Charles River

*Includes pictures *Includes accounts of the fighting *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading When various revolutions mostly forced the Europeans out of the continent, Texas ceased to belong to Spain and France to become a part of the Mexican Empire; later it was an independent country, and currently one of the 50 states of the United States. During a short period, rebellious Texas again separated from the U. S. to join the Confederate States of America with other secessionist states. Of course, the most important war of all for Texas came in the early 19th century, and the common story heard in America is about rebellion against intolerance, oppression and Mexican cruelty. The Battle of the Alamo in particular, surrounded by legend and testimonies of heroism, is a textbook example of the fight for freedom, comparable to the Jewish defenders during the Roman siege at Masada. The words "martyrs" and "Mexican tyranny" are almost always present in the recounts, and "Remember the Alamo " is both a slogan of self-glorification and martyrdom that remains one of the most famous phrases in America. Texas formally asked to be annexed by the United States in 1845. This annexation angered the Mexican government, which still considered Texas to be part of its territory. Mexico had previously warned that the annexation of Texas would cause Mexico to declare war on the United States. When the annexation bill was passed by Congress, it included an additional provocation to Mexico: it claimed that the southern border of Texas was the Rio Grande. The actual territory controlled by the Republic of Texas did not extend nearly to the Rio Grande, and this border would represent a further loss of territory to the United States. When a Mexican patrol attacked American cavalry in the disputed area north of the Rio Grande, President Polk went to Congress for a declaration of war. The declaration passed on May 13, 1846. The war against Mexico was unpopular with the opposition Whig party, especially in the North. Opponents of the war denounced it as a war of aggression, and denied that there had been a valid reason for war. Small American military units were quickly able to occupy key points in California, including San Francisco and Los Angeles. Although California was sparsely populated, some Mexican inhabitants formed an effective resistance which was eventually put down in 1847 by American reinforcements. Subsequently, a larger American army was sent to invade central Mexico, and managed to capture the Mexican capital, Mexico City, on September 13, 1847. Although a large Mexican army was still fighting American forces in northeast Mexico and Texas, news of the capital falling caused it to retreat to try to retake the capital. After the defeat of the last Mexican army, major hostilities ended. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the Mexican-American War in February 1848. Mexico agreed to sell over half its territory for less than half of the money the United States had offered only two years earlier. As the Army occupied most of Mexico's major cities, Mexico had no choice but to accept the American terms. The new territory acquired in the treaty included all or part of the present day states of California, Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. The Texas Revolution and Mexican-American War: The History and Legacy of the Conflicts that Led to Mexico's Cession of the American Southwest looks at the controversial wars and their aftermath. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the conflicts like never before.

*Includes pictures *Includes accounts of the fighting *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading When various revolutions mostly forced the Europeans out of the continent, Texas ceased to belong to Spain and France to become a part of the Mexican Empire; later it was an independent country, and currently one of the 50 states of the United States. During a short period, rebellious Texas again separated from the U. S. to join the Confederate States of America with other secessionist states. Of course, the most important war of all for Texas came in the early 19th century, and the common story heard in America is about rebellion against intolerance, oppression and Mexican cruelty. The Battle of the Alamo in particular, surrounded by legend and testimonies of heroism, is a textbook example of the fight for freedom, comparable to the Jewish defenders during the Roman siege at Masada. The words "martyrs" and "Mexican tyranny" are almost always present in the recounts, and "Remember the Alamo " is both a slogan of self-glorification and martyrdom that remains one of the most famous phrases in America. Texas formally asked to be annexed by the United States in 1845. This annexation angered the Mexican government, which still considered Texas to be part of its territory. Mexico had previously warned that the annexation of Texas would cause Mexico to declare war on the United States. When the annexation bill was passed by Congress, it included an additional provocation to Mexico: it claimed that the southern border of Texas was the Rio Grande. The actual territory controlled by the Republic of Texas did not extend nearly to the Rio Grande, and this border would represent a further loss of territory to the United States. When a Mexican patrol attacked American cavalry in the disputed area north of the Rio Grande, President Polk went to Congress for a declaration of war. The declaration passed on May 13, 1846. The war against Mexico was unpopular with the opposition Whig party, especially in the North. Opponents of the war denounced it as a war of aggression, and denied that there had been a valid reason for war. Small American military units were quickly able to occupy key points in California, including San Francisco and Los Angeles. Although California was sparsely populated, some Mexican inhabitants formed an effective resistance which was eventually put down in 1847 by American reinforcements. Subsequently, a larger American army was sent to invade central Mexico, and managed to capture the Mexican capital, Mexico City, on September 13, 1847. Although a large Mexican army was still fighting American forces in northeast Mexico and Texas, news of the capital falling caused it to retreat to try to retake the capital. After the defeat of the last Mexican army, major hostilities ended. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the Mexican-American War in February 1848. Mexico agreed to sell over half its territory for less than half of the money the United States had offered only two years earlier. As the Army occupied most of Mexico's major cities, Mexico had no choice but to accept the American terms. The new territory acquired in the treaty included all or part of the present day states of California, Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. The Texas Revolution and Mexican-American War: The History and Legacy of the Conflicts that Led to Mexico's Cession of the American Southwest looks at the controversial wars and their aftermath. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the conflicts like never before.

