102 questions and answers in this section

History and Culture » Historical Figures

Can you explain why Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years before becoming president of South Africa?

Can you explain why Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years before becoming president of South Africa?

Apartheid refers to an official policy of racial segregation implemented in South Africa from 1948 to 1991. Clearly, it was a discriminatory system where black, mixed-race, or...

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Explain why Napoleon Bonaparte was so small?

Explain why Napoleon Bonaparte was so small?

Napoleon actually had a height close to average for his time, about 1.68 m. Moreover, his Corsican family was not particularly known for being tall: his father,...

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Explain why the last queen of Egypt, Cleopatra, was known for her beauty and intelligence.

Explain why the last queen of Egypt, Cleopatra, was known for her beauty and intelligence.

Cleopatra was not just a seductive queen: she was a formidable and cunning politician. She spoke several languages and was the first in her dynasty...

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Explain why Malala Yousafzai received the Nobel Peace Prize at only 17 years old.

Explain why Malala Yousafzai received the Nobel Peace Prize at only 17 years old.

Since she was very young, Malala has been denouncing the inequalities in access to education in her region of Pakistan, where the Taliban severely prohibit...

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Explain why Leon Trotsky was assassinated during Stalin's Great Purge?

Explain why Leon Trotsky was assassinated during Stalin's Great Purge?

Between Trotsky and Stalin, right after Lenin's death in 1924, things heat up considerably. Trotsky advocates for a permanent revolution, firmly believing that communism must...

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Explain why Ramses II was nicknamed the Great?

Explain why Ramses II was nicknamed "the Great"?

Ramses II reigned for about 66 years, which is enormous for the time. He ascended to the throne when he was very young, around 25...

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Explain why Rosa Parks became a major figure in the civil rights movement in the United States.

Explain why Rosa Parks became a major figure in the civil rights movement in the United States.

In the United States, especially in the southern states, a policy known as Jim Crow laws enforced a strict separation between Whites and African Americans. These laws...

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Explain why Cleopatra learned several foreign languages?

Explain why Cleopatra learned several foreign languages?

Cleopatra knew that knowing several languages was essential to communicate directly and effectively with foreign diplomats. She was fluent in Greek, the official language of...

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Explain why Ramses II reigned for so long?

Explain why Ramses II reigned for so long?

Ramses II comes to power at a particularly favorable time: Egypt is already powerful and well-established as a great civilization. His father, Seti I, has...

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Explain why Japanese samurais carried katanas as their main weapon.

Explain why Japanese samurais carried katanas as their main weapon.

In Japan, starting from the Kamakura period (1185-1333), samurai adopted the katana as their main weapon due to the numerous internal conflicts and close skirmishes...

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