Historian - by the DU History Society

HISTORIAN

DUBLIN UNIVERSITY HISTORY SOCIETY VOL. 6 ISSUE 1

A LETTER FROM THE AUDITOR

Returning friends and new faces, I would like to warmly welcome you to the 87th session of the Dublin University History Society- one of Trinity’s oldest and most engaging societies. Our committee is passionate about history, and we endeavour to organise events that present such a fascinating subject in innovative ways. Our events range from captivating speakers to pub quizzes to club nights, not forgetting our famed Reading Week trips at home and abroad or our decadent Apollo Ball. You will never miss an event with our weekly membership emails, in addition to our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!

Forget your preconceptions about history being a dusty subject about nothing but powerful men. DU History strives to adventure beyond the history of the classroom, allowing you to explore the unusual, the overlooked, and the fun elements of history. Our annual Herstory salon celebrates the role of women in world history while our club nights and Apollo Ball bring the past to life, transporting our members to ages gone by. We have hosted events in some of Dublin’s most beautiful and unusual venues including the Christ Church Crypt, The Little Museum of Dublin and the Freemasons’ Hall. If you are someone who enjoys quirky social events, riveting academic talks or something in between the two, then DU History is the perfect society for you.

Our weekly events are characterised by their open and inclusive environment. As a medium sized society, DU History is the ideal place to make new friends from every year and every course. There is no test of your historical knowledge to sign-up to our society (although our pub quizzes have been known to get a little intense). We are a society for students interested in history, not a society for just history students. I hope that when you join DU History this year, you too will have the brilliant experience and make lifelong friends the same way that thousands of students have had before you. The committee and I are really looking forward to getting to know you and we can’t wait to fill your year with amazing events and experiences.

I look forward to seeing you all soon!

Béibhinn Breathnach Auditor of the 87th session

THE SPANISH EXPEDITION

From a liberal constitution to the invasion of the 100.000 sons

18th century Europe had very clearly shown a renunciation from absolutism.

Many such attempts had been successful, but only temporary. The most prominent example might be France where the French Revolution marked the end of absolutism but the country soon saw itself transformed back into a monarchy by 1815 under the rule of Louis VIII. Spain had received its first liberconstitution in 1812. It had been created by the Cortes Generales and drew inspiration from the 1791 French Constitution. It limited the king’s power substantially. The Constitution of Cádiz had been in place until 1814 when Ferdinand VII, king of Spain returned from captivity in France and declared it null and void.

Over the next years the debt from the Peninsular War weighed heavy on the country.

Ferdinand VII had chosen an extremely anti-liberal course in his rule. The country experienced further strains because of the independence movements in its Latin American colonies. The economic problems that went hand in hand with the movements overseas resulted in a deep disagreement on how the problem should be approached. In the end this disagreement led to the military uprising in 1820. The military pronunciamiento directed against the king and absolutism was executed by the same people that were originally supposed to prevent Latin America’s independence.

The liberal movement was led by Major Rafael de Riego who reinstated the 1812 Constitution of Cádiz. Soon, Ferdinand VII saw no other way to avoid a possible revolution and he reluctantly accepted the Constitution of Cádiz on 7 March 1820. With French royalists pressuring for further invtervention Ferdinand VII accepted the Bourbon Monarchy linking him to the French royal dynasty.

In January 1823 a secret treaty was signed and Louis VIII sent a French army to invade Spain. This Spanish Expedition as it was called in France consisted of around sixty thousand soldiers. In Spain however, the the constitution, that had by then become a symbol against absolutist rule, thereby marked the beginning of the Liberal Triennium.

This liberal reign still instated Ferdinand as the head of state but more in a technical sense rather than the king possessing actual power.

Ferdinand VII who became increasinly desperate with the situation hoped to find support in the Vienna System, that had been a result of the Congress of Vienna. Klemens von Metternich, the Austrian statesman who had chaired the Congress of Vienna, feared the movement in Spain would spread to other countries as well and considered intervention. However, after his suspicions were not confirmed, he took on a course of indifference and stayed inactive. It was in 1820 that the Holy Alliance refused to help Ferdinand in his struggle to regain power, fight against the liberals and re-establish his monarchy.

