Chronicles of the Past
What are some questions that historians ask? Questions Good Historians Ask What is the story I want to convey? What is my argument? What has been done before on similar topics or using similar approaches? What is new and noteworthy about my topic? What kind of argument or approach best suits my topic? What are …
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What were the ship ranks in the Age of Sail? Typical jobs on board included cook, parson, surgeon, master gunner, boatswain (in charge of the sails), carpenter and quartermaster. Other members of the crew would, of course, carry out all the duties, including keeping watch, handling sails, and cleaning decks. What were the ranks of …
Severely wounded and taken to the jail in Charles Town, Virginia, John Brown stood trial for treason against the commonwealth of Virginia, for murder, and for conspiring with slaves to rebel. Why was John Brown’s raid controversial? John Brown remains one of the most controversial figures in our history. To destroy the institution of slavery, …
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How were the Mongols defeated? Ultimately, though, the failure of their military campaigns became a key factor leading to the weakening and eventual demise of the Mongol empire in China. Among the failed campaigns were two naval campaigns against Japan — one in 1274 and one in 1281 — both of which turned into complete …
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On June 9, 1898, the British under Queen Victoria brokered a 99-year lease agreement for the use of Hong Kong after China lost a series of wars fought over the British trade in tea and opium. Why did Britain have a 99-year lease on Hong Kong? The Opium Wars resulted in two treaties, each expanding …
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The Government of India Act 1858 was enacted by whom? Answer: Government of India Act 1858 was enacted by the British parliament to regulate the power of the Government of India. What were the reasons for passing Government of India Act 1858? The East India Company’s ineptitude in properly managing the political and administrative affairs …
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What percentage of Britons are religious? Some 46.2% of the population of England and Wales described themselves as Christian on the day of the 2021 census, down from 59.3% a decade earlier. The Muslim population grew from 4.9% to 6.5% of the total, while 1.7% identified as Hindu, up from 1.5%. Which country spread Christianity …
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What was the role of artisans in ancient China? The Gong (Artisans and craftspeople) The third social class in ancient Chinese society was made up of artisans and craftspeople. Those people in this group had particular skills required to make highly specialised items. Included in this group were armourers, metalworkers, and carpenters. What were the …
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What was the Franco-Russian military convention? Dual Alliance, also called Franco-Russian Alliance, a political and military pact that developed between France and Russia from friendly contacts in 1891 to a secret treaty in 1894; it became one of the basic European alignments of the pre-World War I era. What was agreed in the Franco-Russian Alliance? …
When did we switch from wood to coal? In the United States, coal overtook wood only in the 1880s. For the industrializing world, the move to coal brought enormous benefits. Why did coal replace wood as a fuel source? Burning coal was easier because coal burned longer than wood and, therefore, did not have to …
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