Throughout this project, I realized that I can very detail-oriented. I found out that the reason my posts take hours, is because I research very thoroughly, finding as many good resources as I can. This has been a positive and a negative factor for me. It is positive in the sense that my posts are as accurate as they could possibly be, given the current information and data on the topics. However, the negative part is that as I have repeatedly mentioned, this project became very time consuming. As such, as I much as I enjoyed doing it, I found myself being overwhelmed and frustrated with the amount of work to be done.
For the next steps, I need to think of how I can incorporate this project, as well as other pedagogical methods that we have been learning about, in my own classroom. It is easier with some of the methods, than the others. I have been able to come up of with some possible ways I could do a Genius Hour Project in a science classroom. For example, I could give them topics related to the unit we are studying, and ask them to come up with their own Genius Hour project. Overall, I think I will be able to implement some of these strategies in a fun and creative way to learn sciences and biology.
Lastly, I am going to leave these GIFs today:
via GIPHY
via GIPHY
Thursday, February 14, 2019
The Oak Island Money Pit Mystery
Hey, everybody! Thanks for coming back for another treasure hunt adventure!
In today's post, we will be looking at the Oak Island Money Pit treasure. This one is a bit more exciting for me as it hits close to home (I live in Ontario, Canada). Also, this story has it all: Pirates, lost treasure, booby traps, mystery, and even death. So fasten your seatbelts and let's travel to East Canada on a fascinating adventure!
In today's post, we will be looking at the Oak Island Money Pit treasure. This one is a bit more exciting for me as it hits close to home (I live in Ontario, Canada). Also, this story has it all: Pirates, lost treasure, booby traps, mystery, and even death. So fasten your seatbelts and let's travel to East Canada on a fascinating adventure!
Where Exactly is the Oak Island?
The Oak Island is just off of the shore of Nova Scotia. It is one of the 300 islands in the Mahone Bay.
(Obtained from Google Maps)
(Location of Oak Island, Nova Scotia, Canada. Retrieved from: https://www.oakislandmoneypit.com/#story)
When Did It Begin?
It all began in the summer of 1795, when a teenager named Daniel McGinnis thought he saw lights on the shore of the island from his house. He went on to investigate the lights on the island and came upon a circular hole in the ground, in an area where the trees were removed. He returned with two of his friends, John Smith and Anthony Vaughan, and started digging the hole. As they dug, the boys saw planks, as well as marks on the clay walls every 10 feet, which made them believe that the hole was man-made.
It is well-known history of the Nova Scotia that pirates used to frequent the islands of the Mahone Bay to restock and repair their vessels, and perhaps hide their treasure. In fact, upon his capture, the infamous Captain William Kidd, a notorious pirate, admitted to burying his treasure in the area. Although some believe it was a dying crew member who made such statements. Regardless, the fact that the pirates were frequently in the area in 1600s remains valid and agreed upon by the historians.
(Aerial shot showing the location of the Money Pit on Oak Island, NS. Causeway connecting it to the mainland was constructed in 1965.Retrieved from: https://www.oakislandmoneypit.com/#story)
Despite finding many hollow spaces covered by planks or stones, the boys kept digging in the hopes of finding the pirate treasure. However, despite putting many hours of labour into this, the boys ultimately did not find anything buried.
So, What is All the Hype About?
Despite the fruitless attempts of the teenage boys, the stories of this find circulate and soon others began to be interested. It is also said that even one of the boys, John Smith, purchased the land around the hole. Later in 1803, a group called "Onslow Company" was established with the sole purpose of finding treasure.
The team began excavating the site, and dug around 50 feet, finding timbres with different marks as they went along. At the 60-foot depth, the crew found coconut fibers. This was significant because for one, coconut was not native to Canada, and for another, coconut fibers were used to secure and protect valuable cargo.
It was not until 30 feet deeper, at 90 feet, that the men discovered a peculiar stone. This stone was very valuable because it had strange symbols and characters inscribed on it.
(Replica of a stone found at 90 feet in the money pit.
