Why has there been a rise in illiberal democracies in recent years?

This is a complex question, one that historians and social scientists are also struggling to answer. One of the most common reasons is that many liberal democracies are guilty of overlooking their poorest and least powerful voters, who decide that they should elect populists. Populists are politicians who say that the current leadership is out of touch, corrupt, and does not understand the average person. There are many populists currently in power throughout the world, from US president Donald Trump to Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban to Filipino president Rodrigo Duterte, all of whom told voters that they alone could solve their nations' corruption issues.
Another factor is the role of the media in contemporary politics. While the media has influenced elections for centuries, some politicians control it for their own benefit. Russia's Vladimir Putin is famous for his control of the Russian media, which does not question his policies and encourages its viewers to think positively of Russia and negatively of Russia's rivals. Control of the media is common in many countries, from North Korea to Venezuela.
Finally, a major reason is the economic crisis of 2008 and its aftermath. As people lose jobs, savings, and pensions, they may turn toward politicians who promise radical change. People who have little or no money may believe political promises about major redistribution of wealth, only to find that the new powers entrench their own wealthy elite in place of the previous oligarchs.

What is significant about Stradlater telling Holden "don't stick all the commas and stuff in the right place"?

In Chapter 4, Stradlater asks Holden Caulfield to write a descriptive composition for him. When Holden halfheartedly agrees, Stradlater says: "Just don't do it too good, is all. That sonuvabitch Hartzell thinks you're a hot-shot in English, and he knows you're my roommate. So I mean don't stick all the commas and stuff in the right place." This gives Holden "a royal pain." He comments that "He wanted you to think that the only reason he was lousy at writing compositions was because he stuck all the commas in the wrong place."
A sharp English teacher could tell at a glance, of course, that if somebody like Stradlater turned in a really interesting and original composition with all the "commas and stuff" correct, it would mean he had plagiarized it or had it written by somebody else, most likely his talented roommate. This little incident is an interesting insight into human nature, but its main purpose is to add further evidence that Holden, though a dropout and a misfit, is capable of writing a novel like The Catcher in the Rye. Stradlater acknowledges, in a left-handed way, that Holden is a very good writer and also tells us that the teacher named Hartzell (who must be an English teacher, judging from the assignment) "thinks you're a hot-shot in English." We also learn that two other teachers, Mr. Spencer and Mr. Antolini, express high opinions of Holden's talent as a writer. In addition, Stradlater's concern about the commas being in the right places indicates that Holden is not only good at self-expression but that he is fully competent in such "stuff" as punctuation, spelling, and capitalization. So the reader can feel assured that this sixteen-year-old boy (and not the invisible author J. D. Salinger) is solely responsible for every word in the story, as well as for the quality of the grammar, spelling, and punctuation. We have the illusion that we are actually reading the work of a precocious teenage boy who has flunked out of several prep schools. Salinger did not want the reader to think that the manuscript had passed through the hands of professional editors at some publisher's office. We may be reading a published novel, but Salinger evidently intended to create the illusion that we are reading a long memoir in some kind of manuscript format.

Was there cannibalism in Jamestown?

Historians generally regard historical knowledge as conditional: the claim to truth means merely that historians have some good reason in the form of evidence for believing in the validity of their accounts. New evidence or a reinterpretation of existing evidence can completely change a historian's conclusions. Based on available evidence, it appears there was indeed cannibalism at Jamestown during the so-called "starving time" in 1609-10.
In 2012, archaeologists found the skull and leg bone of a teenage girl, whom they called "Jane," together with animal bones and food remains. Forensic analysis suggested that there had been multiple blows to the skull and that tissue had been cut from the bone. The lead archaeologist concluded that "Jane" was clearly cannibalized. The first link below provides a more detailed explanation of the evidence together with a short video.
This forensic evidence supports the written claims by prominent Jamestown settlers George Percy (1580-1627) and John Smith (1580-1631) that cannibalism took place. Some other contemporaries denied that cannibalism ever took place. In order to interpret this evidence in its full context, one would want to study the early history of the Jamestown colony, including the "starving time," and cannibalism in colonial America.

