1892 Borden Murders Lizzie Borden
Lizzie Borden took an axe
And gave her mother forty whacks.
When she saw what she had done,
She gave her Father forty- one
At one point or another, every schoolchild typically hears this small rhyme scheme, whether to accompany a hot-scotch match or as a joke towards the macabre. The Lizzie Borden case, however, was one of America's most famous trials – like the Salem Witch Trials, The Scopes ‘Monkey' Trial, and even O.J. Simpson. All of these become iconic, yet reflect somewhat of a mirror of society and American culture of the time. Looking at these trials, we can dissect some of the social mores and cultural trends of the time, learning much about society and the very real assumptions underlying the bias and dominant cultural schemes of the time. Of course, we have the trial transcripts – quite usually far less intriguing than the books, articles, and now movies about the subject. However, we also have the unconscious testimony – what is not said or what is said in certain ways that reflect the issues that are really in context (e.g. budding adolescents in a Puritanical society in Salem, etc.).
Ronald Reagan, the Fortieth President
Ronald Reagan, the fortieth President of the United States of America, was sworn into office on January 20, 1981 came to power in an era marked by recession and the Iran hostage crisis.