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Who invented the electric blanket?

In 1930, the Samson United Corporation made an "over blanket" that worked in much the same way as today's electric blankets. Early electric blankets were bulky, big and quite dangerous. They were widely considered an oddity until they were introduced for use in tuberculosis sanitariums to keep patients warm when sleeping outdoors. The first automatic electric blanket went on sale in Petersburg, Virginia in 1946 priced at $39.50.

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How old was King Tut when he died?

No one is certain of the exact cause of King Tutankhamen's death, but scholars know that the young royal was physically frail. In addition to a club foot, he had an infection in his left leg, which was broken, and suffered multiple bouts of malaria infection. Since pharaohs tended to marry their family members, genetic problems caused by inbreeding may have contributed to his early death. Though scholars initially believed that a hole in the back of his skull was evidence of foul play, research in 2005 indicates that embalmers made the hole during mummification.

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Why did the Spanish build missions in Texas?

Spanish explorers first established missions in South America. They moved northward from Mexico in the early 1500s, making their way to the United States by 1600. The Spaniards faced a threat from French Canadian explorers upon entering the United States, as both vied for power. Spanish explorers used Native American tribes in the southwestern region of New Mexico, Texas and Arizona to their advantage as they sought to gain an upper hand against the French.\nConfining Native tribes to missions let the Spanish explorers extend their religious influence, which bolstered their strength. Spanish s..

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Why is Hernan Cortes important?

Cortes' foray into Aztec territory began when he defied orders from his superior in Cuba and set sail for Mexico with 500 men. Despite limited forces, Cortes won native allies while marching toward the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan; many subjugated tribes resented the harsh rule and steep taxes the Aztecs imposed and were willing to join with Cortes. The Tlaxacan people were Cortes' primary supporters, providing the Spaniards with 5,000 men as protection when entering territory belonging to Aztec allies. After several failed attempts to convince Emperor Montezuma to submit to Spanish an..

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Why did most Puritans come to North America?

Many Puritans stayed in the Massachusetts Bay area and started the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Others went on to begin the Connecticut Colony. The majority of the Puritans were educated, middle class and studious, which allowed them to thrive in the New World. In fact, a lot of Puritans were skilled craftsmen, tradesmen and farmers. All of the Puritans were English Protestants, however, the most prominent denomination was Calvinist.

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What is the history of the Titanic?

Commissioned by White Star Line, the Titanic took approximately three years to build and was considered unsinkable. At the time of its completion, it was the world's largest passenger ship. Electric lights, elevators, heaters, an on-board gym and a heated swimming pool were among its many amenities.\nThe Titanic left Southampton on April 10 under the command of Captain Edward Smith. After brief stops in France and Ireland, she headed toward New York. Through much of the day on April 14, the Titanic's crew received warnings of ice in the area. The ship was about 300 miles from New Yor..

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What were the common beliefs and religions in ancient Greece?

For the ancient Greeks, gods and goddesses were in abundance, with the 12 major gods residing on Mount Olympus. Each city or town had its own deity that warranted respect and sacrifice. The pantheon of gods, headed by the powerful Zeus, were immortal beings that resembled humans but exhibited superhuman powers.\nThey did not believe their gods created the universe, though, and they were still subject to its laws and its order. Humanity and immortals alike were subject to fate, which often appeared personified as the Fates, three goddesses who watched over all destinies. Free will still existed..

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How did technology start?

Although man’s ancestors had limited ways to advance their newly found ideas, their narrow expertise made life easier. For example, they were able to cook food to make it softer and easier to eat. Gains in the Stone Age led to the development of agricultural tools and techniques. Agriculture became a new source of livelihood and eased the pressure from hunting. From then on, modern civilization started to advance.\nMany decades later, the era of information technology came about. The Soviet Union launched the first satellite, called the Sputnik, at the height of the Cold War in 1957. America..

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Why did the Spanish come to America?

Christopher Columbus arrived in America in 1492 and, during the next 400 years, the Spanish arrived and took control of most of the North American continent, including Mexico, the California Pacific Coast, Central America and even parts of Canada.When they arrived, they quickly began opening up new trade routes and spreading Christianity throughout the land. It wasn't until the Spanish-American War in 1898 that they lost their hold on the country, although the Spaniards held onto Puerto Rico and Cuba after the war.

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What was Alexander Hamilton's economic plan?

The national bank that Alexander Hamilton proposed was to be modeled after the Bank of England. This bank would be in charge of overseeing the nation's tax revenue, hold government money and make loans to the government as well as to those who wanted to borrow money from the United States. Many felt that his plan would encourage corruption. James Madison deemed the plan for a national bank unconstitutional because there were no provisions granting Congress the authority to create a banking institution. Hamilton drafted the "implied powers" doctrine that essentially took care of the uncons..

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