Who was the most religious character from lyddie?

This is simply a matter of opinion, but I would argue that Luke Stevens is the most religious character in the story, for the simple reason that he actually lives out his faith, which not all religious people do. Everything that Luke does in life is deeply informed by his faith, and that includes his proposal of marriage to Lyddie.
Luke is a Quaker, which, among other things, means that he's strongly opposed to slavery. Most self-professed Christians at that time were actually in favor of slavery, despite the enormous misery and suffering it brought to so many. The Stevens family, however, takes its Christian faith very seriously indeed, and so it's no surprise when they help Ezekiel escape to Canada, where he can finally live as a free man.
One should also mention the great kindness that Luke and the rest of his family shows toward the Worthens after Lyddie's father takes off and her mother ends up in an asylum. In the true Christian spirit, they show themselves willing to help out as best they can at such a difficult time. But Lyddie, being such a fiercely proud, independent spirit, doesn't feel comfortable about being placed in a position of dependence, though she's still immensely grateful for the Stevens' kind offer.

What actually happened during the Salem Witch Trials?

The Salem witch trials have generated a lot of interest since 1692. There have been books written, movies produced, and the colloquial term witch hunt the searching out and deliberate harassment of those (such as political opponents) with unpopular views (Merriman Dictionary) probably originated with the trials. The trials began when a group of women claimed to be possessed by the devil. The young women accused a group of women of using witchcraft and sorcery to deceive them and to possess them. You might imagine, in a very conservative religious colony, the hysteria these claims produced!
Without much evidence other than hearsay, a special court was convened to hear the complaints and to determine their validity. One hundred and forty-one people were charged, and the court presided over several trials from 1692 to the end of 1693. Many of those accused of witchcraft were the result of disputes over routine matters of law. When these routine matters of law could not be settled to the satisfaction of both parties, one party might charge the other with witchcraft as a way of revenge or to continually hassle the other claimant; explaining the popular term witch hunt.
Anyone accused of strange behavior could be charged. For example, if a person had an illness or held views contrary to the church, they could be tried as a witch. In some cases, torture was used to coerce confessions from persons suspected of practicing witchcraft. In a mass hysteria, officials went door to door accusing people and arresting them. Of the one hundred forty-one people charged, one was crushed to death using large stones. Nineteen were hung, and many others died while in prison. These included men and women.
In spring of 1693, the hysteria finally died down, and common sense began to prevail, restoring civil order. Restoration of civil law started when the wife of Governor Phipps was accused by a group of women of being a witch. Governor Phipps ended the trials by appointing a special judiciary, which found no merit in fifty-two of fifty-five cases. Phipps ordered pardons for the three convictions and all of the remaining prisoners. Many years later, the state legislature authorized restitution paid to the heirs of the families accused and convicted.

How do Elizabeth Bennet's ideas on marriage differ from those of her society?

Elizabeth Bennet's ideas about marriage differ from the majority of others in her society because she believes that members of couples ought to get to know each other before making life-long commitments, that they ought to have similar temperaments and interests, and that there really ought to be some love between them.
Compare her ideas to those of her best friend, Charlotte, though. Charlotte thinks that Jane ought to "secure" Bingley even before Jane is sure of her own feelings for the man; she says that there will be time enough later for falling in love. Charlotte, in fact, agrees to marry the very same man whom Elizabeth rejects: the ridiculous Mr. Collins. Despite knowing that the two have nothing in common and that they have known each other for too short a time for there to be any real feeling between them, Charlotte agrees to marry him because he can provide for her materially, because he has a good position on a grand estate, and because he will rescue her from the obscurity and embarrassment of spinsterhood. Charlotte's prudence is more in keeping with Elizabeth's contemporaries than Elizabeth's own ideas about love. It is telling, however, that the most successful relationships in the novel (e.g. the Gardiners', the Bingleys', and the Darcys') are based on Elizabeth's ideas of what is proper in a marriage, and the least successful relationships are based on other things (e.g. the Bennets', the Hursts', and the Wickhams' marriages).

