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Only to a degree Larry Send a noteboard - 08/04/2010 01:27:22 PM
What if black pepper had been an indigenous plant in Europe and/or the Middle East? Not only does that impact a small but important part of medieval trade - the most long-distance one - but it also is of crucial importance to the European discovery journeys of the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries, and hence to the entire concept of colonialism.


Or what if potatoes or tobacco had not been imported from South America.


Tobacco was from North America/the Caribbean, or at least the specific species that are smoked by most people :P

Of course, if tobacco was not a cash crop, my family would never have been wealthy in the early 19th century (nor would they have lost most everything between the Panic of 1837 and the Civil War :P)


Yesyes. Details. I come from Norway. Everywhere that is warm enough for tobacco growing is per definition SOUTH.

And, of course, part of the scenario would have to be that it were never grown by European immigrants either.


It's okay. I always think "up there" for any region where snow lies on the ground more than a handful of days a year, if that much. :P

And then there's that scenario if Songhai had not been weakened by invasions from the Sahara...


Now you are back on political history.


I consider the social vacuum created by the collapse of a strong polity in the Sahel to be responsible in part for the atrocity known as the transatlantic slave trade. The social upheaval that was unleashed is something that certainly affects hundreds of millions directly and almost as many indirectly today.

That being said, some of my vocabulary would have been different if this hadn't taken place.


But that is the case with most of the political events mentioned in this thread. The interest lies in the social ramifications. The collapse of a major African kingdom is definitely a political event.


Of course, I like to think my old studies, grounded firmly in the late Weimar/pre-WWII Nazi Era, were not political in nature, although that contradictory regime certainly loomed large over everything I was researching about religious programs during that time :P
Illusions fall like the husk of a fruit, one after another, and the fruit is experience. - Narrator, Sylvie

