Your country's greatest achievment

[Caliga]

Come on, Yanks... to put Apollo and the bomb before the Constitution (for example) is not right.

In 1,000 years, the Constitution will be forgotten.  In 1,000 years, mankind will either be extinct due to nuclear weapons or will rely completely on energy production derived from nuclear fission/fusion.

[Razgovory]

Come on, Yanks... to put Apollo and the bomb before the Constitution (for example) is not right.

In 1,000 years, the Constitution will be forgotten.  In 1,000 years, mankind will either be extinct due to nuclear weapons or will rely completely on energy production derived from nuclear fission/fusion.

Indeed nobody remember the Magna carter either.

[Caliga]

Indeed nobody remember the Magna carter either.

It hasn't been 1,000 years yet.

Also it's amusing how you try to take a shot at me and don't even know how to spell "Magna Carta" correctly. 

[Alexandru H.]

Hmm...

Vampire horror tradition?

[Berkut]

Inventing democracy.

[Warspite]

Indeed nobody remember the Magna carter either.

It hasn't been 1,000 years yet.

Yes, who today speaks of Roman Law.

[Martinus]

Inventing democracy.

[Valmy]

Inventing Rock n' Roll and Coca Cola.

[Brazen]

Running most of the world.

We're not selfish, we gave most of it back.

[Viking]

Viking:

1.  Where was it located?
2.  How far did the Norse get into North America in their explorations?

1. Best theory is Newfoundland. We have Norse archeology from the 11th century on Newfoundland. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%27Anse_aux_Meadows . Newfoundland also fits the descriptions given in the Sagas and the limitations of Norse navigation.

There have been other locations suggested. This has been done because the Sagas talk about grapes. The problem with those hypotheses is that in West Norse (the language of the Sagas) and modern Icelandic Grape is literally "wine berry" and that up until the 20th century all parts of Scandinavia made wine from berries. These extra suggested sites include Cape Cod and Long Island. But there is agreement among the historians and archaeologists that it was Newfoundland.   

2. It did not go far. The Greenlander Saga and The Saga of Erik the Red both agree that there was one settlement which was abandoned after the first winter. Settling Greenland was a better option for the Norsemen before the little Ice Age hit. There were no more than 50 Norse settlers in Vinland.

Now, for my own personal conspiracy theory. There was communication between Greenland and Scandinavia up until the late 14th century. The Greenlander Saga and the Saga of Erik the Red were written in the 12th and 13th century. And furthermore during the 13th, 14th and 15th centuries there were repeated trade wars between the Danish, English and German traders fighting for the salt fish trade for lent. We have documented English "Vikings" and fishermen operating in and around Iceland from the 14th Century onwards. My conspiracy theory (unsupported hypothesis) is that Bristol fishermen who fished around Iceland knew about Greenland and Vinland. The Newfoundland Grand Banks was one of the richest fishing grounds in the world. I find it plausible that the Bristol fishermen were fishing the Grand Banks. So when John Cabot is sent to find the land beyond the seat in 1498 that Columbus had found he took a ship and crew of Bristol sailors to find the land beyond the sea. The Bristol sailors took him AGAINST the Gulf Stream straight in the wrong direction (north west as opposed to the south west towards Columbus' discovery) straight to the only other place where white men had been in America.

And why was this "secret", well, that is because all fishermen keep their best fishing sites secret.

[Caliga]

Yeah, I knew about all that stuff, I was just curious what your position was.... I assumed due to your nationality you must have one.

So you don't think the Norse explored any further into North America?  I mean, it's a given that they knew about Baffin Island, Labrador (from where they cut timber), and Newfoundland... so why wouldn't they have explored further south and possibly up the St. Lawrence?

[Caliga]

Yes, who today speaks of Roman Law.

Ok, I concede "remembered" was not the best choice of words.  But nuclear physics > TEH LAW.

[Martinus]

Yes, who today speaks of Roman Law.

Ok, I concede "remembered" was not the best choice of words.  But nuclear physics > TEH LAW.

I disagree. Just look at Rome - only a total idiot would argue that the greatest achievement Rome contributed to the world was, say, a turtle formation or a pilum, over the Roman law. In fact, law survives and their technological developments are too outdated now to be of any value. Considering the technological progress is speeding up, rather than slowing down, AND assuming we won't see the collapse of human civilization, I dare say American political and social achievements would be viewed as more important than its inventions.

[Viking]

Yeah, I knew about all that stuff, I was just curious what your position was.... I assumed due to your nationality you must have one.

So you don't think the Norse explored any further into North America?  I mean, it's a given that they knew about Baffin Island, Labrador (from where they cut timber), and Newfoundland... so why wouldn't they have explored further south and possibly up the St. Lawrence?

Baffin Island is almost certainly Helluland (rock or tile land), Labrador is almost certainly Markland (Lumber land) and Newfoundland is almost certainly Vinland (wine or pleasant land).

As for further exploration, you have to appreciate the scale here. The settlement of Vinland was a private operation by one Viking Chieftain and his family, followers and slaves. He had only two or three small ships and no support from outside. The Greenland settlement had at most a thousand inhabitants. The society out there is just too small and remote to be able to make use of timber to build ships and to export anything other than goods such as Walrus Ivory.


BTW: Runestones in Minnesota and Wisconsin are 19th century hoaxes.

[Berkut]

Yes, who today speaks of Roman Law.

Ok, I concede "remembered" was not the best choice of words.  But nuclear physics > TEH LAW.

I would more generically say being the engine for the vast scientific advances humanity has enjoyed in the 20th and 21st centuries.

Sure, nuclear energy is pretty incredible, but there is so much shit the US has done, or led the way on, in the field of science and medicine, it seems impossible to pick any one thing and say that is more important than the rest.

Are nukes bigger than the airplane?
Are airplanes bigger than the information age revolution?
Is that bigger than, I don't know, saving the lives of premature infants? Or organ transplant? Or the AIDS treatment?

Of course, the US did not do any of those things on their own, not even nukes (thanks Albert).