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Who started World War II?

Italy, Japan and Germany had all made earlier moves presaging World War II. In 1931, Japan took over Manchuria, and in 1935, Italy took over Ethiopia. Hitler's first warlike move was transporting troops and weaponry into the Rhineland in 1936, contrary to the World War I-ending Treaty of Versailles. However, none of these aggressions seemed like more than a localized conflict until Hitler invaded Poland, forcing Britain and France to declare war on Germany to protect an ally. Subsequent alliances and conflicts drew in countries from every continent.

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What are the advantages of colonization?

Throughout history, colonization has been viewed as a favorable endeavor by large, powerful nations because it was a way of drawing additional profits for the government as well as private business owners. In short, it was a positive situation for members of a nation's economic sector. Governments allowed companies to expand into colonized areas at reduced tax rates, and some even provided government subsidies to tempt companies to do so. Those companies financed the mining of natural resources and drew profits off of the buying and selling of them. Governments collected money for the use..

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What did Gustavus Swift invent?

Prior to the invention of the refrigerator car, cattle had to be shipped alive from Chicago to be slaughtered at slaughterhouses around the country. However, the long transport damaged the animals, which lowered their edibility and value. In fact, only 40 percent of the cattle were considered edible by the end of these long journeys.

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How tall was Abe Lincoln?

Lincoln's height was unusual for the middle of the 19th century, leading some historians to suspect he had Marfan syndrome, a genetic disorder. He was 7.5 inches taller than the average man during that time period, with the difference in height coming from his legs. This does not confirm that Lincoln had Marfan syndrome, but his height and the length of his legs did make him shaped like someone with the condition.

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What were the Mayans famous for?

The Mayans society left behind many artifacts that show us just how advanced the culture was. They were hunters and farmers, as well as artists and scientists. The artwork of the Mayans was rich, ornate and detailed. The details on the people's buildings were made with stone and stucco, though many of the buildings were built and decorated using cement and plaster. The region that the Mayans lived in was rich with limestone and flint, making these materials easy to obtain. The Mayans were advanced enough in science and math that they were able to create an accurate calendar. There were tw..

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When did South Africa become independent?

After 1961, South Africa was independent of the European powers that had colonized it, but the colonizers, in the form of the white elites that dominated politics and economics in the new country, were still in charge. The country's black majority did not participate in the 1961 referendum, and they had few rights under South Africa's racist apartheid regime. True independence for the majority of the country came only in 1994, when Nelson Mandela and the African National Congress came into power following a multiracial, multiparty election.

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What was the main effect of the fall of Constantinople in 1453?

When Sultan Mehmed II and the Turks captured Constantinople in 1453, they changed the name to Islambol, meaning "City of Islam." The famed Hagia Sophia church was converted into a mosque, and much of the city's Christian monuments and heritage was destroyed.\nWith the city under Turkish control, it became increasingly dangerous and almost impossible for Christian traders to travel the Far East by land. Portugal and Spain took this opportunity to set about sending sailing expeditions around Africa to find a path to India by waterway. This indirectly led to some expeditions sailing too far ..

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How long did the Trojan War last?

The city of Troy was protected by its walls. The Trojan horse, which was built by Odysseus, is credited with ending the Trojan war by allowing the Greeks to gain access to the city. The Trojans dragged the horse into the city, and celebrated victory after watching the Greek fleet sail away. Greek soldiers hiding inside it waited until the Trojans were sleeping to slaughter them while they slept.

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What are some facts about Rosa Parks' early life?

Rosa Park's grandparents were both former slaves, and from them, she received some of her earliest exposure to the fight for the rights of African-Americans. In one of Parks' early encounters with racism, Ku Klux Klan members marched past the Edwards' house. During this incident, Parks' grandfather stood guard at the door of the estate with a shotgun.\nParks attended a segregated school in her area after receiving her early education from her mother. The white children of the community had school buses for transport, but African-Americans had to walk to their schoolhouse. T..

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What type of government did colonial New Jersey have?

The first to settle in New Jersey were the Dutch. However, they were soon overrun by the British colonists who divided the land in half. The two partitions were granted to New Jersey's first proprietors, John Berkeley and George Carteret. Berkeley ruled West New Jersey while Carteret was in charge of East New Jersey. Endowed with full governmental powers, both proprietors allowed the settlers to own pieces of land at low prices and to practice politics ad religion without censure.

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