I know, I know, I know. We've all heard ad nauseum that educated people in 1492 all believed/knew that the earth is roughly a sphere.

But what about José Schmoe in Toledo, or Jean Doe in Lyon? Did they know--were they aware--that the world was round? Would the average, poorly educated "man on the street" in Europe have agreed that a voyage west to India was at least theoretically possible? In 1492's Wikipedia, would they have listed "the earth isn't actually flat" in the "List of common misconceptions"?

Or is this something that's just unknowable?

Thanks!

More specifically who were they for the Americans in the Pacific and Europe, the British, the Germans, the Japanese and the Russians.

Im confused about what happened to the edge of the bit that was taken. If its a line north to south wouldn't the defender just attack from the north and the south and take it back?

I dont think this sounds like im explaining it very well.

If the British attacked the germans and took 200 yards of trench. What would they do at the point where the newly taken British trench met the German trench?

Like this GGGBBGGG (G=German B=British)

At that point where the two meet surely the British would be outnumbered, were defences put up and how was it held?

Also, i assume the trenches weren't just one continous line, so what happened at the point where the trenches 'stopped' so if this was the set up ===| |=== (=being trench | break in the trench) what would happen at the break?

And what happened at the beach? ^^^Did ^^^they ^^^fight ^^^them ^^^on ^^^the ^^^beaches?

In TV shows set, let's say, between 1850 and 1920, everyone drinks, A LOT. Like, whenever they wake up, talk to someone, leave a room, enter a room, etc etc. What evidence do we have that this really went on? I understand that it was common that liquor was diluted, but really, they drank THAT MUCH THAT OFTEN? Weren't they sort of drunk all the time then?

Basically I am trying to give the Russian's blame for using brinkmanship in the Cuban Missile crisis. I know they did some reckless stuff, like having a nuclear torpedo submarine along the fleet of vessels that approached the blockade, or stationing 42,000 troops in Cuba with Captains that have they authority to launch tactical nuclear weapons.

I have sufficient argument to blame the USA, but for the USSR I am drawing blanks. I have access to JSTOR, I really need help as this essay is due Friday January 9th Monday and really need help.

Extra: I cannot recall if it was sheldon stern or ted sorenson who made this comment, but there was speculation that there had been a power shift in Moscow between the Friday and Sunday proposal. I never followed up, or knew where to find anything, does anyone have an idea?

I know this forum doesn't like throughout history questions, but I think I got it down to one specific subject.

Between the height of Greece/Rome and Medieval Europe, weaponry doesn't change much. You have bows (up until Welsh Long Bow 1346 AD?), catapults (Alexander the Great used Catapults to protect his military while they crossed a river at the Battle of Jaxartes! 329 BC), cavalry (Alexander had a horse he rode into battle), and impressive military tactics since Greece (arguably Troy, but I'm not sure). Yet, I would say the most impressive thing before gunpowder was the stirrup which won the battle of Hastings at 1066 AD (ref Connections by James Burke).

What was the holdup? My only guess is the Dark Ages due to the collapse of Roman civilization into Feudal society.

How certain are we that 2014 years have passed since the birth of Christ/ beginning of the Gregorian calendar?

There's tonnes of stuff on those three, but I have never even so much as seen a book dedicated to Persian society or culture. It's like a total blank comes up unless it's related to the Greco Persian war. I have a rough idea of what Rome, Greece, and Egypt were like because of the amount of art and books I find on them, but I know nothing about Persia. Also there are tonnes of stuff on Greek and Greek philosophers and historians, but I don't know anything about Persian ones. Is there any source dedicated to Persian history?

Title says it all. My girlfriends grandmother is in possession of a ticket for the original journey via the Mayflower. I am no longer in the same state as her for the time being but she plans to send a photograph as soon as she's able to visit her Grandmother's. I however could not hold off the curiosity and am wondering if anyone here would have any idea the value of this item.

I teach 8th grade US history and we are getting ready to talk about the First National Bank and Alexander Hamilton. We have covered pretty much everything from the colonies to the establishment of the Constitution. We are discussing Washington, his term, and his precedents. You can assume the students know the important parts up to this.

I'm having an incredibly difficult time trying to figure out a way to explain the idea of a National Bank to the students on a level they would understand without getting too technical about the idea of having a national debt.

Anyone have a simple explanation I can steal for use in my classroom?