Cuando la gente piensa en la Segunda Guerra Mundial, rara vez piensa en t rminos de silencio y peque os actos. Fue una guerra en la que la industria de naciones enteras se reorganiz para alimentar la lucha, y se libr a una escala en la que las batallas pod an incluir a cientos de miles de combatientes. Ciudades y poblaciones enteras fueron destruidas, con millones de v ctimas en lugares como Leningrado. Pero la Segunda Guerra Mundial fue tambi n un conflicto en el que las operaciones encubiertas modernas dieron sus primeros pasos. Desde las junglas de Birmania hasta las calles de Par s, esp as, saboteadores y comandos llevaron a cabo misiones construidas en secreto y astucia. Las operaciones precisas e independientes podr an ser tan importantes para el resultado de la guerra como los actos de destrucci n masiva, ya se trate de asesinatos selectivos, sabotear la log stica clave o de contrainteligencia para romper los propios c rculos del enemigo. En ese momento, la mayor a de estas operaciones estaban ocultas al p blico, ya que era la nica forma de llevarlas a cabo con xito, pero en los a os siguientes han surgido historias sobre varias misiones. Pintan un cuadro de incre ble coraje e ingenio, ya sea en zonas de guerra, territorio enemigo o lejos de las l neas del frente. Operaciones encubiertas en la Segunda Guerra Mundial: La historia y el legado de las misiones secretas m s atrevidas de la guerra relata algunas de las operaciones m s audaces llevadas a cabo durante la guerra. Adem s de las fotos que muestran personas, lugares y eventos importantes, aprender sobre las operaciones encubiertas en la Segunda Guerra Mundial como nunca antes.

*Includes pictures *Includes ancient accounts *Includes a bibliography for further reading In 323 BCE, Alexander the Great was on top of the world. Never a man to sit on his hands or rest upon his laurels, Alexander began planning his future campaigns, which may have included attempts to subdue the Arabian Peninsula or make another incursion into India. But fate had other plans for the young Macedonian king. One night, while feasting with his admiral Nearchus, he drank too much and took to bed with a fever. At first, it seemed like the fever was merely a consequence of his excess, and there was not much concern for his health, but when a week had elapsed and there was still no sign of his getting better, his friends and generals began to grow concerned. The fever grew, consuming him to the point that he could barely speak. After two weeks, on June 11, 323 B. C., Alexander the Great, King of Macedon, Hegemon of the League of Corinth, King of Kings, died. On his deathbed, some historians claim that when he was pressed to name a successor, Alexander muttered that his empire should go "to the strongest". Other sources claim that he passed his signet ring to his general Perdiccas, thereby naming him successor, but whatever his choices were or may have been, they were ignored. Alexander's generals, all of them with the loyalty of their own corps at their backs, would tear each other apart in a vicious internal struggle that lasted almost half a century before four factions emerged victorious: Macedonia, the Seleucid Empire in the east, the Kingdom of Pergamon in Asia Minor, and the Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt. During the course of these wars, Alexander's only heir, the posthumously born Alexander IV, was murdered, extinguishing his bloodline for ever. For a time, the Seleucids commanded the largest empire in the world as it stretched from the high plains and deserts of what is now Afghanistan in the east to parts of the Levant and Asia Minor in the west. The empire's early kings were strong and shrewd and committed to the ideas of Hellenism as much as holding power and expanding the realm of their empire, but later rulers did not prove as capable. In time, the Seleucid royal house often descended into orgies of violence which were driven by ambitious men and women. Despite its troubles and its sheer size and scope, the Seleucid Empire lasted for several centuries, and it would not truly reach its end until the heyday of the legendary Roman general Pompey the Great in the 1st century BCE. Although Alexander never lived to rule over Egypt, one of his generals, Ptolemy I, did, and it was he who established the last great pharaonic dynasty in Egypt, known as the Ptolemaic Dynasty. Despite the infighting among them, one thing Alexander's generals did agree upon was their Hellenistic culture. Most famously, Ptolemy's line firmly established the Hellenistic culture of the Greeks while ruling over Egypt, and by marrying within their family line, the Ptolemaic pharaohs kept their Hellenistic heritage until the very end of