Retrieved from: https://www.oakislandmoneypit.com/#story)
Unfortunately, the day after this discovery, the crew went back to the site only to find that it had been filled with water. Many attempts at draining and digging another hole proved useless, as the water flooded back in again. It was assumed that the reason behind flooding was clever water traps designed to hinder any attempt at getting to the treasure. The Onslow Company had no choice but to abort its mission.
No one resumed the attempts to find treasure, until 1849 when Anthony Vaughan, one of the original teenagers who dug the hole, founded the "Truro Company" to resume the treasure hunting. The new company used auger, a drilling device, for the excavation and was much more successful than its predecessors. In one of the early excavations, the auger brought up small links of gold chain.
However, soon after the exciting treasure discovery, the Truro company also faced the same flooding issue as the Onslow compnay. This time, the crew discovered that the water was salty and moved with the ocean tides. By noticing these facts, the men were able to find artificial flood traps in the southern parts of the island which proved to be man-made. But, much to the disappointment of the company, the discovery of the water traps did not help in solving the flooding issues, and the company was forced to yet again abandon the excavation and disband.
Meanwhile, it was not until the 1860s when a University of Dalhousie Professor, James Leitchi, claimed to have translated the symbols using Edgar Allen Poe's "The Gold Bug". According to him, the message on the stone read: "40 feet below, 2 million pounds are buried".
With this new discovery, another group of treasure hunters called the "Oak Island Association" was formed. Again, the group faced the same flooding challenge, but this time, they found small valuable debris floating in the water. This prompted them to keep working the pit. However, during the attempt to drain the pit, a boiler exploded, killing one person and injuring several others. Despite this tragedy, the company continued its efforts for another 4 years, before having to give up.
The next group of people called the "Oak Island Treasure Company" resumed the search for treasure. They, too, only faced obstacles and yet another fatal incident when an ascension rope carrying a crew member up, slipped and the man fell to his death. At this point, rumours began circulating that the treasure was cursed. Despite the setbacks, the company continued its efforts and eventually dug deeper to find more valuable debris. This time, it was a piece of parchment paper with the letter "VI" written on the corner.
(Retrieved from: https://www.oakislandmoneypit.com/#story)
Fast Forward from 1900s to the Current Time
Throughout the 20th century, many more treasure hunters set to break the "curse" of the Oak Island and find its treasure. Amongst them, the most notable are:
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who eventually became the United States President, became interested in the treasure of the Oak Island at 27. It is said that even after he became the President, he wanted to go back to the Money Pit, but never got a chance.
- William Chappell; during his short excavation he found significant mining items.
- Gilbert Hedden; the Vice President and General Manager of Hedden Iron Construction Company, he was more resourceful than his predecessors. His team found some miner's oil lamps, unexploded dynamite, and clay putty.
- The Restall Family; Robert Restall (head of the family), his son, and 2 of their workers died from inhaling toxic fumes coming out of the tunnels.
- Rober Dunfield; this Geologist and his team were able to earth some shards of porcelain, an empty chamber, and a bedrock.
- The Triton Alliance; they found pieces of brass, porcelain and metals. They also found remnants of ancient dam and discovered a pair of wrought-iron scissors, a wooden sled, a portion of an iron ruler and other iron artifacts including nails and spikes. These materials were determined to predate 1790. Eventually, due to legal battles and the volatility of the stock market in 1987, the activities halted.
As of 2010, the government of Canada has established the Oak Island Treasure Act, according to which anyone who wants to exploit the island's natural resources would need to do licensing process with the Department of Natural Resources and would be heavily taxed on any findings. This has discouraged many potential treasure hunters.
Conclusion
Although there have been some promising remnants of a would-be treasure, no one has found anything concrete. In fact, there are many theories as to where this supposed treasure would have come from. Some believe that it belongs to Captain Kidd, while other speculate that William Shakespeare's, or rather Sir Francis Bacon's works may be hidden underneath the tunnels.
There are also many books and even a TV series dedicated to the Oak Island's mystery. Perhaps there is more to the story, however, today the Money Pit is only a tourist attraction shrouded in mystery.
