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Why was Rome's location significant?

Rome was established along the Tiber River. It is about 17 miles northeast of the river's mouth at the Tyrrhenian Sea. By utilizing these waterways, Romans could participate in maritime trade. In addition, a major north-south trade route ran through Rome, allowing Romans to carry out trade in the city or transport Roman goods to different parts of Europe. Rome's central location in the Italian peninsula made conquest of the peninsula easier. Once Rome controlled the Italian peninsula, the central Mediterranean location of the peninsula also facilitated the expansion of the Roman Empi..

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Who invented the Sundial?

Aristarchus invented the hemispherical sundial, or hemicycle. It consisted of a block of stone or wood that had a hemisphere-shaped depression cut into it. A pointer was placed on one end of the depression and fixed into place. The path that the shadow followed was approximately a circular arc, hence the name. Inside the hemisphere different lines were engraved to track the path of the sun in different seasons. The hemicycle was widely used all over the world for several centuries.

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Did they find flight MH370?

Less than an hour after takeoff, air-traffic controllers lost contact with flight MH370. While no further communications with air-traffic control was confirmed, military radar did capture some communications with the plane and revealed that the plane had made a sudden westward change of course from its programmed route to the north. Speculating on the route of the plane after the last communication, search and recovery operations have focused their search in the sea west of Malaysia. Although several theories regarding its disappearance have been advanced, evidence indicates that someone on bo..

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What were the achievements of the Axum Kingdom?

Axum arose during the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD, and it grew into a major trading power along the Red Sea, ultimately supplanting other regional kingdoms in the area. The kingdom became the most important marketplace of east Africa, connecting Asia with the rest of Africa and the Mediterranean. This trade, according to On Islam, allowed the movement of everyday essentials as well as more expensive items, such as turtle shells, ivory, obsidian, rhino horns, emeralds, cattle and gold.\nAccording to EduPlace, Axum also achieved a substantial amount in the area of architecture, constructing massive..

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Why are British soldiers called "Tommies"?

The most popular theory behind "Tommy Atkins" is that the Duke of Wellington chose the name for soldiers in 1843, but paperwork shows that the War Office had officially begun using the generic name in 1815. Rudyard Kipling's poems helped popularize the term, eventually replacing the "Thomas Lobster," a reference to the red uniforms of British soldiers. However, the term was not always popular or positive; during World War I, British soldiers disliked being called "tommies" and used it derisively, imitating the jingoistic language of certain newspapers.\nDespite having been thoroughly debu..

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What are some facts about the routes that Giovanni da Verrazano took?

The first voyage, around 1524 to 1525, was not without incident. Verrazzano started out with four ships. Two of them, the Santa Maria and the Vittoria sank during a storm at sea. The other two, the Delfina and the Normanda were attacked by Spanish ships. The Normanda sank, but the Delfina, which was the flagship, continued on, eventually arriving in modern-day Cape Fear, North Carolina.\nVerrazzano sailed south as far as Florida, then changed his mind and went north, ending up at the Bay of New York and later Martha's Vineyard and Newport, Rhode Island. After a brief stay, he sailed back ..

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Why did Albert Einstein emigrate to the United States?

Einstein's decision to move came one month before Adolf Hitler took over as the German chancellor. In the years prior to Hitler's takeover, Jews were being targeted by the Nazi movement. Einstein's work in relativity was denounced and made him an even bigger target than his ancestry. In fact, the Nazis enlisted a number of other physicists to refute the findings of Einstein. The result was a published finding entitled "One Hundred Authors Against Einstein." Following a professorship in California, Einstein returned to Germany and renounced his citizenship. His home was later tur..

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What are some interesting history books for middle schoolers?

“Profiles In Courage” by John F. Kennedy details the late president’s admiration of the heroic and brave actions of eight U.S. senators who stood up for what they believed was right in the face of adverse reactions from the public and their peers. It is an excellent description of leaders who eschewed popularity, re-election and party favoritism in favor of allowing conscience and principle dictate their actions.\n“Beyond Courage: The Untold Story of Jewish Resistance During the Holocaust“ by Doreen Rappaport details the bravery and heroic efforts of people who resisted unjust persec..

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Where can you find articles on unity in diversity?

Another useful place to find articles on the Web regarding unity in diversity is preservearticles.com. It is important to understand that these are articles written by different individuals who just want their thoughts and opinions on the subject to be published. Importantindia.com is a website that is dedicated to allowing people to understand the importance of India and includes many articles on unity in diversity.\nUnity in diversity focuses on the idea that even through differences, groups can come together.

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What was Francisco Coronado's childhood like?

Francisco Vazquez de Coronado was a famous Spanish explorer credited for the discovery of the Grand Canyon. He was involved in politics in the New World, at one point becoming governor of Nueva Galecia. Coronado also enjoyed the support of the viceroy of Mexico, Antonio de Mendoza, and he was married to Dona Beatriz, the daughter of the colonial treasurer.\nAntonio de Mendoza selected Francisco Coronado to lead an expedition north of Mexico in search of gold. Coronado and around 300 Spanish soldiers traveled through what is now New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas. The expedition included a ..

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