Taras Shevchenko or Kobzar Taras, Ukraine poet, artist, political figure
Taras Hryhorovych Shevchenko (1814-1861) also known as Kobzar Taras, or simply Kobzar, is a symbol of freedom for Ukrainians. He was a Ukrainian poet, writer, artist, public and political figure, as well as folklorist and ethnographer. Many of Shevchenko’s poems and songs became folk songs. His collection of poems Kobzar (1840) was translated into more than 100 languages. Monuments in his honor have been installed in 35 countries.
In Ukraine the name Hryhorii Skovoroda is synonymous with freedom.
Hryhorii Skovoroda (1722-1794) was a great Ukrainian philosopher, poet and teacher. He was the founder of landscape lyrics, a genre of poetry representing the author’s attitude toward nature. Skovoroda added to the contributions of ancient Greek philosophers’ works on local culture and academic education. He also created a concept of intrinsic labor that simplified a way to achieve happiness, establishing the idea of “love what you do and do what you love.”
Ivan Yakovych Franko (1856 -1916) was nominated for a Nobel Prize in 1915. The multi-talented Ukrainian was poet, writer, and a social and literary critic. He was also a journalist, interpreter, economist, political activist, doctor of philosophy, ethnographer. Franko was the author of the first detective novels and modern poetry in the Ukrainian language.
Khmelnytsky was a Ukrainian commander & Cossack state ruler
Bohdan Khmelnytsky
Ukraine has a long history of fighting for freedom. Bohdan Zynoviy Mykhailovych Khmelnytsky (1596-1657) led an uprising against the Commonwealth and its magnates that resulted in the creation of an independent Ukrainian Cossack state. He was a Ukrainian military commander and Hetman, ruler, of the Zaporozhian Host, which was then under the suzerainty of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. He led an uprising against the Commonwealth and its magnates that resulted in the creation of an independent Ukrainian Cossack state.
You may recognize the name Archimedes, but unless you are a historian or a mathematician you’re unlikely to know why you should care about him or his discoveries.
Archimedes was a toga-wearing Greek mathematician, born in 287 B.C., over two millennium ago. He was chosen by historyten.com as one of their “most famous scientists.” His father was an astronomer and the family lived in the seaside city of Syracuse. Archimedes spent a large part of his life in the Egyptian city of Alexandria.
Early learning
This is important because Alexandria had the great Ptolemy Legides, which was a world famous library, later destroyed. Inclined towards learning from his youth Archimedes spent much of his time in Alexandria at the library studying science, astronomy, physics, mechanics, and engineering. This paid off and today our world exists as it is partly because of his discoveries.
Defined the estimation of pi
For instance, it was Archimedes who used calculus to calculate the volume of a circle and the quantity of a sphere. He defined the correct estimation of pi and invented a math system for expressing massive numbers.
Still numerous cartoons and comics depict Archimedes as a naked man running around shouting “Eureka” at one of his discoveries. Likely this never happened, but shouting “Eureka” after a discovery has become tradition and easier to visualize than understanding his inventions.
The principle of buoyancy
Archimedes’ Principle is the principle of buoyancy
Archimedes’ Principle is the principle of buoyancy. If an item is placed in liquid and forced down, the result will equal the weight of the applied force and the fluid displaced by the item.
Archimedes’ Screw
Archimedes’ Screw pumping water
Archimedes’ Screw was a device used to transfer water up hill. It worked in irrigation before the establishment of pumping systems and was used to irrigate the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.
Archimedes’ Iron Claw
Archimedes’ Iron Claw
Archimedes’ Iron Claw was a huge fishing rod with a hook at one end and anchored inside a battlement defending a seaside at the other end. The Claw could then be used to “hook” the end of an attacking ship and capsize the vessel.
Unfortunately, it was the Claw that instigated Archimedes death. The story goes like this.
During the war of Syracuse in 241 B.C. the Claw sank Roman ships commanded by Roman Commander Marcellus. Syracuse defeated the Romans.
Marcellus was impressed by the the Iron Claw and ordered soldiers to bring the inventor to him— alive. Archimedes, hyper focused had very poor political instincts. He said no, he was working on a mathematical diagram and didn’t have time. This didn’t go over well and one of the soldiers stabbed Archimedes. Archimedes died at the age of 75 in 212 B.C. and it’s likely that the soldier didn’t fare too well, either.
Still the instrument of his death, the “Claw,” was checked in 1999 A.D. and still worked.
Most of what is known about Archimedes is from histories written centuries after his death. These works have been lost then rediscovered. A manuscript by Isidorus is kept in the library in Jerusalem.
March is Women’s History Month. So here are a few fabulous ladies from history to celebrate.
Harriet Tubman was an American hero, a powerful abolitionist & activist. Louisa May Alcott was an American novelist, short story writer and poet.Sojourner Truth was an American hero, abolitionist and activist.Jane Austen was an English writer known for her charming romantic novels. Eleanor of Aquitaine was one of the wealthiest & most powerful women in Europe during the Middle AgesEmily Bronte was the English novelist who wrote Wuthering Heights.Clara Schumann is one of the greatest German, Romantic era musicians and composers. Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley was the English writer who wrote Frankenstein .George Sand was a French novelist and memoirist.Artemisia Gentileschi was one of Italian painters in the post Caravaggio era. Emily Dickinson was a revered American poet.George Eliot was a beloved English novelist, poet, journalist and translator.
Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, English author of Frankenstein
Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (1797-1851) was an English writer. As a teen she fell for romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. Unfortunately Percy was already married. Still you can’t tell teens anything and she ran off with him. They traveled Europe ending up in a Swiss chalet belonging to Lord Byron. Here she wrote Frankenstein during a dramatic storm – think lightening and thunderous downpour, although it could have been a light sprinkle. Anyway eventually Shelley’s wife died and the pair married. That didn’t last long as Percy sank sailing during a another storm and Mary, wanting predictable weather went back to England.
Illustration by Kathleen McGuinness. Visit her watercolor portraits.
Georges Bizet, (1838-1875) was a French pianist and composer.
Georges Bizet, (1838-1875) was a French pianist and composer. A musical child prodigy his opera Carmen premiered right before his death in 1875 and is now performed all over the world.
Illustration by Kathleen McGuinness. Visit her watercolor portraits.
Georges Bizet T-shirts available on Amazon.com for only $19.95
Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) was a cantankerous German philosopher born in Poland. A fun guy, he developed a pessimistic philosophy. He believed that man having a will to live is the cause of all suffering and wrote deep philosophic tomes like his World as Will and Representation. Still, at least he wrote nice stuff about religious tolerance.
Illustration by Kathleen McGuinness. Visit her watercolor portraits.
Arthur Schopenhauer T-shirts available on Amazon.com for only $19.95
Spinoza was Dutch philosopher and one of the great rationalists, a leading figure of the Dutch Golden Age.
Philosopher just before Enlightenment
Baruch Spinoza born Benedito de Espinosa (1632-1677) was a cool Portuguese philosopher. His thinking helped bring about the Enlightenment. He invented a modern way of viewing one self in relation to the universe. No longer was the universe passing out favors or punishments. The universe was, well the universe, and for our part prayer or meditation was a good idea. Spinoza was one of the great rationalists of his time and a leading figure of the Dutch Golden Age.
Illustration by Kathleen McGuinness. Visit her watercolor portraits.
Baruch Spinoza T-shirts available on Amazon.com for only $19.95
