldn’t be held without evidence of committing a crime, everyone had the right to a fair trial by jury, and a widow couldn’t be forced to marry and give up her lands. Wow, look at that: the first step to women’s rights!

However, the Magna Carta wasn’t kept. So, why is it so important?

Well, I learned the charter is considered the root of the British legal system. Many of the terms I listed above are still reflected in the British legal system today, like everyone being equal in the eyes of the law and getting a fair trial.

When Britain colonized the world, they took copies of the Magna Carta. In the original 13 states of America, the charter was used to make a new legal understanding and make sure people born in the colonies had the same rights as the British. The Magna Carta also inspired The Declaration of Independence, The Constitution of the United States of America, and the Bill of Rights.

Conclusion

So, my mum was right; King John did do something important. Sorry for doubting you, Mum. I guess that means we shouldn’t judge John based on the nicknames he had. I’m sure that if King John could see into the future, he’d be proud to know that his horrible rule led to today’s British legal system and the founding of the U.S.A.

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Amber Boileau is a 19 year-old Professional Writing student at Algonquin College. Coming from the middle of nowhere, her free time from studying was spent reading, writing, and spending time with her family. This resulted in a girl who mostly stayed inside and grew to be irritated with 99% of the people around her. She still prefers to be inside, alone, and working on her school, reading, or writing, but will occasionally come out of hiding to be with her friends.

Food History: A Modern Bread-Making Love Affair

My love language begins in the kitchen. It starts by measuring yeast and warm water, honey and brown sugar. Or with cracking eggs and sifting flour. Baking, is my labour of love. This week in food history, I dive into the world of baked goods and how it brings us together as a community.

There’s a science to pastry-making, a perfect balance of measurements and art. A gram too much of baking soda can be the difference between an “okay” piece of cake and the best you’ve ever had. But when did this science first develop?

According to archeological evidence, Egyptians were the first to break down the science of bread-making. Loaves of fossilized bread have been found in tombs; food left for the souls to bring into the afterlife. We know that Egyptians mastered yeast around 2,600 BC from the remnants of beer and nectar left soaking in barrels.

The history of baking continues its journey in ancient Rome, where we find watermills as a new technology to aid in the production of staple foods like bread. Ancient Rome relied on a fermented leavening agent, what we would now consider sourdough starter, rather than yeast like the Egyptians. Bread ovens and terracotta pots were found preserved in the ashes of Pompeii still contain evidence of the fermented dough.

France, another revolutionary force in the world of baking, played with laminating their dough with fat. Thin layers of dough and butter created early forms of what we now know as croissants and puff pastries. France is the home of whipped cream and sweetened almond pastes used to sweeten these flaky confections.

Baking evolved quickly after its early inventors outlined the basics of baking ratios. Now, modern bakers and pastry chefs create magical illusions, building massive confections to look like everyday objects. Baking masters will use tactics of ancient Egypt and Rome to make a lemon dessert shaped like a lemon—the old working hand-in-hand with the new and modernized.

Now, I use the same technology and ratios to fill my home with the smell of freshly baked sourdough and sweet, jam-filled pastries. I share the science from many centuries ago in my modern kitchen. And with that, I leave you with my favourite dinner roll recipe.

Garlic and herd dinner rolls

Ingredients

• 2 1/3 cup + 2 tbsp flour

• 1 tbsp dry active yeast

• 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp warm water

• 1/2 cup + 5 tbsp milk

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 1 egg

• 1 tbsp salted butter, room temperature

• 2 cloves of garlic, minced

• Herbs of choice, dried or fresh

Directions

• Combine the yeast and water in a small bowl. Let the yeast bloom while working on the next step. Tip: If the yeast does not create a foamy texture in 10 minutes, your yeast may be out of date. This might be okay for some recipes, but it won’t keep accurate to the fluffy nature of these dinner rolls.

• In a small pot, combine 5 tbsp of milk, 2 tbsp of flour and 2 tbsp of water and cook on low heat while stirring to create a water roux. Remove from heat when the mixture has thickened.

• In a large mixing bowl, add the rest of the flour and milk, the sugar, the water roux and the yeast mixture. When the ingredients are well combined, add one egg.

• Begin kneading for three minutes. Add the butter and continue kneading for a total of 10 minutes.

• Form into nine balls and place into a lined baking sheet. Allow the dough to rise in a warm, ideally humid area for 45 minutes before baking at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

• Once done baking, brush with a mixture of melted salted butter, herbs of your choice, and garlic.

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Image COURTESY of cuisinart

Image courtesy of world history encyclopedia

Image courtesy of Bruno albouze

Image courtesy of vikalinka

Dalainey Gervais is a writer and artist from Toronto, ON. She is a graduate of the University of Toronto’s Linguistics program and a student of Algonquin College’s Professional Writing program. Currently working in the non-profit sphere, she hopes to develop a career in environmental policy writing. In her free time, Dal enjoys writing, baking, and watching the latest crime documentary on Netflix.

The Man Behind the Rum: Captain Morgan

Sir Henry Morgan

When people hear the words “Captain Morgan” they often think of rum and having a good time. However, that was not the case in the 1600’s. The name often invoked fear into the masses. Sir Henry Morgan was born in Wales, and eventually became a buccaneer. With unofficial support from the government, he went on to seize many of Spain’s colonies in the Caribbean.

While the details aren’t confirmed, he is suspected to have been involved with the capture of Jamacia for the English government and involved with an expedition against Cuba. During the Second Anglo-Dutch war, he was second in command operating against the Dutch colonies in the Caribbean.

Morgan with Jamaicans

After his success with the war, he went on to capture many more colonies. He took what is now Camagüey, Cuba, and a city called Portobello on the coast of Panamá. His final quest was taking Panamá. After successfully beating the army waiting for him, the city burned to the ground as he was looting it.

Unfortunately for him, England and Spain had already reached an agreement about the battles. Due to this, Morgan was promptly arrested and sent back to England for trial. However, the English liked Morgan and after relations with Spain deteriorated, King Charles II honoured Morgan and sent him to be the governor of Jamaica. He lived a wealthy life there until he died in 1688.

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Henry-Morgan-Welsh-buccaneer

http://www.thewayofthepirates.com/famous-buccaneers/henry-morgan/

Kent Monkman, the influence of Miss Chief Eagle Testickle

Met museum

A few years ago, I started college with the idea of becoming an art historian. Although that didn’t end up working for me, I still learned a wide variety of things from many different artists. One of which particularly stuck to me, because of the impact he has on today’s society.

Kent Monkman is a very interesting artist, for multiple reasons. He portrays today’s societal issues in his art and speaks from experience as an indigenous artist himself. But why exactly did Kent Monkman become so interesting to me? Maybe it’s the crowded paintings that almost look like they are in motion. Or maybe it’s his famous alter ego, Miss Chief Eagle Testickle. I know, strange name, but try reading it fast, it’s kind of clever. This second self made him look so strange and eccentric.

From an objective point of view, like I had when I first heard of him, this was absolutely fascinating. At that moment, I didn't have all that knowledge about what exactly it meant for Monkman himself, but also for society, to have this kind of representation in art pieces. No doubt he is definitely a unique person, if you have seen any of his “Miss Chief” performances, you know what I mean. But it’s the message in his pieces that make his art all the more relevant.

Montréal museum of fine art

It all started, in 2006, with one of Monkman’s paintings, named Trappers of men. This is the first piece in which I heard of his other identity. In this painting, Monkman represented Miss Chief kind of floating above a body of water, while people in the distance are dazzled at this sight. But to understand what this painting means, it’s also required to understand what Miss Chief herself represents.

Who exactly is Miss Chief Eagle Testickle? Well, she is not simply a different personality, as it is said in Monkman’s biography, this gender-fluid self is “a time-traveling, shape-shifting, supernatural being.” She embodies the point of view of the indigenous people during the beginning of colonial policies, like the treaties and the residential schools.

Monkman has other paintings offering the view of what it was for aboriginal people to be separated from their families, because of religion. Notably, one of them is called The scream (2017), in which Miss Chief does not appear. In this painting you can see children being taken away, to what I can only assume are residential schools. Watching pieces like these, I can really get a sense of what these people went through, the sheer panic being almost tangible. Depicting such strong emotions is, in my opinion, a true proof of talent.

MEt museum

But what I love about Monkman’s alter ego is that it shows kind of an empowerment, representing an entity that empowers the indigenous culture. And this is also what makes him very relevant for the society, because the genocide of indigenous people is something that we still deal with today.

