There is always much to learn from quotes and their historical significance. Read on for a collection of quotes and general history from September 8th – 14th.
September 8, 1504
“Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.”
– Michelangelo
On September 8, 1504, Michelangelo’s Statue of David was unveiled in the Piazza della Signoria of Florence, Italy. The statue was commissioned by the Florence Cathedral as part of a series of 12 large Old Testament sculptures for the Cathedral’s roof in 1464 and was started by sculptor Agostino di Duccio. However, Duccio and another sculptor, Antonio Rossellino, never got past the initial shaping of the legs, feet, and torso. Finally, after sitting dormant for many years, Michelangelo took up work on the statue on September 13, 1501, at the age of 26. Now on display in the Galleria dell’Accademia, Florence, Michelangelo’s David is considered one of his best works and a masterpiece of Renaissance sculpture!
September 9, 1886
“The copyright bargain: a balance between protection for the artist and rights for the consumer.”
– Robin Gross
The Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works was signed on September 9, 1886. The Berne Convention is an international agreement that introduced several aspects of modern copyright law. Most notably, the concept that copyright exists the moment a work is completed, rather than requiring registration, and that copyrights be recognized across international borders. Originally signed by 10 nations: Belgium, France, Germany, Haiti, Italy, Liberia, Spain, Switzerland, Tunisia, and the United Kingdom; 177 countries now abide by the Berne Convention. The United States didn’t join until 1988, due to the substantial changes required to remove registration and mandatory copyright notice from its copyright law.
September 10, 1977
“The guillotine was most effective and used until fairly recently.”
– Herbert Lom
On September 10, 1977, Hamida Djandoubi was executed by guillotine in Marseille, France. He was convicted of torture-murder, rape, and premeditated violence in the killing of Élisabeth Bousquet earlier that year. His execution was the last to be performed in Western Europe, with France abolishing capital punishment in 1981. Although six people remained on death row, their sentences were commuted to life imprisonment. With the first guillotine usage occurring in 1792, I was surprised to learn how recently it was still in use.
September 11, 2001
“Nothing will ever have the impact that 9/11 had on Boeing and on the world. It just changed things overnight.”
– Alan Mulally
On the morning of Tuesday, September 11, 2001, four coordinated terrorist attacks against the United States were carried out by the Islamic terrorist group al-Qaeda. Four passenger airplanes were hijacked and crashed into high profile targets. Two hit the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City and another hit the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia. The fourth targeted the White House/U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., but crashed in a field in Stonycreek Township near Shanksville, Pennsylvania when the passengers fought back against the hijackers. 9/11 is the single deadliest terrorist attack in human history, killing 2,996 people and injuring more than 6,000 others.
“Like all Americans, I will never forget where I was the morning of the 9/11 attacks.”
– Kirsten Gillibrand
I remember being at school that morning in 3rd grade, with teachers crying and parents coming to pick up their kids. My mom came and we went home early. Then, I just remember the news was on most of the day and my parents were on the phone a lot. Where were you on 9/11? Do you remember it vividly?
September 12, 1940
“I have always been fascinated by paleontology and prehistoric people, and I’ve always thought that one of the most intriguing moments in human history was the birth of artistic imagination. I always loved those cave paintings.”
– Kathryn Lasky
The Lascaux Cave Paintings were discovered on September 12, 1940, near Montignac, France. While out for a walk, 18-year-old Marcel Ravidat found the cave entrance when his dog, Robot, fell in a hole. Believing the cave might be a secret passage to the Lascaux Manor, Ravidat returned with three friends to explore the cave. Instead of a secret passage, they found more than 600 parietal wall paintings, estimated at around 17,000 years old! Many of the caverns and groups of paintings have since been given names such as the Hall of the Bulls, the Shaft, the Nave, and the Chamber of Felines. Lascaux was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.
“It’s productive and fun to try interpreting cave paintings, but ultimately, they can’t teach us anything beyond what we imagine them to be.” -Trevor Paglen
September 13, 1997
“We shall never know all the good that a simple smile can do.”
– Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa was laid to rest in a state funeral on September 13, 1997, in Calcutta, India, now Kolkata. She had died a week earlier on September 5th at the age of 87. Known for founding the Missionaries of Charity, a Roman Catholic religious congregation, she gave “wholehearted free service to the poorest of the poor.” Thousands gathered to mourn her passing and she was canonized as a saint in 2016. Although admired by many for her extensive charity work, she was not without criticism. Her stance against abortion and the poor conditions in her hospices remain the most controversial.
September 14, 1814
“I’ve always been really nationalistic, and I had a brother killed in Korea. And I think the ‘Star Spangled Banner,’ even today – and I’ve heard it a heckuva lot of times, OK – has always been a significant feeling to me.”
– Jerry West
The poem Defence of Fort M’Henry, now known as “The Star-Spangled Banner,” was written September 14, 1814, by Francis Scott Key. Key was inspired to write the poem after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry by British ships during the War of 1812. “The Star-Spangled Banner” was made the national anthem of the United States on March 3, 1931. Although the original poem has four stanzas, only the first is commonly sung today. Requiring a wide vocal range, it is known for being difficult to sing.
In case you missed last week’s quotes, see History September 1st – 7th.
To never miss a Quill Quotes post, please subscribe to our free Email Newsletter and follow us on Social Media.
Leave a Reply