History
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The Cuban Missile Crisis was a 13-day dispute between Cuba and the Soviet Union on one side and the United States on the other. The event is regarded as the closest these world powers came to nuclear attacks during the Cold War. During this period, Fidel Castro was the leader of Cuba, Nikita Kruschev led the Soviet Union, and John F. Kennedy was president of the United States.
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Q: What did the Incas live in?
A: Inca houses were made from stone blocks and they had angled, thatched roofs. The Incas used mainly granite stones, because it was a hard, sturdy building material. -
Q: What was the first bank in the world?
A: The world's first bank on record was the Taula de la Ciutat, which opened in Barcelona in 1401. Banking practices can be traced back to the Roman Empire. -
Q: What is the oldest civilization known to man?
A: Civilizations do not typically have discreet start dates, but tend to emerge gradually over the course of many centuries. This makes it a matter of interpretation whether Egypt, Mesopotamia or India was the first society to develop fixed residences and a complex division of labor. -
Q: What food did Sumerians eat?
A: Barley was the main staple of the Sumerian diet, and was used to make barley cakes and barley paste. Sumerians combined barley with other local vegetables, including beans, lentils, chickpeas, mustard and lettuce. Lamb, goat, pork and fish were favorites with city-dwelling Sumerians, but rural farming communities did not eat meat often and lived on a mostly vegetarian diet. -
Q: What kind of government did Sparta have?
A: Sparta had what is known as a diarchical monarchy. The government's complete makeup consisted of dual kings; a council of about 30 gerontes or gerousia, which are rich elders; the ephors, a small council of five people and an assembly, called the Appella or Demos, of the common people who gathered once a month. -
Q: Who was the first person to invent music?
A: Music predates recorded history, so it is impossible to say where and when it was first performed. However, there are archaeological records that indicate virtually all prehistoric societies developed musical instruments and had some capacity to play music. - See More Ancient History Questions
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Q: Who invented the seesaw?
A: It is believed that Korean girls in the 17th century who were not allowed beyond the confines of their courtyard walls invented the seesaw to catapult themselves in the air high enough to glimpse the outside world, according to Patricia Newman. -
Q: What year was the cellphone invented?
A: The cellphone was invented in 1973. The first call from a cellphone was made in New York City on April 3, 1973. -
Q: Who invented the pacifier?
A: People have been using objects to soothe babies for centuries, but Christian W. Meinecke is credited with inventing the pacifier. In 1901 he filed a patent for "a new and original Design for a Baby Comforter." -
Q: When were stickers invented?
A: Although the exact information regarding the invention of stickers remains unknown, the origin may be traced back to R. Stanton Avery, who invented the first self-adhesive label in the 1930s. Other possibilities include inventions in the 1880s by advertising gurus in Europe or by Sir Roland Hill. Hill crafted and introduced an adhesive paper in 1839, which eventually became postage stamps. -
Q: Who invented checkers?
A: It is not known who invented checkers. The Encyclopedia Britannica states that checkers is one of the oldest games in the world. The modern form of checkers emerged by the 16th century. -
Q: When was the first airplane invented?
A: The first airplane was invented in 1903 by Orville and Wilbur Wright. Their historical flight at Kitty Hawk, N.C., was the first time a machine with a human passenger flew under its own power. The plane rose 10 feet in the air, flew 120 feet and landed after 12 seconds. - See More Inventions Questions
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Q: What is a female emperor called?
A: A female emperor is properly termed an empress or an empress regnant. Emperors and empresses reign over empires and are generally conceded to outrank kings. Reigning empresses rarely conquer their own territories but instead inherit from a husband or father. -
Q: Who won the crusades?
A: The crusades were ultimately won in the East by the Muslims when the Bahri Mamluks conquered Acre in 1291. While crusades were mounted even after this point, political witch-hunts mounted against the Knights Templar by King Philip IV of France made further major crusades in the Levant impractical. -
Q: Who invented the sword?
A: Ancient Egyptians invented the sword during the Bronze Age. Other cultures soon adopted swords, and they became popular. The sword evolved from the dagger and was made of arsenic copper or tin bronze. The sword symbolized liberty and faith and was said to be the emblem for military honor. -
Q: What were the negative effects of the Crusades?
A: Negative effects of the Crusades included the repeated defeats of the Christian armies, the slaughter of innocents and the looting of Constantinople. The destruction of Constantinople severed any hope of mending the East-West schism in Christianity, and this event left the Byzantine Empire vulnerable to the Ottoman Empire. -
Q: How tall was Genghis Khan?
A: There is no definitive account of Ghengis Khan's height. Descriptions simply describe him as tall. Tall is likely relevant, however. The average height of man during the time in which Ghengis Khan lived was just under 5 foot 7 inches, so anyone taller than this average could be considered tall. -
Q: What was the longest ruling Chinese dynasty?
A: The Zhou Dynasty, also spelled "Chou," was the longest dynasty in the history of China. Though exact dates are unknown, scholars and archaeologists place the Zhou Dynasty reign from about 1046 B.C. to 256 B.C. - See More Middle Ages Questions
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Q: Who was one of the very first psychologists to write about sleep, memory, senses, dreams and learning?
A: Sigmund Freud, the creator of psychoanalysis, was one of the first doctors to research and write about the unconscious mind and repressed memories. Freud believed that psychological problems could manifest as physical symptoms. -
Q: How many people were on the Titanic when it sank?
A: Official reports vary, but the consensus is that there were between 2,200 and 2,340 passengers and crew members on board the Titanic when it sank. Of that number, 885 were crew members. -
Q: What is the quote from Martin Luther King, Jr.'s speech that says "in the end?"
A: In his 1967 "Steeler Lecture," Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends." The "Steeler Lecture" was one of five sermons published in a book called "Conscience for Change," republished as "The Trumpet of Conscience" after King's death. -
Q: What did Nelson Mandela fight for?
A: Nelson Mandela fought to end apartheid, which divided people in South Africans based on race. After his release from prison, he sought reconciliation. He is credited with helping South Africa move past its unjust history. -
Q: What were some types of transportation in the 1800s?
A: Transportation in the early 1800s was primarily by horse and sail, but the development and refinement of the steam engine spurred the development of rail and river transportation. Horses and horse-drawn conveyances remained the primary method of transportation through most of the century, at least for local travel. Toward the end of the 1800s, the automobile came into existence, although most 19th-century designs saw very limited adoption. -
Q: Why did apartheid happen in South Africa?
A: Apartheid was created as a means of cementing economic and social control over South Africa and its resources. The country was colonized by the English and the Dutch in the 17th century. Yet, when gold was discovered in the 1900s, the British seized control, and war broke out. Eventually, peace negotiations were reached and the two shared power over South Africa until the Reunited National Party won the 1948 election. - See More Modern History Questions
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