The United States of America is a nation-state stretching across North America between Canada and Mexico, plus Alaska in the continent's northwest, the mid-Pacific archipelago of Hawaii and several territories in the Pacific & Caribbean. Founded by European émigrés rebelling from British control in ...
10
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3answers
166 views
What was the basis for valuating large territorial purchases by USA?
There were at least 2 times when USA extended its territory by purchasing it outright - Louisiana+ from French and Alaska from Russians.
The Louisiana Purchase was the acquisition by the United ...
3
votes
1answer
69 views
What were the first “Big Banks” in the United States?
The large financial institutions of the world have dominated the news cycle for the past few years, and it got me thinking, what were the first large banks in the US? I am interested in hearing about ...
3
votes
2answers
136 views
Which technologies/commodities were available during the 30s on USA?
This is for a RPG story, so I don't need too much accuracy, but the common stuff would be very useful :)
I've already found this site: http://www.paper-dragon.com/1939/ but would like more ...
6
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4answers
158 views
Were the (early 17th C) arrivers/colonists to North America (USA) outcasts from European societies?
I have heard that early pilgrims for 'the new world' (North America / USA) left because they were indigent and had no support in their homelands. I have also heard that some were criminals or ...
1
vote
1answer
90 views
Which battle enabled Andrew Jackson to become the President of USA?
Which significant battle enabled Andrew Jackson to become the President of the USA? Considering his leadership and contribution to this war he was catapulted to the White House.
3
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0answers
41 views
Who invented and marketed the first “clip on” headphones?
Headphone style terminology seems dodgy at best, but I'm trying to determine what company first sold this style of headphone in the US:
I've seen them variously described as "on the ear," "clip on" ...
4
votes
2answers
256 views
What made Washington DC “dominate” politics in the USA?
Through history what role did Washington, DC play to become important and influence the US political system, and did it change its influence with time?
4
votes
1answer
73 views
Why did the the US House of Representatives stop reading George Washington's farewell address on his birthday?
In January 1862, during the American Civil War, thousands of Philadelphia residents signed a petition requesting the Congress to commemorate the 130th anniversary of Washington's birth by reading ...
9
votes
1answer
5k views
When did the American War of 1812 actually end?
My daughter was recently studying this in high school, and somehow I had always assumed that it had only lasted a year. Apparently it ran on for at least a couple of years, but her textbook only ...
18
votes
1answer
153 views
What courses would have been required to get a B.A. in America in the 1930s?
I know in the early 20th century the liberal arts curriculum was focused much more on the classics, but am interested in knowing specifically what courses were required to graduate during the Great ...
2
votes
1answer
121 views
Has the US Congress's power to declare war been rendered superfluous by recent conflicts?
After the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, the Congress of the United States formally declared war on Japan. After Germany declared war on the United States, the Congress then formally declared war on ...
11
votes
1answer
179 views
Did President Kennedy really cut 100,000 government jobs during his presidency?
In Michel Crozier's book, La crise de l'intelligence, he states that during John F. Kennedy's presidency about 100,000 government jobs were terminated.
Is this figure accurate?
Where can I find any ...
13
votes
3answers
505 views
Was the US Navy larger in 1917, and if so, why?
Following the recent discussion in the third US Presidental Debate about the size of the Navy, there actually seemed to be a good discussion buried in there.
How does the US Navy compare to its ...
4
votes
3answers
574 views
Evolution of United States' world role? [closed]
This is a pretty big and general question, but I'm interested to hear some opinions from fellow StackExchangians:
Over the 20th century, how did the United States evolve into being a world ...
1
vote
4answers
622 views
What factors contributed to the U.S economy flourishing during the early cold war period?
Wars, cold or otherwise, are bad for economies, right? So why did American capitalism flourish during the early cold war period (shortly after World War II)?
I think there are several positive ...
6
votes
4answers
606 views
About the reasons for the US involvement in WW2 in Europe
From this question: World War II - Have Historians Envisioned How The Axis Powers Might Have Won? I understand that it is unlikely that Germany with its allies could have won WW2 even if they had ...
