The history of the EU

The history of the EU, the Schengen area, the Euro, the languages in the EU

Continental Drift Theory. From the discussion of the rock cycle, it has been pointed out that through Earth's external and internal processes. Earth's surface is constantly changing. However, this idea of a changing environment did not conform with the belief of earlier scientists. Rather, they thought that the geographic positions of ocean basins and continents have been static since the beginning of time. It was around the 1500s when Leonardo da Vinci, upon his discovery of fossil seashells found at the high mountains of Italy, first thought of the idea that the areas where mountains are located may have been oceans in the past. Through time, other fossils of marine organisms found far above the current sea level further supported the idea that mountains were uplifted and weathering wore them down. At around the 1800s, most scientists have accepted the idea that Earth's crust is undergoing large vertical movements or uplifting. There was also evidence of possible horizontal movements, but the scientists then were not convinced about it. Alfred Wegener showed evidence of horizontal or lateral movement of the continents in his continental drift theory. According to him, the continents have drifted around the world and have once formed a giant landmass or supercontinent called Pangaea. To support his theory, Alfred Wegener presented a set of geographical, biological, and climatic evidence.Wegener's geographical evidence included the jigsaw puzzle fit of the current continents. He pointed out that the coastlines of South America and Africa seem to fit together. He also pointed the presence of mountain ranges having similar rock types and age but separated by vast oceans, like that of the folded rocks of the Caledonian mountains. The same folded rocks run through West Africa, North America, Newfoundland, Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Greenland, and Norway, all of which are now separated by the Atlantic Ocean. A geographical evidence on the similar rock types in West Africa, North America, Greenland, and Europe is found. The biological evidence came in the discovery of similar plant and animal fossils in different continents separated by oceans. The animal fossils of Mesosaurus and Lystrosaurus indicate that they were not capable of crossing the oceans to reach the other continents. If they were, the fossils should have been more widely distributed Africa, Australia, India, and South America were too large to be carried by wind. This indicates that the areas where the fossils were found were closely linked. It has also been found out that the plant only grew in areas with subpolar climate, which would indicate that the landmasses were located near the South Pole.Lastly, for his climatic evidence, Wegener discovered that a glacial period occurred during the late Paleozoic era in Southern Africa, South America, Australia, and India. The initial explanation for this event was global cooling, but it was rejected because large tropical swamps with so much vegetation were found at the same time in the Northern Hemisphere. This further supported the idea that the supercontinent was indeed near the South Pole, and the continents in Northern Hemisphere were once near the equator. The glacial period also left glacial striations, or the scratches glaciers make as they move across on the underlying bedrock, on the aforementioned continents. For such an event to happen, the continents would have to be connected. SCIENCE PIONEER. Alfred Wegener (1880-1930). Alfred Wegener was a German polar researcher, geophysicist, and meteorologist. He was known for his work on the continental drift theory. In his effort to defend his work, he went to the Greenland ice sheet where he died.Even with all the compelling evidence, the continental drift theory hardly convinced the scientific community at that time because Wegener was unable to identify a credible mechanism that drives the continental drift. He was unable to clearly explain how the continents moved and how the larger continents broke through the ocean floor. Eventually, critics of the continental drift began to accept the theory when new evidence supporting the theory was discovered. The new evidence led to a more encompassing theory the theory of plate tectonics. This theory provided a more convincing explanation as to how the continents moved. The evidence that paved the way for the theory of plate tectonics was the idea of wandering poles. Scientists began studying volcanic rocks to determine the location of the magnetic poles. When volcanic rocks crystallize, the minerals with magnetic properties align themselves parallel to Earth's magnetic field at the time the minerals were formed. This finding allowed scientists to determine the polarity of Earth's magnetic field and the magnetic inclination that showed the location of the poles. Upon studying the paleomagnetism of the rocks, geophysicists found out that rocks from various locations point to different magnetic north poles, suggesting that the poles have wandered. Since movement of magnetic poles is very unlikely, scientists have accepted the idea that the continents are indeed moving. And if the continents are moving, scientists thought that maybe the ocean basins are moving too. They also discovered that some rocks showed magnetic reversals, which led them to believe that the magnetic north pole now was not always the magnetic