References
Ashley Morgan. ND. Oak Island Money Pit. Retrieved from:
Atimina. ND. Oak Island Money Pit. Retrieved from: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/oak-island-money-pit
The Museum of Unnatural Mystery. ND. The Mystery Pit of Oak Island. Retrieved from:
It is well-known history of the Nova Scotia that pirates used to frequent the islands of the Mahone Bay to restock and repair their vessels, and perhaps hide their treasure. In fact, upon his capture, the infamous Captain William Kidd, a notorious pirate, admitted to burying his treasure in the area. Although some believe it was a dying crew member who made such statements. Regardless, the fact that the pirates were frequently in the area in 1600s remains valid and agreed upon by the historians.
(Aerial shot showing the location of the Money Pit on Oak Island, NS. Causeway connecting it to the mainland was constructed in 1965.Retrieved from: https://www.oakislandmoneypit.com/#story)
Despite finding many hollow spaces covered by planks or stones, the boys kept digging in the hopes of finding the pirate treasure. However, despite putting many hours of labour into this, the boys ultimately did not find anything buried.
So, What is All the Hype About?
Despite the fruitless attempts of the teenage boys, the stories of this find circulate and soon others began to be interested. It is also said that even one of the boys, John Smith, purchased the land around the hole. Later in 1803, a group called "Onslow Company" was established with the sole purpose of finding treasure.
The team began excavating the site, and dug around 50 feet, finding timbres with different marks as they went along. At the 60-foot depth, the crew found coconut fibers. This was significant because for one, coconut was not native to Canada, and for another, coconut fibers were used to secure and protect valuable cargo.
It was not until 30 feet deeper, at 90 feet, that the men discovered a peculiar stone. This stone was very valuable because it had strange symbols and characters inscribed on it.
(Replica of a stone found at 90 feet in the money pit.
Retrieved from: https://www.oakislandmoneypit.com/#story)
Unfortunately, the day after this discovery, the crew went back to the site only to find that it had been filled with water. Many attempts at draining and digging another hole proved useless, as the water flooded back in again. It was assumed that the reason behind flooding was clever water traps designed to hinder any attempt at getting to the treasure. The Onslow Company had no choice but to abort its mission.
No one resumed the attempts to find treasure, until 1849 when Anthony Vaughan, one of the original teenagers who dug the hole, founded the "Truro Company" to resume the treasure hunting. The new company used auger, a drilling device, for the excavation and was much more successful than its predecessors. In one of the early excavations, the auger brought up small links of gold chain.
However, soon after the exciting treasure discovery, the Truro company also faced the same flooding issue as the Onslow compnay. This time, the crew discovered that the water was salty and moved with the ocean tides. By noticing these facts, the men were able to find artificial flood traps in the southern parts of the island which proved to be man-made. But, much to the disappointment of the company, the discovery of the water traps did not help in solving the flooding issues, and the company was forced to yet again abandon the excavation and disband.
Meanwhile, it was not until the 1860s when a University of Dalhousie Professor, James Leitchi, claimed to have translated the symbols using Edgar Allen Poe's "The Gold Bug". According to him, the message on the stone read: "40 feet below, 2 million pounds are buried".
With this new discovery, another group of treasure hunters called the "Oak Island Association" was formed. Again, the group faced the same flooding challenge, but this time, they found small valuable debris floating in the water. This prompted them to keep working the pit. However, during the attempt to drain the pit, a boiler exploded, killing one person and injuring several others. Despite this tragedy, the company continued its efforts for another 4 years, before having to give up.
The next group of people called the "Oak Island Treasure Company" resumed the search for treasure. They, too, only faced obstacles and yet another fatal incident when an ascension rope carrying a crew member up, slipped and the man fell to his death. At this point, rumours began circulating that the treasure was cursed. Despite the setbacks, the company continued its efforts and eventually dug deeper to find more valuable debris. This time, it was a piece of parchment paper with the letter "VI" written on the corner.
(Retrieved from: https://www.oakislandmoneypit.com/#story)
Fast Forward from 1900s to the Current Time
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who eventually became the United States President, became interested in the treasure of the Oak Island at 27. It is said that even after he became the President, he wanted to go back to the Money Pit, but never got a chance.
- William Chappell; during his short excavation he found significant mining items.
- Gilbert Hedden; the Vice President and General Manager of Hedden Iron Construction Company, he was more resourceful than his predecessors. His team found some miner's oil lamps, unexploded dynamite, and clay putty.
