Main Page

Welcome to Infogalactic! Be sure to read our introduction before making your first edit.

Welcome to Infogalactic,

The Planetary Knowledge Core

• Arts
• Biography
• Geography
• History
• Mathematics
• Science
• Society
• Technology
• All portals

From today's featured article

Ottomans with Christian slaves, 1639 drawing.

Slavery in the Ottoman Empire was a legal and significant part of the Ottoman Empire's economy and society. The main sources of slaves were war captives and organized enslavement expeditions in North and East Africa, Eastern Europe, the Balkans and Circassia in the Caucasus. It has been reported that the selling price of slaves fell after large military operations. Enslavement of Caucasians was banned in the early 19th century, while slaves from other groups were allowed. In Constantinople (present-day Istanbul), the administrative and political center of the Empire, about a fifth of the population consisted of slaves in 1609.

Even after several measures to ban slavery in the late 19th century, the practice continued largely unabated into the early 20th century. As late as 1908, female slaves were still sold in the Ottoman Empire. Sexual slavery was a central part of the Ottoman slave system throughout the history of the institution. (Full article...)

Did you know...

• ... that Donald Trump was elected the 45th US President and defeated Hillary Clinton?
• ... that Jupiter is considered a Substellar object?
• ... that Ida Silverman logged over 600,000 air miles traveling the world, speaking and fund-raising for the creation of a Jewish state?
• ... that the Drudge Report had ten billion visits in the past year?
• ... that the President of the US, the Supreme Court and Congress are three significant branches of the US Government?
• ... that there were 31 ancient Egyptian dynasties?
• ... that Ian McDonald's 2015 science fiction novel Luna: New Moon has been called "Game of Thrones in space"?

In the news (from Infogalactic News)

• Trump Orders Russia Investigation Declassified
  Sunshine Is The Best Disinfectant
• Dems Go To Full Court Press On Kavanaugh
  Accuser Does Not Remember Key Details
• S. Korea's Moon Wants 'Heart-To-Heart' Summit With Kim
  

• NATO Chief Credits Trump For Allies Boosted Defense Spending
  $41 Billion Extra On Defense
• May's Brexit Deal In Doubt
  Warns Party Rebels Her Deal Or No Deal
• Muslim Doctor Rapist Gets Probation
  Convicted Of Raping Patient
• Others Sick Where Russian Spy Poisoned
  Could It Be Environmental?
  

On this day...

September 17

• 1793 – The Battle of Peyrestortes is fought.
• 1794 – The Battle of Sprimont is fought.
• 1859 – Joshua A. Norton declares himself "Norton I, Emperor of the United States."
• 1862 – American Civil War: George B. McClellan halts the northward drive of Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army in the single-day Battle of Antietam, the bloodiest day in American military history.
• 1901 – The Battle of Elands River is fought.
• 1924 – The Church of Central Africa Presbyterian is formed.
• 1932 – A speech by Laureano Gómez leads to the escalation of the Leticia Incident.

• More anniversaries:
  • September 16
  • September 17
  • September 18

September 18

• 1870 – Old Faithful Geyser is observed and named by Henry D. Washburn during the Washburn–Langford–Doane Expedition to Yellowstone.
• 1873 – Panic of 1873: The U.S. bank Jay Cooke & Company declares bankruptcy, triggering a series of bank failures.
• 1898 – Fashoda Incident: Lord Kitchener's ships reach Fashoda, Sudan.
• 1911 – Russian Premier Pyotr Stolypin is shot at the Kiev Opera House.
• 1914 – The Irish Home Rule Act becomes law, but is delayed until after World War I.
• 1931 – The Mukden Incident gives Japan the pretext to invade and occupy Manchuria.
• 1939 – World War II: Polish government of Ignacy Mościcki flees to Romania.

• More anniversaries:
  • September 17
  • September 18
  • September 19

• 1356 – Battle of Poitiers: An English army under the command of Edward, the Black Prince defeats a French army and captures the French king, John II.
• 1777 – American Revolutionary War: British forces win a tactically expensive victory over the Continental Army in the First Battle of Saratoga.
• 1863 – American Civil War: The first day of the Battle of Chickamauga, in northwestern Georgia, the bloodiest two-day battle of the conflict, and the only significant Confederate victory in the war's Western Theater.
• 1868 – Spanish revolution: La Gloriosa.
• 1972 – A parcel bomb sent to Israeli Embassy in London kills one diplomat.
• 1983 – Saint Kitts and Nevis gains its independence.
• 1991 – Ötzi the Iceman is discovered by German tourists.

• More anniversaries:
  • September 18
  • September 19
  • September 20

Today's featured picture

Pierre-Auguste Renoir, commonly known as Auguste Renoir (US /rɛnˈwɑːr/ or UK /ˈrɛnwɑːr/; French: [pjɛʁ oɡyst ʁənwaʁ]; 25 February 1841 – 3 December 1919), was a French artist who was a leading painter in the development of the Impressionist style. As a celebrator of beauty, and especially feminine sensuality, it has been said that "Renoir is the final representative of a tradition which runs directly from Rubens to Watteau."

He was the father of actor Pierre Renoir (1885–1952), filmmaker Jean Renoir (1894–1979) and ceramic artist Claude Renoir (1901–69). He was the grandfather of the filmmaker Claude Renoir (1913–1993), son of Pierre. (Full article...)

Other areas of Infogalactic

• Community portal – A hub including featured content, mottos of the day, and more
• Galactic boardroom – An area for general discussion with fellow Galaxians