Although residential schools closed down, there are still a lot of issues people in indigenous reserves go through. And this is why Kent Monkman’s art is so crucial, especially with his representation of colonization through Miss Chief Eagle Testickle.

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I’m Chloé (with an accent on the e), I’m a 24 year-old who lives in Québec so my first language isn’t English, apologies it sometimes gets chaotic. I’m very passionate about anything art or literature related. I love reading, painting, but most of all, I love writing. I write everyday, and my biggest dream is to have my own bilingual publishing house with my best friend and publish a multitude of books both in French and in English.

Life Changing Surgery

A picture of jennie smillie roberston

One surgeon is all it took to help make one of the most famous surgeries more known in todays world. One woman is all the world of exams, diagnosis and maybe even prescriptions needed. That one lady is Jennie Smillie Roberston. She has a very long name, but it’s recognized by a load of doctors. Brace yourself because this report with leave you in stitches.

Early Life

Roberston was born on February 10th, 1878,  which was a long time ago from now. She was born in Hensall, Ontario to Benjamin and Jane Smillie as one of several children. She showed interest in medical science from a early age. She says in a later interview “ I was only three when I first thought about being a doctor, when I was 5, I asked my mother if women could be doctors. She told me they could and from then on, I knew it is what I wanted to do”.

College Career

She started her role as a kindergarten teacher before applying to the scalpel. Roberston did this to save for tuition for the Ontario Medical College for Women until 25. Before her second year in medical school in 1906, the college eventually merged with the University of Toronto’s Medical School. Some women felt hostility from their male peers. Roberston thought the women positively influenced the men to be better. She eventually ended up graduating in 1909. That’s when she knew it was going tibia okay.

Getting Started in the Medical Career

At this time period, medical internships were hard for women to obtain in Canada. To be a doctor, it took some real guts. No hospital would take her as a resident intern which forced her to move to USA to complete an internship at the Women’s Medical College of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. The land of the founding fathers and the land of cuisine.

In 1910, she returned to Toronto to begin her practice but was not accepted by any doctor for surgical training which she thought was a sick joke. Thus, she went back to the founding fathers land of Philadelphia to do another six months of brutal training under another female surgeon. She did oversee a surgical ward, an experience which she credited with building her confidence.

Portrait of jennie smillie roberston in black and white

A photo of jennie and her colleagues infront of the hospital she created

The Legacy Created

She returned to the city of Drake once again, no hospital would allow her to perform any type of surgeries. Instead, she performed her first surgery to remove a tumour on a patient’s kitchen table. She told the patient “Urine good hands” but she was freaked out the entire time she stated. This made her the first surgeon to perform a major gynecological surgery in Canada. As a result, she was recorded as the country’s first female surgeon in the field’s modern era. Luckily she trusted her gut and became a success story.

In 1911, she and her other female colleagues reestablished the Ontario Medical College for Women as the Women’s college Hospital due to an increase in female patients wanting their services. This required a lot of patience from the doctors. The number of female physicians in Canada grew with the help of Roberston. She then helped founded “The Federation of Medical Women of Canada”. She once served as the president of the Women’s Liberal Association.

A PHOTO OF JENNIE SMILLIE ROBERSTON’S GRAVE

Even though her efforts costed her an arm and a leg, it paid off for the future of female doctors all around Canada. In 2022, 49.7% of family medicine physicians and 40.2% of specialist physicians were female which took many people’s breaths away. Without her, the female doctors wouldn’t beLung together. I am sorry for that joke. But in all seriousness, she ended up trying to help for a cure for amnesia and with all her efforts…. Sorry I don’t remember how this joke goes. Roberston must be a coronary artery because she will be wrapped around our hearts for life.

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Hi I’m Zoe Farmer. I am a 20 year old, second year Professional Writing student at Algonquin College. I normally spend my time watching movies and listening to podcasts. I write horror stories mixed with a little sprinkle of romance. I want to direct and make my own stories into movies like James Cameron.

The Doing of a Toxic Country Rivalry: The Japan and South Korea Trade War

There are many country rivalries in the world. These rivalries can just be silly banter or full-blown hatred no matter the reason for their existence. Correctly, Japan and South Korea's relationship falls on the latter because of unresolved issues such as Japan's colonization of Korea starting in 1910 and an island dispute for the Liancourt Rocks called Dokdo in Korea and Takeshima in Japan. As a result of their open aggression towards each other, it came to no surprise when the two East Asian countries proceeded to find another way to go to war with each other. A trade war at that.

former south korean Prime minister, Moon Jae-In (left) shakes hands with former japanese prime minister, shinzo abe at the g20 osaka summit of 2019

Enter the first of July in 2019, a day where Canadians were celebrating with fireworks for the anniversary of their country's independence, but for Japan and South Korea, it was marked by a new form of their expected exchange of blows. This was the Japan-South Korea trade dispute, also termed as the Japan-South Korea economic war, an economic dispute between the two countries that started as a result of Japan restricting exports to South Korea of three chemicals - fluorinated polyamides, photoresists, and hydrogen fluoride - important to the manufacturing of semiconductors. Japan's reasoning for this was that they claimed South Korea was sending sensitive information to North Korea, yet they couldn't give any evidence of it. Though, even so, going back months prior can reveal a much clearer reason for Japan's actions.

Basically, from November of 2018 to June of 2019, a series of South Korean ruling courts went on a spree begging Japan to compensate the victims of their aggression in the past. This issue is a major driving force for the disdain the neighbours have for each other. South Korea believes Japan tries to erase its past while Japan believes they've done enough already, and South Korea is just wanting to bring up the issue for the sake of it.

Anyways, after South Korea tried to explain that Japan was stating false information, Japan hit them again with another restriction, which was removing them from a list of countries they could trade with. In retaliation, South Korea would return the move and go on to boycott Japanese products. To add, there were even those who destroyed their vehicles because they were of Japanese origin. Fundamentally, this whole thing became known as the "No Japan" boycott campaign.

a crowd in south korea taking part in the “No japan” protests holding up signs associated with the movement

What made things worse was an ad from Uniqlo, a Japanese clothing brand that is very popular in South Korea, that came out during the time of their rampage, which depicted a little girl asking an old woman how she dressed when she was her age, in which the old woman replied by saying she can't remember that far back. Essentially, South Koreans saw this as Japan, yet again, refusing to acknowledge the unfortunate past.

a japanese police officer stands next to a pole for the national flag of south korea and japan respectfully

As the event went on, the world feared that it would harm the already decreasing global economy. What worsened their thoughts was that it coincided with another trade war between the United States and China that started a year before but continued into the next. Though it didn’t manage to create a huge spill around the world, it did cause a significant deterioration in the already sour relationship between the two neighbours.

Ultimately, this trade dispute went on for almost four years, only ending on March 23rd, 2023, after it cooled down and the two nations added each other back on their whitelist. Because of this, South Koreans stopped their boycott and continued their purchase of Japanese goods after a lengthy pause. Nonetheless, this war exposed the toxic relationship Japan and South Korea have with each other and again, worsened the ties between the two countries. It's a rather unfortunate consequence of the past the two find they can't resolve due to their differences regarding it.

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Hey there,

My name is Tia Nsoedo and I am a 19-year-old student in the Professional Writing program, but after that, I plan on going straight into the Scriptwriting one.

I am very passionate about drawing, creating characters, and writing, while interested in countries, history, music, animated tv shows, meanings/origins of first and given names, and video games.

In the future, I hope to become a scriptwriter, where I get to script my own animated tv show… Hopefully.

The Solutions of Orphans

Foster/ Adoptive mother of children depicting in other photo

Foster/ Adoptive children of mother depicting in other photo

Whether it be because of dead parents or ones who left, orphans have always been an unavoidable part of society. Though many cultures over the ages have had different ways of addressing this issue; adoption, in its modern form, has become one of the most well-known. In Canada, the laws and procedures concerning this process have evolved over the years becoming what is now known as the foster care system and adoption.

Most accredit Massachusetts with the first set of laws governing this form of adoption. The Adoption History Project writes, “The Massachusetts Adoption of Children Act, enacted in 1851, is widely considered the first ‘modern’ adoption law.” This set of laws was about who needed to consent for the adoption, how inheritances would be managed, and when a child could and couldn’t be given up for adoption. According to the website, it took a while before similar laws began appearing in other Western industrial countries such as England. However, sooner or later they each created their legislation regarding this issue, including Canada in 1873.

