Answer:
Tsarism was threatened by the 1905 Revolution but Nicholas II remained staunchly committed to the autocracy. As a result, the events of 1905 were followed by a period of tsarist reaction led by chief minister Pyotr Stolypin, where promised reforms were wound back and revolutionary groups were suppressed.
Think about that expression -- crossroads of culture. The early West was something of a plethora of human beings, with people of all breeds and flavors a) travelling, such as the Mormon (Latter-day Saint) pioneers, b) going for gold (Gold Rush), c) running a business, etc. Another factor to consider is that the pioneers (the Mormons) had their numbers bolstered by people from England, Ireland, Scotland, throughout the US and other places, in consequence of missionary efforts by the Latter-Day Saint Church, and in response to the call of their prophet to "gather to Zion." With that amalgamation of people it's not hard to see why, at least in the early settlements, it's called a "crossroads of culture," due to the hundreds of types of variety present. Of course, other immigrants and families moved to the west other than the Mormons. I don't mean to imply the Mormons were alone in their endeavor.
The cause would be rodents carrying the disease and the fleas would bite the human
