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What is the Mount Vesuvius Tomb?

The tomb was discovered on March 28, 1980, when preparations were being made to build an apartment complex at the site. Ten ossuaries were found inside, six of them with epigraphs. One of the epigraphs translates to "Jesus, Son of Joseph." Some believe that Jesus' family was buried inside the tomb, including Mary, Joseph and Mary of Magdalene.

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Why was Appomattox Courthouse important?

The Appomattox campaign had begun 11 days earlier with the Battle of Lewis's Farm. Lee had abandoned Richmond, Virginia, which was the Confederate capital, and was taking his army to North Carolina in the hopes of meeting up with additional soldiers to continue fighting. They were stopped in Virginia by the Union Army and eventually surrounded with no means of escaping. Lee sent a message to Grant agreeing to surrender, and officially did so in McLean's parlor. As part of the surrender terms, Grant paroled Lee's army and allowed them to return home. While the surrender is typica..

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Where was Pythagoras educated?

As a youth on the island of Samos, Pythagoras's early education largely included learning to play the lyre and reciting poetry from authors like Homer. He is also thought to have been educated by Chaldaeans and wise Syrians during travels with his father to Tyre.His principal teachers as a young man are considered to be the philosophers Pherekydes, Thales and Anaximander, the latter two being a teacher and student living on Miletus.In around 535 B.C., Pythagoras studied in Egypt at the temple of Diospolis, or ancient Thebes, now modern-day Luxor.

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Who invented the paper clip?

Vaaler was working at an invention office when he came up with the idea for the paper clip, and he received a patent in 1901 for the invention from the U.S. Patent Office. Still, the act of fastening papers together was not a new concept. The practice was observed as early as the 1200s, although a ribbon was inserted in the upper left-hand corner of the pages. The use of a wax ribbon that was easier to handle soon followed, and the practice was widely used for the six centuries leading up to Vaaler's invention of the metal paper clip.

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Why did France declare war on Austria, Holland and England?

The French Revolution caused a massive shift in European politics. After the French monarchy was overthrown, many of France's former enemies looked on with confusion, wondering if their goals would be better served attempting to restore their former enemies to power, or simply taking advantage of the chaos in France to stake their own claims. Austria was the first to move in 1791, with the Holy Roman Emperor Leopold II declaring his intent to protect the royal family of France. France, in turn, declared war on Austria for its refusal to retreat from France's borders.\nIn the first ye..

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Who were the authors of the Articles of Confederation?

The Articles of Confederation were a precursor to and model for the U.S. Constitution. They were designed to guarantee strong state power while providing a central strong alliance. Under the Articles, states mostly ran themselves, and disputes between states would be brought to Congress. However, the lack of forceful penalties for state noncompliance resulted in chaos, making it clear to the founding fathers that a stronger central government was needed. In September 1788, the Articles of Confederation were superseded by the U.S. Constitution.

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How did Thomas Jefferson become famous?

In 1776, Jefferson was one of five people chosen by the Second Continental Congress to draft the Declaration of Independence. This helped him become well-known as one of the Founding Fathers of America. Jefferson also became well-known as an advocate for the separation of the church and state, an idea which he advocated in the Virginia Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom, and which was incorporated into the Constitution. Jefferson was also known as an advocate for free public education, another idea that affected the entire nation.\nOne aspect of Jefferson's fame was negative in his o..

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How did the South seek help from Europe in the Civil War?

Unfortunately for the South, Britain had foreseen the soft embargo of cotton prior to the war and had stockpiled over 1 million bales for use by its domestic industry while large-scale cotton plantations were set up in India. Though the price of cotton jumped, from $0.10 a bale in 1860 to $1.85 during the war, Britain was not sufficiently moved to recognize the CSA as a sovreign state.\nConfederate diplomatic efforts were just as strenuous as the economic pressure the South tried to bring on the governments of Europe. Tensions over the Confederate overtures to Britain culminated with the seizu..

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What is Jimmy Carter famous for?

Prior to announcing his candidacy for president, Jimmy Carter was a governor and senator in the state of Georgia. He was elected president on Nov. 2, 1976, and he served just one term before President Ronald Regan took office. Carter had very high approval ratings when he first assumed office, but his approval ratings declined dramatically during the Iran Hostage Crisis. During this crisis, 66 Americans were held hostage by Iranian citizens who felt they were betrayed by Carter, who granted Iran's overthrown leader, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, access to the United States. The hostages were rel..

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What did the passage of the Townshend Acts cause the colonists to do?

After the Stamp Act of 1765 was repealed following widespread American opposition, Chancellor of the Exchequer Charles Townshend pushed through Parliament a new series of laws meant to raise money in the colonies. These acts suspended the New York Assembly, reorganized the customs service and imposed duties on paint, paper, glass, lead and tea. The colonists saw the Townshend Acts as a threat to self-government. The ensuing boycott reduced tax revenue to Britain. Because the new customs board headquartered in Boston, the city was a hotbed of dissent. Colonial Secretary Lord Hillsborough sent f..

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