At the same time the revolution in Spain had a heavy influence on the Latin American colonies. Spain was weakened and therefore soon lost its battles overseas, resulting in Mexico’s independence from Spain in 1821.

Back in Europe, the liberal regime was still ruling over Spain, a development that in 1822 finally raised enough concern among the other European monarchs to take measures. At the Congress of Verona, France was finally given a mandate by the Quintuple alliance to intervene. France played this role for several reasons. First of all, their geographical location close to Spain would mean they were immediately affected if the movement was to gain any more power. Secondly, family ties connected Ferdinand VII to his grandfather Henry IV of France. Both were part of the army became known as the Hundred Thousand Sons of Saint Louis. An end had been put to the Liberal Triennium, Ferdinand VII was reinstated as king and repealed the Constitution of Cádiz as well as all liberal laws despite having taken an oath that was supposed to prevent him from doing so. In the following years liberals were purged throughout the country but it did not stop liberalism from resurfacing over and over again.

JANINA KNORZER

MEET THE COMMITTEE Béibhinn Brethnach as Margret Thatcher

After a year of success as our secretary Béibhinn has soared to the top as auditor of DU History. Just like Mrs Thatcher Béibhinn has made a steady rise to the top based on her making the tough decisions. Perhaps more glamorous than the shoulder pads and perm of Mrs Thatcher but with not disimillar clipped elocution, Béibhinn will hope for a less controversial reign than her historical alias. If anything is for sure, it’s that she will certainly keep her cabinet on the straight and narrow for the 87th Session.

Ruairi Lafferty as Ronnie Biggs

Sharing a passion for the railway, Iarnród Eireann’s own Ruairí Lafferty and Great Train Robbery perpetrator Ronnie Biggs are an obvious match. Although Ruairí has never carried out a large-scale heist you can be sure that he always brings excitement and fiery personality to the society.

Previously serving as PRO Ruairí shares Biggs’ flair for publicity, keeping DU History members suitably steeped in period photographs of Dublin last year. The exiled Biggs featured on Sex Pistols records and lived beneath the Rio de Janeiro sun, so hopefully Ruairi can bring some of this glamour to the society this session (we remain sceptical).

Cathal Byrne as Pierre Curie

After his year in the spotlight as DU History’s Auditor, Cathal has graciously retired into the position of Treasurer. As the longest suffering member of the committee, this is Cathal’s fourth year serving DU History. Pierre’s Nobel Prize and Cathal’s auditorship are of course not to be sniffed at but both of them are probably as notable for their more prominent significant others. Holding tight to the society’s purse strings (and indeed its auditor) Cathal is tasked with balancing the books and aims to equal Pierre’s Nobel win with the Economics Prize for his services to the 87th Session.

Sarah-Kate Brown as Betsy Gray

Having battled off her opponents to win election Sarah-Kate is our newly crowned Public Relations Officer. Much like Betsy Gray, heroine of the 1798 rebellion these Northern girls share a passion for crosscommunity relations and... Dublin baristas. After three history filled years in Trinity, Sarah-Kate is ready to try her hand at something new and like Betsy is utterly fearless as she undertakes the task of designing tickets, cover photos and magazines for the society.

Aisling Lynch as Anne Boleyn

Whether it’s making tea in Room 9 or providing our members with the best reads, Aisling shall be the Queen of the Library. Like the real Anne Boleyn she is both English and Irish, getting this wrong could lead to you being on the chopping block - not to put you off her weekly library hours!

Leah Gaynor as Louise Brooks

Whether it’s organising amazing events as our new Social

Secretary or being involved in FashionSoc you can be sure of one thing; Leah will be wearing black. This look, donned by many throughout history is famed for its iconic sleek elegance something embodied by silent film actress Louise Brooks. Far from silent, Leah was the perfect fit for Social Sec. Her cool vibe and party presence mimics that of the flapper actress and has us anticipating glitz and glam for this years events. Don’t be fooled by her dark apparel Leah is happier than

ever to be a part of our society.

