Forskellen mellem øst og vest berlin kan ses fra rummet fordi hver side anvender forskellige typer elpærer
Halvdelen af verdens rundkørsler er placeret i Frankrig
Pluto er mindre end rusland
På jamaica kan homoseksuelle mænd idømmes fængselsstraffe op til 10 år. Det er imidlertid fortsat lovligt
at være lesbisk
Antallet af kinesere der blev slået ihjel under 2. verdenskrig er større end antallet af jøder der mistede livet
under holocaust
9. Emperor Constantine Converts to Christianity
The subject of books and films alike, the conversion of this Roman emperor is one of the
most interesting facts in political history. A few hundred years after the coming of Christ,
his followers were still present in Rome and growing in numbers. The Romans widely took
to persecution, which included live executions. It wasn’t until 313 AD that Emperor
Constantine issued the Edict of Man, which commanded the official toleration of
Christianity and other religions. He would also convert to the religion himself.
Magna Carta is Signed
In 1215, what many consider to be the predecessor to the U.S. Constitution was signed in Great
Britain. The Magna Carta
included many principles we hold dear, such as
“no free man shall be seized or imprisoned…except by the lawful judgment of his equals or by the
law of the land.” The blogger at Constitutional Law Prof even has the original text for the viewing.
10. Parliament is Born
During the rule of Henry III, the nobles mounted a rebellion and arranged the first ever
meeting of Parliament in 1265. Their purpose was to “suggest laws, give advice, and
approve tax bills.” This new branch would have ultimate say on whether or not taxes were
levied. It would later evolve into the power it is known as now, making it an interesting
moment in political science history.
11. Martin Luther’s 95 Theses
Up until the 1500’s, the Christian church was one church: the Catholic church. It wasn’t
until Martin Luther questioned the doctrine of the church by outlining 95 questions he felt
the church wasn’t answering properly. His original intentions were to just get better
answers, but the results involved the separation into two churches and then many, many
sects of Christianity after that. You can read all 95 theses in this blog.
12. First Prime Minister
The political power in England didn’t shift from the crown to the people overnight, but this
was a key step. In 1721, Sir Robert Walpole became the first Lord of the Treasury and
would be officially recognized as the first prime minister. He took on many of the
responsibilities that the current one does. An interesting fact was that it was suspected he
held the position for so long through the influence of bribes.
13. The Treaty of Versailles
Up until this point, World War I was referred to as The Great War. Over eight million were
killed in the war between Germany and its allies, who fought against France, England, the
United States, and other allies. The war left Germany devastated and it was this treaty that
finally settled the war. Almost thirty years after the first World War began, the treaty would
ultimately lead to:
14. Hitler Invades Poland
Years earlier, the head of Germany had assured the world his intentions were peaceful and
in Germany’s best interests. He would even strike a peace deal with neighboring Soviets. On
September 1, 1939, Hitler would invade Poland igniting what would be the worst war in
human history and would ultimately lead to mass genocide and racial cleansing.
15. Fall of the Berlin Wall
After World War II, the unsteady peace the Allies had managed in the face of a common
enemy was threatened when it came time to divide Germany. One side decided to rule in
freedom and the other in communism, and a great wall was erected in Berlin, dividing the
city in two in 1961. It wasn’t until 28 years later that the wall finally came down and a peace
between the United States and Soviet Union was reached, but the avoidance of yet another
World War was an interesting moment in history.
Other Interesting Facts About the History of Political Science
17. Plato Writes The Republic
One of Greece’s greatest philosophers was also one of the first to take on political science.
Published in 380 BC, the collection of books outlines the definition of city-states and how
man should govern. The philosopher king as ruler is one of its most interesting aspects. You
can find all ten mini-books here.
18. Pax Romana
So is man’s ultimate goal to be constantly involved with wars?
Not if
you check out this period in political science history. Literally meaning “Roman Peace,” it
lasted from 27 BC to 180 AD and in an empire that was widely known for engaging in war
and other violent past times. During this peaceful period, there was not only peace but
prosperity, advancements in science, culture, law, and much more.
19. Leonardo da Vinci Paints The Last Supper
The now infamous painting features Jesus and all of his disciples eating dinner the night
before he is sentenced to death. The painting was done in 1498 as part of the maestro’s work
for Ludovico il Moro and for the Dominican Monastery Santa Maria delle Grazie. This was
an important moment in political history because it marked the first work of The
Renaissance, which would reignite man’s desire to learn and grow.
20. Off With Their Head
A leader nowadays can think that impeachment and/or public disgrace is the worst thing that
can happen to them. However, that is not the case as shown in this interesting moment in
political science. It came in 1649 when King Charles was executed for being a “tyrant,
traitor, and murderer.” An interesting fact surrounding the case was that the man who signed
the death warrant would later see his family rise to power as a result.
21. Some Punishment
In 1788, Britain was desperate for a new place to send its prisoners since the Americans
were no longer accepting. In a desperate move, they sent about one thousand people, most of
them convicts, to the Australian territory in the hopes of letting Britain grow without its
prison population. However, the new settlement would prove to be more prosperous than its
founders ever thought. Once free settlers began to arrive, the country began to grow and
thrive, marking an interesting time in political science history.
22. Abraham Lincoln Suspends Habeas Corpus
Along with a declaring martial law, President Abraham Lincoln ordered the suspension of
habeas corpus in 1861 in an effort to bring the already bloody Civil War to an end. After the
courts refused to comply with Lincoln’s order, he officially released a proclamation on
September 24, 1862 declaring that rebels and those who help them “shall be subject to
martial law and liable to trial and punishment by Courts Martial or Military Commission.”
Robert Longley of About.com has more on this interesting political science fact.
23. New Zealand Leads in Women’s Rights
Long before the U.S. or England allowed their women to vote, the Republic of New Zealand
was paving the way. In 1893, Lord Glasgow signed a new Electoral Act allowing all women
to vote in parliamentary elections. Through the work and massive petitioning of women like
Kate Sheppard, the act was able to be passed 27 years before it was in the United States.
24. Gandhi Mainstreams Nonviolence
While the British ruled India, there were many who wanted to put them out through means
of force. This all changed on September 11, 1906 when Mohandas Gandhi addressed a
meeting of 3,000 Indians in the Empire Theatre building in Johannesburg and asked them to
take an oath to resist white colonial rule without violence. It would ultimately lead to
nonviolence being the means through which Indian independence was achieved.
25. We Will Fight Them on the Beaches
These famous words were spoken by then Prime Minister Winston Churchill of England
during the days of World War II. It is an interesting time in political science because it was
one of the first times a people was addressed on the radio during a war and were inspired to
fight back not only on their own shores, but across the globe. It all happened on June 4,
1940.