north pole. Seafloor Spreading. After World War II, exploration on the ocean floor became the focus of many geologic studies. It was only then that the ocean ridge system was discovered. A geologist in Princeton University named Harry Hess, along with other scientists, studied this ocean ridge system and hypothesized that the oceanic crust was moving away from the ridge. His hypothesis, known as seafloor spreading, showed that the ocean floor is split along the ridge where the magma rises to form the new ocean floor.Because of this, rocks located near the ridge are younger than those that are located magnetic polarity of Earth is also preserved in those rocks. Withe ridge scientists were able to see the magnetic reversals in the ocean floor, and they were able to make use of information to determine that the ocean floor is moving at a rate of about 10 cm per year. Plate Tectonics. Confirmation of the seafloor spreading hypothesis proved that continents are not moving above the ocean floor. Rather, it is the fragments of the lithosphere. The lithosphere is the rigid layer that is composed of the uppermost mantle and the crust that carry the continents and the ocean basins along. These fragments of the lithosphere are called plates. Underneath the lithosphere is a weaker region in the mantle known as asthenosphere that behaves like a fluid. Thus, the lithosphere floats above the asthenosphere, making it detached and free to move. This became the basis of the theory of plate tectonics. Now that it has been made clear that it is the plates which are moving, the question as to how they move remained. Sir Arthur Holmes proposed the driving force for this plate movement in 1919. He suggested that the movement in the mantle carries the plates along. It was previously discussed that Earth's interior is very hot due to the heat produced by radioactive decay. Convection takes place in the mantle, keeping the asthenosphere hot and weak. The convection currents produced in the asthenosphere are the ones carrying the lithospheric plates and making them move. However, convection currents are not enough. Mechanisms such as ridge push and slab pull aid the convection currents to slowly move the lithospheric plates. Ridge push occurs at mid ocean ridges which are higher in elevation than the surrounding trenches and abyssal plains. The new ocean floor from the ridge is hot and relatively thin. As it moves away from the ridge, it cools down and gets denser, heavier, and thicker. Below this cooling ocean floor is the asthenosphere, which is less dense. This area becomes a massive shear zone and the new ocean floor will effectively slide down the slope of the asthenosphere. When the plate collides with another plate with lesser density, the denser plate sinks and a subduction zone is formed. When the subducting plate sinks, it pulls on the rest of the plate behind it. These mechanisms explain the movement of the plates.Earth has seven major lithospheric plates that account for 94% of Earth's surface. These are the North American Plate, South American Plate, Pacific Plate, African Plate, Eurasian Plate, Indo-Australian Plate, and Antarctic Plate. These plates are constantly moving relative to the other plates. Thus, the interaction of plates occurs mostly along the boundaries. These movements are plotted using information from earthquakes and volcanic activities. There are three main types of plate boundaries: convergent, divergent, and transform boundaries Convergent boundaries are boundaries where two plates move towards each other A convergent boundary is also known as destructive margin since this is where the collision between two plates occhins. There are three types of convergence-oceanic oceanic, oceanic-continental, and continental-continental. Trenches are features of the ocean floor that are present in both oceanic-oceanic boundary and oceanic-continental boundary. Subduction occurs at the trenches, therefore, these are characterized as the deepest parts of Earth. A divergent boundary is the opposite of convergent boundary: two plates move away from each other. Divergent boundaries create new crust; thus, they are also known as constructive margins. The ocean ridge system is a divergent boundary where new ocean floor is produced as magma rises, pushing the older rocks aside.Transform boundary is also known as conservative plate margin since two plates just move past one another, neither creating nor destroying land. Earthquake epicenters are usually detected at transform boundaries because the rocks tend to break and not fold or sink, like in convergent boundaries. Evolution of the Ocean Basins. Both the movement of the plates and seafloor are responsible for the evolution of ocean basins. Along the divergent boundary where ocean ridge systems are found, magma is released and new ocean floor is created. Along convergent boundaries, the ocean floor is being destroyed. The evolution of the ocean basins started during the time when Pangaea was still present and was surrounded by the vast ocean or superocean known as Panthalassa, also called Paleo-Pacific or "old Pacific." Upon the initial break up of Pangaea into Laurasia and Gondwanaland, the Tethys Sea began to form. Then, the Eurasian and North about, forming the North Atlantic. The South Atlantic only started to form when the African Plate and South American Plate separated. The continued movement of the plates created the Himalayas at one side and separated the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean