History

Refine Search

What did Louis Pasteur discover?

Pasteur was a French microbiologist and chemist who was born in December of 1822 in Dole, which is located in the Jura region of France. In school, Pasteur was described as nothing more than an average student who was very skilled at painting and drawing. During the Napolenic Wars, he served as a sergeant major. After the wars, he earned two bachelor's degrees and a doctorate at the École Normale in Paris.\nPasteur was appointed the dean of the science faculty at the University of Lille in 1845. There he started his work on finding a solution to the problems associated with the manufactu..

Continue Reading

How did Jay Gould treat his workers?

Mistreating his workers by paying them poverty-level wages was not Jay Gould's only misdeed in his career in business. An article on About.com on 19th century history says that though he was one of the richest men in America, he was also the most despised. He began his career in business by manipulating stocks on Wall Street, protecting his illegal practices by bribing judges and politicians. He got into the railroad business in 1867, when he successfully wrested control of the Erie Railroad from Cornelius Vanderbilt. In 1869, his scheme to corner the gold market in America caused a massi..

Continue Reading

What type of social structure existed in Ancient China?

Ancient China refers to the portion of Chinese history beginning after the Neolithic period, as noted by historical records of the Xia Dynasty, and continuing up to the beginnings of Imperial China marked by the rise of the extended and consolidated power of the Qin Dynasty in 221 B.C. Historians speculate over the actual existence of the first dynasty of Ancient China, the Xia Dynasty, which left behind no records of its own and was only described in later historical texts. However, recent archaeological findings appear to authenticate its existence and place its beginnings around 2100 B.C. T..

Continue Reading

How did Gutenberg's printing press work?

The mirror image of each letter, number or symbol was cut into a small block so it could be recreated easily. Each precast image was easily movable and could be arranged into any order, coated in oil-based ink and lowered onto paper with a screw press. Using his printing press, Gutenberg printed the Gutenberg Bible, which was one of the first books to be printed from a press. Gutenberg's invention led to the Printing Revolution, in which books became less expensive and much easier to create, meaning libraries grew and information was more widespread.

Continue Reading

Why did Parliament pass the Navigation Acts?

The Parliament Acts imposed shipping regulations on the exportation of goods. For example, England required exporters of goods from Asia, Africa and the colonies to use British ships. European exporters had to use British ships or vessels from their country of origin. Later, Parliament amended the acts to require all goods going into or leaving the colonies to travel in colonial ships.\nThe acts forced colonists to limit their trade of certain goods, such as tobacco, sugar, cotton and wool, to England or to an English plantation. England required the colonists to pay high taxes when shipping t..

Continue Reading

What were some common beliefs of people who lived during Elizabethan times?

Women were considered the inferior sex, however, and anyone who failed to publicly proclaim themselves as Christian was viewed as a second-class citizen. Although both Catholicism and Protestantism were recognized religions in the Elizabethan Era, Protestantism, specifically the Church of England, was more highly regarded.\nElizabethan times began in 1558 and ended in 1603 with the death of Queen Elizabeth I. Prior to Elizabeth's rise to power, religion had primarily dictated common beliefs. Elizabeth I, however, was a proponent of education and the arts which led to a bit of a struggle ..

Continue Reading

What is George Washington famous for?

Many think of Washington as the father of the United States. He began building such a lofty reputation when Congress commissioned him to lead the Continental Army in June 1775. While Washington found early success by forcing the British to leave Boston, the early years of the war were difficult. The British soon took over New York City and expected the rebellion to end after only a few months. The Continental Army persevered, however, and defeated the British army at Yorktown in 1781, effectively ending the war.\nWashington was elected as the first president of the United States in 1789. He ho..

Continue Reading

What are some facts about the Zhou Dynasty?

The idea of "the Mandate of Heaven" came about during this dynasty. The mandate stipulated that emperors rule by heaven's allowance, there is only one emperor at a time, an emperor must be virtuous in order to rule, and a dynasty does not have the right to last forever. This mandate gave the people the right to overthrow an emperor they did not believe to be virtuous. King Wen founded the Zhou dynasty, which ruled in the latter years of the Chinese Bronze Age, though his son, King Wu, was in power before the Shang Dynasty actually ended. The utilization of iron increased greatly in this t..

Continue Reading

What were medieval castles used for?

Castles, in keeping with their primary role in defense, were designed with several layers of protection. Traditional castles were built on a motte-and-bailey plan, in which a hill, or motte, was surmounted by a walled outer court, or bailey, with a high tower, or keep, in the center. The motte was often surrounded by a wet or dry ditch, which castle defenders crossed using a drawbridge. The large bailey provided plenty of room for a military force or refugees from the surrounding area as well as livestock and provisions. Also located in baileys were outbuildings to support the castle, includin..

Continue Reading

Where was Custer's cavalry wiped out?

George Armstrong Custer lost over 200 men during this battle against the larger force of Lakota, Cheyenne and Arapaho led by Crazy Horse. As cavalry captain, Custer was known for being reckless and courageous, according to the History Channel website. His final battle quickly became United States legend and thousands visit the battlefield each year. The battle has spawned paintings, books and songs commemorating the loss, cementing its place in U.S. history.

Continue Reading
Showing 5741 to 5750 of 8554 (856 Pages)