Myths and Legends of the World

The Declaration of Independence was a justification for a revolt against the British which included a list of charges against the British king. The Fourth of July commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. It was initially adopted by Congress on July 2, 1776, but then it was revised, and the final version was adopted two days later. The Declaration of Independence was signed by 56 men representing the 13 colonies. The moment marked the beginning of all-out war against the British. The American Revolutionary War is said to have started in 1775, however. The Declaration was signed more than two years after Boston officials refused to return three shiploads of taxed tea to Britain, fueling colonists to dump the tea into the harbor in what became the infamous Boston Tea Party. Several countries have used the Declaration of Independence as a beacon in their own struggles for freedom. These countries include France, Greece, Poland, Russia, and many countries in Sout...

Elysian, a word from Greek Mythology relating to Elysium, meaning:  Blissful, blessed, celestial, heavenly, ethereal. It is an adjective describing something peaceful and perfect, something divinely inspired something beautifully creative.  “Being of such surpassing excellence as to suggest inspiration by the gods” Elysium is the place of paradise for the heroic and the virtuous. The souls of those who had either died a hero's death or led a virtuous life will live in peace in Elysium forever. Elysium seemed to be the only happy part of the Underworld, and beyond its gates, one could see neighborhoods of beautiful houses from every time-period in history. Originally only heroes whom the gods had made immortal went to Elysium. Eventually, it became the destination of anyone who had lived a righteous life. Chosen by the gods, the souls of mortals and demigods who have been good, righteous, and/or heroic, would remain after death to live a blessed and happy eternal death,...

Guiding Light Mom Mom, from the time I was really young, I realized I had someone...you, who always cared, who always protected me, who was always there for me no matter what. You taught me right from wrong, and pushed me to do the right thing, even when it was hard to do. You took care of me when I was sick, and your love helped make me well. You had rules, and I learned that when I obeyed them, my life was simpler, better, richer. You were and are the guiding light of my life. My heart is filled with love for you, my teacher, my friend, my mother. By Karl and Joanna Fuchs Mother Goddess A mother goddess is a goddess who represents, or is a personification of nature, motherhood, fertility, creation, destruction or who embodies the bounty of the Earth. When equated with the Earth or the natural world, such goddesses are sometimes referred to as Mother Earth or as the Earth Mother . The mother goddess may also have many different roles. The mother ...

Martin Luther King Jr. was a social activist and Baptist minister who played a key role in the American civil rights movement from the mid-1950s until his assassination in 1968. King sought equality and human rights for African Americans, the economically disadvantaged and all victims of injustice through peaceful protest. He was the driving force behind watershed events such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the 1963 March on Washington, which helped bring about such landmark legislation as the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act. King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 and is remembered each year on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a U.S. federal holiday since 1986. At the time, however, that was not the case. In 1963, most Americans disapproved of the event, many congressmen saw it as potentially seditious, and law enforcement from local police to the FBI monitored it intensively (under code name Operation Steep Hill). Indeed, it was after King’s speech at the March o...

Long before the advent of Christianity, plants and trees that remained green all year had a special meaning for people in the winter. Just as people today decorate their homes during the festive season with pine, spruce, and fir trees, ancient peoples hung evergreen boughs over their doors and windows. In many countries it was believed that evergreens would keep away witches, ghosts, evil spirits, and illness. In the Northern hemisphere, the shortest day and longest night of the year falls on December 21 or December 22 and is called the winter solstice. Many ancient people believed that the sun was a god and that winter came every year because the sun god had become sick and weak. They celebrated the solstice because it meant that at last the sun god would begin to get well. Evergreen boughs reminded them of all the green plants that would grow again when the sun god was strong and summer would return. During the Roman festival of Saturnalia, celebrants often decorated their ...

There are several colors which are traditionally associated with Christmas. The most common colors people uses are Red, Green and Gold. But why do we have them and what do the colors represent? Most the colors and their meanings come from the western/northern European traditions and customs, when Christmas is in the middle of winter and it's dark and cold. Green  is the symbol for nature, youth and the hope of eternal life. It is for this reason that Christmas is a feast of hope, with a newborn child as its central symbol. People observed that long after other plants have died during the winter, fir trees and holly bushes have remained evergreen. So they thought that something magical must be making these trees and bushes survive the harshest of winters. These plants were thus worshipped and feared at the same time. From then on, they have come to be associated with the mystery of life and green became the color of life. Evergreen plants, like Holly, Ivy and Mistletoe h...

Death be not proud, though some have called thee Mighty and dreadful, for, thou art not so, For, those, whom thou think’s, thou dost overthrow, Die not, poor death, nor yet canst thou kill me. From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures bee, Much pleasure, then from thee, much more must flow, And soonest our best men with thee doe go, Rest of their bones, and souls’ delivery. Thou art slave to Fate, Chance, kings, and desperate men, And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell, And poppies, or charms can make us sleep as well, And better then thy stroke; why swell’s thou then? One short sleep past, wee wake eternally, And death shall be no more; death, thou shalt die.   - John Donne Today, a crowd of about 5,000 visitors will gather in Arlington National Cemetery to pay their respects to the soldiers and other enlisted personnel who are buried here. Like Memorial Day itself, the origin of Arlington Cemetery dates back to the Civil War. A tragic side effect of ...

Some of the Popular Myths and Legends of Ireland The Harp of the Dagda This story concerns the most ancient Irish Celtic gods, the first generation of the Tuatha Dé Danaan who had to fight off the giant races of the Firbolgs and the Formorians. Their history is found in the  Lebor Gabála , ‘The Book of Invasions’. When the fairy race of the Tuatha Dé Danann arrived in Ireland, they came like a mist across the waters, bringing with them magical gifts. These were the  Lia fail  – the coronation stone, the spear of Lugh, the sword of Nuada, and the great cauldron of the Dagda, which was said to be able to restore life. The Dagda himself was known as the Good God and he was chief of the gods at this time. Besides his cauldron, he had a harp which was battle-scarred and made of oak. It was covered in rich decorations including a double-headed fish which ran up and down the curved pillar and had jewels for its eyes. Although he had a harper, Uaithne, he cou...