Ptolemy's line, which died with Cleopatra in 30 BCE. The Ptolemies gave ancient Egypt an injection of vitality that had not been seen in the Nile Valley for centuries, preserving many aspects of native Egyptian culture while adding their own layer of Hellenic culture. The first few Ptolemaic rulers proved as able as any of their Egyptian predecessors as they worked to make Egypt a first-rate power in the world once again. Unfortunately, these able rulers were followed by a succession of corrupt and greedy kings, more concerned with personal wealth and power than the stability and greatness of their kingdom. Eventually, Ptolemaic Egypt collapsed due to weak rulers, internal social problems, and the rising power of Rome, but before the Ptolemaic Dynasty was extinguished, it proved to be one of the most impressive royal houses in ancient Egyptian history.

*Includes pictures *Includes a bibliography for further reading "We are of a single nation, of the same blood, but forcibly divided." - attributed to Kim Il-sung North Korea has long been the butt of jokes, and it has been a longstanding target of international criticism, but the startling satellite image was anything but amusing, for it demonstrated the truly catastrophic conditions North Koreans find themselves in. Statistics show that the average South Korean uses up to 10,162 kilowatt hours of power per year, whereas their neighbors in the north consume only 739. This is only one amongst a slew of stumbling blocks affecting the state, impeding it from proper progress. The mismatching network of sprawling, yet lifeless cities and squalid, poverty-stricken provinces stands eerily silent next to the bustling metropolises on either side of it. North Korea is trapped in an impenetrable, soundproof bubble, the entire state frozen in time. Notwithstanding a fractional sliver of the capital, where the Supreme Commander and the North Korean elites resided, the faded Pyongyang skyline and its blocky, monotone buildings - while a vast improvement from the rest of the state - seemed to be lifted straight out of the '70s at best. So why is North Korea so starkly different from its neighbors when nothing more but mere borders separate them? A tyrannical lineage secured by nepotism. An entire nation indoctrinated by chilling, mindboggling propaganda, molded by fear and forced ignorance. Mass purges doled out seemingly on whims, without fair trials. Unparalleled paranoia and cold-blooded assassinations left and right, seemingly around every curve and corner. An impoverished sphere of barren wastelands inhabited by malnourished masses, orbiting a world glittering with the gross opulence and superfluous riches of the elite. These sound like the elements of a particularly perilous period of autocracy enforced by some mad monarch of a bygone era, or perhaps a generic blurb for a far-fetched thriller set in a dystopian future. Alas, the description matches the modern state of North Korea almost flawlessly. To say that the so-called "Supreme Commanders" of North Korea have been sticklers for submission would trivialize the more-than-troubling state of affairs that has plagued this precarious place for decades. The fearsome Kim regime, though relatively fresh in comparison to powerful dynasties that lasted for centuries, has become one of history's most controversial bloodlines, and not without cause. After his father, Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-il was the second of the despotic Kims that have terrorized North Korea for decades. While lampooned widely across the West, Kim Jong-il, a fan of cinema, all but mastered the art of propaganda in North Korea to heighten his image. A clip from a quirky North Korean children's show that has recently emerged went so far as to depict his supernatural birth in question. A bespectacled man sporting a Mister Rogers-esque mustard sweater and a wispy, peppered beard can be seen surrounded by a group of kindergarteners who appear to be captivated by the eccentric narrator's every word. He tells them about the "Great General from Heaven," who was born on what the locals call the "sacred Mount Paektu," the tallest cluster of mountain ranges on the entire Korean peninsula with its staggering height of 9,000 ft. After his father's death in 2011, Kim Jong-un, the baby-faced 30-something with the bizarre flat-top seated at the throne today, became an object of fascination. The world watched with bated breath as the keys to the sinking ship were passed down to the young Kim, hoping for the state's long-awaited metamorphosis. It would not take long for these same wishful thinkers to realize that this young man could be far more erratic, blinkered, and inflexible than those who came before him.