Canada’s version of these laws were, and continue to be, provincially governed; and the first province to make these laws was New Brunswick. According to the Canadian Encyclopedia was created to protect illegitimate children if one parent decided to abandon the child; since there was no law stopping them. The child would be placed with “…couples unable to have their children.” More recently, laws such as these have been used in other situations as well, such as divorce.

A year after the previous set of laws were put into effect, the Charity Act was put in place. Family & Children’s Services of Guelph and Wellington County writes that the act “…Encouraged voluntary organizations to establish and support orphanages based on the British system.” However, these facilities often focused on only economic needs while disregarding mental and emotional development. To combat this neglect, the Guelph Humane Society was founded.

Not to be confused with the Animal Humane Society of the same name, the Guelph Humane Society aimed to replace the other orphanages at the time with ones better suited for the task. Also, according to Family & Children’s Services, their mission was, in short, to protect the best interests of abandoned/orphaned children. This would eventually lead to the foster care system, which is still in use today.

Guelph Humane Society’s first Location

The foster care system, in Canada, was created during the late 19th–early 20th century as a replacement for traditional orphanages. Ontario Association of Children’s Aid describes it as when a temporary parent or parents take care of a foster child. This is meant to ensure each kid gets better emotional support. Foster children, despite often being orphans, also include non-orphans who, for one reason or another, need to be away from home.

Despite being overall better for a child’s well-being than an orphanage, Foster care still has problems which need to be dealt with. According to Homeless Hub, there have been links between this system and homelessness. They explain that a foster child might have several foster parents. Not having long-term parents has led to psychological issues, which in turn has led to higher chances of homelessness. However, as long as the child stays only with one family, the risks are negligible.

Throughout the years, the methods of dealing with orphans have evolved. Starting as a means to protect children of unmarried parents who abandon them, laws quickly spread outwards both geographically and in purpose. Orphanages were built, and when they were found not to be effective, they were replaced with foster care. And though the system used now isn’t foolproof, history has proven that it’s slowly getting better at its job, of protecting vulnerable children.

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My name is Edwin M. W. Smith I am a science fantasy writer who has been writing fiction seriously for around four years and currently attending Algonquin College. I also compose classical and jazz music on Muscore and have learned to play clarinet, soprano and alto recorders, violin, and some guitar. In addition to these things, I’m also a self-taught artist on Gallea.

The Yugoslav Civil War: A Modern War Already Forgotten

Young readers may not be aware there ever was a country called Yugoslavia, a federation of six Balkan republics that formed in the aftermath of World War I. This modern nation dissolved at the turn of the Millenium in a series of war characterized by human rights violations and lasting tension. The Wars of Yugoslav Secession influence Balkan politics to this day, and some of their actors are still being prosecuted in The Hague. So, let us ourselves, what led to these wars? What happened before the Yugoslav Civil War?

Source

Titoism

After the second World War, Yugoslavia fell into Russia’s side of the Iron Curtain; the Federal People’s Republic of Yugoslavia was established under Josip Broz Tito. Though his regime was communist, Tito would split with Stalin in 1948 and pursue a more non-aligned path.

Tito’s model, Titoism, emphasized a decentralized economic and political system, but suppressed nationalist sentiments. A delicate balance of power was established through a complex system of rotation and representation, ensuring no single group dominated federal institutions. But the system didn’t work on its own; it was largely dependent on Tito’s personal authority and charisma.

Titoism also brought about reforms encouraging workers to self-manage, and constitutional reforms that granted more independence to the member states. Both of these causes economic hardships and imbalances.

The delicate house of cards Tito built would collapse quickly after his death in 1980.

Historical Ethnic Tensions

Source

Yugoslavia encompassed many different ethnic groups. Serbs, Croats, Bosnians, Slovenes, Macedonians, and many others lived in this country. But the people of the Balkans had been fighting one another for centuries before that.

Prior to the 20th century, the region was split between the Ottoman Empire in the south and the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the north. Orthodox Serbs and Muslim Bosnians fought Catholic Croats and Slovenes as their respective masters waged war on each other. Their religious differences and the policies of their parent empires contributed to the development of unique ethnic identities.

Tension between these diverse groups persisted after the creation of Yugoslavia, hindering the country. This would eventually lead the State of Croatia to side with Nazi Germany in World War II against Serbia, creating lasting scars.

Though Tito suppressed these historical grievances, they didn’t heal during his regime. Rather, they festered. When he died, leaders like Slobodan Milošević in Serbian brought these grievances back to the surface. Past injustices were revived and exploited for political gain, ultimately destabilizing the federation.

International Influence

Source

At the time, Yugoslavia was not the only country experiencing a change of regimes. All over Eastern Europe, Communism was failing and collapsing. Combined with the earlier death of Tito, the people of Yugoslavia were losing faith in the Federal People’s Republic. They would turn towards nationalism and their ethnic identities to guide them instead.

Once Slovenia and Croatia declared independence, the European Community (now the European Union) were quick to recognize their independence. This recognition was quickly followed by U.S. recognition. Effectively, the dissolution of Yugoslavia was legitimized by the international community.

The intent was to stabilize the situation, but it had the opposite effect. The conflict instead accelerated, particularly in Bosnia and Herzegovina, leading to brutal war. Peacekeeping responses were hesitant, uncoordinated, and often proved ineffective and limited in mandate.

A Series of War

Ultimately, a decade of civil war, from March 1991 to November 2001, would see over 130’000 dead and 4 millions displaced. The results of these conflicts are still being contested to this day: Serbian still does not recognize the independence of Kosovo, for example.

Despite the gross human rights violations that were endemic in this conflict, this was “just” a civil war. Its relevance to western audiences was always limited; Yugoslavia never really achieved the greatness and cultural presence it aspired to. After the turn of the Millenium, a rapid succession of global events overshadowed the conflict, and shifted the focus from Communism to Terrorism, leaving Yugoslavia lost in the dust.

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Hi, I’m David, and I write principaly Fantasy and Science-Fiction. I’ve been crafting fictional worlds for fifteen years, which is what interested me in studying history in the first place. I believe history is a great tool, not only to learn about our world directly, but to craft better universes. The lead-up to wars is often just as interesting as the wars itself, and the leaders stand out just as much as the notable events.

Food History: A Warm Polish Meal For A Cold Winter’s Night

Apart from my nose, I have little connection to my Polish heritage. The first time I learned I was Polish was when a Babcia pinched my cheeks and asked if I was proud to carry the nose of my ancestors. My mother shrugged off the interaction and said I wasn’t REALLY Polish, “only a quarter.” What I didn’t realize was that one of my favourite family recipes is Polish. This week, I dive into Polish food history and how it has been integral to my relationship with my grandmother.

Located in central Europe, Poland’s relationship with its neighbouring countries is long and fruitful, including that of their culinary influences. Flavours and techniques of Germany and Russia trickle into traditional Polish foods. Herbs and spices traded with the Orient countries made Polish food full of flavour and heat, relatively unique for that area of the world. Dill, black pepper and marjoram find their way in many traditional dishes.

Chicken and pork are popular and included in most dishes. Whether ground and stuffed into fluffy dumpling fillings or made into sausages, Polish food makes a great effort to compliment the meat's natural flavour with spices.

Similarly to French Canadian cuisine, Polish food includes many root vegetables in their cooking, particularly beets, potatoes, and onions. Barszcz, similar to Ukrainian Borscht, combines beets, onions, carrots and spices into a comforting soup served all over the world.

Yogourt and soured cream are integral to Polish cooking, used as a condiment in soups and stews, or as a leavening agent in sweet pastries.

Cabbage rolls are a work of labour. When my grandmother called me to the kitchen with the smell of sulphur in the air (cabbage, unfortunately, tends to smell of rotten eggs), I knew I had to prepare myself for hours of cooking. Washing and freezing the leaves, only for them to be thawed and individually plucked before being stuffed: I thought the process was stupid. Why not just take the cabbage leaves as they were and stuff them with meat? Now, I understand: to connect with my heritage. Making them with my grandmother now that I’m in my twenties is a blessing that I wouldn’t trade. And with that, I leave you with my grandmother’s famous cabbage roll recipe.

