HISTORICAL MILESTONES

Check Out These 10 Moments That Changed Our Nation Forever

Image: Ferdinand Stöhr

Many are the moments and people that lead to the consolidation of a nation. Our Nation didn't just happen; it was shaped by the strength of exceptional individuals and special circumstances. Some glorious -and also unfortunate- events allow us to understand many things about our present. Today, we'd like to remember these 10 moments that changed the course of our history!

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President Thomas Jefferson is the mind behind this milestone. Given the size and location of those lands, the Louisiana Purchase was a strategic move that would be crucial to the growth of our country.

In the early 1800s, the Louisiana Territory belonged to France. When the President's envoys set foot on French soil ready to negotiate for the region, they were met with a proposal from Napoleon, who offered to sell the entire Louisiana Territory to the United States for $15 million. Of course, we didn't pass up this opportunity.

April 30, 1803, marked the signing of the Louisiana Purchase Treaty, a historic pact for our Nation.

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Have you ever found your palms sweating and your heart beating fast before public speaking? Well, maybe this episode of our history empowers you.

Words are not just mere talk; they can be very powerful actions, too. Abraham Lincoln knew this well when he delivered his famous Gettysburg Address in November 1863 during the Civil War. Now, that's some context, right?

Lincoln's words are remembered for their impact, as a symbol that summarizes and represents the ideals of our country.

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As our Nation expanded, a necessity emerged: a railway that could connect our coasts.

President Abraham Lincoln, with his visionary foresight, propelled this project by enacting the Pacific Railroad Act of 1862, granting the green light for construction to begin.

But this feat was far from easy; the engineers and workers who built the railroad had to face many challenges through the diverse landscapes of the United States.

The completion of the construction in 1869, celebrated with the famous Golden Spike ceremony, radically transformed the population and economy of our country.

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Let's talk about bravery. The centennial celebration of our Declaration of Independence wasn't just a patriotic party; it became a key moment for the women's suffrage movement and one of its most prominent figures, Susan B. Anthony.

This strong activist, joined by her colleague Elizabeth Cady Stanton, orchestrated a protest during the Philadelphia Fourth of July Celebration in 1876.

On that day, Anthony delivered a powerful speech known as the "Declaration of Rights." It was a very important step in promoting women's rights in the United States, and prepared the way for the ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920.

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Remember the roaring 1920s? A decade of abundance, great dresses, and jazz nights. But the decade that followed was nothing like that.

The dramatic turn of events occurred in 1929. Although the stock market decline didn't happen overnight, October 24 is marked as the crash day, earning its nickname: "Black Thursday."

The stock market crash caused a domino effect that led to the infamous Great Depression. Of course, economic recovery wasn't quick; we're talking about more than a decade that undeniably changed the lives of thousands.

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Much of our identity today has been shaped by the incredible scientific and technological advances our experts have made throughout history. A powerful point in this journey occurred with the establishment of NASA in 1958, driven in part by the space race rivalry with the Soviet Union.

The late 1950s marked the beginning of an era of giant steps in space exploration and research by the United States. This progress not only made Americans proud but also represented monumental achievements for people worldwide.

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In the mid-20th century, TV was gaining popularity in American homes. Well, it earned the privileged spot: in front of the couch. The TV revolution changed daily life, and a prime example is the decision to broadcast the 1960 presidential debate.

The first-ever televised presidential debate drew the attention of some sixty to seventy million viewers on the encounter between Richard M. Nixon, candidate of the Republican Party, and John F. Kennedy, of the Democratic Party. This definitely rewrote the rules on how we do and talk politics!

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The 1963 March on Washington stands as a key moment in our Nation's history, and its climax was marked by Martin Luther King's iconic speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Four words defined the era: "I have a dream."

MLK envisioned a country that stood for justice and racial equality, extending these virtues to all citizens. His powerful words and actions played a crucial role in passing the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, forever changing the trajectory of our history.

Image: NASA

By 1969, TV was already part of everyday life in most households. This widespread adoption of television enabled millions of people in the United States and across the globe to witness one of the most important achievements in human history: the Moon landing.

On July 20, 1969, NASA's Apollo 11 successfully landed on the Moon. Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin became the first human beings to set foot on our natural satellite, leaving indelible footprints there.

