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Which country sponsored Christopher Columbus?

Columbus was a Spanish-Italian maritime explorer born in Italy. Columbus believed that the world was actually 25 percent smaller than thought at the time. His calculations led him to believe that sailing west across the Atlantic Ocean would reveal a shorter route to Asia.Columbus first petitioned the King of Portugal to sponsor his expedition across the Atlantic. When the Portuguese Royal Maritime Commission refused to do so, Columbus moved to Spain. Following two years of negotiations, he eventually won the support of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella in 1492.Spain's sponsorship helped C..

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What is Benjamin Franklin famous for?

Franklin played a key part in drafting one of the most important documents in America's history. He was the only one of the founding fathers to also sign the other two documents that established the U.S., which were the Treaty of Paris in 1783 that ended the Revolutionary War and the Constitution. In addition to these historic moments, Franklin was also famous for his work and theories on electricity. His theories were published in 1751, but he did not conduct his famous kite and key experiment until the following year in 1752. Franklin served in many roles for the government of not only ..

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What British act levied an internal tax on various documents and articles in the American colonies?

The British passed the Stamp Act to help pay the debt that they incurred during the Seven Years War. The revenue generated from the Stamp Act was also intended to offset defense expenditures brought upon by the defense of the western frontier of the colonies. It was finally repealed on March 18, 1766.

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What types of weapons did Native Americans use?

Early Native Americans mostly used weapons made out of stone. These primitive weapons are divided into cutting weapons (i.e. knives), striking weapons (i.e. axes), throwing weapons (i.e. tomahawks), piercing weapons (i.e. bow and arrows) and defensive weapons (i.e. shields). Some Native American Tribes (such as the Cherokees) used blowguns that shot out poison darts. Once Native Americans came into contact with the Europeans around the 1600s, their weapons evolved. They began using flintlock muskets, Winchester rifles, and carbine rifles.

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What were the main similarities and differences between the empires of Rome and Han China?

The Roman Empire arose as the successor to the Roman Republic following a civil war in the wake of Julius Caesar's assassination in 44 BCE. Octavian was proclaimed as the emperor Augustus in 28 BCE; his dynasty ended with the suicide of Nero in 67 CE. For the ensuing three centuries, the Roman Empire remained politically unified, but it never overcame two fundamental problems: its lack of a formula for the peaceful transfer of power and the growing military prowess of the Germanic tribes. After Rome's defeat at Adrianople in 378 CE, the decline and collapse of the Western Empire quic..

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Who was Patrick Henry?

Henry gained notoriety in Virginia for his involvement in a court case in 1763 involving an issue known as "Parson's Cause," in essence an argument about whether the government of Virginia or the monarchy should decide the price of tobacco paid to clergy for their services. Henry delivered an address in the courtroom denouncing those who thought that the monarchy could overrule Virginia's laws as tyrants. It was this attitude toward the monarchy that caused Henry, a first-term member of the Virginia legislature in 1765, to introduce resolutions opposing the Stamp Act.

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What was the primary goal of the Paris Peace Conference?

British and French delegates at the Conference argued for harsh treaty terms that would force Germany to pay reparations of nearly $32 billion. The US delegate, President Woodrow Wilson, opposed harsh punishment, preferring German participation in the League of Nations instead. Italy and Japan favored punitive reparations, and Russia was excluded from the conference because England and France refused to recognize the Soviet government.\nThe Treaty of Versailles required Germany to pay large sums of money, give up large sections of land and submit to the League of Nations. German delegates oppo..

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What are some facts about George Washington's view on the Presidency?

George Washington felt that he was performing a public service, and it was therefore not ethical to draw a salary. He decided to accept a salary due to the precedent it would set, and he was paid $25,000 per year. However, he complained that the amount did not cover all his expenses.\nWashington realized that, as the first President of the United States, what he did would set a precedent. He tried to be diplomatic with other nations, but remained neutral during foreign conflicts, since the United States was still developing. He also felt the President should not be seen as a monarch, so he dre..

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Who are some famous Albanian women?

Mother Teresa was an ethnic Albanian born Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu in Skopje, which was then part of the Ottoman Empire. She decided early in her life to become a nun and joined the Sisters of Loreto as a novitiate when she was 18.\nSister Teresa went to teach in Calcutta, India, but was distressed by the poverty she saw there. In October 1950, the Pope gave her permission to found the Missionaries of Charity. By the time of her death, it ran charity centers, hospices, orphanages and refuges throughout the world.\nMother Teresa was given a state funeral in India after her death on Sept. 5, 1997..

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When was the first plane invented?

The Flyer, as the first Wright plane was known, was based on earlier glider designs dating back to the 1890s. It had a 40-foot wingspan and a prototype aluminum-cast, 12-horsepower gasoline engine that weighed 180 pounds. A December 14 maiden flight attempt by Wilbur Wright ended in failure when the plane stalled out on takeoff, crashing and damaging the spruce and muslin craft.

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