History

Refine Search

Why was the Battle of Bunker Hill important?

The Battle of Bunker Hill occurred during the American siege of Boston in 1775. Most of the fighting actually took place on nearby Breed's Hill. With more than 1,000 men, American Col. William Prescott took position on the hill. Under Maj. Gen. William Howe and Brig. Gen. Robert Pigot, about 2,200 British troops marched on the American earthen fortifications. As his troops were short of ammunition, Prescott issued his famous command, "Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes!" The Americans repulsed two British attacks before the British attained the summit of the hill and e..

Continue Reading

What was the significance of the Battle of Tours in 732 A.D.?

The Battle of Tours took place between the cities of Poitiers and Tours in central France. The Muslim armies of the Umayyad Caliphate had conquered the Iberian Peninsula and were advancing through Gaul. They encountered little sustained opposition. However, the Frankish leader, Charles Martel, saw the threat of the Umayyad armies and prepared accordingly. Seizing church lands to fund his endeavors, Charles Martel hired soldiers and trained this standing army into a formidable professional fighting force. He defeated the Umayyad forces and killed their leader, Abdul Rahman Al Ghafiqi. The victo..

Continue Reading

When was the TV invented?

Broadcast television began experimentally in the early 1930s. At the time, these broadcasts consisted of very low-quality images of wrestling, music and dance. RCA unveiled NBC TV studios at the 1939 World's Fair, and CBS began broadcasting a few months later.It was not until 1947 that television began to really enter the mainstream led by "The Ed Sullivan Show," "Candid Camera," "Howdy Doody," "Philco Playhouse" and "Kulka, Fran & Ollie."

Continue Reading

What type of summary is the Declaration of Independence?

The Declaration of Independence begins with a short description of the document's purpose. That is, to officially announce the separation of the colonies from British rule. The next section outlines the beliefs of the creators of the document. For example, this section declares all men to be created equal and deserving of equal access to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. This section was written primarily in response to taxes that had been imposed on the colonies. The main point of contention was that certain laws and regulations applied to the colonists but not the people of En..

Continue Reading

Who was J.J. Audubon?

Once married, Audubon left the farm his father had sent him to and headed toward the frontier. There he had a few failed business ventures while he took up the hobby of shooting and studying birds. A large part of this study was drawing the birds as he examined them. For some years, he lived a rough life travelling along the Mississippi River and studying birds.\nHe collected his drawings together with the intention of publishing them. Although he had to travel to London to find a publisher, his book "Birds of America" was finally published in four volumes over a span of some years. Audubon wr..

Continue Reading

What were ancient Egyptian social classes?

Pharaohs, who were also regarded as gods, were the highest ranking officials in the land. They would closely relate to people associated with divinity including priests and other nobles. The next level consisted of soldiers who were also greatly respected. Scribes, merchants and artisans occupied subsequent levels of the social class structure. The lower levels consisted of farmers, servants and slaves.

Continue Reading

What was the significance of the Battle of the Bulge during WWII?

Allied overconfidence combined with poor reconnaissance and a preoccupation with offensive strategies gave the German forces the significant advantage of the element of surprise. The counteroffensive enabled German troops to achieve a 50 to 80 mile westward bulge into the Allied front lines that gave the battle the name by which it is most commonly known. The American forces, after heavy and snowbound fighting on rough terrain and in freezing temperatures, were able to regroup and launch a counterattack that pushed the Allied front lines back to the positions held before the battle began. Afte..

Continue Reading

What are major problems facing Russia?

Russia greatly relies on oil for its industries and this makes it difficult for the country to compete economically with other players around the world who have embraced the use of alternative energy sources. Another challenge that this country faces regards its institutions which are generally considered as corrupt and prone to mismanagement. The third problem facing this country is a lack of social cohesion due to lack of trust between members of the Russian society.

Continue Reading

What happened in the Roe v. Wade case?

On January 23, 1973, the Supreme Court upheld Roe's contention that the U.S. Constitution protects the right of women to obtain abortions under the 14th Amendment right to privacy. The ruling specifically granted women the right to abortions at any time during pregnancy, but it included the caveat that defined a state's level of abortion regulation during the second and third trimesters. Roe gave birth while waiting for the Supreme Court ruling, and she gave the baby up for adoption.

Continue Reading

How did Henry Ford treat his workers?

Ford believed that a good pay rate would increase the loyalty of his workers to the Ford Motor Co. A lower turnover rate would mean less downtime and lower expenses for recruiting and training new workers. Ford added a sociological department that evaluated and tried to improve his workers' lives. However, he opposed unions, as he believed that he understood what his workers needed the most. Over the years, Ford became widely recognized as a caring industrialist who empathized with blue-collar workers.\nFord not only cared for his workers but his customers as well. In 1908, he designed th..

Continue Reading
Showing 8331 to 8340 of 8554 (856 Pages)