OF THE 87TH SESSION

Avery Smith as Marilyn Monroe

A newbie to the committee Avery is certainly no stranger to the

society or social media. With her infamous duck memes and fiendish approach to Facebook sharing she is sure to keep all followers updated and informed about society events. While the streets of Dublin may be less flashy than the Hollywood familiar to Monroe we are sure our Social Media Officer will have us picture perfect with her rocking sense of style and American twang.

James Conroy as Walt Disney

With their infectious smiles and questionable facial hair, James and Mr. Disney share a sense of wonder and a useful promotional streak. These traits should help James keep the smiles on the faces of all the fourth years while they battle through fourth year. Final year of college may not be the happiest place on earth, but James will try his best to make you feel like it is.

Caomihe McCannon-Burke as Saint Brigid

Although you might mistake committee new-comer Caoimhe as a Dublin-native she in fact hales from the wilds of County Kildare, the chosen home of Saint Brigid. Not questioning her Christian ethos, this year we are praying our saintly Third Year Rep will loyally serve both the committee and her fellow junior sophisters in keeping them well updated on all things history.

Terence Donovan as Michael Collins

Terence’s idol is the infamous Michael Collins. Sharing Munster roots, a love for Irish history and a predilection towards disguise Terence (or ‘Dave’) was keen to adopt a pseudonym early on. While not quite “the man on the bicycle”, ‘Dave’ managed to make a name for himself in the society as he successfully secured the position of Second Year Rep. He will aim to avoid the mistakes of his historical counterpart and prevent any civil war in the society this year, but really, surviving the session ambush free will be considered a success for Terence.

Shane Macken as W.B. Yeats

It’s not just his love of English that connects our second-year rep Shane Macken to W.B Yeats but these two boys love a bit of drama. Always able to tell you the latest news Shane is not unlike his idol Yeats who included the latest societal gossip in his parodies and plays.

Having served as the perfect first year rep last year we hope that Shane will continue to coax our second years into society events throughout the year.

Conall Callery as Casper David Freidrich

With his surprising knowledge of art and philosophy Conall Callery and landscape painter Casper David Friedrich share much more than their blonde locks and facial hair. A familiar face to the committee, Conall returns to DU History after a year in absence recovering from his previous role as Treasurer. Now in the no less prestigious role of OCM we look forward to Conall bringing his previous experience and wisdom to the committee.

SURPRISE! THE ADVANTAGE OF INITIATING WAR AND THE 1941-45 SOVIET GERMAN PACT The war on the Eastern front is a long and protracted one. It would be no exaggeration to say that the war was both lost and won in this extremely important theatre where the majority of the Second World War’s casualties occurred. This conflict aptly demonstrates an example of an initiator taking a long, protracted and gruelling campaign to be defeated, and one where the initial assault of the initiator, in this case the Third Reich, inflicted a huge amount of damage onto the target state (the Soviet Union) through a mixture of surprise and Army organisation.

Hitler and the OKW (German High Command) were arrogantly certain of a swift and total victory over the Soviet Union. Although many German Field Marshalls and Generals wrote after the war that they had always been against the invasion, a war with the USSR was popular among the officer class. Logistical officers were the only cadre to give any opposition to the extremely ambitious Russian invasion plans. They feared that after several months the Germans would exhaust their supply lines and would have to stop their advance to secure them, or risk overrunning their supply.

Although these concerns would turn out to be prophetic, they were ignored by the majority of optimistic German officers. This pervading optimism seemed to stem from Hitler himself, quipping famously that the Soviet Union only needed one kick and the whole rotten edifice would come tumbling down. The invasion plans reflected the Fuhrer’s bravado, which foresaw the defeat of the Soviet Union within a two month window. This plan aimed to avoid the notorious Russian winter through accomplishing the remarkable in an extremely tight window of opportunity. Despite that, the Germans fully expected the Russian campaign to go smoothly and according to plan. This sort of thinking was informed by the abysmal performance of the Red Army in Finland during the Winter War, and the disastrous Stalinist purges of the Red Army officer Corps.