Je suis méchant.
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I know I just did a survey, but this was too good to pass up. LordPerrin - 07/04/2010 12:44:15 AM 831 Views
Myself: World War I. LordPerrin - 07/04/2010 12:45:57 AM 693 Views
I don't think it's that simple. Joel - 07/04/2010 12:57:16 AM 652 Views
I see your point. LordPerrin - 07/04/2010 01:02:33 AM 640 Views
Sometimes sooner is better than later. Joel - 07/04/2010 01:10:11 AM 617 Views
True. LordPerrin - 07/04/2010 01:14:45 AM 596 Views
True, one might even say *adding* a war there would've improved things. Legolas - 07/04/2010 01:36:07 AM 595 Views
*nods* A small war is usually preferable to a big war. Joel - 07/04/2010 01:49:06 AM 606 Views
Re: True, one might even say *adding* a war there would've improved things. snoopcester - 07/04/2010 10:48:49 AM 603 Views
I had a teacher with an interesting theory related to that LadyLorraine - 07/04/2010 12:57:49 AM 491 Views
Well, at this time, it was pretty well accepted that Russia wasn't exactly a techinical power. LordPerrin - 07/04/2010 01:04:35 AM 439 Views
The Plague MalkierKnight - 07/04/2010 12:52:33 AM 584 Views
Re: The Plague LordPerrin - 07/04/2010 01:05:35 AM 478 Views
He must be talking about a different plague, but I'm not sure which one, either. *NM* Legolas - 07/04/2010 01:37:32 AM 372 Views
Maybe; there were episodic plague epidemics before and after that time. Joel - 07/04/2010 02:05:18 AM 633 Views
I am talking about one of the plagues not THE plague MalkierKnight - 07/04/2010 02:50:25 AM 575 Views
Re: I am talking about one of the plagues not THE plague lyringlas - 07/04/2010 08:45:26 PM 570 Views
I'm so glad you have the time and inclination to type up these replies. *NM* Ghavrel - 08/04/2010 07:09:22 AM 371 Views
...? lyringlas - 08/04/2010 07:51:14 PM 493 Views
Sounds like he was thanking you for saving him the effort of writing a similar reply. *NM* Legolas - 08/04/2010 09:28:55 PM 393 Views
If that is the case, then great *NM* lyringlas - 08/04/2010 09:30:51 PM 344 Views
OK, think this one's been pretty thoroughly covered in my absence. Joel - 13/04/2010 11:51:16 AM 631 Views
The spread of Christianity LadyLorraine - 07/04/2010 12:55:29 AM 661 Views
Huh. Wild to think about. *NM* LordPerrin - 07/04/2010 01:06:44 AM 377 Views
Re: The spread of Christianity lyringlas - 07/04/2010 08:47:06 PM 472 Views
Re: The spread of Christianity Camilla - 08/04/2010 09:29:17 AM 491 Views
Why would that have an impact on Judaism? Kronin al'Sulc - 08/04/2010 01:40:47 PM 577 Views
Re: Why would that have an impact on Judaism? Camilla - 08/04/2010 01:42:25 PM 415 Views
But wasn't Christianity the inspiration for a whole era of art? *NM* Kronin al'Sulc - 08/04/2010 01:41:34 PM 439 Views
Re: But wasn't Christianity the inspiration for a whole era of art? Camilla - 08/04/2010 01:44:36 PM 628 Views
precisely. LadyLorraine - 08/04/2010 05:37:26 PM 606 Views
sorry, didn't see that Lorraine already addressed this. *NM* lyringlas - 08/04/2010 07:55:00 PM 375 Views
The product of Christian inspiration was heavily Hellenistic in origin... lyringlas - 08/04/2010 07:54:12 PM 470 Views
The Partition of India, 1947... *NM* BlackAdder - 07/04/2010 12:59:32 AM 372 Views
Any paticular reason why? *NM* LordPerrin - 07/04/2010 01:34:54 AM 370 Views
Agreed. *NM* Kylia Skydancer - 07/04/2010 01:59:02 AM 490 Views
The destruction of the Great Library. Joel - 07/04/2010 01:02:59 AM 549 Views
Internet spam sucks indeed. LordPerrin - 07/04/2010 01:08:23 AM 656 Views
We'll never know; makes for fascinating speculative fiction. Joel - 07/04/2010 01:13:49 AM 605 Views
This whole topic is wild, it's something I sometimes think about. LordPerrin - 07/04/2010 01:17:50 AM 582 Views
Ya, that's what makes history so gripping. Joel - 07/04/2010 01:19:54 AM 684 Views
I don't know if that's really true... Legolas - 07/04/2010 01:39:51 AM 597 Views
It wouldn't have been as sudden or extreme. Joel - 07/04/2010 01:58:39 AM 635 Views
"Joel captures Alexandria! The Great Library is destroyed!" *NM* moondog - 07/04/2010 01:08:35 AM 244 Views
NOOOO1111 Joel - 07/04/2010 01:11:33 AM 513 Views
A shame. It's one of the better ones, too. *NM* BlackAdder - 07/04/2010 01:14:20 AM 372 Views
Not in the first two Civs. Joel - 07/04/2010 01:22:43 AM 444 Views
Civ, i love that game... MalkierKnight - 07/04/2010 03:01:13 AM 555 Views
Yeah that's one of the small annoying things BlackAdder - 07/04/2010 07:34:52 AM 438 Views
An interesting point MalkierKnight - 07/04/2010 02:57:03 AM 604 Views
That's usually my reply to this question too *NM* ironclad - 07/04/2010 11:42:55 AM 345 Views
It's crazy to think that the human knowledge base doubles every 2 years... lyringlas - 07/04/2010 08:49:28 PM 443 Views
Literacy and communication have literally made a world of difference. Joel - 13/04/2010 09:25:45 AM 542 Views
if the giant meteor hadn't destroyed the dinosaurs... moondog - 07/04/2010 01:10:42 AM 511 Views
"FOR" global warming? Now there's a phrase I never thought I'd here! LordPerrin - 07/04/2010 01:16:04 AM 435 Views
The spread of Islam Dragonsoul - 07/04/2010 01:26:11 AM 613 Views
oh aren't you clever. *NM* LadyLorraine - 07/04/2010 01:47:13 AM 355 Views
