Posts

HISTORY141 - Horse Racing

Image
The idea for this blog came to me while watching the Kentucky Derby on television Saturday.  I lived in Louisville, Kentucky - home of this famous annual horse race - for 20 years as a young person, and have long been a fan of the spectacle.  I realized while watching this year’s race that I didn’t know much about the history of horse racing … which led me to writing this article. After a snapshot of the long evolution of the horse and an introduction to horse racing, I will discuss the history of horse racing from ancient times to the present, and then conclude with a look at the possible future of the sport. As usual, I will list my principal sources at the end.   Evolution of the Horse The first horse was a small, multi-toed, dog-sized creature that lived roughly 55 million years ago in North America.  As North American environments changed from forests to grasslands, horses evolved into larger animals with single hoofs, longer limbs, and grazing teet...
Post a Comment
Read more

HISTORY140 - Vacations

Image
My last several blogs have been about the history of entire countries (Greenland, China, and Iran), and even a continent (Africa).  That’s pretty heavy stuff and I needed a break for something simpler and lighter.  Pat came to rescue again, suggesting “vacations” as a topic. So, after an introduction to the subject, I will write about the history of vacations from ancient times to today, breaking the historical timeline into appropriate eras.   I will finish with a snapshot of trends for future vacations. As usual, I will list my principal sources at the end.   Introduction A  vacation   is a period of time spent away from work, school, or regular duties for the purpose of rest, travel, or recreation.   The word originates from the Latin  vacatio , meaning "freedom," "exemption," or "leisure.”   It comes from the verb  vacare , which means "to be empty" or "to be free from duty." People often take a vacation during spe...
Post a Comment
Read more