History

Refine Search

Who worked on the Manhattan Project?

Columbia University, The University of California Berkeley, and Chicago University were the initial research institutions involved in the Manhattan Project. Economist Alexander Sachs helped convince President Roosevelt of the need for the project, and Vannevar Bush of the Carnegie Foundation was appointed chairman of the National Defense Research Committee in 1940, before the project officially became the Manhattan Project. Research spread from the initial three sites to include Los Alamos, New Mexico; Oak Ridge, Tennessee and Hanford, Washington.\nAlbert Einstein did not work directly on the ..

Continue Reading

Who invented the deep freezer?

Linde's research from 1873 to 1877 at the Polytechnic University in Munich resulted in the first stable and efficient compressed-ammonia refrigerator. Linde established his own company, Linde Air Products, which promoted his invention. After it became internationally renowned, refrigeration became a major tool in food storage and industrial processing. Linde received three honorary Doctorates and the Bavarian crown achievement medal, among other honors over the course of his lifetime.

Continue Reading

Who invented the slope formula?

Though no concrete proof designates Descartes as the inventor of the slope formula, there is evidence to support that claim. Descartes introduced the world to both linear problems and methods for solving them. Since the solutions to linear problems center on the slope of a given line at a certain point, it follows that Descartes discovered that formula, as well.

Continue Reading

What were the duties of the Sumerian rulers?

Although considered a human agent of the gods, a Sumerian ruler was not granted divine status. His subjects did believe that he was personally chosen by the gods to represent their will.\nAnother important duty held by Sumerian rulers was that of military leader. Ancient Mesopotamians considered conquest of other lands as a mission granted to them by the gods. The ruler's main responsibility was to provide more people and resources into the domain to boost the economy. War was one method of economic gain as it provided the kingdom with more land and slave labor for construction.\nThe rule..

Continue Reading

When was toilet paper invented?

Toilet paper traveled to Europe by the Renaissance, and what is known as toilet paper as of 2014 first appeared in the United States, invented by Joseph Gayetty. His version, sold in flat packages, was available from 1857 through the 1920s. Toilet paper on a roll was invented in France in the late 1600s and became available in the United States in 1890.

Continue Reading

Who invented the cell phone?

According to How Stuff Works, during the 1960s, engineers Joel S. Engel and Richard H. Frenkiel of Bell Labs developed the technology to support the first cellular network. While they were waiting for approval from the Federal Communications Commission, or FCC, Martin Cooper and his team at Motorola shocked these competitors by designing and using the first cell phone. Called the Motorola DynaTac, it weighed 2.5 pounds and was 9 inches long.\nFor the next 10 years, Martin Cooper and his team of engineers worked on the process of making the DynaTac available for widespread, commercial use. In 1..

Continue Reading

How was the Red Scare similar to the events of "The Crucible?"

In February 1950, Senator Joseph McCarthy claimed to know the names of "card-carrying" communists who worked in the U.S. State Department. This kicked off a period of paranoia and accusation known as the Red Scare, with "red" symbolizing communism. The practice of searching for and accusing people, including those guilty and innocent, of some object of public paranoia has since been labelled as "McCarthyism." This term is synonymous with the term "witch hunt," which refers to the Salem witch trials that were fictionalized in Arthur Miller's play, "The Crucible."

Continue Reading

Why is Christopher Columbus considered a hero?

Christopher Columbus was not the first European to set foot on the New World, as Viking travelers had landed in what is now Canada 500 years before his arrival. However, voyages to the New World began after his arrival. Because of this, he is heralded with launching a new phase of human civilization.\nFor those who benefited from the resources and land acquired during the colonization and settlement of the new world, he was regarded as a hero. To native populations, however, he was often viewed as a villain. Columbus exploited native people for their resources and labor, and many died because ..

Continue Reading

When did pirates exist?

Columbus's discovery of the New World in 1492 and Spain's subsequent possession of much of America opened the floodgates of maritime commerce. Lawless individuals were drawn to the possibility of fast money. As a result, incidents of piracy increased.\nGovernments sponsored piracy that weakened their national rivals' sea presence. Privateers were pirates authorized by the government to target the ships of enemy nations. Some corsairs were Christian or Muslim pirates directed to prey upon the vessels of the opposing religion.

Continue Reading

What were some of the pros and cons of Napoleon's rule in France?

Major and often radical changes took place in French and European society during Napoleon's rule. Most of the benefits of these changes went to the growing French middle class while the territories conquered by Napoleon outside of France were made to carry the cost of many of his military campaigns through conscription and heavy taxation.Napoleon helped bring about a greater degree of religious tolerance to Catholic France regarding Protestantism and Judaism, and he also displayed an uncommon respect for Islam during his campaign in Egypt. Napoleon emancipated previously persecuted Jews a..

Continue Reading
Showing 511 to 520 of 8554 (856 Pages)