For many of us lucky to receive an education the word ‘test’ or ‘exam’ might bring up some bad memories. The ever-present threat of a test forced many of us to ‘cram’ or work during times where such an activity was the last thing we wanted to do. As such many of us who had to partake in these rigorous tests of memory might be surprised at the discovery that schooling did not always contain such examinations.

To find the root of the student’s biggest nemesis we must look at 500 years of Chinese history and how the governmental structures…

The threat of all-out nuclear warfare was at its height during the early stages of the Cold War. With both the United States and the USSR having the capability to wipe out nearly all life on Earth with these heinous weapons their use had to be strictly controlled. A complicated process was required to authorise such drastic action.

The starting part of this process, at least in the United States, was to be performed by the current acting president. After the creation of the infamous ‘Nuclear Football’, this first step could be performed from anywhere on the planet at any…

In a previous article I spoke about the “Alaska Purchase”, an event more obscure to the general public than I thought. From the response to that article, I realised that a lot of people did not know that Alaska was once owned by Russia and was actually sold to the United States.

Although it did end up in the hands of the US, Russia offered its colonial land to other countries before finally striking a deal with the American president. …

The Anschluss of Austria by the Third Reich in 1938 was the start of Hitler’s campaign of expansion within Europe. With the fellow German state under his control, the creation of a “Greater Germany” was well underway. Although the League of Nations, the post-WWI equivalent of the United Nations, was meant to protest such aggressive feats of expansion, out of all of its members only one nation opposed the initial spread of Nazi influence across Europe.

The takeover of Austria

Although veiled under the guise of a ‘voluntary’ annexation, the takeover of the Bundesstaat Österreich (translated: Federal State of Austria) was anything but that…

War was a fact of life for the men and women who lived through the medieval time of our history. With conflicts raging across most of the world it is not surprising that much of the history that we learn of from this period includes some kind of warfare.

Through this global ‘trial-by-combat’ came some of the most interesting and bizarre stories. I would like to showcase one such story today, the story of an English king so determined to enter the fray that he had his troops carry him on a bed into battle.

Richard the Lionheart

Richard I was one of…

The people of Russia are known worldwide for their alcohol consumption. Consistently ranking in the top 15 worldwide in terms of alcohol consumption per capita it’s hard to not notice the close cultural tie between the Russian people and alcohol. This love for drinking transcends class boundaries with people from the lower classes up to the leaders of the country partaking in the perhaps not so healthy hobby.

Although it is well known that the majority of Russians drink, most of those who hold high positions within the country’s government like to keep this fact as hidden as possible. How…

Hello dear readers, with the New Year upon us the History of Yesterday team wanted to extend our wishes to all of those who have enjoyed our content in 2020. We know that the previous year was hard on everyone and we hope that with a new year comes a new beginning of something better for everyone out there.

With the COVID-19 pandemic still raging on around the world and with many of you stuck inside, we promise to keep content coming to satiate your thirst for knowledge and to suppress that boredom that has grown from sitting inside for…

Since the collapse of the USSR, the newly formed Russian Federation has been trying to reclaim some of the territories it lost during the collapse of the union. Of these territories, the most significant has to be Crimea. Due to Russia’s peculiar geographic makeup, the superpower lacks any warm seaports, something integral for maintaining a powerful navy. In a search for a warm seaport the current president, Vladimir Putin, looked to Crimea.

But Crimea wasn’t always owned by Ukraine. The port region has a long history of switching hands between those who ruled the nearby land. Between Mongols, Tartars, Ukrainians…