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What happened to Giles Corey?

Pressing is a method of torture or execution in which large stones are placed on a person's body, limiting organ function and eventually resulting in death. This was the typical treatment for people who refused to enter a plea. On Sept. 17, 1692, the officers stripped Corey naked, placed him under a wooden board and began loading stones onto it. However, the torture did not move Corey acknowledge his guilt or proclaim his innocence. Instead, he endured the pain, answering requests for a plea with only two defiant words: "More weight!" On September 19, he died. His refusal to stand trial m..

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How long did the Chicago Fire burn?

The fire began in or around a barn on Patrick and Catherine O'Leary's farm. Legends claim the blaze began when one of the O'Leary's cows knocked a lantern over, although Catherine O'Leary fought this allegation. The fire left approximately 300 people dead and 100,000 homeless. It also gave rise to an outbreak of looting and lawlessness.

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What did Bismarck mean by his expression "Blood and Iron"?

King Wilhelm I appointed Bismarck as minister president and foreign minister after repeated refusals by the Prussian Landtag, the legislative body, to spend more money on building military forces. Bismarck delivered his famous speech in 1862 during a budget commission at the Landtag.Bismarck expressed his frustration about what he felt were unfavorable borders granted to the Prussian Empire by the Vienna Treaties passed in 1814 at the end of the Napoleonic Wars. Bismarck denounced liberalism in his speech, calling for a direct emphasis on expanding Prussia's military prowess.The phrase "B..

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What was "no man's land" during World War I?

The exact size of this small area varied depending on the location of soldiers on the front lines. At its widest, no man's land stretched to about half a mile. In other areas, however, it was merely a few dozen yards. Because both sides were so close to their enemies at this point, it became the site of most of the violent activity during the war.

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Who invented the doorknob?

The metal rod latched into a hole in the door frame. Homeowners accessed the connection in the frame by unscrewing a small metal cover.\nBefore doorknobs, homeowners secured doors by using a latch string that looped around a bar to keep strangers out. In ancient times, people raised and lowered bars to secure doors so that people could not get inside.

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What are some common Aztec traditions?

The Aztecs believed that human sacrifice and blood were necessary for the world to continue. They obtained the sacrifice from the victims of their various wars and battles. During peace times, the Aztecs would essentially initiate a battle to collect new sacrifice victims. Human sacrifices were not uncommon during this time period, and many civilizations did this.

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How did Neil Armstrong change the world?

The Cold War had become intense by the mid-1950s as tensions rose between the United States and the Soviet Union in the aftermath of World War II. The space race became a priority for both nations after the Soviets launched the artificial satellite Sputnik into a successful orbit in 1957. In 1958, the Americans launched their own satellite, Explorer I, and President Dwight Eisenhower created the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, or NASA. In 1959, the Soviets landed an unmanned probe on the moon, and in 1961, a Soviet astronaut became the first person to orbit the Earth. Though up ..

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What were Abraham Lincoln's contributions to society?

Lincoln's presidency and the Civil War had an enormous influence on the way Americans understood their own nationhood. Prior to the Civil War, the country thought of itself as a league of independent states. Although the power of the national government had grown and an American identity had started to develop, regional tensions were extremely high. These tensions eventually led to the Civil War. By responding promptly to southern secession, labeling the confederate states as being in rebellion and advocating non-vindictive reconstruction measures, Lincoln helped Americans see once and fo..

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Why was the Harlem Renaissance so important?

The Harlem Renaissance also had a number of effects on literature. Newspapers such as The Voice provided a political voice for the "New Negro Movement," but also promoted both modern African-American literature as well as often-overlooked literature from the 19th century. The Harlem Renaissance also led to the emergence of a number of influential African-American writers such as Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes who helped bring national attention to African-American writing.\nJazz was an important musical contribution of the Harlem Renaissance. Specifically, jazz helped to break down a n..

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Why was Virginia founded?

The London Company founded the Virginia Colony, naming the new land after the Virgin Queen Elizabeth I and the first settlement, Jamestown, after James I. The colony's first settlers were a blend of wealthy young men and skilled craftsmen who were foolishly convinced they would quickly find gold. Instead, they struggled for years just to survive. One terrible winter resulted in the deaths of all but 60 of the 500 settlers. After Captain John Smith introduced the rule of no work, no food, the settlement stabilized and then began to thrive. By the time Williamsburg, the second town, was fou..

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