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Throwback to 1922 Midterm Elections
With the United States' midterm elections in less than a month, here's a Throwback Thursday post to revisit the midterms from a hundred years ago. By 1922, Senators had only been elected by popular vote in four elections, and it was the second election when women had the right to vote. The results were unusually brutal for the party that held the White House.
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The Battle That Made Francis Drake Spain’s Worst Nightmare
Drake contributed more than anyone to the war in which England famously defeated the Armada in 1588. But mere patriotism and fear of Catholicism didn't drive him to harass the Spanish. For Drake, it was personal. One battle drove him mad with vengeance and convinced him he could no longer trust or trade with the Spanish.
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Why Was England Late to Colonize?
No nation ever dominated global trade and geopolitics more than Great Britain from the mid 18th century until World War I. But the English arrived late to the scene of colonization. The Age of Discovery began in the early 15th century. But the English didn’t establish any permanent colonies until the early 17th century, at the close of this era. So, what delayed them? Why did they sit back on their island and watch Spain conquer the most advanced peoples in the Americas and take South America’s riches for itself? Why did they allow the Portuguese to gain the initial footholds in Africa and Asia?
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The Cause Behind the Glorious Revolution: The Overthrew of James II
Hollland's William of Orange and English opposition leaders dethroned England’s King James II in 1689, in what became known as the Glorious Revolution and the beginning of modern constitutional monarchy. But why did the English join foreigners to overthrow their monarch?
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Why did Monarchy and Parliament Become Estranged in the 1620s?
The English Monarchy and Parliament became estranged in the 1620s because of disputes about the role of king and parliament, Christian doctrine, financing a war with Spain, and a general lack of trust. This eventually led to Charles I’s autocratic rule in the 1630s, civil war, and the king’s beheading two decades later.
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How Successful was James I?
He maintained Protestant rule and retained the loyalty of most of his subjects by pursuing an ecumenical policy among the various factions. This ecumenical spirit produced his greatest legacy, the King James Bible, which continues to carry his fame today.
