THIS DAY IN WORLD HISTORY
January 9, 1863: London opens the world's first underground railway, now commonly known as this
What is the Tube?
World Book says this "protected China from minor attacks but provided little defense against a major invasion"
What is The Great Wall?
The first of this Mongol conqueror's many wives was Borte, to whom he was betrothed as a child
Who is Genghis Khan?
Around 2500 B.C. the Harappan Civilization sprung up around this river in Pakistan & northwestern India
What is the Indus?
Maya tracking their appointments could use the Haab 19-month one of these or the long count one, which covers 5,125 years
What is a calendar?
It arose from the teachings of a man who lived in northeastern India sometime between the 6th & 4th centuries B.C.
What is Buddhism?
October 4, 1957: The Soviet Union launches this beach-ball-sized satellite into orbit, kicking off the Space Race
What is Sputnik?
An allied army of Americans, Britons, Germans, Frenchmen, Russians & Japanese ended this in 1900
What is the Boxer Rebellion?
Babur, a Muslim ruler from Central Asia, conquered India in 1526 & established this empire
What is the Mogul Empire?
Sparking a revolt, the Roman slave & gladiator Spartacus & many others escaped in 73 B.C. & first took refuge on this volcano
What is Mount Vesuvius?
This Indian civilization, probably the first in the Americas, lived in eastern Mexico from about 1200 to 400 B.C.
What are the Olmecs?
In 300 A.D. Armenia became the first country in the world to make this faith its official religion
What is Christianity?
February 22, 1997: Scientists in Scotland introduce the first clone of an adult mammal, a sheep named after this country singer
Who is Dolly Parton?
During the 1970s Cambodia was ruled by this radical Communist party
What is The Khmer Rouge?
In 1542 Scotland's James V died & this woman, his daughter, became the country's ruler
Who is Mary, Queen of Scots?
The ancient Sumerian civilization flourished in the "Fertile Crescent" region between these 2 rivers
What is the Tigris and Euphrates?
On Nov. 15, 1533 this conquistador entered the Incan capital of Cuzco, seizing all of its gold
Who is Pizarro?
Japan's emperor was worshipped as a descendant of Amaterasu-Omikami, this religion's sun goddess
What is Shintoism?
November 17, 1869: After ten years of grueling construction, this country officially opens the Suez Canal
What is Egypt?
On March 12, 1930 he began the Salt March in defiance of British rule in India
Who is Ghandi?
In 1762 she helped overthrow her husband Peter III in order to take the Russian throne for herself
Who is Catherine The Great?
For 400 years China was ruled by this 3-letter dynasty that shares its name with a river
What is the Han?
In 1521 Cortes captured Tenochtitlan, & this empire was history
Who are the Aztecs?
With the help of the angel Gabriel, Muhammad, the prophet of Islam, had his first visions in a cave near this city
What is Mecca?
April 21, 1918: World War I flying ace Manfred von Richthofen, best known by this nickname, is shot down & killed
Who is the Red Baron?
The numerous Sino-Japanese Wars involved Japan & this country
What is China?
Executed as a spy at Vincennes in 1917, she once said, "I never could dance well"
Who is Mata Hari?
Also called the paper plant, it was long cultivated in the Nile delta region of Egypt
What is papyrus?
Preceding the Aztec as the dominant force in Central Mexico, from about 900 to 1200, were this people whose name also ended tec
Who are the Toltecs?
During Holi, a spring festival in this religion, caste and social distinctions are temporarily suspended
What is Hinduism?