Image courtesy of vecteezy

image courtesy of notes from poland

Image courtesy of Connoisseurus veg

Mémère Boucher’s Cabbage Roll Recipe

Rolls

• 12 cabbage leaves

• 1 lb ground beef

• 1/2 lb ground pork

• 1/4 lb ground ham

• 1 egg, well beaten

• 2 cups rice, uncooked

• 1 small onion, chopped

• 1 tbsp parsley

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp pepper

• 1 tsp paprika

A few days before cooking, freeze the cabbage; the night before cooking, place the frozen cabbage in a bowl of cold water to thaw overnight. The leaves should be pliable and ready to be stuffed.

Mix all ingredients well, form into balls and stuff the thawed cabbage leaves. Lay the rolls in a roasting pan.

Sauce

• 1 can tomatoes, crushed or diced

• 1 small can tomato juice

• 1 slice bacon

• 1 beef OXO cube

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 small onion, chopped

• 1 branch celery, chopped

• 1 tbsp brown sugar

• 1 tbsp vinegar

• 1/4 tsp each: salt, pepper, oregano, cayenne

In a saucepan, bring all the tomatoes, tomato juice, onion, celery, vinegar and spices to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes. Pour the hot mixture over the raw cabbage rolls.

Add the slice of bacon across the top of the cabbage rolls. Then, dissolve the OXO cube in 1 cup of boiling water, and pour over the cabbage rolls. Bake at 300°F for 4 hours.

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Dalainey Gervais is a writer and artist from Toronto, ON. She is a graduate of the University of Toronto’s Linguistics program and a student of Algonquin College’s Professional Writing program. Currently working in the non-profit sphere, she hopes to develop a career in environmental policy writing. In her free time, Dal enjoys writing, baking, and watching the latest crime documentary on Netflix.

King Henry VIII: More Than Just a Wife Killer?

Divorced, beheaded, and died; divorced, beheaded, survived. These are well-known events that happened to King Henry VIII’s wives. This little jingle is so famous that King Henry VIII’s treatment of his wives is the most known thing about him. The question is, is he really just a wife killer? To many people's surprise, there is more to King Henry VIII. Granted, I only learned this myself during my World History class in eleventh grade (shoutout to Ms. Campbell!), so I don’t blame people for not knowing more about this historical king. There are several areas where King Henry VIII excelled than just killing his wives, so let’s see what this wife-killer was capable of.

Religion

Forum Auctions

One of the first things I learned during World History is how religion was one of life's most important features in the medieval ages. And can you guess what church held great power and influence? The Catholic Church. Henry was born and raised Catholic. He was even given the title “Defender of Faith” when he became king and wrote a book with Sir Thomas Moore titled An Assertion of the Seven Sacraments Against Martin Luther. As you can see, Henry loved his religion.

However, I also learned that the Reformation couldn’t have happened without him. He changed the religion of England from Catholic to Protestant, leading to the monasteries being terminated. This guy even named himself Head of the Church of England. Why, though, when he had spent so much of his life respecting the Pope and the Church?

Well, this boils down to the Pope not letting Henry divorce Catherine of Aragon. Of course, Henry only wanted to divorce his first wife because he wanted to be in Anne Boleyn, and she refused until they were married. A true queen, she knew “how quickly the king tired of those who had served him as his beloveds.”

Once Henry was Head of the Church of England, Catherine was Ara-gone, and Anne was Bole-in. He was in the relationship for three years and out when his second wife became Anne Bole-out. By beheading.

Some historians believe the Reformation may have laid the groundwork for English Euroskepticism. You read that correctly: Brexit may have been influenced by Henry being a lady killer.

Military

Perspectives on Tudor & Stuart History

Henry also did a lot for the English navy, too. Did you know King Henry VIII is known as the “Father of the British Navy”? He’s the reason the Royal Naval Dockyards at Woolwich and Deptford were built in the first place. Henry ordered England’s first gunship to be made because I guess the country really needed one of those. He also got England’s number of battleships up to 60 from the measly five it had been before. And here I am, still trying to make sure I don’t end up living in my mum’s basement.

Another thing I learned in World History is how many kings became paranoid in their later years, and Henry was no exception. In response to this paranoia, he made many coastal fortresses during the early 1540s to defend England from invasions. French armies attempted to invade from the English Coast in 1545-1546, so I guess his paranoia wasn’t unjustified after all; the French failed miserably, to the surprise of nobody.

Conclusion

King Henry VIII clearly did more than just kill his wives, so why is this usually the only thing people know about him? Well, having some of your wives killed is a pretty memorable thing. Also, six wives? That’s a little unusual from that time period, don’t you think? He even went to the extreme of upending the entire religion of England to divorce Catherine of Aragon. Or, maybe it’s just easier to joke about Henry being a wife killer.

At the end of the day, I guess the reason isn’t that important. King Henry VIII had two of his wives killed, but he had many more accomplishments than that; both are true. Now it’s up to you: is King Henry VIII more than just a wife-killer?

Sources

https://elizabethanenglandlife.com/thetudorsfacts/king-henry-viii-accomplishments.html

https://www.sixwives.info/henry-viii-accomplishments.htm

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Amber Boileau is a 19 year-old Professional Writing student at Algonquin College. Coming from the middle of nowhere, her free time from studying was spent reading, writing, and spending time with her family. This resulted in a girl who mostly stayed inside and grew to be irritated with 99% of the people around her. She still prefers to be inside, alone, and working on her school, reading, or writing, but will occasionally come out of hiding to be with her friends.

Picasso And His Passion For Art

essential acrylics

Ever heard of the craziness that was cubism, in the early 1900s? Cubism is the art of painting in geometrical shapes. It was created around 1907 or 1908 by none other than Pablo Picasso himself. But if you’re not much informed in the history of arts and artists, you may not know the full story of this revolutionary artist, although not so great of a person.

Pablo Picasso was born in Malaga, Spain in 1881, he was an artist for most of his life, until his death in 1973. Although he is mostly known for his cubism painting, he has gone through many art styles throughout his career. Between 1901 and 1904, he was mostly painting with cold blue colours, which showed a lot of melancholy, also known as the “blue period”.

While reading on the subject, I came to the realization that one of Picasso’s very close friends had passed away due to suicide in 1901. I can only imagine the sheer heart wrenching pain that must cause to a person. Knowing he fell into a depression after this event, I believe the death of this friend could have inspired him in his art, therefore creating sadder looking paintings.

Starting in 1904, his style changed. Up until 1906, he used warmer tones, using more varieties of colours and walking away from the more monochromatic look. The feel of his pieces also changed. I could be wrong, but I believe as his mental health was improving, it was showing in his paintings.

From then on, his art style changed again, and I believe it was the first step into his well known technique, cubism. Picasso started inspiring himself from African art, and moved to a more geometric art style. He then deepened his sense of style and inspired himself from another European artist, Paul Cézanne. That was the true beginning of cubism.

Something, that I believe not many people know, is that Picasso wasn’t always just a painter. In fact, it seems like the first words he ever said probably predicted the beginning of his entire career. The first word he ever spoke was “lapiz” which means pencil in his first language, spanish. Although it might have been influenced by the fact that his father was an artist as well, I think it is a funny correlation, considering that as well as being a painter, he also dedicated his talent to drawing.

Picasso was a very versatile artist and had multiple talents. His creations varied from drawing to painting to even sculptures. From age 11, up until his death, he was a dedicated artist. During his life he created probably over 50 000 pieces of art, which never cease to amaze me. This man worked all his life for his passion and didn’t let anything stop him, which led him to produce so many compositions.

Having briefly studied arts in college a few years ago, I find that Pablo Picasso is a very talented artist, although he was known to be quite a terrible man, in the way he treated women. But like I once heard, you can love the art without loving the artist themselves, so I think his art is still worth checking out.

Sources:

https://news.masterworksfineart.com/2019/11/28/what-was-picassos-inspiration

https://parispass.com/en-us/blog/facts-about-picasso

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I’m Chloé (with an accent on the e), I’m a 24 year-old who lives in Québec so my first language isn’t English, apologies it sometimes gets chaotic. I’m very passionate about anything art or literature related. I love reading, painting, but most of all, I love writing. I write everyday, and my biggest dream is to have my own bilingual publishing house with my best friend and publish a multitude of books both in French and in English.

Before: The Thirty Years' War

From May 1618 to October 1648, one of the longest and most destructive conflicts in European history raged on. It’s estimated that between 4.5 and 8 million people died during the Thirty Year’s War. The war was a mix of civil disputes within the Holy Roman Empire, religious disagreements between Protestants and Catholics, and power struggles among European nations. Let us ask ourselves, what led to this war? What happened before the Thirty Years’ War?

