What was the cause of the Korean War?
During the World War II Korea was occupied by Japanese forces. After the war ended an agreement was made between the Allied Forces and the Soviet forces. The country was divided along the 38th Parallel by American administrators. The northern part of the country was occupied by Soviet troops and the southern part was occupied by troops from the United States. This caused much tension between the two countries particularly as the Cold War intensified and allegiances were drawn. During the late 1940’s Northern Korea established a communist government and the 38th Parallel became a political border between the two sides. North Korea, as a communist state, wanted to expand it borders and many skirmishes and raids were carried out by both sides across the 38th parallel. The United Nations supported South Korea’s government and tensions continued to mount. North Korea sought assistance from both the Soviet Union and the People’s Republic of China to mount an assault against South Korea. China committed to support the leader of North Korea an on the June 25, 1950, North Korean troops advanced across the 38th Parallel and invaded South Korea. This event instigated what is now known as the Korean War.

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What Caused The Irish Potato Famine?
There are a number of factors that lead to the development of such a severe famine in Ireland. The first and most obvious factor was the spread of a potato fungus throughout Europe called phytophthora infestans. Potato plants with the fungus failed to thrive and produce potatoes causing a severe shortage of the vegetable. The leaves on the plant turned black, curled and then turned rotten. As the plant died a pungent smell emanated from the plant and nothing could be done to save it. Once one plant had contracted phytophthora infestans the infection spread quickly. The fungus also caused a shortage of seed potatoes for sewing in the following years.

However, the fungus alone was not the cause of the famine in Ireland. Many other European countries also experienced failed potato crops, but did not experience a famine like the one that took place in Ireland. The political nature of Ireland and the living conditions of many of its inhabitants were also a major factor that caused the Irish potato famine. Most of the land in Ireland was owned by an English upper class who rented the land to Irish catholic farmers and tenants. The political nature in Ireland meant that no Irish catholic could own land, so they had to rent it from the English Landowners. Rent was expensive and much of Ireland’s population was poor and barely able to feed their families. Many of these families grew extensive potato crops because they yielded high amounts of potato that could be used to feed the family and the animals for almost an entire year. Potato crops were also relatively cheap to maintain and harvest. The potato became a staple food throughout Ireland and for many poor tenants and farmers it was the only food that they had to feed their families and animals. When the fungus phytophthora infestans began to destroy the potato crops many families lost their only source of food and with no money to buy any other food they soon began to starve. Many people also died because of diseases associated with lack of nutrition such as dysentery, scurvy and black fever.

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What caused the Mexican-American War?
Prior to the beginning of the Mexican-American war there had been signs of unrest along the borders of the two countries, with both trying to expand their territory. Tensions began to escalate after Texas declared independence from Mexico in 1835. At this time Mexico warned the United States that if they were to take Texas it would be seen as a declaration of war. When Texas joined the U.S as a state in 1845, Mexico cut all diplomatic relations with the United States.

When Texas first became an independent territory a treaty was signed by both parties. In this treaty the borders of Texas were set out. However, Mexico didn’t take the claim of independence seriously and thought that it would be taken back at some point. When Texas became a state of the United States they claimed the borders of Texas up to the Rio Grande. Mexico did not accept these borders as valid and claimed the border only reached to the Nueces River. The President of the United States, President Polk, claimed Texan territory extended all the way to the Rio Grande. This led to a dispute with Mexico over the land between the Nueces River and the Rio Grande. America stationed troops along the Nueces River to protect Texas from a Mexican Invasion.

While this dispute was still in play the US President made various moves to secure Alta California, a Mexican territory, and encourage the citizens of the area to fight for their independence from Mexico as Texas had done. This was seen as a serious threat by the Mexican government. The President then sent a secret diplomat to Mexico City with an offer of $25 million ($632,500,000 today) for the border of Texas to Rio Grande and for California, but it was refused.

After the refusal of the offer, the United States sent troops into the disputed zone between the Nueces River and the Rio Grande in Texas and constructed a makeshift fort at the Rio Grande. Mexico saw this as an obviously hostile act and sent armed forces to attack a small group of American soldiers traveling through the area. After this attack The Us Congress approved the declaration of war on Mexico, which occurred on May 13, 1846.

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What caused the Whiskey Rebellion?
The resistance of the tax came in a variety of forms. Many on the western frontier opposed the tax and lobbied against it. Once it became law there were extralegal conventions organized to repeal the law. The legal efforts did nothing to ease the tax and the residents of the western frontier began to resist in more violent ways. Tax officials were captured, whipped, tarred and feathered when trying to deliver court warrants. Other violent acts also followed this and radical militia groups were set up to oppose the collection of the tax and the prosecution of those who would not pay. Investigations were carried out by the federal government into the extent of the issue and further tension resulted.

One federal tax inspector made it his mission to ensure that the tax was collected in his state of western Pennsylvania. General John Neville, who was also a large scale distiller, originally opposed the tax and then changed his mind and began to strongly support it. This angered many of the western Pennsylvanians. The violent opposition of the tax began to take a more serious turn with anyone who paid the tax or supported the federal government being targeted. In June of 1793 an effigy of Neville was burned by over 100 people in Washington County. Another tax inspector was held at gunpoint until he resigned his position. The violent opposition continued to escalate through 1793.

