Hi all,

I agree that the key is the conjunction of the planets.
But I think that the key can?t be used without the help from the chart of the annual revolution (Aries ingress in one opinion). Also if there is an eclipse immediately before this also should be taken in consideration.
Pedro Ciruelo also mentions the syzygia before the conjunction of planets.
Regarding the annual revolution there are some authors that consider the syzygia before aries ingress.

As a conclusion (a personal conclusion): it seems that there are many charts involved, and this is at least strange, if not quite insurmountable. My opinion is that we can understand the role of each of these charts by understanding the role of the reference moments to these charts: in order to have influence, the conjunction must acquire some pertinence in that year. This pertinence is obtained, in my opinion, from the annual revolution, and especially from the quadrant immediately before that conjunction. So we must see if in the annual revolution, or quadrant before conjunction, that conjunction is a key element, or at least is linked with a key element of these charts. More we are approaching to shorter cycles, more we are dealing with establishing the moment when that conjunction will produce its effect: so from this perspective I would analyze the rest of following syzygia, and also the quadrants of the years (of course we must apply the rules establish by the ancients to determine the duration of this conjunction, and also to keep in mind that the intensity would be influenced by other future events: for example depends on the future annual revolutions).
Now, another important issue is to determine the key of that conjunction. Here we have to analyze the conjunction?s chart, but also the chart for the sun rise/sun set of that day, the syzygia before the conjunction. In this charts we have to find and analyze, in my opinion, all the basic elements of the traditional astrology (for example: essential dignity, accidental dignity, sect etc.), but to keep in mind that the annual revolution (and quadrants) is the one that is going to determine which one of these potentials is going to be pertinent.
As a very personal opinion, I observed that the analyze of the sky for the quadrant before some important event (nota bene, the observation of the sky, especially at sun rise/sun set) is quite very suggestive for the nature of the event.
Hope I didn?t create confusion. If so, please ignore.

RE US -- the JU/SA of 1803, heliocentrically conjunct the week Washington DC incorporated -- this one took out Alexander Hamilton, the VP -- and its geocentric conjunction concurrent with the publication by JT Callendar of the Jefferson/Hemings affair -- Jefferson's our first Zero Year President.

Incidentally -- the syzygy refers to the JU/SA conjunction not to the nearest lunation in my dictionary.

I use the dates of the planetary longitudinal conjunction. Lee Westin says pay close attention to the conjunction by declination -- it often is closer to its epochal event

The last syzygy at 23 TA May 2000 ... considering it conjucted within acceptable orb the solar position of the Nation of Israel ... enough to make one believe in the Y2K monster given the eff up that November & the consequent parade of events. Remember 2001 the movie -- the computer HAL -- well, HAL is the ticker for Haliburton

Sonja

SYZYGES: "The new and Full Moon, also the conjunction or opposition of any two planets, and it is often used as familiarities of every description. Wilson's Dictionary of Astrology (1819)

Syzygy: Literally a yoking together. Often loosely applied to any conjunction or opposition; particularly of a planet with the Sun, and close to the ecliptic whereby the Earth and the two bodies are in a straight line. In its use in connection with the calculation of Tide Tables it applies to the conjunctions and oppositions of Sun and Moon near the Node (i.e. eclipses -tc). Devore's Encyclopedia of Astrology (1947

I've only seen syzygy used in connection with lunations, but apparently, particularly if Devore is right about its etymology, it can mean any conjunction or opposition.

RE US -- the JU/SA of 1803, heliocentrically conjunct the week Washington DC incorporated -- this one took out Alexander Hamilton, the VP --

Alexander Hamilton was never Vice President of the United States. He was killed in a duel by then Vice President Aaron Burr in 1804.

Tom