Eyewitness to History

[Tal]

In the news this morning they were talking about a poll of what event people would want to witness if they could go back in time. Astonishingly enough almost 30% responded that they would like to see the last supper. This got me to thinking and I decided I would ask the question here:

If you could go back in time and witness a single historic event, what would it be?

For me it would be to witness the Constitution's victory over the Guerriere - the action that set the US on the path of being a world naval power.

:)

[Ace 777]

I can understand wanting to go back and see the Last Supper. Witnessing that event would affirm what Christians believe in.

For me, I'd like to witness Jacques DeMolay being burned at the stake by King Philip the Fair of France in March of 1314. Jacques DeMolay was the last Grand Master of the Knights Templar. The Knights Templar were an influential group of Knights during the Crusades. They were persecuted unjustly by King Philip and the Roman Catholic Church.

I guess you can say that the Knights Templar and other knightly orders of that time were the basis of what we know as "Paladins" or Holy Knights.

If you are interested, you can follow this link for more information:

http://www.demolay.org/history/people/demolay/

:)

[[wcip]Angel]

Creation (if one would consider this a historic event.)

Hmm. I think some (or most) historians define "history" as the time period between the first written words and the recent past. (A rather loose definition, if you ask me.) Everything before that is pre-historic. Achknowledging this definition, "my" event would not qualify.

As a result, I don't really know which historic event I'd like to have seen. Perhaps the fall of the Soviet Union after The Cold War. Perhaps the colonisation of America on Plymouth Rock. I'm uncertain.

[Occhidiangela]

My second desired event to see would be watching Hitler take the poison, or whatever he and Eva did, to make sure it really happened. :)

[Rhydderch Hael]

The U.S.'s first steps to becoming a world power did not start with Constitution vs Guerriere, it started with the very laying of the keels for the first three frigates. The very reason the US Navy was instituted was to protect American interests far overseas. Not some coastal defense force. Not some Atlantic patrol force. The Navy was created in 1797 for the express purpose of getting over into North Africa and engaging the pirates of the Barbary States. To stroll over to a foreign shore and kick somebody's butt.

[[wcip]Angel]

Ooh! I have another one! To be in the book repository (or is it 'depository?) in Dallas the day JFK was shot.

edit: I checked the dictionary, and both words are acceptable. What's the word for the pill you stick up a sick pasient's rectum?

[Nicodemus Phaulkon]

"Suppository" is what you're referring to. Thinking of "depository" in that context puts an entirely different spin on the situation, I must say.

[Nicodemus Phaulkon]

I can understand wanting to go back and see the Last Supper. Witnessing that event would affirm what Christians believe in.

Show me the Resurrection, then we'll talk about beliefs.

[Tal]

It was with the defeat of the Guerriere that the American Navy demonstrated that it could stroll over to a foreign shore and kick somebody's butt. Prior to that it was very much an academic question. Based in part on the Baltimore clipper design, the first frigates were designed to be fast, agile and could pack a punch. But this was all theoretical until the Constitution proved that it could take on a comparable ship of the tradition steeped British Navy and win. This wasn't an engagement against pirates of Tripoli (who were formidable but certainly not a world naval power), it was a decisive victory against the foremost Naval power on the Oceans.

[ShadowHM]

If I were trying to choose a military event, it would surely be the battle at Leignitz in April 1241. An alliance of Germans, Poles and Teutons under the command of Duke Henry II of Silesia formed a united White army and desperately tried to stem the advance of the Mongols, under the command of one Kaidu, a great-grandson of Genghis Khan.

It was a debacle, of course. But the clash of two very different styles of combat and army structure would be an interesting spectacle indeed.

A summary can be found here: http://historymedren.about.combrary/prm...golinvasion.htm

However, for a real spectacle, I would choose (from the safety of my time capsule, of course) to witness the explosion of Krakatoa, in 1883. :rolleyes: I always was partial to fireworks displays. A close runner-up would be the eruption of Tambora in Sumbawa, Indonesia, in 1815.