In 1794 the resistance came to a climax when the federal district attorney William Rawle issued subpoenas for over 60 distillers who had not paid the whiskey tax. Most of these were delivered without incident. On July 15 Federal Marshal Lenox, the man delivering the subpoenas, was joined by General Neville as a guide. Warning shots were fired at the men and they both retreated. Neville returned to his fortified home, known as Bower Hill. The following day his home was surrounded by members of the Mingo Creek Militia. Neville was asked to surrender to which he responded with gunfire that hit and wounded one of the rebels. The rebels opened fire on the house. When the militia returned the next day with 600 men they discovered 10 men from the U.S Military who were opposing them. Shots were again fired at the house. A white flag of surrender was believed to have been raised in the house. When this happened the leader of the militia ceased fire and stepped out into the open. At this point he was shot by someone inside the house. The Mingo Creek Militia were outraged by this incident and the house was set on fire. This incident incited what is now known as the Whiskey Rebellion.

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What causes holes in the ozone layer?
The cause of ozone layer depletion was hypothesized in the 1950′s when David Bates and Marcel Nicolet showed that some free radicals, particularly hydroxyl and nitric oxide, could reduce the amount of ozone. In 1970 Paul Crutzen showed that nitrous oxide emissions effects the levels of nitric oxide in the atmosphere. In 1974 Frank Sherwood Rowland and Mario J. Molina furthered this research by suggesting that organic halogen compounds, such as chlorofluorocarbon (CFS), were capable of reaching the stratosphere and that they would be broken down by ultraviolet radiation releasing a chlorine atom. Chlorine was already known to be more efficient at destroying ozone than any other substance. Crutzen, Rowland and Molina were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1995.

This research caused much controversy, but it was later shown that the man-man compounds chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s) and bromofluorocarbons were stable enough to reach the stratosphere where they were broken down by the ultraviolet light and Cl or Br atoms were released. These free radicals then break down the ozone, which caused the holes to form in the ozone layer. On September 16, 1987, the Montreal Protocol was created to phase out the use of halogenated hydrocarbons that contain chlorine or bromine. If CFC’s had not been banned it is estimated that 30-50% of the ozone layer would have been depleted by 2050!

Did you know?
CFC’s were invented in the 1920′s by Thomas Midgley, Jr. and were widely used in air conditioning and aerosol sprays prior to the Montreal Protocol.

It is estimated that one CFC molecule can last in the upper atmosphere for about 100 years and destroy about 100,000 ozone molecules during this time!

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What caused the Cuban Missile Crisis?
Both sides, tell a slightly different story about what caused the Cuban Missile Crisis, but the basic facts remain the same. The Soviet Union was worried about the ballistic missiles armed with nuclear warheads that the US had installed in Europe, particularly in Italy, the UK and Turkey. After the failed attempts to overthrow the Cuban government by the US, the Soviet Union decided to secretly begin building bases for nuclear missiles, capable of striking the US, in Cuba. On October 14, 1962, a reconnaissance aircraft photographed the missile bases under construction. This is how the Cuban Missile Crisis began.

Tensions quickly rose between the United States, the Soviet Union and Cuba. The US considered an all out attack on Cuba, but instead prevented Cuba from receiving offensive weapons by air or sea. A stand off quickly developed, and a US aircraft was shot down. Fortunately, secret talks began between the countries and they eventually came up with a compromise. The Soviets would remove nuclear missiles from Cuba and the US would remove theirs from Europe and Turkey. A special telephone hotline was created between the US and the USSR so the leaders could communicate in the event of another crisis.

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What Causes Tsunamis?
Tsunamis are generally caused by seismic activity of some kind whether that be an earthquake or a volcanic eruption. They can also be caused by an underwater landslide or a meteoroid impact. Tsunamis that are caused by an earthquake are the most common. It all begins when two tectonic plates come in contact with one another underneath the ocean or other body of water. One plate slides under the other and become stuck in a certain place. The plates continue to move and this builds up a large amount of force causing the rock around the area where the plates are stuck to become distorted. The force eventually builds up along the section of rock that is stuck and the overriding plate suddenly slides back into its original position. This creates an earthquake and displaces the overlying water. The wave begins to travel outwards from where the earthquake occurred.

Tsunamis that are caused by volcanic eruption are usually caused by an old magma chamber collapsing. This causes a large depression to form in the ocean floor very quickly. Water rushes into this new depression causing a displacement wave, which can trigger a tsunami.

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What Caused the American Civil War?

The northern States believed slavery was wrong while the southern States supported slavery. Many historians believe that war was inevitable due these two contrasting views. In the presidential election of 1860, Republican Abraham Lincoln campaigned against the expansion of slavery and the Republicans won that election. Both the North and South believed that slavery would die out if it could not expand. Therefore, Lincoln did not want slavery to expand into new territories that were being formed. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln, 11 Southern States declared secession (withdrawal from the United States) and formed the Confederate States of America. The Union (the name given to the rest of the United States) believed this was a rebellion.

The Civil War ultimately started on April 12, 1861 when Confederate forces attacked a Union military installation at Fort Sumter (that is why it is called the Battle of Fort Sumter). Four more Southern Slave States joined the Confederate States of America after Lincoln called for a volunteer army from each state. The Civil War was the deadliest in the history of the United States, costing the lives of 620,000 soldiers and an unknown number of civilians. However, it led to the abolition of slavery in the United States and led to changes which made the country a ‘superpower’.

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