The Newest Country on Earth

Photo of Republic of Palau flag courtesy 123rf.com

The Republic of Palau became the newest country on Earth in 1994, when it declared its independence and became a republic in free association with the United States.  It is composed of six main islands and about 250 smaller islands located in the Pacific Ocean.  People first came to the islands about 3,000 years ago.  For more information click here and click here.  What did you learn today?

Lewis and Clark, and the Whale Skeleton

Photo of whale skeleton courtesy 123rf.com

On this day in 1806, Lewis and Clark discovered a skeleton of a 105 feet long blue whale that had washed up from the Pacific Ocean onto the banks of Ecola Creek in what is modern-day Cannon Beach, Oregon.  They discovered the Tillamook Indians nearby boiling the blubber, and purchased some blubber from them.  Clark named this creek Ecola Creek or E co-la, which means Whale Creek.  (All the links in this paragraph are relevant to the expedition.)  For more information, click here, and click here, and click here.

Meriwether Lewis is a very, very distant relative of mine, so I probably have a little greater than average interest in the expedition.  What events in history most interest you and why?