*Includes pictures *Includes accounts of the disasters *Includes a bibliography for further reading "The appearance of safety was mistaken for safety itself." - Walter Lord, author of A Night to Remember Just before midnight on April 14, 1912, the RMS Titanic, the largest ship in the world, hit an iceberg, starting a chain of events that would ultimately make it history's most famous, and notorious, ship. In the over 100 years since it sank on its maiden voyage, the Titanic has been the subject of endless fascination, as evidenced by the efforts to find its final resting spot, the museums full of its objects, and the countless books, documentaries, and movies made about the doomed ocean liner. Thanks to the dramatization of the Titanic's sinking and the undying interest in the story, millions of people are familiar with various aspects of the ship's demise, and the nearly 1,500 people who died in the North Atlantic in the early morning hours of April 15, 1912. The sinking of the ship is still nearly as controversial now as it was over 100 years ago, and the drama is just as compelling. The Titanic was neither the first nor last big ship to sink, so it's clear that much of its appeal stems from the nature of ship itself. Indeed, the Titanic stands out not just for its end but for its beginning, specifically the fact that it was the most luxurious passenger ship ever built at the time. In addition to the time it took to come up with the design, the giant ship took a full three years to build, and no effort or cost was spared to outfit the Titanic in the most lavish ways. Given that the Titanic was over 100 feet tall, nearly 900 feet long, and over 90 feet wide, it's obvious that those who built her and provided all of its famous amenities had plenty of work to do. The massive ship was carrying thousands of passengers and crew members, each with their own experiences on board, and the various amenities offered among the different classes of passengers ensured that life on some decks of the ship was quite different than life on others. The Lusitania and the Titanic would become the two most famous ships of the early 20th century for tragic reasons, but the circumstances could not have been more different. While the Titanic is still notorious for being the world's best ocean liner at the time of its collision with an iceberg in 1912, the Lusitania's role as a popular ocean liner has been almost completely obscured by the nature of its sinking by a German U-boat in 1915. The Germans aimed to disrupt trade by the Allied forces, but they did not have the naval forces capable of seizing merchant ships and detaining them. Furthermore, the Germans rightly suspected that the British and Americans were using passenger liners and merchant ships to smuggle weaponry across the Atlantic, but since their sole edge in the Atlantic was their fleet of submarines, the Germans had no way of confirming their suspicions, short of sinking a ship and seeing if a detonation onboard suggested the presence of munitions and gunpowder. The sinking of the Lusitania in 1915 was the first major event that shifted public opinion in the United States, and support for joining the war began to rise across the country. Many Americans joined the "Preparedness Movement," which advocated at least preparing for war if not entering the war outright, and though the country would not declare war against Germany for two more years, the sinking of the Lusitania is still cited as a key event that set America on the path toward joining the war. The Titanic and the Lusitania: The Controversial History of the 20th Century's Most Famous Maritime Disasters chronicles the construction and destruction of two of the most famous ships in history. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the sinking of both like never before.

