August 31, 2007
Edison helped design the kinetoscope, a precursor to the modern motion picture projector. It worked through a phenomenon known as "persistence of vision," in which a sequence of images is blended by the eye to create the illusion of motion. Because the work of so many others had gone into its invention, Edison never bothered to apply for an international copyright on the device, believing that it would not stand up in European courts. What effect did this have on the development of cinema?
August 5, 2007
The Statue of Liberty, located on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, was a gift to the US from France to commemorate the centennial of the Declaration of Independence. The statue was designed by the French sculptor F.A. Bartholdi and depicts a woman with an uplifted arm holding a torch. The pedestal was designed by American architect Richard Morris Hunt, and its cornerstone was laid on August 5, 1885. Who served as Bartholdi's model for the Statue of Liberty?
June 28, 2007
Ned Kelley is Australia's most famous bushranger and, to many, a folk hero for his defiance of the colonial authorities. From the age of fourteen, Ned began committing a series of minor crimes that escalated into more serious crimes and eventually led to his execution. Many believe, however, that Ned's family was unfairly targeted by police because of Ned's mother's bad family name. In its last stand, the Kelley gang utilized "body armor" made out of what?
June 18, 2007
After returning from exile at Elba, Napoleon reinstalled himself on the throne of France for 100 days. During this time, the forces of the rest of Europe converged on him. On June 18, Napoleon began a massed attack against the British center, but the British stemmed the tide until the arrival of Prussian forces. This event proved the turning point of the battle. Routed, the French retreated, and Napoleon left the field and signed his second abdication. The battle resulted in how many casualties?
June 14, 2007
The Flag Act reads: "Resolved, That the flag of the United States be made of thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation." When this resolution was adopted, there was no elaborate symbolism attached to the flag's colors. Meanings were later assigned in 1782, when Charles Thomson gave a report to Congress defining the new Great Seal of the US. What do the colors now represent?
June 10, 2007
The Jardin des Plantes, the main botanical garden in France, is situated on the left bank of the river Seine and covers 28 hectares (280,000 m²). The garden is home to the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, France's museum of natural history, as well as an elaborate rose garden, numerous hothouses, and an alpine garden that features 3,000 different species. The Jardin des Plantes, originally called the Jardin du Roi, was first planted in 1626 by Louis XIII's physician. What was its purpose?
May 23, 2007
Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were notorious robbers who carried out a series of small-scale robberies in the central US from 1932 to 1934. They captivated the attention of the public during the "public enemy era" and continue to do so today through films and songs. They were tracked, ambushed, and killed on a desolate road near their hideout by a posse of officers using armor- piercing rounds. Though remembered as bank robbers, they actually preferred to rob what?
May 22, 2007
Johnny Carson hosted NBC's
The Tonight Show from 1962 to 1992. During his tenure, the show won seven Emmy Awards and earned another thirty-five nominations. Carson's
Tonight Show was initially based in New York, New York. In May 1972, the show moved to Burbank, California, where it remained for the rest of its run and continues today with its current host, Jay Leno. How many people tuned in to watch Carson's last show?
May 21, 2007
The American Red Cross is a part of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. It provides disaster relief, emergency assistance, and education for citizens of the US. It was created by Clara Barton, a pioneer American teacher, nurse, and humanitarian, who became involved with the International Red Cross while visiting Europe and became president of the American branch of the society. John D. Rockefeller donated funds to create a national headquarters in what US city?
May 20, 2007
The Homestead Act provided for the transfer of 160 acres of unoccupied public land to each homesteader at $1.25 an acre after 6 months of residence, or for a nominal fee after 5 years of residence. The government had previously sold land to settlers in the West for revenue purposes, but as the West became politically stronger, Congress was pressured to guarantee free land to settlers. In 1976, the law expired in all states but one, where it ended in 1986; which state was this?
