Steven Hawking's Tutor
Posts: 4,838 
Location: Independent Palestine
Location: Independent Palestine
February 15th, 2006, 12:01 PM
Now who do you think were the greatest empires ever in the history of the world. And I must admit that there have been some pretty good ones over time.
I say first off
1. Viking Empire; it was big, and it the Vikings were the dominant people for many hundreds of years. They were the ones that destroyed the Romans weren't they?
2. British Empire
3. Roman Empire
4. Ottoman Empire
5. American Empire
Now who do you think were the greatest empires ever in the history of the world. And I must admit that there have been some pretty good ones over time.
I say first off
1. Viking Empire; it was big, and it the Vikings were the dominant people for many hundreds of years. They were the ones that destroyed the Romans weren't they?
2. British Empire
3. Roman Empire
4. Ottoman Empire
5. American Empire
Steven Hawking's Tutor
Posts: 4,899 
Location: Saint John, N.B.
Location: Saint John, N.B.
February 15th, 2006, 12:41 PM
The word "Viking" does not really refer to a people as such, although it has come, in common usage, to mean the Norsemen of the eighth to eleventh centuries. Actually, "viking" refered only to Norse raiders, something like "pirate" from English.
The first raids into the British Isles, which were the first steps of Norse expansion, were made in the 790s, almost 400 years after the collapse of the Roman Empire.
The Norse "vikings" did settle in Normandy in France, intermingled with the locals, and became the Normans, who conquered Britain (1066), and spread into Russia, and south to Sicily.
The word "Viking" does not really refer to a people as such, although it has come, in common usage, to mean the Norsemen of the eighth to eleventh centuries. Actually, "viking" refered only to Norse raiders, something like "pirate" from English.
The first raids into the British Isles, which were the first steps of Norse expansion, were made in the 790s, almost 400 years after the collapse of the Roman Empire.
The Norse "vikings" did settle in Normandy in France, intermingled with the locals, and became the Normans, who conquered Britain (1066), and spread into Russia, and south to Sicily.
Mighty Intellect
Posts: 1,927
February 15th, 2006, 04:00 PM
because my American friend, I know you guys will NEVER admit this, but freedom & Liberty are all well and good, and so is hating Colonialism, but here's where it falls down:
WHEN UR SITTING ON A BLOODY CONTINENT THAT YOU STOLE FROM ANOTHER RACE AND C-O-L-O-N-I-S-E-D IT!!!
Ahem, besides which, when the war of independence (or as we like to call it in england, "the second civil war", or "The continent that wanted to be like the channel islands" happened, and we left ya, you did'nt say "oh gosh, this isnt our land, those nasty colonials took, lets give it back", no you were worse than we EVER were, thats why the natives sided with us.
So indeed, You are a despotic, two-faced imperialist country, whatever way you cut it.
sorry just the facts
because my American friend, I know you guys will NEVER admit this, but freedom & Liberty are all well and good, and so is hating Colonialism, but here's where it falls down:
WHEN UR SITTING ON A BLOODY CONTINENT THAT YOU STOLE FROM ANOTHER RACE AND C-O-L-O-N-I-S-E-D IT!!!
Ahem, besides which, when the war of independence (or as we like to call it in england, "the second civil war", or "The continent that wanted to be like the channel islands" happened, and we left ya, you did'nt say "oh gosh, this isnt our land, those nasty colonials took, lets give it back", no you were worse than we EVER were, thats why the natives sided with us.
So indeed, You are a despotic, two-faced imperialist country, whatever way you cut it.
sorry just the facts
Member
Posts: 168
Location: Wetaskiwin, AB
Location: Wetaskiwin, AB
February 15th, 2006, 04:08 PM
I'm going to go with the British Empire.
1)When the British conquered India, India had well over 150 million people, Britain had about 5-10 million. How much of the worlds population lived under British rule near the end?
2) A logistical nightmare by any stretch of imagination. Keeping all those troops supplied, etc. is a feat all its own.
3) The size of it for the time. This was all done in the age of steam or earlier. These were the days before satellites, cell phones, or even normal phones.
I'm going to give a nod to China for sheer longevity though. And a second nod to the Ottomans, just a bad location and bad luck brought them down.
I'm going to go with the British Empire.
1)When the British conquered India, India had well over 150 million people, Britain had about 5-10 million. How much of the worlds population lived under British rule near the end?
2) A logistical nightmare by any stretch of imagination. Keeping all those troops supplied, etc. is a feat all its own.