- The Restall Family; Robert Restall (head of the family), his son, and 2 of their workers died from inhaling toxic fumes coming out of the tunnels.
- Rober Dunfield; this Geologist and his team were able to earth some shards of porcelain, an empty chamber, and a bedrock.
- The Triton Alliance; they found pieces of brass, porcelain and metals. They also found remnants of ancient dam and discovered a pair of wrought-iron scissors, a wooden sled, a portion of an iron ruler and other iron artifacts including nails and spikes. These materials were determined to predate 1790. Eventually, due to legal battles and the volatility of the stock market in 1987, the activities halted.
Conclusion
Although there have been some promising remnants of a would-be treasure, no one has found anything concrete. In fact, there are many theories as to where this supposed treasure would have come from. Some believe that it belongs to Captain Kidd, while other speculate that William Shakespeare's, or rather Sir Francis Bacon's works may be hidden underneath the tunnels.
There are also many books and even a TV series dedicated to the Oak Island's mystery. Perhaps there is more to the story, however, today the Money Pit is only a tourist attraction shrouded in mystery.
References
Ashley Morgan. ND. Oak Island Money Pit. Retrieved from:
Atimina. ND. Oak Island Money Pit. Retrieved from: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/oak-island-money-pit
The Museum of Unnatural Mystery. ND. The Mystery Pit of Oak Island. Retrieved from:
Wednesday, February 13, 2019
The Lost Honjo Masamune Sword
Welcome back to my blog for another treasure hunt!
This time, we are going to travel to Japan to look at a valuable lost artifact. Those of you familiar with Japanese history, especially that of the Samurais, might already know some of this information, but note that I am not going to talk about the Samurai culture, but one sword's legend.
Side note: "The Last Samurai" is NOT an accurate representation of the Samurai culture.
The sword remained in Shigenaga's possession for many years before he ultimately sold it to the Toyotomi clan, Japan's rulers at the end of 16th century. When Tokugawa Ieyasu became the new shogun and took over Japan, he also acquired the sword. As such, the Honjo Masamune Sword became a family treasure that remained with the Tokugawa family during their 250 years dynasty, and even after their fall from the power.
This time, we are going to travel to Japan to look at a valuable lost artifact. Those of you familiar with Japanese history, especially that of the Samurais, might already know some of this information, but note that I am not going to talk about the Samurai culture, but one sword's legend.
Side note: "The Last Samurai" is NOT an accurate representation of the Samurai culture.
The Legend of Masamune
(Ian Harvey. (Nov.20,2018). An old portrait of the sword smith Masamune. Retrieved from: https://www.thevintagenews.com/2018/11/20/samurai-sword-of-power/)
Goro Nyudo Masamune is regarded as one of Japan's greatest swordsmiths. Masamune lived during the late 13th century, early 14th century, and to this day, there are still many legends about him and his magical swords. His weapons were made entirely of steel at a time when the uses and states of steel was not well-known. There are still some debates regarding the techniques used, however, it is agreed that Masamune was way ahead of his time.
Moreover, Masamune's swords were known for their strength, flexibility and light weight. Some legends also claim that his swords have magical and holy powers, such as that they only cut what needs to be cut, and they can even heal the wounds inflicted from the swords of the enemy.
Here are some examples of Masamune's exquisite blades:
(William DeLong. (Sept.17,2018). Another Masamune masterpiece with the curvy wave pattern.
Retrieved from: https://allthatsinteresting.com/masamune-sword)
(William DeLong. (Sept.17,2018). Another Masamune masterpiece with the curvy wave pattern.
Retrieved from: https://allthatsinteresting.com/masamune-sword)
(Alisa Su. (Dec.14,2017). 20 Mystery Facts of the Honjo Masamune sword. Retrieved from:
http://www.science-rumors.com/20-mystery-facts-of-the-honjo-masamune-sword/)
(Alisa Su. (Dec.14,2017). 20 Mystery Facts of the Honjo Masamune sword. Retrieved from:
http://www.science-rumors.com/20-mystery-facts-of-the-honjo-masamune-sword/)
The Origins of Honjo Masamune Sword
The famous Honjo Masamune sword got its name from the Japanese General, Honjo Shigenaga. The story goes that during the battle at Kawanakajima in 1561, the sword which was in the hands of the enemy, cut Shigenaga's helmet, but did not kill him. Shigenaga was then able to defeat the enemy and claim the sword.
