For those that like digging up the past, history is on your side, do not give up digging because its through uncovering our past experiences that we manage to handle the hardships we go through today. Well documented history can become a great tool to be used as a guide that will help the modern day humans overcome the challenges they are facing at present. Prepare for the future but never forget about the past” is the common phrase motivational speakers bombard us every single day
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When people look at a map, they usually have no idea of which projection cartographers used to construct that map. However, almost everyone has heard of or seen the most frequently used projection-the Mercator-developed by Gerardus Mercator in 1569. It was the map projection used by European navigators in their voyages of exploration and empire […]
How did the Mercator Projections revolutionize navigation ? Read More »
In January 1604, James of England held the Hampton Court Conference near London. At this conference, James responded to demands of the Puritans that included reforms to church government and changes in The Book of Common Prayer. The king rejected many of the Puritans’ demands but agreed to one that had a powerful effect
The Greatest Legacy of King James Read More »
Repeated experimentation and careful measurement-so vital to the scientific method-were greatly aided by the development of new technology. Two of the technological innovations of the Renaissance the microscope and the telescope-expanded human sight in amazing ways. One allowed scientists to look inward at the minute structures of the human body. The other opened the door
Among those who first gazed into the night skies. Read More »
One of the outgrowths of the Commercial Revolution was the formation of powerful families in Europe that handled trading and banking concerns. Such families thrived as the economic life of the Middle Ages began to change and long-distance trade became more common. Although a local guild leader could handle trade in his area,
Who were the first bankers? Read More »
Niccolo Machiavelli is considered one of the most influential political writers of the Renaissance. While the political theorists of the Middle Ages wrote about politics in an idealistic way, Machiavelli strived to present the realistic side of politics in his work. His ideas were based on his perception of human nature from a historical context.
Many leaders in the world have adopted a Machiavellian mindset Read More »
People have enjoyed going to see plays as a form of entertainment since the earliest times. In ancient Greece and Rome, performances were given in great open-air arenas. In ancient Japan, the Noh plays were popular forms of entertainment. During the Middle Ages, sacred stories and plays with Christian themes, called morality plays,
The good olden days of theatre Performance Read More »
The process of determining a vehicle’s position and directing its movement is called navigation. The word navigation comes from two Latin words-navis, meaning “ship,” and agere, meaning “to drive.” The explorers of the 1500s sailed with only a few simple technological aids to guide them. However, with these, along with the stars and the Sun,
How did Seafarers find their way across vast empty oceans Read More »
People throughout the ages have played games for amusement and diversion. In some cultures, games were a way for children to learn skills that would be useful to them in later life. In addition, games provided relief and relaxation from the routine of hard work in the home or the fields. Dice have been found
How did common games begin? Read More »
Today computer and communication technologies enable people all over the world to exchange information and goods and services, making the world seem a smaller place. What we call the Columbian Exchange, an equally important kind of exchange between the Americas and the rest of the world, began in 1492, when Columbus sailed from Spain across
European diseases almost exterminated the indigenous peoples of the Americas. Read More »
It is hardly surprising that the art of France reflected the shattering changes brought about by the French Revolution. In subject, in mood, and in technique, these changes are evident in this work by Jacques-Louis David. His painting illustrates the Jacobin leader Jean-Paul Marat who was stabbed to death by Charlotte Corday as he was
The famous assassination of French Revolutionary leader Marat. Read More »