Studying the history of Mardi Gras in France can help shed light on some aspects of carnival. Going over the facts will also explain how it came to New Orleans and America.

The Carnival in France: 13th Century

Based on the historical records, it started in Nice in 1294. The Comte de Provence started going to Nice for the carnivals. Records state that even during the time, masquerades, jugglers and balls were already part of the festivities.

The popularity of the event spread all over the country. One of the most notable characteristics was that all participants wore masks and extravagant costumes.

The Middle Ages

The popularity of Mardi Gras in France spread all over Europe. From 1294 onwards the festivity captivated other European nations including Spain, Austria and Italy. In spite of the revelry and boisterous nature of the event, the Church was unable to put a stop to the practice. Instead they incorporated it into the Christian feast known as Lent.

Fat Tuesday

The words Mardi Gras mean Fat Tuesday in French. The fact that the carnival name is French is proof for some that the carnival began in France.

There are several possible explanations as to how it got this name. Taking place before Ash Wednesday, it’s been suggested that it was the time when people got to indulge in food before fasting on Lent.

Another legend about Mardi Gras in France states that the name was derived from the practice of using all the fats before Ash Wednesday. The name could have also come from the custom of displaying a fat ox in the streets on the said date.

Shrove Tuesday

The day is also known as the Shrove Tuesday. The word was derived from the words to shrive. It means confessing one’s sins and getting absolution. The days from Sunday, Monday to Tuesday was called Shrovetide. It’s possible that the practice began here. After the festivities, people would confess their sins and prepare for Lent.

From Paris to New Orleans

Because Mardi Gras in France was so popular, it was hardly a surprise when the first French settlers in America carried the practice with them. It was in 1699 when the carnival was introduced in New Orleans. Over time the practice became very popular with the residents of the city.

However there are some who believe that the French first imported the event to Mobile, Alabama. Carnival was first celebrated in 1703 in Mobile. There are also records indicating that there were French colonists living in the area.

The people in Louisiana contest this though. They state that their ancestors were the ones who inaugurated carnival in the US. Wherever it began, carnival proved enormously appealing to the people. In spite of the various European influences that would appear, the French flavor has never been lost.

The history of Mardi Gras in France are still filled with some questions. Some are wondering if it really started there or somewhere else. But its role in popularizing the event cannot be ignored. And it was also responsible for bringing the event to the America.

Most people are familiar with the crimes committed by Hitler and the Nazis, but a study of the history of the Khmer Rouge will reveal that its actions were almost as lethal. Under the Communist rule of Pol Pot, millions of people died in their hands.

Origins

The party’s beginnings can be traced back to the works of Saloth Sar, or Pol Pot. In the early 1950s he became part of the Second Congress of the KPRP. He became very influential, owing to his position as middleman between the leftist groups and Communist movement that was gaining ground.

During the mid 1960s he went to North Vietnam to secure aid for an attempt to overthrow the government. Under the Communist Party of Kampuchea (the official name of the party), Pol Pot launched insurgency campaigns against the government. By the early 1970s the history of the Khmer Rouge would change forever as it assumed total control of Cambodia.

In Power: 1975 – 79

As soon as Pol Pot assumed power, radical reforms were undertaken. It has come to be known as agrarian Communism, which had never been seen or adapted before even in Marxist countries.

Pol Pot issued a directive to close down all financial institutions and schools. Industries and offices were destroyed. Money and religious practices were banned. He had the capital of Phnom Penh devoid of life and business.

This would be repeated in various parts of the country. A study of the history of the Khmer Rouge will show that its goal was to turn the country into an isolated, agricultural state.

After confiscating all property, the people were forcibly taken from their homes and sent to farmlands. There they were forced to work as farmers.

Crimes against Humanity

According to the new laws, everyone from age 7 up had to work in the farm. No exceptions were made for the elderly or the ill. People worked six days a week, 12 hours a day. Their daily sustenance consisted of a bowl of gruel and one fish.