5
votes
1answer
190 views
When was the last time (if ever) an elector was faithless in US presidential elections?
With regards to the ongoing US presidential elections, I just read this on electoral-vote.com:
Could There Be Faithless Electors?
Presidential electors are supposed to vote for the person who ...
3
votes
1answer
135 views
Did the Founding Fathers of the USA really make a distinction between a Republic and a Democracy (and despised the latter)?
I've come across this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-gEkKzRvbI
It makes a distinction between a Democracy (rule of majority) vs Republic (rule of law). It contests that a Republic is a state ...
0
votes
0answers
108 views
Did the US destroy all equipment returned after the war from the USSR? [closed]
According the land lease terms all the equipment shipped to the USSR during WWII had to be returned to the US after the war if not lost in fighting.
But according to some memoirs of Russian sailors, ...
-5
votes
1answer
142 views
What is the history of gun culture of USA? [closed]
USA is the top crime-prone country in the world. But still it failed to put any control on gun-sales. For example, even military grade rifles are available in gun stores for civilian use. That is ...
8
votes
2answers
108 views
Any precedents of U.S. presidents having served in other government roles after the ends of their terms?
Are there any precedents for U.S. presidents having served in other official government roles after the ends of their terms. Conceivably they could become ambassadors or Supreme Court judges, for ...
8
votes
1answer
150 views
Evolution of the names of slaves
I'm curious to know how the names of African slaves in the US changed from that of traditional names used by their tribes eventually to their modern, (mostly Christian) names. In other words, how did ...
6
votes
5answers
265 views
In the United States government, has there been cases that electoral colleges don't vote for the candidate the majority of their state voted for?
Has there ever been a case where electoral colleges vote for someone the people didn't vote for during an election for president of the United States?
6
votes
1answer
77 views
Did most pants in the late 1800s have plackets at the ankle?
Recently, while at the New York Public Library, I spotted this painting:
In it, Charles Astor Bristed is, in his youth, sporting pantaloons that appear to have a placket from ankle to knee.
Did ...
10
votes
3answers
175 views
Why was the number of U.S. Representatives limited?
According to this Wikipedia article, the number of Representatives was limited to 435 in 1911 (bumped to 437 when Alaska and Hawaii were admitted and then bumped back to 435 four years later).
How ...
15
votes
3answers
242 views
What were the reasons for making Prohibition a constitutional amendment?
What were the reasons that the Prohibition in the United States was passed as a constitutional amendment, rather than a normal federal law, or a set of state laws?
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votes
1answer
75 views
Destruction of WTC: is this version somehow substatinated? [closed]
Recently I read an article that claimed that WTC in reality was blown up rather than fell due to fire. In discord with various conspiracy theories the source claims that this fact is not a secret.
...
4
votes
1answer
148 views
Did liberalism in the USA degenerate into something more totalitarian than liberal? [closed]
I'm not US resident, so that's a real question rather than pre-election discussion.
Where I live liberalism never seriously changed meaning in public debate (yet) - it is still more or less faithul ...
2
votes
2answers
222 views
What is the single longest Presidential Campaign run in the United States?
Looking back to 2008 it looks like Mitt Romney has been running for President ever since he was in the 2008 Republican primaries where he lost to John McCain. Considering a short stoppage while ...
0
votes
1answer
436 views
What was the average US unemployment rate for Democrat and Republican presidents?
Starting with the end of World War 1, what was the average unemployment rate for each United States President? Was the overall average different for Republican and Democratic presidents, and if so, by ...
4
votes
1answer
231 views
The Great Compromise, is there analysis on the outcome?
I'm doing a research about the Great Compromise and how it originated from the Virginia and the New Jersey Plan. Has there been any analysis on which side got the better part of the compromise. (The ...
16
votes
2answers
464 views
Can Bill Clinton run for president of France?
Bill Clinton says in an interview (Bill Clinton on running for political office again) :
Because I was born in Arkansas, which is part of Louisiana Purchase, any person anywhere in the world that ...
1
vote
0answers
70 views
What involvement did Jonathan Edwards have with the Conspiracy of 1741?