(Ian Harvey. (Nov.20,2018). Honjō Shigenaga parrying an exploding shell, by Utagawa Kuniyoshi.. Retrieved from: https://www.thevintagenews.com/2018/11/20/samurai-sword-of-power/)
The sword remained in Shigenaga's possession for many years before he ultimately sold it to the Toyotomi clan, Japan's rulers at the end of 16th century. When Tokugawa Ieyasu became the new shogun and took over Japan, he also acquired the sword. As such, the Honjo Masamune Sword became a family treasure that remained with the Tokugawa family during their 250 years dynasty, and even after their fall from the power.
The Disappearance of the Sword
At the end of World War II, when the Allies won and Japan surrendered, the U.S. Army demanded Japanese people turn over all their weapons, including swords in the family heirlooms. Many Nobles resisted this, and to make good example, Iemasu, a Tokugawa descendant who was also the President of the House of Peers, handed his family's sword collection, which included the Honjo Masamune Sword. Supposedly, this collection was retrieved by a man named Cody Bimore, whose existence was never verified. Although another famous Masamune sword was found in 2013, the Honjo Masamune Sword remains to be found and no one knows of its whereabouts and fate.
(Swords of Northshire. Line drawings of the unique hamon of the Honjo Masamune. Retrieved from: https://www.swordsofnorthshire.com/mystery-of-the-enigmatic-hanjo-masamune-sword)
Resources
William DeLong. (Sept.17,2018). Masamune, The 13th Century Japanese Swordsmith Who Was The Stuff of Legends. Retrieved from: https://allthatsinteresting.com/masamune-sword
Alisa Su. (Dec.14,2017). 20 Mystery Facts of the Honjo Masamune sword. Retrieved from:
http://www.science-rumors.com/20-mystery-facts-of-the-honjo-masamune-sword/
DHWTY. (May 1, 2016. Searching for the Honjo Masamune, Lost Samurai Sword of Power. Retrieved from: https://www.ancient-origins.net/artifacts-other-artifacts/searching-honjo-masamune-lost-samurai-sword-power-005807
Ian Harvey. (Nov.20,2018). Epic Saga of the Greatest Samurai Sword Ever Made. Retrieved from: https://www.thevintagenews.com/2018/11/20/samurai-sword-of-power/
Tuesday, February 12, 2019
Reflection Two- How Are Things Coming Along?
I just researched and posted my first Genius Hour topic. After finishing and publishing it, I realized that I had taken more than 2 hours to research and write my post. I'm wondering whether it is because of my topic, or if any topics would actually take more than the allocated one hour. It is certainly something to think about if I ever implement this idea in my own classroom.
So far, I am still finding educational technology course rather challenging and very time consuming. As a person who's grown up with computers and technology, I thought I would be able to navigate through the tasks quite easily, however, I find myself baffled by a lot things. For example, we were tasked with making a trailer for our Genius Hour project. Although I opted for the simplest concept that did not need much external resources, I still struggled with editing and making the actual video, and I think I took about 4 hours (if not more) to finish my trailer. Now looking at this through a student's lens, I wonder if such activities would be enjoyable and beneficial to them. I think by making it a group project, and also giving them more time, the idea of having the students make a video would be fun and manageable. It is something I would consider doing in my classroom.
Overall, I spend a lot of time looking up how to do things in this class, so I think the following GIFs show my current feelings quite accurately.
via GIPHY
via GIPHY
So far, I am still finding educational technology course rather challenging and very time consuming. As a person who's grown up with computers and technology, I thought I would be able to navigate through the tasks quite easily, however, I find myself baffled by a lot things. For example, we were tasked with making a trailer for our Genius Hour project. Although I opted for the simplest concept that did not need much external resources, I still struggled with editing and making the actual video, and I think I took about 4 hours (if not more) to finish my trailer. Now looking at this through a student's lens, I wonder if such activities would be enjoyable and beneficial to them. I think by making it a group project, and also giving them more time, the idea of having the students make a video would be fun and manageable. It is something I would consider doing in my classroom.