Anyone who tried to eat fruits or seafood was subject to the death penalty. The history of the Khmer Rouge will show they considered intellectuals an enemy. All books were burned. Every form of education was outlawed. The only thing that people were allowed to learn was the doctrine of the party.

Fall of the Party

Although it began as a Communist party, its stands and behavior became more and more radical. Their actions led to disputes with Vietnam. In 1979, Vietnam invaded and took over the leadership. It was only after the overthrow was the full extent of Pol Pot’s crimes uncovered.

Over 3 million people died. Most died from starvation, torture and disease. Mass graves were found throughout the country. In spite of the report made to the war crimes tribunal, the history of the Khmer Rouge will show that Pol Pot never went to trial. He passed away in 1998.

Although the party is no longer in power, its atrocities have left a mark on Cambodia and its people that will never be forgotten.

The reason why the Holocaust happened had to do with Hitler’s belief that the Jews were responsible for the misery in Germany at the time. Anti Semitism was not new, but the Nazis brought the terrorizing to another level.

Hitler’s Idea of the Superior Race

Although he was Austrian, Hitler became more of a German than most nationalists at the time. He fervently believed that the Germans were descended of the superior Aryan race.

He saw most of humanity as inferior to the Aryan class. Above all, he considered the Jews as subhuman. Hitler didn’t just think that they should be enslaved; he wanted them exterminated. In looking for an explanation as to why the Holocaust happened, this theory of the superior is one of them.

The Jews in Germany

The Jews were a minority in Germany at the time. There were only 550,000 from the 66 million population of the country. Still, they contributed to the country’s economy. 10% of the doctors there were Jews. Over 16% of lawyers and over 5% of its writers were also Jewish.

In addition they also held positions in some banks. In Hitler’s eyes, this was a problem. He didn’t think they helped the country. What he saw were subhuman beings taking away work and profit from the master race. This is why the Holocaust happened; as Hitler entered politics, he used the Jews as scapegoats. During the time, several people came to support him.

Jewish Persecution

The persecution started the moment the Nazis came to power. Within a few years of Nazi rule, the Jews were forbidden to hold on to their jobs. Their movement was restricted and so were their business opportunities. Stores and shops forbade selling of items to Jews. Many restaurants forbade them from entering the premises.

This was only the beginning. Unknown to the world at the tine the persecution had begun even before World War II. By 1938, the Nazi secret police imprisoned Jews, took away their property and burned their homes.

When looking for an explanation as to why the Holocaust happened, it can’t be denied that other Germans supported Hitler. Because the Nazis were able to provide employment, some found it easy to look the other way.

The Final Solution

The Jews would leave Germany, but they wouldn’t be safe. The Nazis hunted them down in conquered lands. In the Soviet Union, special corps were set up. Their sole purpose was to round up and kill Jewish men, women and children. The scene was repeated throughout Europe. Most were killed in gas chambers. Thousands were beaten to death.

Many became subject to medical experiments. The greatest number of victims died in Auschwitz, Poland. 2.5 million Jews were gassed to death. Another half a million died of hunger. All in all, over 6 million Jews were killed by the Nazis.

In trying to understand why the Holocaust happened, it becomes clear its root lie in anti Semitism. Hitler was not the first to harbor this sentiment. But it was his actions that brought the issue to the forefront in the 20th century.

The Declaration of Independence served as one of the foundations of the United States. It marked the liberation of the country from the rule of the British Empire. Furthermore, it also helped in the establishment of several independent colonies that will then merge and become the United States of America. Let’s look back at U.S. history and learn why the Declaration of Independence was written.

The Reason for Writing the Declaration of Independence

Why was the Declaration of Independence written? The primary reason why Thomas Jefferson and company wrote this document was to explain and announce the decision of the U.S. to be separated from Britain. Because the country was then under British rule for some time, this all-important document was written to justify its independence from the foreign power.