According to this article:
Rev. Jonathan Edwards delivered the hellfire and brimstone "spider" sermon, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" in Enfield, Connecticut on July 8, 1741. This topical ...
14
votes
3answers
2k views
When and how did the USA and the UK become allies?
So, you may remember that the United States and Great Britain had a minor spat in 1776, which shall we say, did not put them on the friendliest of terms. In 1812, while Britain was focused on its war ...
-4
votes
2answers
291 views
Why does the United States of America support Israel against Iran? [closed]
Why is it US foreign policy to support Israel in a hypothetical war with Iran?
In the history of relations between U.S and Israel I don't see anything that Israel has ever done for the US to deserve ...
11
votes
3answers
284 views
What role did the space race play in reducing the nuclear threat during the 1960s?
Today I visited again the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center, a space flight history museum, and noticed for the first time the claim that part of John F. Kennedy's motivation for pushing for a ...
9
votes
2answers
271 views
Did Churchill and Roosevelt know about the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, or the following secret pacts between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union?
The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact was the non-aggression pact between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany prior to, and during WWII. It seems that the actions of the two countries after the invasion of Poland ...
7
votes
3answers
439 views
How much has U.S. currency inflated since 1792?
How much has U.S. currency inflated since the Coinage Act of 1792 established the U.S. Mint? Adjusting for inflation, what amount of modern currency would have the same buying power as a 1792 dollar?
...
6
votes
1answer
100 views
Did the US gov't pay the Cherokee for their lands in Georgia?
According to the Treaty of New Echota, ratified by the US Senate in 1836, the US government was supposed to pay the Cherokee Nation $5 million for their lands in and around Georgia. In exchange, the ...
5
votes
2answers
106 views
How have changes in taxation affected philanthropy in the US?
Every so often, I see a newspaper article which states that the wealthiest people in my country make less substantial contributions to philanthropy (relative to their wealth) than do their American ...
5
votes
5answers
1k views
Why is the USA the world's strongest country?
The USA has been the world's strongest country for a long time now.
Even after the rise of China as one of the dominant economies in the world, the USA is still the world's top economy.
Does the USA ...
1
vote
0answers
20 views
Were there more robberies of “commercial” or “personal” nature in 19th century in USA?
Is there any statistics showing which trips on highways were statistically safer from being robbed in 19th century USA?
the "commercial" ones (e.g. banks or government moving money) which offered ...
8
votes
3answers
672 views
Early attempts to abolish slavery in USA
Were there any early attempts or debates to abolish slavery in the USA, before Lincoln?
7
votes
1answer
208 views
How Many Members of US Congress Have Died While In Office?
As best I can tell, Leo Ryan of California is the only U.S. Member of Congress murdered while in office. He was killed by members of the People's Temple in Guyana in 1978. What I'm looking for are how ...
10
votes
3answers
404 views
Gold Confiscation Act of 1933
On March 9, 1933 Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) called Congress in for an emergency session, which would result in the speedy passing of the Gold Confiscation Act. According to FDR's Executive Order ...
3
votes
2answers
64 views
Was Brown v Board of Education the only major decision that changed educational choice in America?
Brown v Board of Education was the landmark Supreme Court case in America that was supposed to allow more educational choice for all Americans, basically stopping segregational policies and on a legal ...
5
votes
1answer
251 views
First US police officer killed in the line of duty
Who was the first US police officer killed in the line of duty? When and where did it take place? By US police officer, I mean any active-duty police officer working for any force in the US ...
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votes
2answers
250 views
What are the differences between actual Roman Catholicism and American Catholicism? [closed]
What are the differences between actual Roman Catholicism and American Catholicism?
Please point out the historical, political, cultural and belief differences.
You can also provide me with some ...
8
votes
2answers
886 views
Why did Spain not participate in World War I?
Spain was losing influence in America for the previous 100 years, and there was a recent Spanish-American war. So how could have Spain remained neutral?
Why could Spain not find a place in the ...
3
votes
1answer
89 views
What are some major military successes achieved by the former Soviet Union against the Western World?
What are some major military successes achieved by the former Soviet Union against the Western World that shook the US and its cold war allies?
