History

Refine Search

Who won the war between Athens and Sparta?

The Peloponnesian War began in 431 B.C.C. and ended in 404 B.C.E. when Athens conceded defeat to Sparta. The rapid rise of Athens as a dominant city-state in ancient Greece threatened the Spartans and triggered the onset of war. The Peloponnesian War was split into three stages: the Archidamian War, the Sicilian War and the Ionian or Decelean War. The war's first 20 years was covered by the Greek historian, Thucydides, and was later resumed by Xenophon.

Continue Reading

What are the achievements of Christopher Columbus?

Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer in the 15th century. He set off on his historic journey to Asia after convincing the king and queen of Spain to support him. After finding the new continent, he returned to report his discovery. This led to three subsequent visits to help establish settlements in the new land. He returned to Spain in 1504 to live out his days.

Continue Reading

What are modern pirates?

Modern pirates are common in coastal areas with impoverished populations and high rates of sea traffic, such as the coast of Somalia or the Straits of Malacca between Indonesia and Malaysia. When an appropriate ship is spotted, these pirates launch small speedboats from shore outposts or from larger motherships, which are kept well out of sight.\nThese pirates usually avoid harming people and, instead of capturing entire ships and cargo, steal cash from the ship's safe and small electronics that are easily sold. The crime of piracy is much more widespread than generally believed. While so..

Continue Reading

What is a decorated casket designed by the ancient Egyptians called?

The Old Kingdom caskets or sarcophaguses were square and decorated with hieroglyphs and the information about the person inside it. The Middle Kingdom is where the sarcophagus took on its more familiar body-like shape, with the face and the artwork that featured the gods or other various scenes of the time. The New Kingdom saw the introduction of these burial pieces being pre-made instead of as needed for those of rich and noble birth. The information for the person could just be filled into the preset blanks on the sarcophagus.

Continue Reading

What were debtors' prisons like in the Victorian Era?

In the mid-1800s, Victorians grew concerned about the increasing crime rate. According to the United Kingdom's National Archives, criminal offences, including petty crimes and debt, increased from about 5,000 in 1800 to roughly 20,000 in 1840. To remedy the problem, the government began incarcerating people, including debtors, in old buildings that were often damp, rat-infested and nearly always cramped owing to high numbers of inmates. Those placed in such prisons included children and adults both male and female. A jailer operated each prison according to his unique rules. Inmates were ..

Continue Reading

Who wrote the text of Martin Luther King's most famous speech?

Speaking from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, King delivered this speech on August 28, 1963 at the March on Washington D.C. King received a mediocre response from the crowd of nearly 250,000 toward the end of his prepared text, prompting gospel singer Mahalia Jackson to urge King to “tell them about the dream." King began speaking extemporaneously and delivered the most famous part of the speech, which aides had discouraged him from repeating. The speech contains text from speeches given by Archibald Carey Jr. in 1952 and Prathia Hall in 1962. Other portions contain text from the Bible, S..

Continue Reading

Why did the Hopi and Pueblo use mud bricks to build their homes?

Adobe bricks consist of clay and straw formed into bricks, then dried in the sun. These bricks are then used to construct the house. Clay is then used to cement the structure and an outer seal.Adobe construction offered many advantages in a warm, sunny climate that had no materials used to construct other Native American homes, such as grass for grass houses, bark for longhouses or lumber for plank houses. The dry conditions in the American Southwest helped to dry the bricks quickly.This technique offered many practical advantages in the finished product. Adobe is fireproof and durable. Becaus..

Continue Reading

What are the historical rankings of presidents?

George Washington as the nation's first president almost always gets a great deal of respect in the rankings. What he did for the nation before he became president and the example he set as president are still held in high regard by historians.\nAbraham Lincoln's guidance of the nation during one of its most trying periods, the Civil War, puts him at or near the top of the rankings. His dedication to keeping the country united is virtually undisputed by historians.\nFranklin Roosevelt's administration was invaluable toward pulling the country out of the Great Depression and thro..

Continue Reading

When did salt and pepper shakers become popular in the United States?

Prior to the popularity of salt and pepper shakers, diners used small plates or cups for dispensing salt and pepper, using small spoons or their fingers. Plates for holding salt and other spices were made from wood, pewter and animal horns during the Middle Ages. Silversmiths began crafting them from silver and gold during the 16th and 17th centuries and referred to them as “salts.” Containers and cups called spice boxes, dredging boxes and cellars became popular overseas during the 1850s but still allowed salt to form large clumps that had to be chipped or milled to sprinkle.

Continue Reading

Who were some famous leaders of the Iroquois tribe?

Tachnechdorus was from Pennsylvania and was known for his generosity to white settlers until a group of them murdered his family. He then led attacks against British frontier settlements.\nJoseph Brant studied with English military officers and fought with England in the war against France and later against American forces. Red Jacket was a chief of the Seneca who worked as a messenger for the British and later fought for the Americans during the Revolutionary War.

Continue Reading
Showing 5461 to 5470 of 8554 (856 Pages)