at the other side, which consequently formed the current ocean basins. Both the movement of the plates and seafloor are responsible for the evolution of ocean basins. Along the divergent boundary where ocean ridge systems are found, magma is released and new ocean floor is created. Along convergent boundaries, the ocean floor is being destroyed. The evolution of the ocean basins started during the time when Pangaea was still present and was surrounded by the vast ocean or superocean known as Panthalassa, also called Paleo-Pacific or "old Pacific." Upon the initial break up of Pangaea into Laurasia and Gondwanaland, the Tethys Sea began to form. Then, the Eurasian and North about, forming the North Atlantic. The South Atlantic only started to form when the African Plate and South American Plate separated. The continued movement of the plates created the Himalayas at one side and separated the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean at the other side, which consequently formed the current ocean basins.Continents do not immediately end at the point where the ocean meets the land. They may extend slightly into the oceans. The portion of the continent that is submerged is called continental margin. There are two types of continental margin: passive margin and active margin. A passive continental margin consists of a continental shelf, continental slope, and continental rise. It is not associated with plate boundaries; thus, there are very little tectonic activities. An active continental margin only has a continental shelf and a continental slope. It is associated with plate boundaries; thus, a main feature of this boundary is a trench. The different features of a continental margin are the following: 1. The continental shelf is the gently-sloping submerged portion of the continent. 2. The continental slope is the steep slope after the continental shelf. It is still part of the continent. 3. The continental rise is the gently-sloping area after the continental slope and before the ocean floor. 4. The trenches are the deepest parts of the ocean. These are narrow depressions caused by the subduction of the ocean floor along the convergent boundaries. 5. The mid-oceanic ridge is the mountain range system in the ocean. It is responsible for the production of new ocean floor. This is the region where new magma constantly emerges from. SCIENCE CAREER. A scientific illustrator uses art to inform and communicate complex details and concepts of science. He/She makes use of scientifically informed observations and research along with his/her technical art and aesthetic skills to make accurate representations. In Natural History, the scientific illustrators recreate how the extinct species look like by working with scientists and fossil records. Moreover, with the advances in technology, illustrators are now into 3D modelling, animation, and video making. Earth's History. All the processes that have been discussed require long periods of time to create a noticeable change on Earth's surface. You can just imagine how long it would take to create an oceanas vast as the Pacific Ocean if the ocean floor moves only at about 10 cm/year. It is then important to know the history of Earth to learn the complexities of its past and be able to use it to understand the present. Just like learning the history of a country that requires one to read a lot of books, learning the history of Earth involves studying a lot of rocks. Rocks, especially sedimentary rocks, contain a lot of information about Earth's past. It holds the key to most of the geologic processes that happened on Earth and the key to uncovering how life on Earth evolved. But these discoveries are worthless if there is no time perspective. Thus, one of the most important contributions of geologists to mankind is the geologic time scale, which holds a history that is exceedingly long.

A church is a place where Christians worship God. The European missionaries were the first to establish churches in Nigeria. The history of the establishment of churches began in the 16th century and continued in the 19th century. Churches in Nigeria can be categorized as Orthodox, Pentecostal and Spiritual Churches. SOME IMPORTANT HISTORICAL CHURCHES IN NIGERIA. The following are some of the important historical churches in Nigeria: 1. The Cathedral Church of St. Peters: It was established by the Anglican Mission at Ake, Abeokuta in 1898. 2. Holy Aruosa Cathedral: It was established in 1538 by the Portuguese missionaries in Benin Kingdom. 3. The Duke Town Cathedral: It was built by Presbyterian missionaries in 1895 in Calabar. 4. ECWA (Evangelical Church of West Africa): It began its activities in Nigeria in 1893 in Lagos and later moved to Northern Nigeria such as Bida, Zaria, Jos and Ilorin. The headquarters of ECWA is in Jos, Plateau State.

