Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Humanities/2009 July 12

= July 12 =

Do the schools in the Ivy Leaugue or at any university have....
Does anyone know if any university has classes on the American Civil War? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Iluvgofishband (talk • contribs) 03:57, 12 July 2009 (UTC)


 * You can access one of Yale's classes on the Civil War online at - Nunh-huh 04:05, 12 July 2009 (UTC)


 * I would guess that EVERY American university with a History Department has classes on the American Civil War, and many outside of the U.S. likely will as well. It is, without a doubt, one of the most studied aspects of American history. At many universities with a 2-semester "General U.S. History" sequence, the civil war generally takes up the last half of the first semester's class, probably at least one or two months. I would also almost guarantee that any sizable 4-year school will also have a specific class about the Civil War itself; and likely will have several classes, each from different perspectives. Looking at the history courses at my alma mater, I can see ones titled "Civil War and Reconstruction" and "United States Social and Cultural History: 1850-1929" and "Historical Archaeology of American Battlefields" just skimming a few which would probably have special emphasis on the Civil War. And this was not an Ivy League school, but a state university on the East Coast. --Jayron32. talk . say no to drama 04:09, 12 July 2009 (UTC)
 * The American Civil War would be covered in the required courses at an Ivy, but there would likely not be a required course in the core curriculum at an Ivy which covered only that war. Edison (talk) 15:00, 14 July 2009 (UTC)

Book
I remember reading a book in my childhood that had something with "Snake Island" in the title (though I might be wrong) and some stuff about manioc (tapioca, cassava) and a skeleton in a cave. That's sadly all I can remember. Does anyone know what it was? 80.123.210.172 (talk) 14:11, 12 July 2009 (UTC)

Treasure Island perhaps? Lord of the Flies maybe. Coral Island? Google suggests The Mystery of Snake Island (1962) A novel by Phyllis Matthewman; D.Chub On Snake Island 1958, The Motor Boys After A Fortune or, The Hut On Snake Island 1912, Curse Of Snake Island by Brian James. 78.149.188.94 (talk) 21:58, 12 July 2009 (UTC)


 * These are all more-or-less children's books. I read the book in my childhood, but it definitely wasn't a children's book. 80.123.210.172 (talk) 10:18, 13 July 2009 (UTC)

Geopolitics?
Why is Alaska part of the US instead of Canada? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 79.75.92.24 (talk) 20:59, 12 July 2009 (UTC)
 * The article History of Alaska gives a detailed explanation. --Saddhiyama (talk) 21:03, 12 July 2009 (UTC)
 * Alaska was settled by the Russians and western Canada by the British. The border between British and Russian America was established by treaty in 1825. In 1867, the U.S. bought Alaska from Russia. The adjacent areas of British America became part of Canada in the 1870s. -- Mwalcoff (talk) 23:42, 12 July 2009 (UTC)