The scale of the destruction caused by the German surprise attack on the Soviet Union on the 22 June 1941 is unparalleled in military history. The losses inflicted on the Red Army and Air Force in the opening weeks and months of the attack on the Soviet Union were categorically catastrophic,using any measurement. The Wehrmacht achieved utter strategic surprise on the 22 June 1941 Many Red Army units had been stationed on the frontier and found themselves encircled within hours of the initial invasion. 1,800 Soviet fighters and bombers were destroyed by the Luftwaffe on the first day alone, for only 35 German casualties among the Luftwaffe.

Within two weeks of the German attack, 747,850 men had been killed or captured by the Wehrmacht. This incredible military feat led many German Generals to believe that their earlier optimism was well grounded, and that in fact the war was already won. Stalin refused to believe for several days after the invasion that Hitler had dared betray the non-aggression pact.

In fact, Stalin was so shocked by the violence and the unexpectedness of the attack that he withdrew into his summer dacha for several days, falling into a deep depression. He was reported to have uttered ‘Everything is lost. I give up. Lenin founded this state and we’ve f***ed it up’.

When Stalin did eventually emerge from his dacha to lead the country, his emphasis on suicidal counter-attacks cost the Red Army hugely in terms of casualties and equipment, although it did go some way to putting the brakes on the German blitzkrieg through raw attrition. Hundreds of thousands of prisoners were taken in the huge encirclement battles fought in 1941, as the three Army Groups (North, Centre and South) of Hitler’s invasion advanced furiously along their axes of advance towards their objections deep within European Russia.

As Glantz notes, in the first six months of the campaign, the Wehrmacht advanced an astonishing 1,200 km along a 1,000km front, depriving the Soviet Union of 40% of its population, 35% of its production capacity and inflicted 4.5 million casualties on the Red Army (the size of the Red Army pre-war was 5 million) destroyed 20,500 tanks, 101,100 artillery pieces, 17,900 aircraft and 6,290,000 rifle weapons. These losses undoubtably lengthened the war considerably and allowed the Germans two more major offensives in the East (Fall Blau, 1942 and Fall Zitadelle, 1943) despite the German failure to take Moscow in the autumn and winter of 1941, and the substantial losses suffered by the Wehrmacht during the Soviet winter counterattack and exposure to the elements. The Luftwaffe had air superiority until the end of 1942 due to the huge losses sustained by the Red Air Force in 1941.

After Kursk, it was clear to many in the Wehrmacht that the war had been lost, but with that realisation came a feeling of hopelessness as it dawned that the end of the war was nowhere in sight. Although outnumbered almost everywhere along the front, the Wehrmacht continued to fight with a degree of professionalism, retaining their organisation and refusing to be totally overrun thanks to a continued dogged rear-guard action throughout 1943. The German efforts to fall back onto a series of defensive lines also helped to stall the inexorable advance of the Red Army. The steady German retreat back towards Germany proper only became a rout in the aftermath of Operation Bagration, which was launched on 23 June 1944. This was the first offensive of the war that cost the Red Army less casualties than it inflicted upon the Wehrmacht. The offensive did fatal damage to the German Army Group Centre and by its end the Red Army found its way into Germany proper open, with the operation bringing the Soviets to the banks of the Vistula . However, it was until late 1944 that the Soviets were able to enter German soil, with their first offensive into East Prussia.

This offensive ultimately failed, due to tougher Wehrmacht resistance than expected, and necessitated a second offensive in January 1945.

The path to Berlin was paved in blood. The fact that the Wehrmacht were so successful in 1941-42, gave them breathing space in 1943-44, and lengthened the war. As initiators, the territory conquered, and equipment destroyed in the initial invasion allowed the Germans to prolong the war and stave off defeat as long as possible.

CIAN COONEY MSc INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

MADRID

THE 86TH 2018-

There is no better way to spend a Reading Week in Trinity than with DU History. Yes, diving head first into Voltaire and Rosseau’s writings would have been hugely benficial.

I however spent my glorious midterm deciphering Spanish tapas menus and the karaoke sets in Madrid. Arriving in Madrid sleep deprived and hungry (my only two states of existence) I was enthralled at the concept of the walking tour. Our DELIGHFUL tour guide Rodrigo gave us a fantastic insight into Madrid history and all the amazing tips for the city. Afterwards, we strolled the scenic streets like depraved animals on the hunt of our lives…for a new profile picture. Day two brought a lot of sun and sightseeing. National parks, architectural feats, one of the biggest Primark’s in Europe, and Taco Bell. If you thought the day could get better than that you’re lying to yourself. On our last days we went to the Palacio Real de Madrid. As one of the landmarks of the Spanish monarchy’s history, the extreme wealth and beauty of the castle was definitively a highlight from the trip.