The History of Chocolate Many people believe that chocolate originally came from Europe. However, chocolate, called the “food of the gods,” was first made in the Americas. The first chocolate was very different from contemporary chocolate. Wild chocolate trees can grow easily in the humid Amazon rainforest. Clusters of flowers growing on these trees turn to seeds. About 20 to 60 cacao beans can be found in the seeds. Cacao beans are the ingredient needed to create sweet, soothing, and delicious chocolate treats. The Mayan and Aztec cultures both thought that chocolate trees were brought from paradise by gods. The Mayans and Aztecs used the beans from this divine tree to create a special beverage with a very pleasant odor. Surprisingly, the Aztecs believed that it would be toxic to women and children. In the 1500s, the Spanish explorer Cortes met the Aztecs. Cortes became quite interested in the plantations where the Aztecs cultivated chocolate trees. When he returned to Europe, he took cacao beans with him. He introduced the people of Spain to the Aztecs’ chocolate beverage. Over the next 100 years or so, kings, queens, and members of the upper class enjoyed drinking chocolate. They enjoyed it even more once they learned to add sugar to the beverage! Soon, chocolate had spread all across Europe. New machines allowed chocolate makers to perfect their products and produce them at a very rapid rate. Preparing the beans in special ways brought out the aroma of chocolate. The beans were combined with condensed milk to give the chocolate a smooth texture. Today, contemporary chocolates with subtle flavors fill the shelves of expensive chocolate shops. The different types of chocolate available today vary widely. True chocolate lovers can tell which is best, though. They will tell you that the flavor of high quality chocolate stays on the palate long after you finish it

Can you make me a 40 question quiz from the following information? he story of coffee has all the elements of a bestselling novel, such as chance happenings, luck, political intrigue, the high seas and great wealth. With research, you will find many stories and dates when this happened and dates when that happened. Often these stories and dates will conflict with each other. Whatever the history, coffee has become one of the most important trading commodities in the world. Being second only to oil and being one of the most popular beverages, behind tea, beer and of course, water. Coffee growing is a very labour-intensive operation and it provides important trading income for many nations and people throughout the world. The most famous story about the origin of coffee is the story of Kaldi a goat herder from Ethiopia. It is said he noticed that his goats became very active after eating the red berries of a certain plant. He tried a few himself and noticed the stimulating effect of the berries. It is then said that monks started drinking a beverage made from the berries to help stay awake for the prayers; this would have been around 1000 AD. Over the next few hundred years the Arab world started to use the berries as a beverage and coffee was born. In those early years, coffee was mostly confined to the Muslim world with the export of coffee plants and seeds banned. But coffee could not be hidden forever so eventually coffee was introduced to Constantinople and coffee houses were opened in 1475. European traders then brought coffee back to Europe by approximately 1600. At first, coffee was met with a hostile reaction, with some Christians calling it the ‘Devil’s Drink’ and asking Pope Vincent III to ban the beverage. He tried coffee and liked it so much that he is claimed to have said “This beverage is so delicious that it would be a sin to let only misbelievers drink it! Let’s defeat Satan by blessing this beverage, which contains nothing objectionable to a Christian!” Coffee shops sprung up in every city and became an important social and networking place to meet. This tradition continues today with the French word for coffee being ‘Café’. Coffee is said to have changed the social fabric of society by providing a popular non-alcoholic alternative to beer and wine. For the first time in recorded history people were not drunk all the time. Coffee today is grown and enjoyed worldwide and is one of the few crops that small farmers in third-world countries can profitably export. The coffee plant is a tree that is pruned to grow to a height of approximately three metres. This makes cultivating the beans easier as most of the beans are handpicked. The plant has white flowers similar to jasmine that grow in clusters and set to become red cherry-like fruit; beneath the red skin are two pips which are the coffee beans. Because the berries ripen at varying times the fruit must be handpicked to select only those beans ripe for harvest. This requires the picker to pick from the same plant many times and is very labour intensive. This is why coffee is grown in developing countries where labour is cheaper and foreign income is needed. Coffee plants grow best in a mountain tropical climate between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Tropic of Cancer. This mountainous land is another reason why machine picking is very difficult and hand picking is preferred. There are two main species of coffee grown today: Coffee Arabica. Coffee Robusta. Robusta grows at lower altitudes and produces a larger crop than Arabica; therefore, it is cheaper to produce Arabica is the most popular and generally considered to give superior flavour. Most Robusta is grown in Asia and Africa. About 75% of coffee grown is Arabica and 25% Robusta. Robusta is more often used as a blend with Arabica rather than a standalone coffee; used as a filler coffee in the production of instant or to add extra caffeine to an Arabica coffee for the European markets. Robusta is higher in caffeine than Arabica, but the flavour is not as palatable as the more popular Arabica bean. Coffee is produced in about 60 countries throughout the world but production is dominated by three countries producing approximately half the crop: Brazil, Vietnam and Colombia.

