It seems to me that there could be strong political motivations because they serve for life.

Modern countries like Russia, Mexico, and Nigeria are having extreme difficulty in leading a democratic form of government. Mexico specifically took almost a hundred years to transition to a liberal democracy. How come America's government turned out so successful in a matter of decade or two?

Say there was a weapon shortage, or an issue with supplies, were any realistic replica cannons/guns ever used to scare the enemy?

After the US Embassy in Tehran was raided, wouldn't that have been considered an act of war? Isn't an embassy sovereign territory?

I keep reading about incidents where tensions or mechanical mishaps almost lead to nuclear hostilities between the USSR and the USA, and would like to ask for as comprehensive of a list as possible detailing instances where the two nations came close to annihilation.

I'm thinking like 1880s or '90s in a city like Chicago, Boston, or Philadelphia and working class. Public education? Any education? Working? Living with parents or out on their own? When would they be expected to start 'making a life for themselves'?

I should also clarify that this is based on an assumption of accuracy regarding the idea of the teenager as a post-war concept.

How was communism justified when the popular aspects of socialism, such as free healthcare, generous welfare benefits, pro-employee labour laws were (partly) enshrined into law in the soviet bloc, and not in China?

Wasn't it odd that the movement of returning power to the workers didn't result in higher living standards for the weak and poor?

Any information on important wars, treaties, attempts at peace declarations, and leaders would be helpful, thanks.

Why did Dutch become distinct enough to be it's own language when other medieval dialects of German didn't shift as far apart? Does it have to do with French influence?

I think I read in Pierre Bryant's book that Persians were very much the elite throughout the Achaemenid Empire. Local elites may have continued in some way, but Persians with a close relationship to the Shahanshah were put in all of the prominent positions.

What happened to the Persian elite after the Seleucid Empire was formed? Were they gradually replaced by Greek elites, or were they swept out of their positions all at once?

Like the title says, I'm looking for either paintings or descriptions of the first ever display of Hamilton's collection at the Museum. I've found lots from the 1850's and lots about the man and his collection, but nothing on the physical layout of the very first display and it's driving me mad!

If there was, what was it like? Did the Europeans find it odd that the Japanese ate with chopsticks? Were the Chinese surprised to find very little rice in Europe?

I've been wondering if priests throughout the globe, due to a screwed-up understanding of how agriculture works (due to distancing themselves from menial labor), may have led their faithful subjects to sacrificing humans to enrich barren soil, and disguised it as the will of gods or whatnot. Could this have partially explained the correlation between the long lasting droughts and increase in human sacrifices in Aztec-controlled central America (besides the sociopolitical morale games started with the Flower Wars)?

Are all white people able to trace their history back to the roman empire? What about the Greeks? Or were there other white civilizations besides them who most white people can trace back to?

More specifically from the fall of the Western Roman Empire to the Bubonic Plague. Also, how did the churches of Rome and Constantinople view scientific advances?

All I know is that the Emperor had no real power except being a role model or symbol as the head of state but the Shogun was the true military dictator. Am I correct? What more is there needed to know?

I've been looking for reasons as of why, but haven't had any luck finding anything.