Flying to and from Europe with an amazing group of people is something I would do in a heartbeat. DU History trips give us the well-deserved break during the year and chance to get to know even more fantastic friends along the way. All in all, I can say that this trip was the best part of my first year in college.

SHANE MACKEN SENIOR FRESH

APOLLO BALL; NIGHT AT THE (LITTLE) MUSEUM

On the 26th of March, 2019, the university’s historians descended upon the aptly named ‘Little Museum of Dublin’ to attend the DU History hosted ‘Apollo Ball’, which promised to be an embodiment of Apollonian & Dionysian philosophies. The attendees donned in their nœud papillons and finest ball gowns prepared to rival the Greek Deities and enjoy an evening of opulence and debauchary reminiscent of La Belle Epoque. Initially distraught upon learning I would not be served the rumoured sit-down, threecourse meal, my woes were eased when I was greeted by a seemingly perpetual serving of canapés.

CONOR MCNALLY SENIOR FRESH

SESSION -2019 FALL OF THE (BERLIN) WALL

Almost thirty years after the fall of the Soviet Union, the political juxtaposition of East and West Berlin returned.

Whoever would have thought that Tramline of all places would be the scene of the breaking of the oppressive chains of communism, as with the fall of the wall, freedom, happiness and enlightenment was brought to the grimy and depraved Eastern section of Berlin. The Fall of the Wall, was, as events go, “a resounding success”, at least according to those students who were looking for any excuse to avoid doing their weekly assignments, although for the sake of their academic integrity, I won’t name names. For seven euro, or five euro, for anyone who was smart and got the early birds, attendance to this historical re-enactment was an out and out bargain.

Accompanied by a personality test, those in attendance found themselves assigned to either East or West Berlin, based on their political opinions on important issues, such as JFK vs Stalin, House music vs Techno. To nobody’s surprise, most people were assigned to the west section, and if you ask me, those who were assigned to East Berlin, were definitely held there against their will. Credit has to be given to the Trinity visual arts society, who has always played a big part in setting the scene, who seemingly, just like the USSR in 1961, had built the wall overnight. The wall itself divided Tramline in two, at least until midnight. Being an observer as opposed to an activist, I myself did not get the opportunity to “tear down this wall”, much to the disappointment of former President Reagan. However, as I was later told by East Berliner, T. Inglis “I was just standing about having a good time, when all of a sudden a white brick hit me in the back of the head and a load of westies stormed in.” Clearly some on the east were less eager to be liberated from the grips of communism, and re-join capitalist democracy. For some the Fall of the Wall at 00:00 on November 22nd 2018 would be the peak of their involvement in DU History. However, for many, myself included, the riveting historical discussions, as well as the fun that they had, would cause them to get further involved in the society.

B.C. HUTCHINSON SENIOR FRESH

CALLING ALL FIRST YEARS!

Are you a History student? Want to be part of this coming year of events? We are recruiting two First Year Representatives to complete our committee keep an eye on our emails and social media for details.

THE TRIANGLE SHIRTWAIST FACTORY FIRE On November 22, 1909, Clara Lemlich, a Jewish garment maker, called on her fellow factory workers to go on strike due to their poor working conditions and wages. Known as the Uprising of 20,000, it was sparked by a walkout of workers at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. Within two days, 20,000 workers in the garment industry joined the strike, which lasted fourteen weeks, ending in February of 1910. As a

result of the strike, workers’ wages, factory conditions, and working hours were improved. However, some factories, such as the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory refused these terms. This refusal would result in one of the most fatal industrial tragedies in U.S. history.

The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, located in Manhattan, New York, produced women’s blouses through immigrant labour, most of their workers being young Italian and Jewish women. However, a year after Lemlich’s strike ended, 146 of those immigrant workers would be killed and another seventy-eight injurd.