Religious Tensions

Marthin Luther (Source)

Nearly 100 years before this conflict, the actions of the Catholic church led to growing concerns about the authority of the Pope. Marthin Luther’s 95 Theses criticized the selling of indulgences and sparked wide protest against Church doctrine. This would soon grow into the Protestant Reformation.

The Holy Roman Empire quickly became a mosaic of Catholic and Protestant territories. This invariably led to tensions as neighbours might find themselves with different religions. Rulers might decide to adopt the new faith whilst their populace didn’t, or vice-versa.

The Peace of Augsburg (1555) tried to address the growing issues with the formalization of this principle: Cuius regio, eius religio. Whose realm, his religion. This recognized the rights of rulers to be either Catholic or Lutheran, and to impose their religion on their realm.

Unfortunately, other groups like Calvinists and Anabaptists were excluded. The popularity of Calvinism grew in the Netherlands and in other northern states, leading to renewed tensions.

Politics and Dynasties

Cardinal Richelieu (Source)

The conflict was also a major opportunity for other European nations. At the time, the Habsburg dynasty ruled as kings of Austria and Spain. They were the most powerful political entity in Europe. That meant everyone else had a bone to pick with them.

The Bourbon dynasty of France considered the Habsburgs their greatest rival. The chief minister of King Louis XIII, Cardinal Richelieu, advised prioritizing state interests over religious matters. So, despite being a Catholic power, France supported Protestant forces in the Empire to weaken their rival.

The Dutch and the low countries were subjects of Spain, and discontent with their situation. Their revolt started in 1568 and served as an example of a small protestant state asserting its authority over a much larger catholic master. This war would become intertwined with the Thirty Year’s War.

Once everything was started, Denmark and Sweden saw their own opportunities to fight against the Habsburgs, adding fuel to the fire.

Society and the Empire

The Holy Roman was a complex entity. It was made up of hundreds of semi-autonomous duchies, principalities, free cities, and bishoprics. Compared to states like France and Spain, the emperor’s power was severely limited.

All of these little states would often bicker and fight one another for local power. And religion also became a tool in that struggle; some lords would adopt Protestantism simply as a means to assert themselves over their neighbours or the emperor.

This period was also rife with popular discontent and economic hardship. Economies were moving away from Central Europe because of the advent of colonialism. The Reformation also empowered local identities and loyalties, often leading to fiction between communities and their rulers.

The Defenestration of Prague (Source)

Declaration of War

Ultimately, an immediate spark for the war would happen. In 1618, two representatives of the Catholic Ferdinand II would be defenestrated out of Prague Castle by Protestant Bohemian nobles. The Thirty Years’ War had a lasting impact on Europe, and not just because of the death toll. The Peace of Westphalia in October 1648 granted regions of Alsace to France, regions which would be contested by the German Empire in World War I nearly 300 years later.

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Hi, I’m David, and I write principaly Fantasy and Science-Fiction. I’ve been crafting fictional worlds for fifteen years, which is what interested me in studying history in the first place. I believe history is a great tool, not only to learn about our world directly, but to craft better universes. The lead-up to wars is often just as interesting as the wars itself, and the leaders stand out just as much as the notable events.

The Ice Dominator

One of the most goal-oriented women in Canadian history is a well-known hockey player named Hayley Wickenheiser. She has impacted the Canadian hockey league for many generations. She is one of the most successful female hockey players in this whole country.

Incase you don’t know who this phenomenal player is, Hayley was the first women to play full-time professional men’s hockey in a position other than goalie. She is also a resident physician and assistant general manager for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Hayley began her journey in August of 1978 when she was born. Her parents are Tom and Marilyn Wickenheiser. She had two siblings who were Jane and Ross. She had a normal teen life until the age of 13 when she began her career playing on male teams. Many of her teammates called her “The annihilator”.  Then she finally got a big break, when she helped Team Alberta win the gold in the Canada Winter Games event in the under-17 category which at the time girls weren’t really taken seriously in the hockey league.

After that tournament she named MVP, the first of many awards that she should win in her entire career. In 2003, Wickenheiser became the first woman to score a goal player in the men’s semi professional league. Over the course season, she played 23 games, scoring two goals and adding 10 assists. Wickenheiser’s journey there was not easy to get to this point. She joined the European league to play professional hockey as the game is more open and less physical than the North American League. She initially wanted to play in Italy but then confederation ruled that women were ineligible to play in a men’s league. The European league supported letting women play in the men’s league which lead to her debut in the Suomi Sarja team called “HC Salamat”. It was the 3rd highest hockey league in Finland. She left after 10 games when the team ended up getting a promotion that didn’t fit for her.

She then participated in her first international competition with the CWN team at the age of 15.  Then in 2010, she won six gold and three silver world championship medals. She found even greater success when in 2002 according to her national website “Hayley Wickenheiser Biography”, she captured the gold medal as well as being the tournaments top scorer and MVP. She then repeated that again at the 2006 games. She has won numerous national championships with the Edmonton Chimos, Calgary Oval X-Treme and in 2010, she joined the University of Calgary Dinos for the 2010-2011 University season.

She was a member of the Canada’s national ice hockey team for 23 years from 1994 until announcing her retirement on January 13, 2017. A lot of people were very upset when she announced that she wasn’t going to play hockey anymore since she was such a great and enthusiastic player. She still to this day is the team’s career points leader with 168 goals and 211 assists in 276 games which is super impressive. In 2019 after her retirement, she was named to the Hockey Hall of Fame in her first year of eligibility. She was then inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in the same year. She deserved this after all her hard work in the hockey league.

When she decided to help the Toronto Maple Leafs by being their assistant general manager, I remember seeing her talent help the team. My parents weren’t big Toronto fans, but they loved seeing her improvements she was making to the team.

Wickenheiser took a shot and scored her goal into the Hall of Fame. So many women including myself will be and have been impacted by this hockey legend. Her goals will stand the puck of time.

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Hi I’m Zoe Farmer. I am a 20 year old, second year Professional Writing student at Algonquin College. I normally spend my time watching movies and listening to podcasts. I write horror stories mixed with a little sprinkle of romance. I want to direct and make my own stories into movies like James Cameron.

A Campaign Made from Hate? That’s Gamergate!

a headshot of eron gjoni resting his head on a pillow

It's unpredictable what can result from a breakup. There are different possibilities like the breaker and the breakee becoming friends afterwards or the two of them never interacting again. Of course, not all breakups will bring about a satisfying conclusion, and one game developer truly grasped that on one unfortunate day.

On August 16th, 2014, Zoe Quinn's ex-boyfriend, Eron Gjoni, released an over 9,000-word long blog post titled "The Zoe Post" on WordPress, accusing her of cheating on him with five different men to help boost the rating of her games. The five who were brought into this mess were those who had ties to the gaming industry and journalists for said industry.

Originally, the post didn't garner much attention until it made its way to 4chan. The users, having sympathy for Gjoni and feeling that their industry was being threatened, started their path of harassment towards Quinn.

Zoe quinn at the Xoxo festival (2015) speaking to an audience

While the army Gjoni had amassed did their thing, he made clear that he condemned any of the harassment they were sending her way, even though he couldn’t show that as he continued to post the blog onto other websites to add more to the outrage.

Each day, the army grew larger as Gjoni recruited angry gamers through his post. Because of its extent, the campaign that was officially given the name "Gamergate" at some point, reached many well-known names across the world. In fact, the name was coined by the actor, Adam Baldwin, who expressed his support for the movement like many others did. Nonetheless, there were those who expressed their disgust with the whole thing, but they would end up getting doxxed by the multitude.

A headshot of Anita sarkeesian outside

Yes, the whole campaign consisted of many figures, no matter how public or little, getting doxxed and harassed just like their first victim who was certainly the only one Eron had envisioned getting attacked since he admitted he didn't expect his writing to create such a large combustion.

During its reign, spaces on the internet looked like a dictatorship where one was not allowed to say anything that went against the movement and Gjoni, but sadly enough, it wasn’t just speaking out against Gamergate that would have one punished for their “crime.”