*Includes pictures *Includes a bibliography for further reading There are countless examples of battles that take place in wars after a peace treaty is signed. The last battle of the Civil War was a skirmish in Texas that Confederate forces won, nearly a month after Lee's surrender at Appomattox. As fate would have it, the last fighting of the Civil War took place two days after President Davis had been captured in Georgia It's certainly rare for the most famous battle of a war to take place after the peace treaty is signed, but luckily for Andrew Jackson, the War of 1812 was that unique exception. Less than a year after his victory in the Battle of Horseshoe Creek, Jackson led his forces into a more important battle at the Battle of New Orleans. The British hoped to grab as much of the land on the western frontier as they could, especially New Orleans, which had a prominent position on the Mississippi River for trading. With more than 8,000 soldiers aboard a British fleet sailing in from Jamaica in early January 1815, the attack on New Orleans promised to be a significant one, while Jackson's men defended New Orleans with about half that number. This went on despite the fact that the two sides had signed the Treaty of Ghent on Christmas Eve 1814, which was supposed to end the war. However, the slow nature of bringing news from England to America ensured that the battle would take place anyway. Though it was an enormous victory for Jackson and the Americans - the most important of the entire war - it proved to be a completely unnecessary one. The Treaty of Ghent had officially ended the war by keeping the status quo ante bellum. This essentially meant that both sides agreed to offer nothing, keeping things as they were before the war, and had the results been different, the British would have been compelled to hand the important port back over. Regardless, the nation much appreciated Jackson's skills and the Battle of New Orleans was forever christened as one of the greatest in American history. Jackson was honored with a "Thanks from Congress," which was then the nation's highest military honor. Despite the huge failures of the War of 1812 - the Americans lost almost every battle except New Orleans, and Washington D. C. was destroyed - the nation now had something to celebrate. Jackson was celebrated as a hero from the West, marking the first time a "Westerner" held a position of national prominence in the United States, and he would subsequently become one of the 19th century's most influential presidents. Despite the fact the French & Indian War had recently concluded, Pontiac led the first major attack of Pontiac's War in May 1763, when he and 300 of his men attacked Fort Detroit in what is now the city by the same name. Unfortunately for his cause, Pontiac failed to gauge just how strong the British presence there was, and his attack was quickly repelled. On the other hand, he was not a man who gave up easily, so instead of retreating, he and his warriors would lay siege to the British stronghold. In the days that followed, word spread of his efforts, and in short order nearly 1,000 men from various tribes in the area had joined him. They remained camped around the fort throughout the summer before finally giving up the siege.

*Includes pictures *Includes accounts of the fighting *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading In 1860, New Orleans was just as unique a city as it is today. It was racially and linguistically diverse, with many French, German, and Spanish speakers, and a population of white, black, and mixed-race inhabitants. Louisiana's population was 47% slave and also had one of the largest numbers of free blacks in the country. Situated near the mouth of the continent's largest river, the Mississippi, it was an international center for trade and industry. New Orleans was the sixth largest city in the country and the largest in any of the states that would end up joining the Confederacy. The volume of trade through its port was second only to New York, and the city's commercial ties with England and Spain and cultural ties with France meant that the European powers would be looking closely at how the city fared in the Civil War, especially after it was occupied by Union forces. The Lincoln administration, fearful of European meddling in the war effort, had to constantly keep European opinion in mind when dealing with the captured city, and the story of New Orleans in the Civil War is one of far-reaching political, racial, and social tensions. Given its importance, it's somewhat surprising in retrospect that the Union managed to capture New Orleans in an easier manner than places like Vicksburg and Atlanta. Admiral David Farragut's naval forces battered their shaky Confederate counterparts and were able to get over a dozen ships upriver past a couple of crucial Confederate forts along the Mississippi. By May 1862, Union forces occupied the city and General Benjamin Butler became its military governor, leaving the last true bastion of Confederate defenses on the Mississippi at Vicksburg. At the start of 1863, Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia had been frustrating the Union in the Eastern theater for several months, but the situation in the West was completely different. The Confederates had lost control of several important states throughout 1862, and after New Orleans was taken by the Union, the North controlled almost all of the Mississippi River, which Confederate general James Longstreet called "the lungs of the Confederacy". By taking control of that vital river, the North would virtually cut the Confederacy in two, putting the South in a dire situation. The only domino left to fall was the stronghold of Vicksburg, and both sides knew it. The Union Army of the Tennessee, led by Ulysses S. Grant, would spend months trying to encircle the army and eventually force John Pemberton's Confederate army to surrender. Grant eventually succeeded on July 4, 1863, but since it came a day after the climactic finish of the Battle of Gettysburg, Vicksburg was (and still is) frequently overlooked as one of the turning points of the Civil War. In fact, had the Confederate's military leadership listened to Longstreet, who advocated detaching soldiers from Lee's army to head west and help the Confederates deal with Grant or Rosecrans in that theater, the Battle of Gettysburg might never have happened. While many read about the siege of Vicksburg in the summer of 1863, as well as the desperate straits the Confederate soldiers and Vicksburg residents found themselves in, Grant's initial attempts to advance towards Vicksburg met with several miserable failures, and it took several months just to get to the point where the Union forces could start a siege. Splitting the Confederacy: The History of the Union Campaigns to Take the Mississippi River chronicles the history of the crucial campaigns that helped the North win the war. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Union capture of the Mississippi River like never before.