For human interest, I would choose the initial meeting between Walsh of the newly formed North West Mounted Police and the Sioux in November 1876. Walsh must have had balls of brass. He rode into a camp of 2000 people with 12 officers and delivered a lecture on how he expected them to behave while in Canada. I grant you, these were refugees. But he did not know that as he prepared to meet them, and their fierce reputation preceded them. The legendary stature of the Mounties came from encounters like this one, and I would love to see it.

[Chaerophon]

I'll second that :)

[Chaerophon]

Well, I'd have to say that it would be a tight race between the Resurrection and the death of Socrates. Hearing The Apology in person would certainly mark me for life (I'd have to learn classical Greek first :) ). Of course, I would presume that to observe a resurrected Christ (if that was, indeed, the case) would largely convert most anyone on this board and would certainly do the trick for me. In fact, any miracle would most likely do.

[kandrathe]

I think it would have been interesting and particularly morbid to have seen any of the "heroic" battles, navel or land. The battle of Trafalgar with Nelson, or the 13th Light Dragoons in the Charge of the Light Brigade before the Russian guns at the Battle of Balaclava during the Crimean War. My ancestry is Scandinavian, mostly from the Gothenburg area of Sweden, so I have an interest in Ostrogoth conquests of northern Europe.

In a less morbid vein, to be present at the signing of the American Declaration of Independance, or to have seen the unspoiled virgin forests and wild plains of North America teaming with vast herds of Bison. Or, to have been with Lewis and Clark, in their travels down the Colorado river and to have been one of the first European explorers to have seen the Grand Canyon. I get a little taste of that when I go to South and Central American rainforests or SCUBA dive in some of the remote pristine reef areas around the world. It always feels like I'm one of the first persons to have seen it.

But in terms on any one persons impact on history, it probably was Jesus of Nazarath. I guess it would have been cool to have met him, and watched those events unfold.

[TaMeOlta]

I would like to have been present for when they set that last boulder in place , then observed as they opened that gateway to ..... Tristram ? ;)

I would like to observe any event that would lay to rest any of the mysteries that have been floating around from decades to centuries or even millenia old . The dissappearance of the settlement at Roanoke Island , witness to the JFK assasination (as well) , where did flight 19 end up at (any witness to Bermuda Triangle oddities) , the completion of the original Sphinx , the Roswell incident , .... geesh , I know theres many more , but you get the idea ! :D

[pakman]

For me would probably be the building of the great pyramid or the Greek democratic process. Both events were highly influential on their respective cultures.

[Refrigerator]

TaMeOlta, got some good ones there! Roswell would be interesting.

I think seeing the Spartans fight their historic fight against... who was it? Whoever. I think that would be amazing.

Incredibly outnumbered, still managed to hold out for that long... amazing.

Greetings,
Refrigerator

[MongoJerry]

Or, to have been with Lewis and Clark, in their travels down the Colorado river

Yeah, that would've been great to see. Although, they followed the Missouri and Columbia rivers -- not the Colorado River. The Spanish wouldn't have been too keen on them going down the Colorado river which runs through the Grand Canyon down to Baja California.

Religiously, seeing the resurrection would be great. Also, witnessing the giving of the 10 Commandments or the taking of Elijah up to heaven would be cool, too.

Militarily, I can think of a lot of the campaigns of Julius Caesar I'd love to see. Talk about someone who had an impact on history. Also, perhaps the St. Crispin's day battle of Henry V would be impressive to see.

[Occhidiangela]

Thermopylae. Read Pressfield's book "Gates of Fire" for an interesting fictional rendering of the battle. He brings it to life.

[Rhydderch Hael]

But on that grace, that was the final step in establishing the USN as a naval power— the ultimate proving of its military prowress against a world-class navy. The first step was literally that first mission: the Barbary Wars.

[Tal]

*concedes the point* I can see where you're coming from, don't agree with it, but I do see your point. :)

Did you study US Naval history in school? I was most impressed with your discussion of the innovative designs of the first frigates in Occhi's protest thread of the new carrier's name.

Regards,
Tal