On August 25th, a week after the whole disaster began, feminist media critic, Anita Sarkeesian, uploaded a new video to her YouTube channel, Feminist Frequency. It was added to her series Tropes vs. Women in Video Games titled “Women as Background Decoration Part 2." Regrettably, but unknowing to her, she would face harassment from the Gamergate soldiers because of her upload. This made her another major target for the campaign after Quinn.

brianna wu next to a motocycle in the middle of the street

But that's not all. On September 19th, lead game developer, Brianna Wu, made a joke on her twitter account mocking Gamergate and its terror. However, that could only be speculated because she never mentioned it by name. Needless to say, she would end up getting harassed and doxxed. So, along with Quinn and Sarkeesian, she became another main target for the campaign.

For years, the trio went on to be victims of the harassment campaign. Throughout those troubling times, they were continuously made to move locations, stay away from the internet, but most importantly, be strong for themselves. Eventually, Gamergate calmed down around 2017, allowing the women to feel a sense of freedom again. Basically, Quinn went back to creating video games and so did Wu, while Sarkeesian added on to her series. Even more, many who took part in the harassment apologized to them and so, were forgiven.

Being the horrendous event that it was, Gamergate could have been avoided if Eron Gjoni listened to his mother's advice to "calm down" after his breakup with Zoe Quinn, but instead, he chose to let his emotions get the better of him and publish the post that ruined the lives of many, not just the one who caught his eye.

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Hey there,

My name is Tia Nsoedo and I am a 19-year-old student in the Professional Writing program, but after that, I plan on going straight into the Scriptwriting one.

I am very passionate about drawing, creating characters, and writing, while interested in countries, history, music, animated tv shows, meanings/origins of first and given names, and video games.

In the future, I hope to become a scriptwriter, where I get to script my own animated tv show… Hopefully.

The Infamous Pirate Duo: Anne Bonny & Mary Read

Two girls being raised as boys in modern day would seem like neglect or bad parenting. However, in the 1700’s, that may have been the only thing saving the lives of young Anne Bonny and young Mary Read. Both girls were born bastards, but it was easier to be a bastard son than a bastard daughter. Anne grew up being called “Andy” and Mary was called “Mark.”

Anne Cormac was born to an Irish lawyer and his maid. She was raised as a boy, and they told everyone she was a distant relative to keep her parents’ secret. After a failed attempt to keep Anne hidden, the family moved to what is now South Carolina. At 16, she fell in love with a sailor and got married without her father’s permission. She married James Bonny and took his name, officially known as Anne Bonny now.

Mary Read

Mary Read was born in Plymouth to a very recent widow. Her father had been a sailor who had died at sea. Around the time of her birth, her older brother had died as well. Her paternal grandmother was sending her mother money to help support the raising of her brother. In fear that the funding would be cut off after he died, Mary was forced into the role of her older brother. And it worked, her mother kept getting the funding for her son.

After a certain amount of time, you become comfortable with the disguise you live in. As such, Mary joined the British military and fought in the War of the Spanish Succession. While in the Netherlands, she met and fell in love with a man. She revealed she was a woman and left the military to be with her lover. The two of them opened a hotel together to create a happy life. Unfortunately, her husband died a few months later. She closed the hotel and rejoined the military under a different branch.

Then there’s a gap of time where people aren’t convinced about anything for certain but ends with both Mary and Anne on Captain “Calico Jack” Rackham’s ship as part of his crew. Anne is said to have joined the end of 1719 and Mary to have joined around the middle of 1720.

Anne Bonny & Mary Read

Anne, upon seeing “Mark” had fallen in love with “him.” Calico Jack was jealous, he was the only captain with a woman on his ship, and she dared fall for someone else? At least, that was until he realized “Mark” was actually Mary and therefore meaning he had two women on his ship. The two grew closer being the only women on ship. They became a deadly pair, if one was around, the other was close by. It is this closeness that leads historians to believe they were intimately involved with each other.

Who would have thought their downfall would be another woman. Dorothy Thomas was aboard a canoe that was nearby an attack site that Calico Jack was pillaging. Mary and Anne found her and reported to Jack that they should kill her. They had been worried about her speaking against them. Calico Jack however, had no such worries and sent her on her way.

Jonathan Barnet, a famed pirate hunter, was hired by the Jamaican governor, Nicholas Lawes. Jonathan had found Dorothy Thomas and questioned her about Calico Jack and his crew. She told him what she had seen. She claimed that the two women fought more viciously than the men. Having been given the information he needed, Jonathan waited in Negril Bay, now known as Bloody Bay.

Anne Bonny

After their latest victory, Calico Jack’s crew was celebrating. They had been getting drunk off stolen wine and having a very fun time. Only the women refused, saying they needed to be careful and keep watch.

Around 10 o’clock that night, Jonathan Barnet had approached Calico Jack’s ship claiming that they needed to surrender. Jack refused and ordered his men to hide below deck. Anne and Mary continued to fight above deck and asked their crewmates to fight with them. Eventually they lost the battle, and everyone was arrested. The women got let off by “pleading the belly,” or commonly known as saying they couldn’t be killed as they were pregnant.

Calico Jack was the first to be sentenced. He had asked to see the women for final words to comfort him. Little did he know they were still filled with rage from his actions. Anne had said, “if you had fought like a man, you need not be hang’d like a dog.” Those were her final words to him.

Mary died in prison, waiting for her child to be born so she could be properly sentenced. They believe the cause to be a combination of typhus and complications during childbirth.

The inexorable

The end of Anne Bonny’s story is still a mystery with no confirmed answers. It is believed that she might have lived until her 80’s in a far-off land. The closest we have to closure is a woman by the name of Anne Bonny who had died in a parish in Jamacia in the year 1731.

In 2020, Amanda Cotton was commissioned to create a statue in honour of Anne Bonny and Mary Read. She named it “Inexorable,” meaning unable to stop. This is a very fitting name as these ladies were an unstoppable duo.

https://allthatsinteresting.com/anne-bonny-mary-read

http://www.amandacotton.co.uk/inexorable

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/inexorable

https://factschology.com/factschology-articles-podcast/anne-bonny-mary-read-pirates

https://gallery.lib.umn.edu/exhibits/show/mary-read-anne-bonny/mary-and-anne--pirate-queens#:~:text=Some%20historians%20argue%20that%20Anne,least%20for%20a%20short%20time.

https://www.historyextra.com/period/stuart/anne-bonny-mary-read-female-pirates-lives-crimes/

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/women-pirates-anne-bonny-mary-read-lgbt-statue-b1725018.html

https://www.themarysue.com/who-were-pirates-anne-bonny-and-mary-read-the-only-women-convicted-of-piracy-explained/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Bonny

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Read

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Hello! I’m Chase Wonnacott, a Professional Writing student at Algonquin College.

I am an aspiring author who is forever longing for Smurf the cat; she is a calico cat who is currently living with my partner in Guelph. In my spare time, you can find me alone in my room, watching the same things I always do for comfort.

I forever love fantasy, pirates, horror, and all things middle ages. I look forward to sharing some of my favourite interests with you all!

Peglegs, Fake Toes, and Other Prosthetics from History

Despite modern medicine having only existed for the last hundred years; prosthetics are one piece of medical technology that has existed for thousands of years. These devices have been made of everything from metal to wood, and even paper mâché. Yet regardless they always fulfilled their job, to replace missing limbs or other body parts. To start our journey through the history of prosthetics, we will go back in time to its oldest use in Egypt.

In 1997, the German Institute of Archeology discovered a tomb found within Theban Necropolis. This tomb, according to a paper written by the Lancet, had a body with a wooden prosthetic toe. Both the body and the toe were dated to around 1065-740 BC. This is not only the oldest prosthetic ever discovered but has also been used as evidence of surgery done during the early stages of human civilization.

Image of one of the Capua Leg's copies

Going forward a thousand years, we find ourselves in the home of another first in prosthetics history. Here, in the ancient city of Capua, situated on the Italian peninsula, is the Capua Leg. Andreas Otte and Simon Hazubski write that this was the oldest prosthetic leg. However, it was destroyed during the World War 2 German air raids on London, where it was kept at the time. UPMC says in an article that the original was made from bronze, iron, and wood. Much later, a replica was made, which now sits in the London Science Museum.

Continuing through UPMC’s article, we come to the medieval period in Europe. This era gave way to simplistic prosthetics such as Peg legs and hand hooks. However, wealthy individuals, such as nobility and knights of high status, have been found with more intricate devices. One such device was a metal hand that could grasp. Rachael Gillibrand writes that a knight named Gottfried Gotz commissioned one of these hands after his lower arm was shot off by a cannon. Originally Gotz became suicidal after the incident, realizing he would be useless as a knight. Although; he wasn’t the first, having got the idea from a previous knight who wore this device as well.