In doing so, the leaders of the country listed numerous colonial grievances that went against the rule of King George III. In that particular document, the U.S. citizens clamored for their various important natural rights such as the right to revolt. Additionally, it also announced the ever-growing desire of the country to have its freedom and independence. To do that, the author mentioned the importance of happiness, liberty and life for every individual.

Important Details and Other Relevant Information About the Document

The U.S. Declaration of Independence was created sometime in between June and July 1776. It was ratified on July 4 of that very same year. Overall, 56 Continental Congress delegates approved and signed the document. Among the represented states were Georgia, South Carolina and Virginia. Other representatives came from other active states such as Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York. At the point in time, the President of the Congress was John Hancock, who represented Massachusetts. A committee led by John Adams, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson authored the document.

From the numerous delegates who were supposed to sign this all-important document, a few of them were unable to give their signatures. Henry Wisner, Robert R. Livingston and George Clinton were somewhere else attending various kinds of important functions when the signing transpired. John Rogers, Charles Humphreys and Thomas Willing were replaced. John Dickenson did not sign the document.

In addition, new delegates were allowed to sign the document. The list included George Ross, James Smith and Benjamin Rush. Charles Carroll, George Taylor and William Williams were also present and took part in the signing. George Clymer and Matthew Thornton also approved the Declaration of Independence. Such important move in U.S. history was emulated in various corners of the world including the Vietnam Declaration of Independence in 1945, the Liberian Declaration of Independence in 1847 and the Venezuelan Declaration of Independence in 1811.

Although it was abolished in 1975, the history of the HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee) is an important reminder of how even the best intentions can prove to be harmful. Intended to protect the public it only led to persecution and harassment.

Origins

The committee was set up in 1934. The name makes clear that its purpose was to monitor the activities of any individuals that could threaten the US. Those with German blood were on the list. Also high on its list were those involved in plots to overthrow the government or involved with Communists. Very quickly however it focused mainly on the Communist threat as the Cold War intensified.

Influence and Power

The history of the HUAC will always be associated with its chair, Martin Dies. The committee would wield great power especially when World War II broke out. Anyone with ties to the Germans or Japanese became liable for subpoenas and investigations. The same was true when the Cold War emerged.

However its power was largely abused. Dies would concentrate the investigations on left wing party groups. Conservatives and right wingers to which he belonged were never checked.

The committee had the power to subpoena and issue arrests. Those who refused to attend were blacklisted. Those found guilty of Communism or subversion were sentenced to jail. One of them was Alger Hiss, a well known diplomat. Those on the blacklist found it virtually impossible to get jobs and were discriminated.

Note: the history of the HUAC is often confused with that of Senator Joseph McCarthy. They were not the same. Senator McCarthy was in the Senate, while Dies was in Congress. However, their activities and measures were the same. Some researchers also felt that the House committee may have influenced Senator McCarthy into his later actions.

The Hollywood Ten

In the late 1940s up to the early 50s, the threat of Communism grew. The committee started looking into Hollywood. They suspected that there were Communists there plotting something against the government.

It was supposed to be an investigation, but its members had already made up their minds about the case. The committee charged the Screen Writer’s Guild of harboring Communists.

A study of the history of the HUAC will show that they also wanted to prove that Communist propaganda was being used in films. The committee also said that President Roosevelt encouraged pro Russian films to be shown.

Eleven Hollywood personalities were suspected of being Communists. The German playwright Bertolt Brecht was the only one who responded to the inquiries by the committee. He denied being a Communist. But his career was so affected he left the US.

The others became known as the Hollywood ten. They refused to answer questions citing the 5th Amendment. Under pressure from the committee, the ten were suspended without pay. More suspected Communists lost their jobs.

The committee was dissolved as the threat of the Cold War ceased. However the history of the HUAC is a reminder of the difficulties that people faced during the period.