*Perfect for ages 7-9 *Includes an original introduction and biography for each Founding Father *Includes pictures and illustrations of the Founding Fathers and important people, places, and events in their lives. *Talks about the legends and myths regarding the Founding Fathers. In Charles River Editors' History for Kids series, your children can learn about history's most important people and events in an easy, entertaining, and educational way. Pictures help bring the story to life, and the concise but comprehensive book will keep your kid's attention all the way to the end. The Founding Fathers have held a special place in American society since the nation gained its freedom, and many of them had become national heroes even before then. Over 200 years later, Americans still look with reverence to these men, often debating with each other what the Founding Fathers would think about a certain issue, or how they would judge a certain law or legislation. In many respects, these men have become icons, whose words, thoughts and deeds are rarely questioned. Every American is taught a pristine narrative of the life and legacy of George Washington and can easily recite the highlights and myths of Washington's life. Thomas Jefferson was instrumental in authoring the Declaration of Independence, laying out the ideological groundwork of the notion of states' rights, leading one of the first political parties, and overseeing the expansion of the United States during his presidency. Before the United States of America even existed, the first American celebrity was Benjamin Franklin, who dabbled throughout his life in many fields as an author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat. Despite being one of the youngest delegates at the Constitutional Convention, James Madison was the Convention's most influential thinker, and the man most responsible for the final draft of the U. S. Constitution, forever earning the name "Father of the Constitution). And if the American Dream has come to represent the ability to climb the social ladder with skill and hard work, no Founding Father represented the new America more than Alexander Hamilton, an orphan who rose to become one of the influential Founding Fathers at the Constitutional Convention, the driving force behind the Federalist Papers, and the leader of a political party before engaging in the country's most famous duel. Like all legends, the staggering accomplishments of the Founding Fathers not only earned them monuments and memorials but helped enshrine their legacies, to the point that they are looked at almost as demigods above reproach. This kids book examines all of the important events and actions these men took, but it also analyzes what these men were really like, and how their personalities and passions helped shape the destiny of the country they founded and led. Along with pictures of the Founding Fathers and important people, places and events in their lives, your kids will learn about these legendary Founding Fathers like never before.

*Includes pictures *Includes ancient accounts and Scripture passages *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading "And Jesus suffered no man to follow Him, save Peter and James and John." - Mark 5:37 Apart from Jesus, there is no character more vividly presented in the gospels than Peter. To talk of Saint Peter is to talk about a man of action. There is a good reason why he is the apostle with the most mentions in the Gospels, and the most referred to in the New Testament (a total of 195 times). In comparison, John, the next most popular disciple, barely reaches 29 references. It is at decisive moments which require a categorical reaction where the leader of the Twelve shines; it is then that Peter -born as Simon Bar-Jonah- has no rival in the inner circle of disciples that followed Jesus of Nazareth. At the same time, during periods of uncertainty and inaction he hesitates, collapses, and shows his all-too human side. With all his virtues and shortcomings, he became Jesus's man of confidence, and over time, the leader of the nascent Church. Reconstructing the biography of Simon the Galilean requires throwing the nets over the waters of the many traditions of the leader of the Twelve, the man who is always present at the turning points of the story of Jesus. It has rightly been said that the Gospel of Mark (and thus the gospels of Matthew and Luke) is written from his point of view. It is he whom Jesus calls first when he is working on the seashore; it is Peter who proclaims with blind enthusiasm that his teacher is the Messiah, who confronts him about the consequences and meaning of that title, who cries bitterly for his cowardice, who enters the house of the high priest where the rabbi is held prisoner, and who, after the crucifixion, throws himself into the dark waters, before the sunrise, when he sees him again standing on the shore of the lake. Peter was already a married man with a permanent job in Capernaum when Jesus passed by and said, "Follow me and I will make you a fisher of men." Although the four canonical gospels tend to have disagreements, they all agree on one crucial aspect: Peter's preeminence. Peter was the spokesman and the chief apostle, the trustworthy disciple of the Lord and, ironically, the one who failed him again and again through his incomprehension, his hesitation, and impulsiveness. For example, he drew the sword to kill at a time of danger, when his teacher was clearly against violence. However, according to several independent sources, the risen Jesus went to appear to Peter first, as if to comfort him and confirm him on his commission to "feed the sheep." Considering all this, it is strange that few details about his later life are known. That Simon Bar-Jonah "Cephas," the man from Galilee, was a historical figure is a fact that no one - not even those who doubt the existence of Jesus - would put in doubt. The textual evidence is traced back to the years he lived in Jerusalem, and at least one contemporary person mentions an encounter with him. But the details are scarce. Ironically, most of the reliable information is in the writings of another Christian leader with whom he had disputes: Paul. Traditions and legends about the life of Saint Peter are many, not to mention several writings attributed to him. Some may contain historical memories, and others are parables, but it is not a legend that while he was alive, and even 2,000 years later, Peter has been the center of heated controversies. If indeed he was the leader of the apostles, then do his successors (the bishops of Rome) have preeminence over all of Christendom? To say that this question defined the history and the map of the Christian world for many centuries is an understatement. Saint Peter is, therefore, one of the most important people in history.