A Portrait of Ambroise Pare

Several centuries later, we come to Ambroise Pare, who gave way to modern prosthetics. According to Synergy DMEPOS, Pare is widely considered the father of modern surgery and he significantly improved the survival rate of amputations. He also developed above-knee prosthetics, which, unlike below-knee, required a mechanism to recreate the bending motion of a knee.

Prosthetics slowly get better at replicating human movements, as we make our way to the invention of myoelectric prosthetics. As stated by Amber Henson on ArmDynamic.com, these types of prosthetics are controlled via electrical signals in nerves; rather than a series of mechanical parts. This change has helped with adding dexterity, which has proved important when replicating the complex movements of hands.

Prosthetics have evolved alongside technological advancements throughout history. And what started as a fake toe in ancient Egypt, has slowly grown into increasingly advanced pieces of technology. Yet regardless of the time, all prosthetics were created to serve the same purpose, to replace a missing limb.

My name is Edwin M. W. Smith I am a science fantasy writer who has been writing fiction seriously for around four years and currently attending Algonquin College. I also compose classical and jazz music on Muscore and have learned to play clarinet, soprano and alto recorders, violin, and some guitar. In addition to these things, I’m also a self-taught artist on Gallea.

Food History: French Canada’s Savoury Delicacies

This Thanksgiving, I walked into my family home and was welcomed with the smell of traditional French Canadian cuisine. Warm spices and sweetened root vegetables transported me back to old Canada, where my mother’s family settled nearly two centuries ago. This week, I dive into the world of food history through the lens of my cultural background: French Canada.

Canada’s long history is one of multiculturalism, reflected through various cultural influences in foods. Early French colonizers brought rich dishes of butter and meat to New France, some of which are still enjoyed in French Canadian communities today. Every family has their unique flaky-crusted meat pie recipe with various spices and ground meats, generational secrets passed only by word of mouth. My family typically blends beef, pork and hare as a filling, but I won’t divulge any more by the strict request of my great-grandmother.

traditional tortière, hotels.com

North American Indigenous influences are strong in traditional French Canadian foods, representing early French Canadian and Indigenous relations. Beans, a hearty supplement, are stewed in sweet, sticky gravy or salty soups. Maple syrup is preferred over any other sweetener, perhaps except for dark molasses poured over thin buckwheat crepes. Salmon, served dried, smoked or fresh, is a delicacy in many French Canadian homes.

A frigid and temperamental climate forced Canadians to rely on root vegetables. Beets, turnips, potatoes and carrots are a staple of traditional Canadian cuisine. Their preparation can be varied; my personal favourite is pickled. Preparing for long winters would involve preserving vegetables through canning and pickling them in vinegar and spices. The result is flavourful and nutrient-full produce to sustain through the cold months. Pickled beets are still prevalent in French Canadian meals, often placed at the table with every meal.

traditional cretons pate, hotels.com

Heavy reliance on meat was also common in traditional French Canadian cooking. Preparing for the winter would also involve hunting, butchering and preserving meat. No part of the animal is left behind, with pork blood used to make Boudin noir, or blood sausage, and animal fat used to make Cretons, or pork paté.

Contemporary French Canadian food is hard to define, with authentic meals only consumed around the holidays. Poutine and Montreal smoked meat have taken the spotlight in modern French Canadian food, not that these recipes have turned their back on homely meals that came before them. At its base, they are still rich dishes of starch and fat, an ode to the ingredients of the past.

Looking at the table of meat pies, spiced turnips, and stewed pork hocks, I’m grateful for my family, who have upheld our cultural history through our traditional meals. How does your family celebrate your heritage? With that question to ponder, I leave you with my family’s recipe for Ragoût de pattes de cochon (stewed pork hock meatballs), passed down through generations on my maternal side.

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Mémère Benoit’s ragoût de pattes de cochon

Ingredients

• 3-4 pork hocks

• 1 onion, whole

• 3 lbs ground beef

• 1 lbs ground pork

• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• 1 1/2 tsp clove

• 3 tbsp cornstarch or Bisto gravy mix

• Salt & pepper, to taste

Directions

Fill a large pot 3/4 way with water, and add the cleaned pork hocks and onion. Cook to boil, and reduce the temperature to medium-low. Cover, and simmer for a minimum of 2 hours. Once complete, remove the onion and hocks.

Mix the ground beef, pork, and spice in a bowl, and form golf-ball-sized meatballs with the mixture. Place the raw meatballs into the pork hock broth. Bring broth to a boil, and simmer for an hour.

Remove meat from the boiled hocks with a fork and add to the broth. Thicken the broth with a cornstarch slurry or some Bisto gravy mix. Serve with spiced molasses carrots, mashed potatoes and pickled beets.

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Dalainey Gervais is a writer and artist from Toronto, ON. She is a graduate of the University of Toronto’s Linguistics program and a student of Algonquin College’s Professional Writing program. Currently working in the non-profit sphere, she hopes to develop a career in environmental policy writing. In her free time, Dal enjoys writing, baking, and watching the latest crime documentary on Netflix.

France's Most Incompetent King

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Have you ever wondered who the best king or queen to ever rule was? If yes, you’ve probably come across King Louis XVI, and you’ll have read all about how he was one of the most foolish kings ever. He was the last king of France to rule during the Versailles royal era and the last Bourbon king to lead the country. Due to events during his reign, Louis XVI will always be remembered as a bad king.

Louis XVI Portrait (Wikipedia)

Louis XVI, also known as Louis Auguste, was born in 1754 to Louis, Dauphin of France, and Marie-Josephe of Saxony. He was strong and healthy, yet timid. His place in the family helps explain why Louis XVI was known as an incompetent king. His father was second in line to the throne, he had an older brother, and his grandfather was the King of France. Louis Auguste’s place in the line of succession meant that his parents basically ignored him, instead focusing on his older brother. Honestly, I think this alone was enough to cause some issues in the future king’s life.

Louis Auguste was not taught how to rule a country; instead, it was taught to his older brother. Meanwhile, Louis Auguste studied religion, morality, and humanities. He shined in Latin, history, geography, and astronomy and was fluent in Italian and English. If only these lessons made him fit to rule France, which would eventually become critical.

Louis Auguste’s parents soon learned that focusing all their attention on his brother was a mistake. Their eldest son would die in 1761 at the age of nine. About four years later, his father died of tuberculosis, and Louis Auguste became Dauphin at age 11.

Obviously, Louis Auguste was very unprepared to rule France. His previous lessons were no help, and his tutors gave him poor interpersonal skills. The young Dauphin was already incredibly shy, and his tutors taught him this was a sign of solid character in monarchs. Instead, his shyness just made him look indecisive, which is always an excellent trait in a king.

The future king married his wife, Marie Antoinette de Habsbourg-Lorraine, archduchess of Austria, in 1770. Then, about four years later, Louis Auguste became Louis XVI after his grandfather died. The new king was only 20; you can understand his immaturity and lack of self-confidence.

Unfortunately, the state of France didn’t help matters. He failed to address many issues in the country, such as debt, taxes, and bitterness towards the royal family. He lacked enough strength of character to handle court factions and wasn’t supportive of reformers attempting to fix the French government.

Not only did Louis XVI fail to address many issues, but he also made it worse. He refused to raise taxes for those who could pay. He took out international loans, like funding the American Revolution, clearly being petty towards the British, which is entirely understandable in my opinion. Unfortunately for the king, though, this only worsened France's debt.

By 1789, the situation had deteriorated enough that the king called the Estates General, an advisory council of the three socio-economic classes, to fix his problems for him. This meeting went about as well as you can guess, resulting in the commoners declaring themselves the National Assembly and starting a constitution. Louis XVI refused to accept this and called on the army to fix things; a National Guard soon formed against him, so this wasn’t his best idea.

Riots began in the summer of 1789, and crowds attacked the Bastille, starting the French Revolution. Soon, the Palace of Versailles, where the royal family lived, was stormed, and the crowd demanded the king move to Paris. The crowned head went with the crowd and lived in Paris until 1791 when he attempted to escape the country with his immediate family.

The Trial of LOUIS XVI (Wikipedia)

They were caught and arrested in Varennes. The Revolutionaries who still supported him saw this as an act of cowardice, and he lost all credibility he had left as a monarch. Later, in November 1792, proof was found of Louis XVI’s counter-revolutionary ideals, and he was tried for treason and found guilty. Honestly, I’m just surprised it didn’t happen sooner.

