On May 27, 1692, Governor William Phips of the Massachusetts Bay Colony signed off on the creation of a special court with a serious name and a deadly purpose: the Court of Oyer and Terminer, which means “to hear and determine.” Its job was simple in words but dark in practice — to deal with the growing pile of witchcraft accusations coming out of Salem Village. Folks were gripped by panic, and the colony needed a fast way to sort the “witches” from the innocent — or at least, that’s what they thought.

The court was made up of judges appointed by Phips, including his lieutenant governor William Stoughton, who took a hardline stance from the start. They relied on spectral evidence — claims that a person’s spirit or shape had appeared in dreams or visions — to convict. That kind of “proof” wouldn’t fly in any courtroom today, but back then, it was enough to sentence people to death. And that court wasted no time. The first to be tried and hanged was Bridget Bishop, just weeks after the court began its work.

Over the next few months, the Court of Oyer and Terminer sent nineteen people to the gallows, most of them women, and even one man named Giles Corey, who was pressed to death with heavy stones after he refused to enter a plea. Dozens more were jailed in horrific conditions. It wasn’t justice — it was hysteria with a legal stamp on it. And it all started when Governor Phips put his signature on that order in May.

By October 1692, with public opinion turning and the governor’s own wife being accused, Phips disbanded the court and later declared a day of fasting and repentance. But the damage had been done. That decision on May 27, 1692, to authorize a court with power to judge witches, became one of the darkest choices in American colonial history — a reminder of what happens when fear overrides reason, and when courts lose sight of truth.

On May 27, 1905, the Battle of Tsushima took place, marking a pivotal moment in world history. It was the decisive naval battle between Imperial Russia and Imperial Japan, fought during the Russo-Japanese War. The battle unfolded in the Tsushima Strait, located between Japan’s southernmost islands and the Korean Peninsula, and it was a clash that would forever change the balance of power in Asia. Japan, a rising naval power, faced off against the Russian Baltic Fleet, which had sailed halfway around the world from the Baltic Sea to reach the battle.

The Russian fleet, under Admiral Zinovy Rozhestvensky, was severely outmatched. Admiral Heihachiro Togo of Japan’s Imperial Navy had superior knowledge of the waters, better-trained sailors, and faster, more agile ships. The battle was brutal, in just a few hours, Japan’s fleet destroyed most of the Russian ships, sinking or capturing twenty-one Russian vessels and killing or wounding 5,000 Russian sailors. In contrast, Japan lost just three ships and fewer than 1,000 men.

The victory at Tsushima established Japan as the first Asian power to defeat a European nation in modern warfare, shocking the world and earning Japan international recognition as a major military force. The Russian Empire’s defeat was so devastating that it led to a significant loss of prestige, contributing to rising tensions within Russia that would later contribute to the Russian Revolution of 1917. The battle proved that modern naval warfare, with heavily armored ships and powerful artillery, could shift the course of history in an afternoon.

The Battle of Tsushima didn’t just change the fate of two nations; it also shifted the geopolitical landscape of Asia. Japan’s victory marked the beginning of its rise as a dominant power in the Pacific, and it reshaped the world’s understanding of military strategy. On that fateful day in 1905, Japan became a new force to be reckoned with, proving its strength in a way that would echo across the coming century.

The Boar War🍫
During the Boer War (1899–1902), British soldiers were given chocolate rations as part of their field supplies. The idea behind it was to boost morale and provide quick, easy energy during the grueling campaign in South Africa. The chocolate was specifically designed by companies like Cadbury, Fry, and Rowntree, who were commissioned by the British government. This was one of the first large-scale uses of chocolate as a military ration, which would later be followed by more modern MREs (Meals Ready to Eat). Interestingly, the companies that made the chocolate were run by Quakers who were morally opposed to the war, but they still agreed to supply it, albeit without any branding to avoid association. These chocolate tins have since become rare collector’s items, especially the unopened ones that survived the war — proof that sometimes, a little cocoa can go a long way in tough times. 🍫🇬🇧⚔️

USA Gay Bomb💣
In the early 1990s, the U.S. military considered developing a "gay bomb" — a chemical weapon that would make enemy soldiers sexually attracted to each other, disrupting their morale and unit cohesion. The idea, proposed by Pioneer Labs in 1994 to the Air Force Wright Laboratory, was part of research into non-lethal weapons. The bomb would release a chemical compound to trigger homosexual behavior in enemy troops, making them distracted or less effective in battle. While it sounds outlandish, the project was real, though it was ultimately abandoned due to ethical concerns and its questionable effectiveness. The gay bomb remains one of the more bizarre and unrealized military experiments. 💥🏳️‍🌈

Middle Ages Currency⚡️
In the Middle Ages, eels were considered a valuable form of currency in parts of Europe, particularly in England and France. These slippery creatures were not only a food staple, but they were also seen as a form of wealth due to their abundance and high market value. Monasteries and churches even had special rights to eel fisheries, and fishing for eels was often regulated. In some places, eels were traded for goods, services, and even land, making them a kind of natural currency for the common folk. This unusual form of exchange shows just how creative medieval economies could get when it came to trading everyday resources. 🐍💰🌍

The Zapotecs🇲🇽
The Zapotecs were one of the most influential civilizations in southern Mexico, ruling for over a thousand years in the Valley of Oaxaca. Their reign began around 500 BCE and continued until the 9th century CE, during which they developed a sophisticated society with architecture, an early form of writing, and a complex religious system. The Zapotecs built the monumental city of Monte Albán, known for its grand plazas, pyramids, and tombs. However, by the 9th century, the Zapotecs began to decline, and their culture gradually faded, merging with other Mesoamerican civilizations like the Mixtecs and later the Aztecs. Despite their disappearance, their legacy in art, architecture, and language still influences the region today. 🌄📜💀

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