Chronicles of the Past
What did ancient humans do with their hair? Scissors go back at least 2,000 years. Before that, hair would have been cut with a razor or other sharpened blade, or perhaps shaved smooth. In other cultures, long hair and beards were singed off using a red hot coal from the fire. Why did ancient people …
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How fast was a train in the 1850s? As early as 1854, trains travelled at a commercial speed of about 60 km/h, as against 6.5 km/h for the stage coaches of 1840. How fast were trains in the 1930s? In the 1930s, the top and the average speeds between two cities using steam, electric or …
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What were the Roman uses of urine? Ancient Romans valued urine for its ammonia content. They found the natural enemy of dirt and grease valuable for laundering clothes and even whitening teeth. And like all valuable products, there was a scheme to tax it. Emperor Vespasian (r. How did Romans go to the bathroom? Roman …
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What is the connection between Jesus and the temple? According to the gospel, Mary and Joseph took the Infant Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem forty days (inclusive) after His birth to complete Mary’s ritual purification after childbirth, and to perform the redemption of the firstborn son, in obedience to the Torah (Leviticus 12, Exodus …
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What is the intuitive theory? An intuitive theory of psychology features observable concepts, such as actions and unobservables, such as mental states. Similarly, an intuitive theory of physics postulates unobservable concepts, such as forces to explain the interaction of Page 4 INTUITIVE THEORIES 4 observable objects (Wolff, this volume). What is an example of intuitive …
Was there ever a real pirate era? Thousands of pirates were active between 1650 and 1720, and these years are sometimes known as the ‘Golden Age’ of piracy. Famous pirates from this period include Henry Morgan, William ‘Captain’ Kidd, ‘Calico’ Jack Rackham, Bartholomew Roberts and the fearsome Blackbeard (Edward Teach). How were pirates organized? Pirates …
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What disease had the highest death toll? Flu Pandemic (1918) Between 1918 and 1920 a disturbingly deadly outbreak of influenza tore across the globe, infecting over a third of the world’s population and ending the lives of 20 – 50 million people. What disease killed people in the late 1800s? Diseases and epidemics of the …
How big was the East India Company fleet? 200 ships Within the first two decades of the 17th century, the Dutch East India Company or Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie, (VOC) was the wealthiest commercial operation in the world with 50,000 employees worldwide and a private fleet of 200 ships. What was the size of the British …
How long did Egyptians worship Ra? 2,000 years Worship of Ra was already established by the time of the Old Kingdom of Egypt (c. 2613-2181 BCE) and continued for almost 2,000 years until, like the other Egyptian gods, he was eclipsed by Christianity. When did Egyptians stop believing in Ra? The short answer is that …
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What is the curse of ancient Egypt? The curse of the pharaohs or the mummy’s curse is a curse alleged to be cast upon anyone who disturbs the mummy of an ancient Egyptian, especially a pharaoh. This curse, which does not differentiate between thieves and archaeologists, is claimed to cause bad luck, illness, or death. …
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