Louis XVI was sentenced to death, and in January 1793, he was guillotined. His wife would eventually meet the same fate. His son died in prison, and his daughter was sent to family in Austria. Revolutionaries called the late king “Louis the Last,” so I guess they at least cared enough to give him a nickname.

Sources:

https://en.chateauversailles.fr/discover/history/great-characters/louis-xvi#a-learned-king

https://www.biography.com/royalty/louis-xvi

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Amber Boileau is a 19 year-old Professional Writing student at Algonquin College. Coming from the middle of nowhere, her free time from studying was spent reading, writing, and spending time with her family. This resulted in a girl who mostly stayed inside and grew to be irritated with 99% of the people around her. She still prefers to be inside, alone, and working on her school, reading, or writing, but will occasionally come out of hiding to be with her friends.

Impact of Women: Nellie McClung Story.

 Women’s history is super important when it comes to Canada. So many empowering women have influenced our lives and the rules we follow. One of the most influential people is Nellie McClung. She helped pave the way for many impressive women and men. We have known many important and encouraging women but none are like our hero McClung.

Who Is Nellie McClung?

According to The Canadian Encyclopedia, McClung was born Oct.20th.1873 in Chatsworth, Ontario. She was a women’s rights activist, legislator and an author who is best known for her involvement in the Persons case. This woman was a prairie woman who used her talents, determination and energy to bring about change in our lives.

Early Life and Career

Her family moved from Chatsworth and instead was raised on a homestead in Souris Valley, Manitoba. Unlike most of us, she did not attend school until she was 10. Instead of going to school full time, She received a teaching certificate at 16 and then taught school. She then married Robert Wesley McClung in 1896.

In Manitou, Manitoba, her husband was a druggist, Nellie became prominent in the “Woman’s Christian Temperance Union” of which her mother-in-law was provincial president. In 1908, McClung then published her first novel which was called “Sowing Seeds in Danny”. This novel was a witty portrayal of a small western town. It was a national best seller and was followed by numerous short stories and articles in magazines

Activism and Politics

The Nellie Foundation stated that in 1911, McClung’s and their five children moved to Winnipeg which is where the “Winnipeg Women’s Rights and Reform Movement” welcomed her as an effective speaker who won audiences over with humorous arguments. She played a leading role in the 1914 Liberal Campaign against Sir Rodmond Roblin Conservative Government. This government had refused women suffrage but moved to Edmonton before the liberals won in Manitoba in 1915.

In Alberta, she continued to fight for women’s rights. She gained wide prominence from addresses in Britain at the Methodist Ecumenical Conference and elsewhere in 1921 and from tours throughout Canada and the United States. She was a Liberal MLA for Edmonton also from 1921-26.

The Canadian Encyclopedia said that McClung was also known as one of the “Famous 5” a group that was filled with 5 activists. These activists petitioned the Supreme Court to have women declared “qualified persons” who were eligible for public office as senators. Even though, the court decided against this group in 1928, the British Privy Council overturned the decision the following year and officially declared women as “persons”.

Later Life

She then was appointed the only woman for CBC in 1932 according to “The Nellie McClung Foundation”. She remained a human right’s advocate throughout her decades in public life. She urged the government of British Columbia to extend the vote to Japanese Canadians in the 1930s, then petitioned the Canadian Government to open it’s doors to Jewish refugees in late 1930s and early 1940s. She often wrote about the need for equal pay for equal work.

Nellie was a force to be reckoned with and paved the way for so many laws and rights. She helped women become something other then what the law was classifying them as. She made them become more than property. She helped make women one of the most driving forces in the world. She was a national hero until her death in 1951. McClung paved the way, and many people will be forever grateful for the work she put in to make women’s rights a reality.

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Hi I’m Zoe Farmer. I am a 20 year old, second year Professional Writing student at Algonquin College. I normally spend my time watching movies and listening to podcasts. I write horror stories mixed with a little sprinkle of romance. I want to direct and make my own stories into movies like James Cameron.

12 Years of Heavy Seasons: How the Arab Spring Lit Up

“The Arab Spring that began in 2010 was driven by the educated youth who were connected to the outside world. They had visions of liberal politics derived from social networks. They used innovative means to spread awareness and to network among activists.”

— Wadah Khanfar

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On the morning of December 17th, 2010, a 26-year-old Tunisian street vendor named Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire as a desperate way to protest the oppressive and thoughtless government of his country. Without a reason to live after having his wares confiscated and feeling humiliated after facing harassment by a municipal officer after trying to stand up for himself, Bouazizi lit the fire as those reasons were his match, and on January 4th, the young man died of his injuries. What followed was something that would become an important moment in the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region’s history, for better or worse.

Under Zine El Abidine Ben Ali’s rule, Tunisia faced many problems such as high inflation, lack of freedom of speech, and poverty. Undoubtedly, Bouazizi’s death gave way for his fellow Tunisians to start a massive protest with the purpose of having Ben Ali resign from office, while seeing him as a martyr and symbol of their demonstration. In response to the protests, the dictator used violence as an attempt to put his people under control. However, this didn’t stop the millions of dedicated Tunisians from advancing their march. In just a week, the protesters saw victory after Ben Ali resigned and fled the country to Saudi Arabia, ultimately giving the citizens what they so desired, which was democracy.

As a result of the Tunisians using social media to record their activity, it spread to other neighbouring countries who wanted to replicate Tunisia’s success with developing a democracy as those countries also faced a similar situation with having a dictator ruling their nation. Basically, Morocco, Algeria, Libya, Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and the rest of MENA followed shortly or later and followed in Tunisia’s footsteps. However, at the end of it all, Tunisia was the only country to have a successful Arab Spring. While Egypt did gain democracy after their ruler easily stepped down like Tunisia’s, it was short-lived as the country became a dictatorship once again after electing another leader. 

THE PEOPLE DEMAND THE REMOVAL OF THE REGIME, الشعب يريد إسقاط النظام - The slogan of the protests

Photo credit to Vox

Fundamentally, after the Spring came to an end in 2012, the aftermath of the events that affect the countries today have been termed as the “Arab Winter.” The Winter isn't only affecting the MENA region, it can also be seen around the rest of the world. Europe, notably, is dealing with a migrant crisis, which started in 2015. One of the causes for why that happened is because of the ongoing civil wars of Libya, Syria, and Yemen, which started from the Spring. To continue, the rise of ISIS and ISIL also started because of the chaos.

In conclusion, the Arab Spring started after a young street vendor in Tunisia used self-immolation to protest his government's brutal ways, which would start a revolution across the MENA region. As a result, countries were wrecked. Lives were ruined. And above all else, many of them were a failure, but Bouazizi’s death is the reason how it came to light.

Mohamed Bouazizi محمد البوعزيزي, the man who started the flame

Photo credit to Wikipedia

The extent of many protests around the MENA world

Photo credit to The New York Times

Understand, the reason why countries like Libya, Syria, and Yemen are war havocked today is because of their attempt with the Arab Spring. Taking Libya for example, because their leader, Muammar Gaddafi refused to step down so easily like with Tunisia and Egypt’s, this caused the country to go into a civil war between citizens who were pro-Gaddafi and anti-Gaddafi, which had the United States and NATO on their side. After Gaddafi was assassinated by Libyan rebels, with his regime falling apart as a result, the Libyans expected to receive democracy like the United States promised, but instead their country has fallen extremely hard from the richest country in Africa under Gaddafi, where education and healthcare was free, women had equal opportunities as men, and was considered a paradise, to a devastated and poor country in Africa after him, where slavery is rampant, citizens are poor, and equality is lacking. The same happened with Syria and Yemen after NATO’s intervention. The only difference between Libya and the two other countries that fell into civil war is that Syria's leader never stepped down or was killed and Yemen’s did resign, but the country was still riddled with war.

An ISIS fighter in a tank as 2015 saw the rise of many terrorists groups because of the aftermath of the Arab Spring

Photo credit to Amnesty International UK

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Hey there,

My name is Tia Nsoedo and I am a 19-year-old student in the Professional Writing program, but after that, I plan on going straight into the Scriptwriting one.

I am very passionate about drawing, creating characters, writing, and music, while interested in countries, history, crime cases, animated tv shows, meanings/origins of first and given names, and video games.

In the future, I hope to become a scriptwriter, where I get to script my own animated tv show (Hopefully).