3) The size of it for the time. This was all done in the age of steam or earlier. These were the days before satellites, cell phones, or even normal phones.
I'm going to give a nod to China for sheer longevity though. And a second nod to the Ottomans, just a bad location and bad luck brought them down.
Steven Hawking's Tutor
Posts: 4,838
Location: Independent Palestine
Location: Independent Palestine
February 15th, 2006, 04:10 PM
How long it lasted, what kind of mark it left on the world, how big it was, what kind of achievements did it complete.
Stuff like that.
And I added America because of that reason, you've got those large chunks of native land that has been colonized, Canada the same but we are not an empire.
Quote:
Greatness;
I think you should define "greatness" first. And I have no idea why you added American Empire in that mix.
How long it lasted, what kind of mark it left on the world, how big it was, what kind of achievements did it complete.
Stuff like that.
And I added America because of that reason, you've got those large chunks of native land that has been colonized, Canada the same but we are not an empire.
Don't bother arguing, I KNOW!
Posts: 10,480
Location: The Evil Empire
Location: The Evil Empire
February 15th, 2006, 04:14 PM
Quoting
WE stole it? WE didn't steal a thing, the Dutch STOLE it, and then you STOLE it from the Dutch, and then your ancestors (WE) took the rest of it.
WHEN UR SITTING ON A BLOODY CONTINENT THAT YOU STOLE FROM ANOTHER RACE AND C-O-L-O-N-I-S-E-D IT!!!
Quoting
And you would be correct in saying so because the colonialists were traitors.
Ahem, besides which, when the war of independence (or as we like to call it in england, "the second civil war"
Quoting
Never heard of that before, British humor?
or "The continent that wanted to be like the channel islands" happened
Quoting
Correction, you got your asses kicked out of the US.
and we left ya
Quoting
Please dude, the Brits have slaugthered people all over the world by the millions, in the name of the MONARCHY! How nobel!
you did'nt say "oh gosh, this isnt our land, those nasty colonials took, lets give it back", no you were worse than we EVER were
Quoting
Poor fools, they had no idea what a backstabbing empire you were, luckily it didn't fly.
thats why the natives sided with us.
Quoting
You're entitled to say that and have your opinion, I'm sure it makes you feel better there is someone else out there worse than the Brits.
So indeed, You are a despotic, two-faced imperialist country, whatever way you cut it.
Quoting
Just your opinion.
sorry just the facts
Steven Hawking's Tutor
Posts: 4,838
Location: Independent Palestine
Location: Independent Palestine
February 15th, 2006, 04:16 PM
Britain was more than 10 million, at its smallest probably 20 or 30 million people.
And what about the Vikings.
Quote:
I am not going to reject your British empire choice, I think it is a good choice because of the skill they used to conquer all these people, but
I'm going to go with the British Empire.
1)When the British conquered India, India had well over 150 million people, Britain had about 5-10 million. How much of the worlds population lived under British rule near the end?
2) A logistical nightmare by any stretch of imagination. Keeping all those troops supplied, etc. is a feat all its own.
3) The size of it for the time. This was all done in the age of steam or earlier. These were the days before satellites, cell phones, or even normal phones.
I'm going to give a nod to China for sheer longevity though. And a second nod to the Ottomans, just a bad location and bad luck brought them down.
1)When the British conquered India, India had well over 150 million people, Britain had about 5-10 million. How much of the worlds population lived under British rule near the end?
2) A logistical nightmare by any stretch of imagination. Keeping all those troops supplied, etc. is a feat all its own.
3) The size of it for the time. This was all done in the age of steam or earlier. These were the days before satellites, cell phones, or even normal phones.
I'm going to give a nod to China for sheer longevity though. And a second nod to the Ottomans, just a bad location and bad luck brought them down.
Britain was more than 10 million, at its smallest probably 20 or 30 million people.
And what about the Vikings.
Don't bother arguing, I KNOW!
Posts: 10,480
Location: The Evil Empire
Location: The Evil Empire
February 15th, 2006, 04:18 PM
Quoting
How long it lasted, what kind of mark it left on the world, how big it was, what kind of achievements did it complete.
Stuff like that.
And I added America because of that reason, you've got those large chunks of native land that has been colonized, Canada the same but we are not an empire.
Ah ok then, as you wish, American Empire then, we have achieved much more than anyone else in the history of the world in the shortest amount of time. And if needs be, if we go down we can take everybody with us, like empires are supposed to do.
Quote:
Greatness;
I think you should define "greatness" first. And I have no idea why you added American Empire in that mix.
