History

Refine Search

What were three major accomplishments of William Shakespeare?

Shakespeare was born in 1564 and is known for some of the greatest plays and writings of all time. By the late 1590s, he was a prominent member of the Lord Chamberlain's Men acting troupe, and in 1599, he was a shareholder of the Globe Theatre. Shakespeare retired by 1613 and died at the age of 52. Beyond the facts of his birth and death, little is known of the man but his writings earned him recognition as England's national poet.

Continue Reading

What are some of Obama's biggest accomplishments?

Obama's Affordable Care Act became law in 2010 and successfully withstood a challenge to its constitutionality in 2012. The law attempted to solve the problems of health care coverage in the country by increasing the age at which children may stay on their parents' plan and eliminating pre-existing conditions as a disqualification for insurance. In 2012, the Supreme Court voted five to four that the law's mandate for coverage was constitutional because it amounted to a tax, which is a power that Congress has under the Constitution.\nThe Budget Control Act of 2011 prevented the g..

Continue Reading

Who invented the periscope?

Thomas H. Doughty of the United States Navy invented a prismatic periscope, which was used in the American Civil War. In 1902, Simon Lake, a submarine engineer, created a more effective, collapsible omniscope with eight prisms for all-around, rotating viewpoints. This was helpful for viewing the water while the submarine moved at a lower speed. Improvements to Lake's omniscope included a double tube, so that it could withstand more pressure and speed.

Continue Reading

How tall is George Bush?

Both Bushes are taller than the average height of the 44 presidents of U.S. history, which is 5 feet 11 inches. As of 2014, the tallest presidents of the country have been Abraham Lincoln and Lyndon B. Johnson, who were both 6 feet 4 inches tall, while the shortest was James Madison, who stood 5 feet 4 inches.\nHistorically, the taller candidate in a presidential election has won the electoral vote 53 percent of the time and the popular vote 59 percent of the time.

Continue Reading

Where was the electric wheelchair invented?

The original purpose of the motorized wheelchair was to help veterans from World War II who had been injured during the war. In 1956, electric wheelchairs started to be mass-produced for popular use. The company responsible for this production also created the first folding wheelchairs in 1932. As of 2014, some modern motorized wheelchairs can be controlled with the user's mind, making the wheelchairs better for patients who lack use of their arms.

Continue Reading

What was an innovation of the Romans?

Perhaps the single most important Roman innovation was concrete. A lime and volcanic ash mixture was blended with volcanic rock of different weights to create a durable concrete resistant to chemical decay. Architects developed several building techniques using concrete, including mortared stone construction and earthquake-proofing designs. Roman concrete was used in most major Roman projects including the Pantheon, the Forum and the Colosseum, which all stand today. It was also one of the major ingredients in the tough Roman highways, the ruins of which still exist, and in sealing aqueducts.\..

Continue Reading

How were the Great Lakes formed?

The Great Lakes region consists of a series of five lakes, including Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. Together, these lakes make up 21 percent of the world's freshwater and span a total of 94,250 square miles. In 2009, the lakes contained 84 percent of North America's surface fresh water. Lake Superior is the biggest continental lake in the world by area.The lakes connect to the Atlantic Ocean via the Saint Lawrence River. The combined shoreline of the Great Lakes spans around 10,500 miles and provides a major source of leisure for residents and t..

Continue Reading

What is a Spanish galleon trade?

The Spanish galleon trade was an annual round trip through Manila, in the Philippines, and Acapulco, in Mexico, involving a single Manila galleon. Exotic products such as silk, porcelain, spices and perfumes were traded by the Chinese and transported to the Spanish colonial capital in the Philippines. In Manila, these precious goods were loaded into a large sailing vessel known as a galleon, then shipped eastwards, across the Pacific Ocean, to Acapulco, on the western cost of Mexico. The goods were then carried across land to a port on the Atlantic coast for transport to Spain.\nWhile docked i..

Continue Reading

How did Jim Crow laws affect African-Americans?

One example of policymaking under "Jim Crow" is the segregation of the military and other federal government workplaces, a policy that was brought about in 1913 under the orders of President Woodrow Wilson. Although "Jim Crow" laws made segregation an absolute legal requirement in many cases, in some places in the U.S., the spirit of racism was enough to keep racial segregation a reality. Even something as simple as traffic was affected by some "Jim Crow" laws, as there were areas in the U.S. where white drivers were always considered to have the right of way while driving, no matter what the ..

Continue Reading

What are the causes for the Columbian Exchange?

After its separation millions of years ago from a landmass containing Eurasia and Africa, the American continent experienced a period of ecological isolation. As a result of this isolation, its ecosystems evolved separately and took on different characteristics to those found elsewhere in the world.\nFollowing Columbus' arrival, many of the European nations were interested in colonizing the newly discovered land and sent men in ships to conquer territory, find gold and convert the local people to Christians. With the arrival of these foreign colonizers, the native people living in the Ame..

Continue Reading
Showing 6431 to 6440 of 8554 (856 Pages)