The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, owned by Max Blanck and Isaac Harris, occupied the eighth, ninth, and tenth floors of the Asch Building and employed an estimated 500 women, who earned fifteen dollars per week. These women were most likely the main providers for their families.

At 4:40 p.m., on 25 March 1911, at the end of a lit match or cigarette was dropped into a bin containing clothing scraps on the eighth floor. The scraps ignited and the fire spread outside of the bin to the floor, which was also covered in fabric scraps, and to garments hanging above the work tables. The workers on the eighth and tenth floor were notified, but the ninth floor lacked a fire alarm or a telephone that could be used to alert the workers.

the

work

day,

The ninth floor had several exits, but almost all of them were unusable at the time of the fire. One stairway was blocked by flames, while the door to another had been locked to prevent theft by the workers. Some workers managed to escape by taking a stairway up to the roof, while others survived by packing themselves into freight elevators while they remained usable.

While some workers were able to escape using these exits, the stairway and elevators quickly became inoperative. The stairway leading to the roof was quickly overrun by flames, while the elevator rails buckled under the heat of the fire. Desperate to escape, the workers crowded a fire escape, which collapsed due to heat and the weight of the workers, sending twenty workers to their deaths. After the elevator rails bowed, some workers jumped into the empty elevator shaft, which resulted in more deaths.

Without a viable escape, many workers decided to jump from the building to the street below. William G. Shepard, a reporter at the scene, recalled that, ‘on the sidewalk lay heaps of broken bodies […] there were at least fifty bodies on the seventh floor […] more girls had jumped down an air shaft.’ By the end of the fire, an estimated sixty people had plummeted to their deaths.

By the time the fire department arrived, victims had already begun to jump from the building, making it difficult for the firefighters to position ladders against it. The fire department attempted to hang fire nets to catch any falling victims, but the nets proved to be ineffective. On top of the falling bodies and useless fire nets, it was also discovered that the ladders were too short to reach the factory, rendering the fire department inefficient.

By the end of the fire, 146 workers, aged fourteen to forty-three, had died, either due to inhaling smoke, burns, or jumping to their deaths. However, this tragedy resulted in reforms that the Uprising of 20,000 could not secure.

Within the years following the fire, the State of New York passed thirty-six labour laws, some regulating safety, such as the Sullivan-Hoey Fire Prevention Law, and others protecting the rights of child labourers. The tragedy also led to the issue of worker’s rights becoming more politicised.

The International Ladies Garment Workers Union (ILGWU) became increasingly active in electoral politics, while an eyewitness, Frances Perkins, would later become the U.S. Secretary of Labour from 1933 to 1945. Though the fire resulted in a tragic loss of life, it sparked the Progressive Movement within the United States, which created lasting reforms that shaped the American labour force and helped empower America’s disenfranchised groups throughdevelopment in labour laws and unionisation.

KATIE SEWELL JUNIOR SOPHISTER

A BRIEF HISTORY OF TIME

BY STEPHEN HAWKING BY LIBBY PHILLIPS

A Brief History of Time ​by Stephen Hawking by Libby Phillips Earth has been around for 4.543 billion years, so let me make this brief. It began with bang, boom, pop. Or maybe it was clash, pow, rumble. It may have been completely silent: birthed in the thoughts of forgotten gods or woken by the light of an omnipresent goddess. Was the Earth woven out of stars by the All-Seeing or was it invented by science I just don’t understand? Whatever celestial laws determined the universe, they are ones the Dublin Luas does not abide by.

Running late for your around lecture again? thatbillion essay wasyears, due at 11:00 Don’t worry, this there’s brief. an easy It Earth has been for Forgot 4.543 so today? let me make solution:with just remind professor time human construct because we can never truly exbegan bang,your boom, pop.

Oris amaybe it was and clash, pow, rumble.

It know may the have act hour, lateness doesn’t exist!

The 24-hour day we have now only came about roughly 3.5 million years ago. been completely silent: birthed in the thoughts of forgotten gods or woken by the light an omnipresent thetheEarth out of stars the As the moonofcontinues to move farthergoddess. away from Was the Earth days getwoven longer and longer, so in theby ProteAll-Seeing or was it invented by science I just don’t understand?