Colonial Period Early colonial settlements were similar in that each developed near the coastline. EX) Jamestown (1607) Plymouth (1620) New England Colonies- the New England Colonies developed initially as religious outposts by various subjugated groups. Influenced by good harbors, abundant forests, rocky soil, and a short growing season. Geographic factors influenced the economy of New England by promoting the growth of trade and manufacturing. Developed villages with town-hall meetings. Had small farms and commercial fishing. American Indians were viewed by the Puritans as needing to be saved from their sinful ways since they were not Christians. In the early years of English colonization, Puritans did not openly embrace the American Indians but relied on them for help in the difficult early years for survival. As the English population increased, so did the conflict with natives of the area. A series of bloody wars (King Philip’s War and the Pequot Wars) during the colonial period between the Puritans and the American Indians of New England Southern Colonies- The climate (long growing season), rich soil, and deep rivers of the southeastern U.S. had a major impact on the history of the U.S. before 1860 because the region provided agricultural products that were processed in the North and in Europe. Developed plantations (large farms that used slave labor) because of fertile land and a long growing season. Relations with American Indians in the Southern Colonies began somewhat as a peaceful coexistence. As more English colonists began to arrive and encroach further into native lands, the relationship became more violent. Mid Atlantic (Middle Colonies)- were created from the previous Dutch New Netherland colony and had good harbors and river systems that shaped their development. The Hudson and Delaware Rivers provided highways to the interior of North America. Furs acquired from American Indians through trade for European goods were transported toward the coast along swift rivers. Later, the region’s farmers were able to use the rivers to ship wheat and other agricultural goods to markets in other colonies and Europe. The rivers also provided colonists access to manufactured goods imported from European markets. Harbors in cities such as Philadelphia and New York City allowed the Mid-Atlantic Colonies to grow into major commercial hubs for all of England’s American colonies. Ship building was common in the mid Atlantic colonies. The natives (American Indians) who resided there were typically relied upon for trade with the English and not the target of war, as was often the case in the other English colonial regions. Pennsylvania, in particular, treated the American Indians with more respect as evidenced by William Penn’s insistence on compensating the natives for their lan

La Isla de Pascua This 64-square mile island off Chile’s west coast goes by many names. Its English name is Easter Island, marking the day in 1722 when it was discovered by a European. In Spanish, it is called Isla de Pascua. The Rapa Nui, its first inhabitants, called it “The Navel of the World.” Experts do not agree on the history of Easter Island. It is unclear where the first people came from or when they arrived. Many people believe they came from neighboring Polynesia around AD 300. This culture built 900 enormous stone statues for which the island is famous. The statues are known as moai. Most of the moai are made of volcanic tuff. Tuff is a soft rock made from the ash that is forced out during a volcanic eruption. It is easier to carve than hard stones like marble, but it is not ideal for carving small details. The moai are considered megaliths (large stones that form prehistoric monuments). They stand up to 33 feet high when on their ceremonial platform (the average height is about 13 feet), and they weigh up to 82 tons. They usually have a trunk (body), inset arms, and an exaggerated head with angular edges. The head of each moai takes up about one-third of the total figure. It all shows that the people who created them could engineer monumental structures. Many moai stand with their backs to the sea. They watch the island like protective markers. Some low-relief carvings of religious deities were added to the backs of the moai at a later date. Experts are still trying to understand how they were carved and moved, and what they might mean. Chile took control of the island in 1888. At that time, its population was less than 200. The government used it for grazing livestock. Today, the mystery of Easter Island makes it a popular tourist spot. Valparaíso Valparaíso is a colorful blend of old and new traditions in Chile. This port city is an interesting example of daily life in Chile. Before the Panama Canal was opened in 1914, all ships traveling east to west had to pass all the way around South America. Valparaíso was ideally positioned as a stopping point in the Southern Pacific. Valparaíso has a long history of playing host to a large array of cultures and ideas. The city was known around the world as a place that embraced learning and new ideas. Pablo Neruda had a home in Valparaíso in the 1920s. After the Panama Canal was completed, shipping traffic declined significantly. Valparaíso was forgotten and fell upon hard times. In the 1990s, the government of Chile made an effort to revitalize the colorful port. Today it is a UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) World Heritage site. True to its history of embracing learning, it is also home to four universities. Tourists can visit the first stock exchange in Latin America. Valparaíso also has Chile’s first public library. Visitors stroll through cobblestone streets in the historic district. Here they can also view the city’s iconic colorful buildings. At night, music and street performers liven the experience. Try It Yourself Two Spanish words comprise the name of this city. Val means valley. Paraiso means paradise. The name Valparaíso means Paradise Valley. Can you recognize descriptive Spanish words in other Spanish place names? Start with names of places around you. Las Comidas Tradicionales To Chileans, nothing says home like pastel de choclo, a type of casserole made of beef and corn. The body of the casserole is flavorful. It contains beef, onions, raisins, and roasted chicken. It is topped off with a layer of creamed corn and then baked. Baking it brings out the sweetness in the corn, adding a contrast to the savory meat. The preferred type of corn is called choclo. This variety is grown in rugged conditions in the Andes. The kernels are large and hearty compared to other varieties. Another favorite dish in Chile is a type of meat stew called cazuela. Originally a native dish, it is now known as comfort food in Chile. Pork, beef, lamb, or chicken still on the bone is boiled in a traditional clay pot. To that, corn, potatoes, and other local vegetables are added. It is seasoned with onion and garlic. Pablo Rogat/Shutterstock When Chileans think about dessert, manjar is the first ingredient on their minds. It is a caramel sauce made from cooking milk, sugar, and vanilla. It is found in many desserts. It is used as filling in cakes, pies, and cookies. It is refrigerated to make puddings and custards. People even use it to sweeten their coffee.

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