The AnswerBank Articles

When was decimal currency introduced

A. On 15 February 1971 - known as D Day (for Decimal Day). The United Kingdom adopted a decimal currency system with 100 pence to the pound sterling. This replaced the pound, shilling and pence00:00 Mon 12th Mar 2001

Who was Joan of Arc

A. Joan of Arc (1412-1431), Jeanne d'Arc, also called the Maid of Orleans, a patron saint of France and a national heroine, led the resistance to the English invasion of France in the Hundred Years00:00 Thu 08th Mar 2001

Did the Vikings discover North America

Q. Is there evidence that Vikings got to North America before Columbus A. Yes' plenty. In 982AD, Eric the Red was outlawed from Iceland and exiled to a great land to the north. Eric spent00:00 Thu 08th Mar 2001

When did mass printing begin

A. Printing - a name used for several processes by which words, pictures, or designs are reproduced on paper, fabrics, metal, or other suitable materials. These processes consist of making numerous00:00 Thu 08th Mar 2001

What are the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World

Thanks to Smartboy for his question and Marco for the thorough answer. Let's go into a bit more detail, though. The seven wonders of the ancient world, are: 1. The Great Pyramid of Giza This00:00 Thu 01st Mar 2001

What are the lampreys and did they kill King John

A. This question has come from Jim Gregory. Sorry Jim ' wrong king. It was Henry I (1068-1135), William the Conqueror's youngest and ablest son (a stern critic of excess in others), who died from00:00 Thu 01st Mar 2001

How did the Victorians stop the spread of Cholera

asked Jim Gregory. Q. First of all what is cholera A. Cholera is an illness caused by a bacterium called vibria cholerae. It infects people's intestines, causing diarrhoea, vomiting and cramps00:00 Thu 01st Mar 2001

Who was Boudica

Boudica or Boadicea was British Queen and ruler of the Iceni - a tribe occupying East Anglia. She was married to Prasutagus and with him she ruled over the Iceni, but under Roman Authority. When was00:00 Fri 23rd Feb 2001

Why did Germany lose the Second World War

By Oliver Goggi 'What was the main cause of Germany's defeat in the Second World War ' asked Samri. Following are a summary of reasons why the Allies won the war. Firstly, and probably most00:00 Mon 26th Feb 2001

Who or what was the Minotaur

A. The Minotaur was the 'love child' of an affair between Queen Pasiphae and a bull. Pasiphae, wife of Minos King of Crete, fell in love with a bull that should have been scarificed to the gods, and00:00 Mon 26th Feb 2001

End of the Chinese dynasties

by Steve Cunningham RUSSIAN Revolution It's the staple diet of all political history students. The Chinese Revolution That's different. Press AssociationChina, at 1,243 million, has the00:00 Thu 15th Feb 2001

King Arthur - hero or myth

by Steve Cunningham ARTHUR, King of the Britons… our greatest hero. But did he exist The British king appears in a cycle of medieval romances as the sovereign of a knightly fellowship of the00:00 Mon 12th Feb 2001

Why we're pancake-flipping crazy

by Steve Cunningham ON 27 February, Britain goes flipping crazy. And it's all a bit of a mystery to foreigners. For this is Pancake Day, an almost-baffling festival that has its roots in deep00:00 Mon 12th Feb 2001

Underground to a great new idea

by Steve Cunningham Londonstills.comTHE VICTORIANS thought it was the greatest building operation since the pyramids. The London Underground, in the news after transport unions called strikes00:00 Thu 08th Feb 2001

Dates in Underground history

1860-1869 Metropolitan and Metropolitan District lines open. 1880-1889 Extensions out to the north-west and south-west suburbs. 1890-1899 City & South London Railway. Waterloo & City opened 00:00 Thu 08th Feb 2001

Mystery of romantic saint

by Steve Cunningham ON 14 February many lucky people will receive a card adorned with a big red heart, filled with romantic words. And all in the name of a saint called Valentine. But who was00:00 Thu 08th Feb 2001

Thousands queue for Victoria tribute

by Steve Cunningham THOUSANDS of people braved the biting wind and rain to see Queen Victoria's final resting place, 100 years after her burial. Lengthy queues gathered at the royal mausoleum at00:00 Mon 05th Feb 2001

The original bad hair day

by Steve Cunningham THE tale is familiar: a beautiful young woman is spurned by her contemporaries because she becomes an unmarried mum-to-be. Then it gets more unusual. Her hair is turned into00:00 Thu 01st Feb 2001

Historic Oxo cube crosses the Atlantic

by Steve Cunningham OXO, the stock cube forever part of the traditional British Sunday roast, is to fall into American hands as part of a billion-dollar sale by Unilever. The gravy business is to00:00 Tue 30th Jan 2001

Where war horses rest

by Steve Cunningham NICHOLAS I was one of the cruellest Russian rulers in history. He hated people, but he loved horses. Now, one of his bizarre creations has been uncovered: a rest home for00:00 Fri 26th Jan 2001