Image: Haley Lawrence

The rebellious spirit of the 1960s counterculture helped to promote and consolidate some positive changes in society.

Woodstock, the legendary festival held from August 15 to 18, 1969, in New York, adopted the ideals of this transformative cultural movement. Amazingly, the festival attracted over 400,000 people! Something revolutionary for the time, marking the profound significance of music.

It symbolized a moment of idealism and optimism that contrasted with the conflicts of the time. After Woodstock, no music festival was ever the same again.

WORD WONDERS

8 Fun Facts About Language That Will Blow Your Mind

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Language enriches the world. Different languages and their diversity not only offer us the possibility to communicate but also to have fun. From the origins of peculiar words to the singularities of grammatical structures, here you have some linguistic fun facts to surprise your friends the next time you see them, with a mysterious treat left for the end.

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There are no speeding fines in Japan. Well, there are if you're driving, but when it comes to speaking, Japanese people break all speed records.

You've probably had the opportunity to hear someone speak Japanese. Did it sound too fast? You'll be glad to know that it is not just your perception.

In fact –buckle up!– Japanese is the fastest language in the world, and its speakers can produce 7.84 syllables per second. Its accelerated rhythm is due to the compactness of its words and its unique syllabic structure.

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No, there are no mistakes in the title. You read it right; those astonishing 45 characters make up the longest word in the English language, according to the Oxford English Dictionary. Can you pronounce the whole thing? You'd better get a good breath of fresh air before you try.

If you want to know what it means, this may give you a clue: "pneumo-" refers to the lungs, and the suffix "-osis" indicates a condition, state, or disease. This incredible word refers to a type of lung disorder caused by inhaling silica dust, usually used in the manufacture of glass, pottery, ceramics, bricks, and artificial stone.

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The United States is a diverse and multicultural nation. English and Spanish are the first and second most spoken languages, but they are only two among many.

Although English is the official language of a few different countries around the world, such as Australia, Canada, and Botswana; it is not the official language of the United States. In fact, the country has no declared official language.

Despite this fact, some states –like Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah, and many others– have declared English the official state language.

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The English alphabet has 26 letters. While that may seem like a lot, it doesn't compare to the number of letters in the alphabet you'll see below.

With 74 letters (33 consonants and 41 vowels), Khmer is the longest alphabet in the world. Even the Guinness World Records recognizes this alphabet for its length!

Also known as Cambodian, Khmer is the official language of Cambodia, spoken by some 15 million native speakers. What makes it even more complex is the fact that words in the same sentence are usually written without spaces between them.

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Sign languages are important tools for communication and inclusion, so it is always good to learn how to use them. According to the United Nations, there are about 300 different sign languages worldwide. Approximately 70 million people use sign languages every day around the world.

Different parts of the world have different sign languages with their distinctive structure and characteristics. There is also an international sign language to facilitate global communication.

The UN General Assembly designated 23 September as the International Day of Sign Languages to promote awareness of its value.

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Unless It's Raining Men, as in the famous song by the Weather Girls, rain is usually the same, right? Well, it seems it's not always like that, at least not in Hawaii.

The Hawaiian language has about 200 words for rain. This impressive number can be attributed to Hawaiians' deep connection to nature, which also demonstrates the intricate relationship between a language and its environment.

Each of those 200 words defines rain by different characteristics, including its intensity or duration.

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According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the most used letter in English is E. Which means that many words in our language have it. Do you dare to count how many times E shows up in this article?

Its frequency in our language probably explains why it is worth only 1 point in Scrabble. On the other hand, the least common letters in English, J, X, Q, and Z, are worth 8 and 10 points.

The frequency of the letter E is not a coincidence, it is explained by the fact that it appears in a very used word: the. We also find it in pronouns such as he, she, me, we, and they, and in plurals ending in -es.

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One of the most intriguing languages in the world is one of the oldest living European languages, too. Euskera, also known as the Basque language, has a long history, and its origins have not yet been established with certainty.

Basque remains a cultural symbol for native speakers and continues to thrive. Although there have been many hypotheses about its origin, specialists stated that Euskera is not an Indo-European language. That is to say that, apparently, it doesn't share roots with any other European language.

Euskera’s unknown bases have led to the craziest theories. Some ancient linguists have even attributed its existence to extraterrestrial beings!