Knowledge in context, August 24, 2020

Washington Is Burning

On August 24, 1814, a British army under Gen. Robert Ross captured the U.S. capital and torched public buildings.
The White House
Flames from the burning executive mansion were visible in the night sky from as far away as Baltimore.
The U.S. Capitol
The south wing of the Capitol (containing the chamber of the U.S. House of Representatives) had only been completed in 1807; a sudden, intense thunderstorm doused the fire that could have consumed the building.
FIRE!
The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 is perhaps the most famous conflagration in U.S. history. Read this contemporary account of the event from Encyclopædia Britannica’s 9th Edition (1878).
Did Nero really fiddle as Rome burned?
Honestly, it depends on your definition of “fiddle.”
Why do flames have different colors?
Enjoy a quick video lesson on the behavior of fire.

The Destructive Eruption of Vesuvius

Around mid-day on August 24, 79 CE, a large cloud rose over Mt. Vesuvius. Within hours, ash and volcanic debris began pouring down on nearby towns. Overnight several pyroclastic surges buried Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Boscoreale so thoroughly that their locations were forgotten within years. Ruins were discovered in the 16th century, and excavations began in the mid-18th century. Archaeologists uncovered evidence of daily life in first-century Rome: bread left baking in ovens, private homes decorated with wall paintings and mosaics, and the remains of humans, some of whom attempted to flee the cataclysm.
The Active Volcano That Rises Above the Bay of Naples
article / Geography & Travel
© Peter Klagyivik/Fotolia
One of the Most Famous of the Destroyed Cities
article / Geography & Travel
Photo.com/Thinkstock
What is the Highest Active Volcano in Europe?
Quiz / Geography & Travel
© Vershinin-M/iStock.com

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