History Timelines

THE PIONEERS COME FROM

admin — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 15:26:06 +0000

The story of the pioneers tells of the lives of thousands of ordinary people who pushed the frontier of the United States westward from the Appalachian Mountains to the Pacific Ocean. The pioneers headed west to make a better life for themselves and their children. They wanted to improve their social and economic position, while some hoped to have more say in political affairs. Even for those who

had money to buy land, good farmland was hard to find in the eastern USA. Across the Appalachians, however, settlers could obtain a plot of fertile land for a fraction of the cost. They travelled in wagons known as ‘prairie schooners’ because their white canvas tops looked rather like sails. Settlers moved along the trail in groups for both companionship and safety, and there could be anything up to 100 wagons in a single wagon train.

THE PILGRIM FATHERS FIRST LAND

admin — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 15:26:02 +0000

The Pilgrirn Fathers were the early English settlers of New England. Originally they were called the Old Comers, then the Forefathers and were not known as the Pilgrim Fathers until the 19th century. The first group of pilgrims set sail from England in 1620 on a ship called the Mayflower, they landed in December at what is now Plymouth, Massachusetts in the USA, where they established Plymouth Colony along Cape Cod Bay.

Only half of their party survived the first winter. In the following summer a feast was held between the settlers and the local Indians in thanks for their survival;
it was the first Thanksgiving celebration.

THE FIRST TRUE PRINTING PRESS BUILT

admin — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:25:58 +0000

Throughout history, books have been rare and precious things, kept in libraries of monasteries or wealthy houses. Each one had to be copied out by hand with pen and ink, so very few people had the chance to learn to read.

The Chinese developed a simple system of printing in the 11th century, but it was only in about 1450 that a German named Johannes Gutenberg built the first true printing press. Using movable metal type, Gutenberg was able to make exact copies of books very cheaply. The first books he printed were the Bible and other religious works.

THE WORD FEUDAL COME FROM

admin — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 15:25:54 +0000

Feudalism is the general term used to describe the political and military system of western Europe during the Middle Ages. The ‘word. feudal comes from a Latin term for fief’. The fief was the estate or land granted by a lord in return for a subject’s loyalty and service. Some fiefs were large enough to support one knight; others were great provinces of a kingdom, such as the province of Normandy in France.

The church, which owned large fiefs, was also part of the feudal system. Feudalism began to appear in the 8th century. By the 12th century, it had spread from France into England, Spain and other parts of the Christian world.

THE FORBIDDEN AND IMPERIAL CITIES

admin — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 15:25:50 +0000

The Forbidden City and the Imperial City lie within the Inner City, an area in Beijing, the capital of China. The Forbidden City includes palaces of former Chinese emperors. It was so named because only the emperor’s household was allowed to enter it.

The buildings in this part of Beijing are now preserved as museums. The Imperial City surrounds the Forbidden City. It includes lakes, parks and the residences of China’s Communist leaders. The Gate of Heavenly Peace stands at the southern edge of the Imperial City, overlooking Tiananmen Square.

THE BATTLE OF CRECY

admin — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:25:16 +0000

The Battle of Crecy was the first major battle of the Hundred Years’War (1337-1453) and fought at the site of the present village of Crecy, in France. The Hundred Years’ War began in 1337 and continued for more than a century. It was not a single war, but rather a series of skirmishes between England and France. At Crecy English troops under Edward III defeated a much larger French army under Philip VI.

Almost half of the French force was killed in the Battle of Crecy, including more than a thousand knights. English archers on foot proved more effective than the armour-clad French knights on horses. The hero of the battle, was Edward, the Black Prince, son of Edward III of England.