Overall, I spend a lot of time looking up how to do things in this class, so I think the following GIFs show my current feelings quite accurately.
via GIPHY
via GIPHY
Lost Treasure of Flor de La Mar
In this very first post, we are going to investigate the sunken Portuguese ship, Flor de La Mar. First things first, the name translates to "Flower of the Sea". Also, you will see the word "carrack" being used in this research. Carrack is a type of ship with 3-4 masts (sailing posts), and was developed in the 13th to 15th centuries in Europe (mainly Portugal).
Now some background history:
Flor de La Mar was a Portuguese ship that was built in Lisbon in 1502. According to my research (please see below references), this 3-masted carrack weighed 400 tons, with a length of about 120 feet and height of about 110 feet. By all accounts, this was one of the largest ships of its time.
(Flor de La Mar. Retrieved from Public Domain)
(Thrifty Traveler. (Sept.25, 2018). Melaka Lifestyle. Retrieved from here)
Portugal was in the golden age of exploration at the time, and in the next 9 years since she was built, Flor de La Mar played an important role in many explorations and wars in the Indian Ocean. She had a couple of captains, before being retained by Alfonso de Albuquerque, a famous conqueror and explorer. Albuquerque led Flor de La Mar in some of its successful conquests, of which the most notable was India and Malacca.
(Alfonso de Albuquerque. Retrieved from Public Domain)
Sinking of the Flor de La Mar
In 1511, Portugal set his sights on Malacca (now a port city in current day Malaysia). At the time, Malacca was known as being the Trade City of the Asia, and the Portuguese King Manuel wanted to claim the goods. As such, Albuquerque led Flor de La Mar and a small fleet and was able to successfully conquer Malacca. Albuquerque then took conquered treasures (some of it offered from King of Siam [Thailand]) and set to sail back to Portugal via India. According to the current reports, the ship was caught in a storm along the coast of Sumatra (Indonesia) in November 1511, which caused it to sink. Alfonso de Albuquerque ultimately survived the shipwreck, along with a few other people, however, most of the people on the ship and the treasure sank into the ocean.
What was the treasure?
There are varying, and possibly exaggerated, accounts of what Flor de La Mar actually carried when leaving Malacca. These reports state the that the ship carried 60 tons of gold, 200 chests filled with valuable gems and jewels, an encrusted table on which the Queen of Malacca supposedly ate her meals, as well as various other valuable objects. Some say the current monetary value of this lost treasure would be $2.6 billion.
Conclusion
There have been many speculations and alleged sightings of this sunken ship and its treasures, however, some believe that due to the time passed and the state of the ocean, the lost treasures of this vessel may never be found. Nonetheless, the romantic adventurer in me wants to believe that someday, someone can find this treasure, and that someone could very well be you!
References
Thrifty Traveler. (Sept.25, 2018). The colourful history of Melaka's Flor de La Mar. Retrieved from: https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/leisure/2018/09/25/the-colourful-history-of-melakas-flor-de-la-mar/
DHWTY. (July 5, 2016). The lost treasure of Flor de La Mar, Flower of the Sea. Retrieved from: https://www.ancient-origins.net/history/lost-treasure-flor-de-la-mar-flower-sea-006236
Constanca. (July 31, 2015). Flor de la Mar. Retrieved from: http://www.worldheritageofportugueseorigin.com/2015/07/31/flor-de-la-mar/
Allison McNearney. (Aug.1, 2017). The $2.6 Billion Treasure Still Lost at the Bottom of the Sea. Retrieved from: https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-dollar26-billion-treasure-still-lost-at-the-bottom-of-the-sea?ref=scroll
Pascal Kainic. (Sept.30, 2013). The elusive wreck of the Portuguese carrack Flor do Mar. Retrieved from: https://www.thescubanews.com/2013/09/30/the-elusive-wreck-of-the-portuguese-carrack-flor-do-mar/
Nation. (Apr.7, 2014). Sunken Portuguese galleon sighted in Java Sea. Retrieved from: https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2014/04/07/drones-may-have-found-treasure-ship-sunken-portuguese-galleon-sighted-in-java-sea/
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