LETTER: A history quiz

For avid history lovers among Business Day’s distinguished readers I would like to present a small history quiz. The rules are simple: I will give a description of a certain historic event and then ask you just one question. Ready? Here is the description:

Once upon a time a big northern country faced a problem: its neighbour to the south plunged into mass civil disorder. Some of the southern country’s territories in the northeast declared independence from the southern country; they had strong connections with the northern country, including common language, values and vision of the future. However, the southern country denied those territories equal rights, including the right to speak their language and the possibility to do business with the northern country.

The southern country refused to acknowledge the independence of the north-eastern territories and launched military action against them, calling them rebels. Volunteers, as well as food supplies and humanitarian aid from the northern country, came to the north-eastern territories.

Refugees were being evacuated to the northern country, whose leadership refused to recognise the north-eastern territories’ independence or to welcome them as new regions of the country because they wanted to avoid military action and were afraid of worsening relations with the rest of the world.

This whole situation lasted for eight years. The northern country finally decided to recognise the north-eastern territories and incorporate them. In response, the southern country blocked water supplies and trade routes to the north-eastern territories.

Now the question: can you identify this northern country, the southern country and the north-eastern territories?

If you guessed Russia, Ukraine and Donbass, you guessed wrong. Right answer? The US, Mexico and states of California, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and Utah as north-eastern territories. I’ve just described how the Mexican–American War of 1846-1848 started.

Thank you for playing history quiz.

Alexander Arefiev
Press-attaché, Embassy of Russia in SA

JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an email with your comments to letters@businesslive.co.za. Letters of more than 300 words will be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Writers should include a daytime telephone number.