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Lincoln's Window Escape Tactics
1. In 1840, Abraham Lincoln and four other Illinois legislators famously jumped out of a window to prevent a quorum for a vote aimed at eliminating the Illinois State Bank. This wasn't Lincoln's first attempt to disrupt a vote in such a manner.
2. The "Pilgrim Army," a group of 15,000 crusaders, was blown off course en route to the Holy Land and ended up in Portugal. There, the king convinced them to help defeat the Moors in exchange for anything they could plunder. Many of these crusaders chose to retire in Lisbon afterward.
3. George Washington, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson identified as Christian Deists, holding a belief in God but not in the divinity of Jesus Christ. This perspective was not uncommon among Enlightenment thinkers, who often emphasized reason and ethics over traditional religious doctrines. Their beliefs influenced their approach to governance, favoring a separation of church and state.
4. A male tiger in India adopted a litter of orphaned cubs and took on the role of a 'mother'. Wildlife officials said such behavior had never been observed before.
5. Chinese food made its American debut during the California Gold Rush, starting in 1848. With the arrival of 30,000 immigrants from the Canton region of China, restaurants provided a cultural touchstone and gathering place for the predominantly male Chinese community. This culinary introduction ended up having a lasting impact on American cuisine.
6. Washington initially wanted to be called "His High Mightiness, the President of the United States and Protector of Their Liberties." James Madison and the House of Representatives objected, arguing it was too monarchical. Under Madison's influence, the simpler title "Mr. President" became the standard.
7. Born in 1767 in the Waxhaws region between North and South Carolina, Andrew Jackson experienced a life of extreme poverty on the American frontier. Unlike his predecessors, men of wealth, education, and privilege, Jackson rose from humble beginnings through sheer determination and military success. His unlikely ascent made him the first U.S. president from a poor background and cemented his image as a champion of the common man.
8. In 2017, NASA proposed deploying a "magnetic shield" at Mars' Lagrange point L1, located between the Sun and Mars. This shield would protect Mars' atmosphere from being stripped away by solar wind, potentially aiding in atmospheric restoration.
9. The flute used by Picard in the Star Trek TNG episode "The Inner Light" was auctioned along with other Star Trek items in 2006. Christie's expected it to fetch $300, but the highest offer was $48,000.
10. Following the sack of Baghdad, the Mongols captured the Caliph, who believed his royal and religious status would protect him from bloodshed as mongols strongly had a superstition that spilling royal blood would lead to great disaster. Adhering to their customs, the Mongols wrapped him in a rug and trampled him to death.
