History Quiz!

is_that_so

What political tool is believed to have helped bring about the Partition of Poland in the 18th century?

don.juanito

The emergence of Russia and Prussia as leading European powers perhaps

Orchard Rebel

An early opinion poll/referendum perhaps.

boneless

is_that_so wrote:

What political tool is believed to have helped bring about the Partition of Poland in the 18th century?

The Peace of Westphalia??

Mick86

Capt'n Midnight wrote:

An US infantry division used to use a native american symbol as their divisional patch. But they changed it in the 1930's.

Why ?

I thought the Swastika was a Hindu symbol.

is_that_so

boneless wrote:

The Peace of Westphalia??

Nope

is_that_so

don.juanito wrote:

The emergence of Russia and Prussia as leading European powers perhaps

Nope , although that was part of it ultimately when they swallowed it up.

csk

is_that_so wrote:

What political tool is believed to have helped bring about the Partition of Poland in the 18th century?

A Constitution?

is_that_so

It wasn't a Constitution, but that is along the right lines.

jmayo

Diplomacy between the three: Prussia, Russia, Austria ?

csk

is_that_so wrote:

It wasn't a Constitution, but that is along the right lines.

Well if that's not the answer I'm stumped. As a guess, a political party or some sort of similar alliance?

TerrorFirmer

is_that_so wrote:

It wasn't a Constitution, but that is along the right lines.

Prussia, Austria and...Russia (I assume)? Spilting up Poland, but I don't know what the actual treaty (if there was one) was called.

brianthebard

According to Wiki (I hate it but still) there were three partitions, so I think the question should either be rephrased or forgotten about, because any of the three partitions listed would be an equally valid answer, or none at all depending on what the person had in mind. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Partitions_Poland

TerrorFirmer

I love Wiki. I've actually used it for research, and when cross checking it's actually turned out to be pretty much always accurate. Anyway - you're not supposed to use the web, you pup ya

is_that_so

brianthebard wrote:

According to Wiki (I hate it but still) there were three partitions, so I think the question should either be rephrased or forgotten about, because any of the three partitions listed would be an equally valid answer, or none at all depending on what the person had in mind. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Partitions_Poland

Good to see yez all doing the research. OK the answer I was hoping for: liberum veto, which was a political tool , as a result of which the Polish parliament and therefore the country ended up in such a weakened state that they were not in a position to defend against the partitions. Wiki is OK on it but would recommend the book, In God's Playground by Andrew Davies, for a comprehensive analysis of the collapse of Poland at that time. Over to you for a question.

brianthebard

I didn't want to use the web Havok, but I was stumped! is_that_so, I didn't get the question right, although as I said it was awfully vague when you think about it( having just looked it up, one could legitimately claim that the 1793 meeting at Grodno was the answer) so I think you should ask another one, but this time maybe make it so there's only one proper answer.

is_that_so

Point taken.

OK another question.

In 1619 how did some settlers in the Virginia colony find themselves a wife?

brianthebard

Mail order brides? (the 1619 equivalent?)

is_that_so

brianthebard wrote:

Mail order brides? (the 1619 equivalent?)

Yep ,however humour me with the exact details.

brianthebard

Fraid I don't know the exact details, but I think it's hilarious that they did that! I'll leave it for someone else to finish off.

Capt'n Midnight

bought white slaves ?

is_that_so

No, AFAIK, there was free will or as much free will as existed at that time. Mail order is a better answer . But how did it work?

brianthebard

I imagine you sent a certain amount of produce or currency of some sort back to your potential wife, or perhaps told their families of the amount of land you had in the colonies, and they agreed to ship her off if you could pay for it.

Capt'n Midnight

what is anything to do with whiskey, being a high value, low weight produce ?

is_that_so

The goods had something to do with where they were.

brianthebard

Tobacco then.

is_that_so

Sold to the man with 125 lbs of tobacco.

The answer

The Virginia Company which was running the colony was looking for ways to stabilise and boost the population and make Virginia more attractive. So in 1619 they sent a ship with 90 unmarried young women to Virginia. Any of the colonists could purchase a wife by paying her passage, which was set at 125 lbs of tobacco.

Your question.

brianthebard

Ok then, Who coined the term "Survival of the fittest"?

boneless

Herbert Spencer, economist.

Funny thing; Spencer is buried across from Marx in Highgate Cemetery... local wags call it "Marx and Spencers Corner"...

brianthebard

Glad no one said Darwin. Well done.