How does Thich Nhat Hanh makes Buddhism relevant to the twentieth-century?

Thich Nhat Hanh is one of the most influential modern Buddhist teachers of the twentieth-century. Having fled his home country, Vietnam, during the political turmoil and war there in the late sixties, Hanh created a spiritual community in France and spent many years traveling and teaching internationally.
Hanh has written more than 100 books, over 40 of which have been published in English. In the past decade, some of his most intriguing titles include Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life, Reconciliation: Healing the Inner Child, You Are Here: Discovering the Magic of the Present Moment and The Art of Communicating.
His writing style is simple and clear. He offers dharma wisdom in plain terms, such as: “Freedom is not given to us by anyone; we have to cultivate it ourselves. It is a daily practice. No one can prevent you from being aware of each step you take or each breath in and breath out.”
Although Hanh is a Zen monk and master, through his teachings and writings, he speaks directly to modern day women and men living in the fast-paced world of ever evolving technology and dealing with the demands of balancing personal, work, relationship and family time.

Thich Nhat Hanh makes Buddhism relevant to the twentieth-century by taking the concepts of mindfulness and applying them to aspects of everyday life. An example of this application can be found in his book Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life, co-written with Dr. Lilian Cheung, a lecturer at Harvard's School of Public Health. In this book, Thich Nhat Hanh and Dr. Cheung explore how the concepts of mindfulness can be applied to an everyday practice such as eating in order to promote better health and a better quality of life.
Thich Nhat Hanh addresses other issues relevant to the twentieth century through the lens of mindfulness such as care for the environment, maintaining healthy relationships and communication issues in books such as: Love Letter to the Earth, Teachings on Love and The Art of Communicating. Each of these books helps the reader relate mindfulness to a practical aspect of everyday life.
Finally, in addition to his extensive writings, Thich Nhat Hanh has offered several retreats where individuals can experience first-hand how to practice mindfulness in the modern world. Whether through writings or retreats, throughout his life Thich Nhat Hanh has offered the world several ways to connect the tenets of mindfulness to a modern life.

Thich Nhat Hanh applies Buddhist concepts to twentieth-century dilemmas and issues. For example, in writing about the ancient Buddhist concept of mindfulness in his book The Miracle of Mindfulness, the author shows how mindfulness can be applied to busy, modern lives. He uses the example of a man named Allen who has two children and a wife. In the past, Allen felt stressed about not having enough time for himself. Now, using mindfulness techniques, he realizes that time spent with his family is time for himself. Instead of rushing through time with his son, for example, he relishes being spiritually present during the time he spends with his son. Therefore, being mindful helps Allen be present and share the time with his son in a meaningful way. Thich Nhat Hanh makes ancient Buddhist concepts relevant to modern audiences by showing the utility and power of these concepts in our world.
In his work How to Love, Thich Nhat Hanh shows that ancient Sanskrit ideas about love, including maitri, karuna, mudita, and upeksha (loving kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity) can be brought to modern relationships. In explaining how these ideas apply to modern life and relationships, he makes them universal. For example, he explains that understanding the suffering a person has experienced in his or her own life allows that person to understand the suffering of another. These are emotions that everyone has experienced, and he explains their applicability to modern-day situations.
Thich Nhat Hanh is also very much a part of the modern world. Rather than retreating, as many Buddhists teachers have done in the past, he believes in a form of Engaged Buddhism. His practice involves applying Buddhist ideas such as mindfulness to real-world problems in an effort to bring about change and justice. He believes that by finding peace within oneself, a person can also work for peace in the world. For example, in the 1960s, he forged an alliance with Dr. Martin Luther King to work together to end the Vietnam War. He is engaged in the problems of the world.