History Mystery

In the funny sort of way that things go, these two cards simply selected from the top of the stack, seem related.

One, from Brazil, wants to know

If you could go back in time and change one historical moment of the world, which would it be?

While the other, from Prague wonders

Why don't some people want to know the history of their nation and its past mistakes?

Well, for sure the people in the second question would never entertain the notion of the first question, would they?

Set the wayback machine, Sherman!

Deanna, from Canada, asks

If you could go back in history, which event would you change?

Hmmmmm, perhaps I'd encourage the unicorns to get on the ark.

Seriously, that's a hard one. Can't just pick ONE war (the Crusades? WWI? the Civil War?) but surely would like to reduce bloodshed. Can't just pick one tyrant (Hitler, Pol Pot?) Can't just pick one good person to survive (JFK? Archduke Ferdinand?)

I can't even think of an item in my own life that I would change!

Oooh! Ooooh! Pick Me! I Know!

After the last question, it's a pleasure to receive one I can actually answer! Julie, from the Finger Lakes region of New York state (here in the U.S.) asks,

How long did it take to build the Erie Canal?

Thank heaven for Wikipedia! There, I learned:

The Erie Canal was first proposed in 1807, it was under construction from 1817 to 1825 and officially opened on October 26, 1825