There's such a thing as being right for the wrong reasons, though I'm not sure he is. Joel - 07/04/2010 02:12:14 AM 421 Views
Wikipedia is of course not a scholarly source, but all the same... Legolas - 07/04/2010 11:57:01 AM 579 Views
Fair enough. Joel - 07/04/2010 12:51:16 PM 574 Views
I read the Bernard Lewis article referred to at Wikipedia... Legolas - 07/04/2010 01:19:03 PM 559 Views
So it's borrowed propaganda. Joel - 13/04/2010 09:30:39 AM 539 Views
Re: The spread of Islam Camilla - 08/04/2010 09:24:31 AM 649 Views
Haha, are you kidding? Dragonsoul - 08/04/2010 07:59:39 PM 416 Views
Re: Haha, are you kidding? Camilla - 08/04/2010 08:50:33 PM 404 Views
Ask yourself the question... Legolas - 08/04/2010 09:33:33 PM 415 Views
I don't see the connection. BlackAdder - 08/04/2010 08:49:46 PM 603 Views
Re: I don't see the connection. Camilla - 08/04/2010 08:51:21 PM 460 Views
I'd better not touch this one ßelals Girl - 07/04/2010 03:12:00 AM 629 Views
The spread of Judaism. Great Lord of Chaos - 07/04/2010 04:30:37 AM 548 Views
Re: The spread of Judaism. BlackAdder - 07/04/2010 07:31:02 AM 493 Views
I...do not know. Spriteling - 07/04/2010 07:18:13 AM 483 Views
A lot of times, you change one thing, and everything changes- even the things you don't think about. LordPerrin - 07/04/2010 12:26:51 PM 452 Views
Amusing that the underlying expectation seems to be more along political history lines Larry - 07/04/2010 12:56:49 PM 670 Views
Considering the way history is taught, is it surprising? *NM* Ghavrel - 08/04/2010 07:11:03 AM 333 Views
Nope, not really Larry - 08/04/2010 10:24:54 AM 582 Views
Here's one that'll be more to your liking... Legolas - 08/04/2010 10:40:53 AM 424 Views
Yes Larry - 08/04/2010 10:52:11 AM 559 Views
Re: Here's one that'll be more to your liking... Camilla - 08/04/2010 11:58:27 AM 451 Views
Uh... Larry - 08/04/2010 12:11:14 PM 612 Views
Re: Uh... Camilla - 08/04/2010 12:15:20 PM 623 Views
The Devil is always in the details Larry - 08/04/2010 12:29:25 PM 580 Views
Re: The Devil is always in the details Camilla - 08/04/2010 12:32:34 PM 372 Views
Not really Larry - 08/04/2010 01:07:57 PM 538 Views
Re: Not really Camilla - 08/04/2010 01:10:16 PM 456 Views
Only to a degree Larry - 08/04/2010 01:27:22 PM 549 Views
Re: Only to a degree Camilla - 08/04/2010 01:30:12 PM 663 Views
I was into cultural and religious history Larry - 08/04/2010 01:38:24 PM 554 Views
Re: I was into cultural and religious history Camilla - 08/04/2010 01:41:31 PM 437 Views
Ha! Larry - 08/04/2010 01:49:23 PM 590 Views
Re: Ha! Camilla - 08/04/2010 01:51:28 PM 419 Views
I'm really sleep deprived... Larry - 08/04/2010 02:13:20 PM 707 Views
Re: I'm really sleep deprived... Camilla - 08/04/2010 02:19:07 PM 467 Views
Camilla - 08/04/2010 02:52:59 PM 556 Views
Interesting fact of the day for you two... Legolas - 08/04/2010 02:45:15 PM 454 Views
I know Camilla - 08/04/2010 02:46:41 PM 588 Views
It was nice being a "threadkiller" of a different sort Larry - 08/04/2010 10:08:34 PM 460 Views
Quote Pyramids of Destiny FTL *NM* BlackAdder - 08/04/2010 10:16:21 PM 361 Views
Since, surprisingly, no one's pointed it out yet, prehistory/=history. Joel - 13/04/2010 09:52:19 AM 554 Views
me being born mega rich *NM* random thoughts - 07/04/2010 02:15:34 PM 450 Views
Joanie Loves Chachi. Tigr - 07/04/2010 03:42:56 PM 510 Views
worse than "afterMASH"?? *NM* moondog - 07/04/2010 03:50:10 PM 329 Views
Worse than "Joey" ? *NM* TaskmasterJack - 07/04/2010 06:48:25 PM 355 Views
If you remember Joanie loves Chachi, you might be too old? StarrBecca - 08/04/2010 12:00:34 AM 442 Views
Re: I know I just did a survey, but this was too good to pass up. lyringlas - 07/04/2010 09:04:02 PM 462 Views
Science getting on the ball in the 40's and making superhumans *NM* fistofpainx - 08/04/2010 05:31:34 AM 402 Views
The spread of peanut butter and jelly. Ghavrel - 08/04/2010 07:12:21 AM 601 Views
I think two spreads that would be better to eliminate would be marmite and vegemite (sp). Avendesora - 08/04/2010 05:30:26 PM 566 Views
The Bread of Christianity. Ghavrel - 08/04/2010 07:12:51 AM 592 Views
The dead of Christianity. Ghavrel - 08/04/2010 07:13:34 AM 578 Views
The thread of Christianity. Ghavrel - 08/04/2010 07:14:15 AM 528 Views
The head of [Roman Catholic] Christianity. Ghavrel - 08/04/2010 07:15:21 AM 563 Views
You completely missed the "pick 1" part of the question, didn't you? *NM* Camilla - 08/04/2010 09:26:23 AM 360 Views
Well, techinically, I never said that you couldn't make multible posts, each discussing 1 thing. *NM* LordPerrin - 08/04/2010 05:36:37 PM 332 Views
I'm fairly sure he was just mocking someone's earlier post "just thought it would be interesting..." *NM* lyringlas - 08/04/2010 08:06:56 PM 335 Views
I'm pretty sure of that too. *NM* LordPerrin - 08/04/2010 08:33:46 PM 340 Views
...it's pretty interesting *NM* lyringlas - 08/04/2010 08:35:47 PM 399 Views
just as you thought it would be? *NM* BlackAdder - 08/04/2010 08:44:49 PM 335 Views
My parody. Ghavrel - 08/04/2010 10:41:29 PM 540 Views
Re: My parody. Camilla - 09/04/2010 07:29:19 AM 617 Views
The 1987 Rugby World Cup Final Colonel Logain - 13/04/2010 12:23:17 PM 620 Views
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