Antiochus III Posted May 5, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2008 The written word. I like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antiochus III Posted May 5, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2008 5. Americain Revloution - brought us theocratic democracy and freedom we enjoy today. also brought us the most powerful empire from 1914-present. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonlapse Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 5. Americain Revloution - brought us theocratic democracy and freedom we enjoy today. also brought us the most powerful empire from 1914-present. Wouldn't that be due more to the progressive 'revolution' of 1913 than the American Revolution? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viggen Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 regarding the American Revolution, ...IMO, the most important events were, when George Washington showed again and again, that he didn`t want personal power... ..he could have become king, he could have become dictator, if he wished he would have been called Diddly Duddly Dawah, he was THE MAN at the time, but instead he stepped down, created a nation, and i mean CREATED... ...I think George Washington was Americas greatest contribution to the western world... without him, no USA today.... cheers viggen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus Caelius Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 (edited) 1. The development of agriculture - without it, no settled life, which is necessary for the ability to sustain large populations and the establishment of industry and government, and virtually all that has occurred in recorded human history. 2. The development of writing - necessary for the widespread dissemination of ideas. Without it, the Internet is irrelevant. 3. The development of democracy - or, the basic idea that there is no inherent ascendency of one human over another. 4. The harnessing of fire - without it, arguably, none of the preceeding three would have occurred. 5. The divergence of astronomy from astrology - which enabled the discovery and codification of the laws of nature, and offered an alternative to the supernatural as a cause of events. I would argue that #5 is the single most important. Without it, we would never know our true place in the universe; if you don't know where you are to begin with, you can never make meaningful progress away from that point. Edited May 6, 2008 by Marcus Caelius Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldrail Posted May 9, 2008 Report Share Posted May 9, 2008 Ahh.. well... if the american revolution is so significant, then... 1 - The burning of the cakes by Alfred the Great - a significant moment in his career which subsequently led to the domination of Wessex, then to the kingdom of England, which developed into an empire controlling 25% of the world, which also led to the creation of one of the great current empires in america. 2 - The invention of the sailing ship, which made the american empire possible. 3 - The discovery that smoking tobacco turned you into a macho gun slinging hero, and thus underpinned the american empire. 4 - Coca-cola, without which the american empire would have died of thirst 5 - Great Britain, without whom America would have nothing to fight for. Oh boy... Am I going to regret this post... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosmo Posted May 9, 2008 Report Share Posted May 9, 2008 I had no ideea that Alfred the Great was a bad cook. The most important event was my birth. Without that happening I would not care at all about the others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nephele Posted May 9, 2008 Report Share Posted May 9, 2008 The most important event was my birth. Without that happening I would not care at all about the others. I like the way you think, Kosmo. -- Nephele Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faustus Posted May 10, 2008 Report Share Posted May 10, 2008 Oh boy... Am I going to regret this post... I don't understand why the concern . . . Although 2 is a little bit of a stretch, with the rest you seem to have gotten it all about right Caldrail. The Building of the Maginot Line - The 20th century wonder which stopped the Germans cold preventing a second world war. The Maginot Line stopped 250 miles short of the Channel. To have extended the line along the Belgium Border to the Channel would've made Belgium believe the French intended to protect them. Churchill: (when Hitler came to power) Thank God for the French army! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldrail Posted May 12, 2008 Report Share Posted May 12, 2008 I had no ideea that Alfred the Great was a bad cook. Ah but you see he wsn't a cook at all, but really the King of Weesex in hiding having been caught by suprise by his danish foes. Following this incident, he resolved not to let himself become preoccupied with failure. So, after being well and truly put in his place by the woman whose home he was staying in, he went on to restore Wessex to greatness, become King of England, and set England on its path to greatness which so upset the americans they felt it necessary to create their own 'kingdom'. Of course, since america was more dependent on Hershey bars than cakes for desert, it was impossible to upset the lady of the house and thus no american president has been whacked over the head by old women. Not that the security detail would ever allow the women close to the president until that broom had been checked for bugs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faustus Posted May 12, 2008 Report Share Posted May 12, 2008 Of course, since america was more dependent on Hershey bars than cakes for desert, it was impossible to upset the lady of the house and thus no american president has been whacked over the head . . . . Not that the security detail would ever allow the women close to the president until that broom had been checked for bugs. Never mind bugged brooms. It's hard to resist: Some preferred presidential 'desserts' are known (we've heard) to have caused thrown (cigar) ashtrays, lamps, and other household objects by one recent first lady. Imagine the dilemma experienced by the security detail as the president was threatened with his just deserts. (ouch!) Faustus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldrail Posted May 13, 2008 Report Share Posted May 13, 2008 "One moment senator, the president is in conference with the First lady right now and doesn't..." (THUMP!) "....Want to disturbed..." (SMASH! tinkle...) "Perhaps you could call back in fifteen minutes Sir?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antiochus III Posted June 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2008 Ahh.. well... if the american revolution is so significant, then... 2 - The invention of the sailing ship, which made the american empire possible. Oh boy... Am I going to regret this post... umm.. the sailing ship made the Spanish empire mush more possible than the america empire. the americans didn't even wield their naval power--instead of fighting and defeating the barbary pirates, the US decided to just pay them tribute. Antiochus III Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASCLEPIADES Posted June 24, 2008 Report Share Posted June 24, 2008 Salve, Amici. From what I've read on this thread, militarily events are grossly overrated; mass killing and genocide are too commonplace to become really influential. And of course, they are never required for cultural expansion or general quality life improvement. King Alexander III of Macedon was not the UNESCO. There are simply too many candidates: as many other UNRV members, I would rate high huge cultural/technical contributions that happened presumably only once (for example, the wheel invention at the Ubaid period on Neolithic Mesopotamia or the introduction of the Proto-Canaanite alphabet at the Late Bronze Age on the Sinai peninsula). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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