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I got my BA in History even though I haven't used it for employment, I have pursued my studies more for enjoyment. While I work in tech I still spend time researching and studying history, concentrating in the Colonial American period and Asian cultures.

I pursue an interest in other topics as they come up, the more you learn the more you want to know is my general theme of topics. As a historian I try to see both sides of the question, in general History is written by the winners so one often needs to look deeper into the subject to get a balanced view. Much of what I have learned growing up has already changed which goes to prove the axiom - nothing is constant but change.


Oct
17
comment Why was Africa colonized last of the continents in the Age of Discovery?
Disease always seems to be the hidden weapon of European colonization, without it the advances were technology and tactics. Africa had the diseases equalized, and their own as damage to the Europeans so it sort of evened out.
Oct
14
comment Why did non-monarchic rule meet with so little success in ancient China?
Then you've lost me, first its flat land where barbarians come in then its trade. But if your argument is that sea trade fosters democracy then I disagree.
Oct
14
comment Why did non-monarchic rule meet with so little success in ancient China?
You have to remember that Confucianism consisted of Ancestor worship and also fealty to the Father, as was explained to me the family got larger outside your kin. Keep following the "family" model up and father can go from your father, to mayor, to governor to Emperor. Legalism was against this, one of the reasons for the conflict, but not the only one.
Oct
14
comment Who compared giving women the vote to giving cows the vote (& in what context)?
Agreed, that's about the only statement I have seen. Here is one place to view the statement - npg.si.edu/col/seneca/senfalls1.htm
Oct
14
comment Why did non-monarchic rule meet with so little success in ancient China?
Uhm...the terrain of China is varied and very hilly in some areas, it's actual ratio of arable land is quite small so I don't see how your "flat land" argument stands.
Oct
14
comment Why did non-monarchic rule meet with so little success in ancient China?
You got more on it than what I originally mentioned in my comment. Definite +1.
Oct
14
comment What was the foreign policy of 1791 France?
GPierce you might want to adjust the date within the question...in the title you have 1791 but in the question text you have 1971. Just saying...
Oct
14
comment Was the Battle of Tours really the turning point for the Umayyad expansion into Europe?
That's my thinking, after Iberia the terrain changes a bit, although Hannibal made it across the alps so it's not unprecedented. The Mongol invasion is a good point too.
Oct
14
comment Is the Cold War still going on?
Agreed, if you look at how the term was used it was the state of affairs between Communism and Capitalism. Whatever else is going on now is basically "diplomacy by other means".
Oct
14
comment Why did non-monarchic rule meet with so little success in ancient China?
I think this is sort of answered if you look at the "Mandate of Heaven" where there is one Heavenly Emperor and when the gods smile on that one they rule. This has been considered the rationale behind the continual acceptance of dynasties, when one rises they have the Mandate but if they fall and are replace it's considered that the Mandate fell to someone else.
Oct
13
comment When did the practice of formally “declaring war” cease and why?
I don't think it's gone away, maybe there is more international cooperation to share the burden, war is expensive.
Oct
13
comment Why did Meiji consider switching from Japanese to English?
Well they were already enamoured of Europe so sure there might be interest in the culture, but changing a national language of centuries is a hard sell.
Oct
13
comment Why did the French sell Louisiana?
Well considering that the French had just lost Haiti, couldn't get Florida officially and continual war with England they probably needed more money to keep fighting. I'd have to look at my various history books but I recall this one being a multi-pronged issues.
Oct
13
comment What were the reasons that the British colonies in North America rebelled but not others?
Well I think in Point 2 the colonists fought for the British, so they did have the experience of being conquerors rather than the conquered. Although I don't get what you mean in point 3 about colonials in Africa and Asia having those advantages, they were British weren't they?
Oct
12
comment Which Confederate State provided the most troops in the American Civil War?
Probably not many records but I know they took part in grunt work, not much in the way of fighting since giving them weapons really would have done John Brown proud. I was just curious as to how you were defining troops in this respect.
Oct
12
comment Which Confederate State provided the most troops in the American Civil War?
Just for clarification are you referring to whites or would you also include slaves forced to fight for the Confederacy in any respect?
Oct
12
comment What are the factors that caused the new world civilizations to be less technologically advanced than the old world?
Jared also noted that those same elements are what helped us remove pesky "natives" when the Europeans went colonizing. If the US had developed sedentary civilizations it might have been the Europeans who were dropping dead from disease when they landed.
Oct
12
comment What events led to the fall of the Zhou Dynasty during the Warring States period?
Never heard about the lineage and vassal system in use in ancient china, I'd be interested in information on this.