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When was silverware invented?

Knives evolved thousands of years ago from sharpened stones that humans would use to spear their food. They would also hollow out the horns of animals into rough representations of spoons. The knife proved the most popular early form of flatware and was the first to evolve from stone to metal.\nDuring the Renaissance, knives were desirable and costly accessories, and everyone was expected to bring their own to dinner. Forks were first introduced into modern European culture in the 11th century, though they did not become a common or regularly used piece of flatware for hundreds of years.

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Which things best describes the nuclear arms race?

As weapons technology increased, both states needed to ensure that they could adequately protect themselves. Each party worked to make more powerful weaponry faster than the opponent, which is why it is termed the "nuclear arms race." In 1952, America exploded a hydrogen bomb that was more powerful than the Hiroshima atomic bomb. In 1953, Russia developed its own technologies for a hydrogen bomb.\nThe next development was the B52 bomber, and following that was intercontinental ballistic missiles. The fear of a missile attack prompted America to build a defense and early warnings system around ..

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What are some important events in Alaskan history?

Vitus Bering discovered Alaska for the Russian Empire in 1741. Russian traders soon followed, trading with the Inuit inhabitants for furs from seals and otters. Traders founded the first European settlement in 1784. Most inland areas remained unmapped until well after the American purchase in 1867.\nAfter conflicts along the western coast and losses in the Crimean war, Russia decided to dispose of Alaska. U.S. Secretary of State William H. Seward negotiated the deal, and many contemporary commentators called the purchase "Seward's Folly" for years afterwards, considering Alaska a mostly u..

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What are 10 facts about Martin Luther the German priest?

On Oct. 31, 1517, Luther nailed a paper containing 95 theses on the chapel door at the University of Wittenberg. This document criticized the Roman Catholic Church's indulgences and corruption, and copies made by the printing press spread throughout Germany. In January of 1521, the Roman Catholic Church officially excommunicated Luther.\nOn May 8, 1521, following Luther's continued refusal to renounce his theses, the Diet of Worms issued the Edict of Worms, which banned Luther’s writings and labeled him a heretic. In 1522, he began a new religion he called Lutheranism, and it gaine..

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What does the Templar Knights' cross look like?

Templar Knights started to use the red cross on their white robes in 1147, though the symbol was not officially adopted. They used several variations of the cross, with the only common element being the red color. The order of the Templar Knights was established in the 10th century and was dissolved by Pope Clement in 1312.

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What were the advantages and disadvantages of city life in the 1800s?

The introduction of modern inventions, such as the telephone, electricity and indoor plumbing, to major cities in the 1800s made those cities seem glamorous and modern. Construction of highways and bridges made cities accessible, and the introduction of elevators and skyscrapers made it possible for people to live comfortably on high floors. The development of department stores allowed more mass-produced goods to be sold, and mass production made prices come down. The population volume in large cities created more jobs, and the need for people to fill those jobs caused salaries to go up. Citie..

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What ethnicity was Isaac Newton?

There has been speculation that Sir Isaac Newton was of Jewish ancestry. Little is known of his father, who died before Newton's birth, but given his mother's ethnic background, such speculation seems unfounded. Jewish presence in England was nominal given the expulsion of an already depleted English Jewry in 1290 under King Edward I. Jews in England were few and in hiding for the most part after 1290 and up until Newton's birth in 1643.

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What were long-term effects of the French Revolution?

In France, one of the most significant changes brought by the French Revolution was social reform. The Revolution stemmed from several primary causes, which were political, economic and social in nature. Prior to the Revolution, French citizens lived under the rule of oppressive regimes and rulers. France was controlled by an absolute monarchy in the years leading up to the Revolution, which vested power in the central government, giving rights and freedom to an elite few while depriving the masses of those same rights. Anger and resentment grew among French citizens: they had little land, hig..

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Who were Marco Polo's wife and children?

After returning from China, Marco Polo was a prisoner of war in Genoa. He married Donata Badoer one year after his release from prison. Donata was the daughter of Vitale Badoer, a merchant. The couple was married in the church of San Lorenzo after a brief courtship. Marco was 46 years old at the time and Donata was 25 years old. Marco and his wife were married until his death in 1324 from an illness.

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How many wives did Henry VIII have?

The fates of Henry VIII's wives can be remembered with a rhyme: divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded survived. With the exception of his first marriage to Catherine of Aragon, none of Henry VIII's marriages lasted longer than 5 years.

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