Whatever rozoic era one day only lasted 18.68 hours. Even now the days are slowly getting longer. The gravitational tug celestial laws determined universe, they ones the Dublin not abide by. of the moon, along with its dragthe on the ocean, slows theare Earth’s rotation by aboutLuas 1.78 does milliseconds each century. That means you have only slightly less than one second more to study every day than the first students at Running late for your lecture again? Forgot that essay was due at 11:00 today? Don’t Trinity did! Make the most of it. worry, there’s an easy solution: just remind your professor time is a human construct The first time we tried to define a day, we did it wrong. The Julian calendar system miscalculated the length of and because we can never truly know the exact hour, lateness doesn’t exist! The the solar year 11 have minutes.

Imagine down Dawson street missingyears your deadline 11 min24-hour dayby we now onlyrunning came about roughly 3.5and million ago. Asbythe moon utes.

Not fun.

The Gregorian calendar aimed to fix this by recalculating the year to be more in line with theso continues to move farther away from the Earth the days get longer and longer, seasons. However, hadlasted alternative motivations: change the the date of Easter.

This secret incurrent the Proterozoic eraPope oneGregory day only 18.68 hours. to Even now days are slowly Catholic plot drove Protestants to refuse to adhere to the new calendar.

Suddenly, countries across Europe getting longer. The gravitational tug of the moon, along with its drag on were operating different the timelines.

Yet, the Gregorian isn’t perfect either:milliseconds by 4909 it will be each a full the ocean, onslows Earth’s rotation calendar by about 1.78 century.

That means you have only slightly less than one second more to day ahead of the solar year. So some day in the future we will once again have to reset time. study day than first still students at aTrinity Make the most of it.

With allevery the discrepancies, whythe do humans try to define second, a did! minute, a day, or a year?

The earliest known calendar is in Aberdeenshire. It’s a series of pits to represent the phases of the moon and follow the The first wehelping triedpeople to define a day, we did migrations it wrong.soThe lunar cycle,time thereby track and predict animal that Julian they cancalendar better hunt.system Later miscalculated the length of the solar year by 11 minutes. Imagine running down on, the Antikythera mechanism tracked planetary movements so the Greeks could properly time rituals and Dawson street and missing your deadline by 11 minutes. Not fun. The Gregorian cal events like the Olympics. We track the days so we can better plan for the future. Yet, in Stephen Hawking’s ​ endar aimed to fix this by recalculating the year to be more in line with the current seasons.

A Brief History of Time​ he says, “Thealternative increase of disorder or entropy to is what distinguishes the past the However, Pope Gregory had motivations: change the date of from Easter. future, giving Catholic a directionplot to time. ” This secret drove Protestants to refuse to adhere to the new calendar.

The world is slowly sliding into chaos.

The days are getting longer, yet running timelines. out of years. Relabeling Suddenly, countries across Europe were operating onwe’re different Yet, the the numberscalendar on our clock-faces stop the inevitable. you can: your day essaysahead in on time Gregorian isn’t won’t perfect either:

by Control 4909 what it will be turn a full of and solar recycle year. your plastics.

Neither yourinprofessor nor thewe universe wait again for you. have to reset time. the So some day the future willwill once With all the discrepancies, why do humans still try to define a second, a minute, a day, or a year? The earliest known calendar is in Aberdeenshire. It’s a series of pits to represent the phases of the moon and follow the lunar cycle, thereby helping people track and predict animal migrations so that they can better hunt. Later on, the Antikythera mechanism tracked planetary movements so the Greeks could properly time rituals and events like the Olympics. We track the days so we can better plan for the future. Yet, in Stephen Hawking’s ​A Brief History of Time​he says, “The increase of disorder or entropy is what distinguishes the past from the future, giving a direction to time.”

The world is slowly sliding into chaos. The days are getting longer, yet we’re running out of years. Relabeling the numbers on our clock-faces won’t stop the inevitable. Control what you can: turn your essays in on time and recycle your plastics. Neither your professor nor the universe will wait for you.

Find DU History on

history@csc.tcd.ie

LIBBY PHILLIPS SENIOR FRESH