How long it lasted, what kind of mark it left on the world, how big it was, what kind of achievements did it complete.
Stuff like that.
And I added America because of that reason, you've got those large chunks of native land that has been colonized, Canada the same but we are not an empire.
the clan of the claw
Posts: 1,976
February 15th, 2006, 04:23 PM
my second choice is the Mongol Empire.
The following acomplishment of Ghengis outdoes anything the Brits did:
Genghis Khan a Prolific Lover, DNA Data Implies
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...4_genghis.html
my second choice is the Mongol Empire.
The following acomplishment of Ghengis outdoes anything the Brits did:
Genghis Khan a Prolific Lover, DNA Data Implies
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...4_genghis.html
Member
Posts: 168
Location: Wetaskiwin, AB
Location: Wetaskiwin, AB
February 15th, 2006, 04:25 PM
The Vikings were big, but I wouldn't call it an empire. If you said best raiders in history, I would have picked the Vikings. They found, the northern most point of Europe, they colonized Iceland (one of the few places on Earth to have been totally devoid of human life before they arrived), AND they discovered America centuries before Columbus was a gleam in his grandpa's eyes.
The Vikings were big, but I wouldn't call it an empire. If you said best raiders in history, I would have picked the Vikings. They found, the northern most point of Europe, they colonized Iceland (one of the few places on Earth to have been totally devoid of human life before they arrived), AND they discovered America centuries before Columbus was a gleam in his grandpa's eyes.
Mighty Intellect
Posts: 1,927
February 15th, 2006, 04:28 PM
1. you didnt kick our asses (what the hell is canada eh?), did you know the only time Europe has been united is when they fought, for you against us. you did none of it on ur own.
2. Washington was the traitor, begging to join us then throwing his toys out of the pram when we said no, could not tell a lie my backside.
3. You continued to colonise north american LONG after we left you, we did too, but we never claimed it as "freedom"
4. the channel islands were given to the soldiers of King William the first for taking new land .i.e. england, and because of this, they were allowed not to pay any taxes, and were answerable to only the crown, this was over 700 years before the US.
5. Oh yes, we have slaughtered countless millions, but strange, the facts about india above...if we were tht bad, they could easily kill us, and I think u'll find Canada was the first north american country to pay at least a little respect to the natives...Navanut I think.
6. Just an example but, Ghandi went and stayed in the east end of london with the poor to emphises that his people were just like a lot of ours, you had to have a certain amount of money to travel to the new world, so, compared to a lot of people in england at the time, it was indeed YOU who were the rich, so as I say, to many other countries, your little french/spanish/dutch kinda united Europe and little old USA against England + a few german mercinerys wasnt such a surprise victory after all.
These ARE facts
1. you didnt kick our asses (what the hell is canada eh?), did you know the only time Europe has been united is when they fought, for you against us. you did none of it on ur own.
2. Washington was the traitor, begging to join us then throwing his toys out of the pram when we said no, could not tell a lie my backside.
3. You continued to colonise north american LONG after we left you, we did too, but we never claimed it as "freedom"
4. the channel islands were given to the soldiers of King William the first for taking new land .i.e. england, and because of this, they were allowed not to pay any taxes, and were answerable to only the crown, this was over 700 years before the US.
5. Oh yes, we have slaughtered countless millions, but strange, the facts about india above...if we were tht bad, they could easily kill us, and I think u'll find Canada was the first north american country to pay at least a little respect to the natives...Navanut I think.
6. Just an example but, Ghandi went and stayed in the east end of london with the poor to emphises that his people were just like a lot of ours, you had to have a certain amount of money to travel to the new world, so, compared to a lot of people in england at the time, it was indeed YOU who were the rich, so as I say, to many other countries, your little french/spanish/dutch kinda united Europe and little old USA against England + a few german mercinerys wasnt such a surprise victory after all.
These ARE facts
Steven Hawking's Tutor
Posts: 4,838
Location: Independent Palestine
Location: Independent Palestine
February 15th, 2006, 04:29 PM
Quote:
No I think they were an empire, a loosely organized empire but an empire none the less. They raided, and took huge areas of Europe, some claim all the way to the mediterranian, took huge chunks out of Russia, founded Moscow, they colonized, Greenland and Iceland and parts of the American continent.
The Vikings were big, but I wouldn't call it an empire. If you said best raiders in history, I would have picked the Vikings. They found, the northern most point of Europe, they colonized Iceland (one of the few places on Earth to have been totally devoid of human life before they arrived), AND they discovered America centuries before Columbus was a gleam in his grandpa's eyes.
