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May 19 – Anniversary of a Dark Day

nPostednon May 19, 2014

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nMayn19, 1780.

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nSomenwere sure that the day of judgment was at hand.

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nAfternall, it’s weird for complete darkness to fall at 10:30 in thenmorning. The chickens went to roost, frogs began to croak and birdsnbegan to sing their evening songs, cows walked back to the barn. n

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nThisndarkness was in Eastern Canada and New England, in the U.S. It lastednfrom mid-morning until the middle of the next night.

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nAndnnobody knew what had caused the darkness.

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nManynwere sore afraid, and they gathered together in unplanned religiousnservices.

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nThosenwho were more science-minded pointed out that there were some signsnthat fires raged somewhere. After all, for several days before thenMay 19, the sun and moon had appeared reddish, and the sky yellowish,nas if there were lots of particles in the air. Also, some hadnobserved soot collecting in rivers and rain water.

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nButnthose who were sure that the apocalypse was occurring pointed outnthat the Bible verses foretold a red moon as well as a greatndarkness.

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nDiscussionsnbroke out between people who wished to stop their daily activitiesnand wait for the end of the world and those who wished to Keep Calmnand Carry On. 

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nSome Connecticut legislators called for adjournment onnaccount of it clearly being The End. But legislator Abraham Davenportnsaid:

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nI am against adjournment. The day of judgment is either approaching, or it is not. If it is not, there is no cause for an adjournment; if it is, I choose to be found doing my duty. I wish therefore that candles may be brought.

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nGood man! I wish some of our legislators today were as committed as Davenport about doing their jobs!

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nYou’dnthink that New Englanders would be used to dark, gloomy days; in somenareas of New England, rain was falling on the morning of May 19…sonthere were clearly clouds in the sky. However, I guess this darknessnwas much more complete than daytime storm clouds, even. Modernnscientists are pretty sure that the famous Dark Day of 1780 wasncaused by a combination of those heavy clouds and thick smoke fromnwildfires. They have discovered fire scars from the right time periodnin what is today the forests of Algonquin Provincial Park, in Canada.

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nNextntime you face some extraordinary event such as a solar eclipse,ntornado, wildfire, or earthquake, be sure to notice how thankful younare that we have so many ways of getting information andncommunicating with others near and far. It must’ve been a far morenfearful world, back in the day! n

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nAlsonon this date:

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May Ray Day
 

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nHolidaynof Poetry in Turkmenistan 

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nBirthdaynof the Ringling Brothers Circus

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nMalcolmnX Day

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nPlannahead:

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Checknout my Pinterest boards for:

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  • nMayn holidays 

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  • nMayn birthdays 

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  • nHistoricaln anniversaries in May

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nAndnhere are my Pinterest boards for:

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  • nJunen holidays

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  • nJunen birthdays

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  • nHistoricaln anniversaries in June

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