How, in the late 19th Century, was it thought that one might be able to detect absolute motion using light

The following questions are intended to give you a feel for the sorts of questions you will be expected to answer on the Final exam:
How, in the late 19th Century, was it thought that one might be able to detect absolute motion using light? What was the result of this thinking? What follows from the fact that the speed of light is the same in all inertial frames? What is Minkowski space-time? What sorts of questions have non-relative answers within such a space-time? What sorts of things depend, instead, upon a frame of reference? What is the difference between space-like, time-like, and light-like separated events? Are two space-like separated events at the same place in any inertial frame of reference? Are two time-like separated events at the same time in any such frame? Is the time-order of time-like separated events relative? Is the time-order of space-like separated events relative? How would it be possible to travel backwards in time if one could travel over space-like separation? How could one argue that in a Minkowski space-time all events are equally real (i.e. how does Putnam argue that)? What is Stein’s suggestion for providing a picture of a dynamical theory of time that is consistent with the Special Theory of Relativity? Why did Einstein feel the need to come up with a new theory of gravity? What sorts of physical situations did Einstein think to be equivalent to each other, helping him to see the way towards his theory of gravity? What is gravity according to General Relativity? Is it a force that causes an acceleration? What new possibilities for time-travel does General Relativity theory open up? How does the debate between relationists and substantivalists look within General Relativity?