History

Refine Search

Why did the partition of India happen?

While the partition was largely drawn along pre-existing lines, many Muslims lived in the lands that became India, and many Hindus lived in territory that became Pakistan. The partition resulted in the largest mass migration in human history, in which over 14 million Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs were displaced by the redrawn lines and forced to move from their ancestral homes.\nThe partition also resulted in massive violence. Before, during and after the partition process, sectarian groups targeted one another in the affected areas. In the Punjab region alone, somewhere between 200,000 and 500,00..

Continue Reading

What was Kristallnacht?

This event was the culmination of years of oppressive practices against Jewish people that started in 1933. During Kristallnacht, over 250 synagogues and 7,500 Jewish commercial buildings were burned, vandalized and looted. Jewish cemeteries were also targeted. After this event, anti-Semitic legislation became more common and oppressive, such as limits on professional options, as well as loss of access to schooling and personal transport.

Continue Reading

Where did athletics originate?

The first Olympic competition only had one event, which was a sprinting race of 192 meters (about 630 feet) won by a competitor named Coroebus. Following this competition, new events were added, including the ancient Olympic pentathlon, which included events still held at the Olympic Games today.As the popularity of athletics grew, other sporting events began to occur in Europe throughout the ages, such as the Pythian Games in Greece and the Highland Games in Scotland.

Continue Reading

What famous people have persevered?

Einstein also won the Nobel Prize. Despite these successes, Einstein was unable to speak in fluid sentences until he was 9 years old and was also expelled from school.Walt Disney also faced challenges, including going bankrupt after creating his first cartoon. However, Disney would persevere and build a global empire as well as win 22 Academy Awards while he was alive and many more after his death.

Continue Reading

What did Bartolomeu Dias discover?

Prior to Dias's discovery, there was a land route to Asia had that closed due to the Ottoman Empire's conquest of what remained of the Byzantine Empire in the 1450s. By discovering the Cape of Good Hope water route, Dias helped improve trade relations with India and Asia. The discovery also aided Christopher Columbus in finding his own sea route to the Far East.

Continue Reading

What are some notable events in Washington state's history?

Washington, the only state named after a U.S. president, officially became the nation's 42nd state on November 11, 1889. The state's first constitution was adopted in 1878, but it was never ratified by Congress. Much of it, however, was used in the state's 1889 constitution.\nSonora Smart Dodd of Spokane pushed for the observance of a Father's Day much like Mother's Day, which already existed at that time. On June 19, 1910, Washington celebrated its first Father's Day. Mrs. Dodd campaigned heavily for a national observance, but Father's Day did not become an ..

Continue Reading

Is the Snopes website a good place to check the accuracy of a story?

A chain email that appeared in early 2009 accused Snopes.com of having a liberal bias when it came to debunking political stories. However, third-party investigations into these accusations of bias found that they were largely unsubstantiated. Site administrators use sources such as news articles, public records and court documents, interviews, and hands-on experiments to determine the veracity of claims.

Continue Reading

Who invented hair grease?

Madam C.J. Walker initially worked for Annie Turnbo Malone, another hair care enthusiast. Eventually, she became an independent hairdresser and manufacturer of hair products. At the time, many black women lost their hair because they didn't have clean, hot water to clean their hair, and the soaps they used caused their hair to fall out.\nAs time went on and her business became more successful, Madam Walker began to develop new hair products. She funded a laboratory in Indianapolis where new hair products were developed. She also taught other women managerial skills and helped black women ..

Continue Reading

What is the Northwest Ordinance of 1787?

The Northwest Ordinance was the first legislation of its type to be passed by Congress, and it set a precedent for the way westward expansion in the United States would be handled through the 19th century. It established a method for mapping and admitting new states to the union, rather than expanding existing states.

Continue Reading

Why did the Mayans sacrifice humans?

Mayans did not practice human sacrifice as often as the Aztecs, as their ceremonial sacrifices usually involved slaughtering animals, such as jaguars, dogs, deer or parrots. Religious and political leaders also performed ritual bloodletting from their own body parts, such as the ears and tongue. The blood was then smeared on idols or ritually burned. However, during festivals and rituals, Mayans occasionally practiced human sacrifice on purchased slaves and prisoners. Excavations show that young children were also used as sacrificial offerings.\nMost often, the victims were held down by their ..

Continue Reading
Showing 6111 to 6120 of 8554 (856 Pages)