*Includes pictures *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading World domination is a vision most kings, queens, and emperors can only dream of, and is a path less visited for good reason. It is one that requires above all, patience, as well as skill, tenacity, and an impenetrable plan of action. The only one to ever come close to this impossible level of prestige is none other than the legendary British Empire. It was under the reign of King Henry VII of England that this ambitious idea of global expansion was first planted. In March of 1496, the king granted an exploratory charter to John Cabot, who would pilot a successful voyage that resulted in the occupation of an uninhabited island in Newfoundland. Though Cabot's second voyage ended in disaster, the courage and will he displayed during these endeavors inspired English explorers to organize more ventures and take to the seas themselves, as they hoped to see just how far they could push the envelope. Today, the British Army is one of the most powerful fighting forces in the world. Its highly trained professional soldiers are equipped with the most advanced military technology ever made. Its international interventions, while controversial both at home and abroad, are carried out with incredible professionalism and little loss of life among British servicemen and servicewomen. Naturally, the history and traditions behind this army are also impressive. Britain has not been successfully invaded in centuries. Its soldiers once created and defended a global empire, and during the Second World War, it was one of the leading nations standing against the brutal Axis forces, leading the way in the greatest seaborne invasion in military history. But it was not always like this. For most of its history, Britain was a patchwork of competing nations. England, the largest of its constituent countries, was often relatively weak as a land power compared with its European neighbors. Moreover, Britain's armies, like those of the other European powers, were neither professional nor standing armies for hundreds of years. The Origins of the British Army: The History of England's Establishment of a Professional Modern Army covers that period before the development of the British Army as it is now recognized. This book examines how a professional standing army emerged from the feudal systems of the Middle Ages to become a centrally organized and professional force, always at the ready when conflict came. And tied to that is the story of a nation uniting, as civil war ceased to be a part of politics and the countries of the union were brought together, often by force. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the British Army's origins like never before.

*Includes diagrams of Kepler's laws and pictures of important people and places in Kepler's life. *Includes a Bibliography for further reading. "We do not ask for what useful purpose the birds do sing, for song is their pleasure since they were created for singing. Similarly, we ought not to ask why the human mind troubles to fathom the secrets of the heavens. The diversity of the phenomena of nature is so great and the treasures hidden in the heavens so rich precisely in order that the human mind shall never be lacking in fresh nourishment." - Johannes Kepler Just trying to define a man who had the qualities of a mathematician, astronomer, philosopher, inventor, and astrologer can prove difficult. But all of that can be ascribed to Johannes Kepler, one of the giants of his era who ushered in the Scientific Revolution and is often considered the first modern scientist. Kepler stood at a moment in time when the intellectual worldview of most in northern Europe was medieval in nature, influenced mostly by spirituality, mysticism, religion, and metaphysics. Kepler, however, was far-thinking in his outlook, taking advantages of the latest technological ideas from the Renaissance and the new translations of Greco-Roman philosophers from out of the Spanish kingdoms and the former-Byzantine Empire. Kepler himself struggled with the seemingly incongruous division between metaphysics and empiricism. By practicing empiricism and coming up with his famous laws of planetary motion, he was forced to defend his positions against a number of important ideas in western philosophy and the contemporary understanding of nature and the cosmos. All the while, Kepler was never able to escape the medieval mind he possessed, and he looked for God in the designs of the cosmos, thus attempting to wed the supernatural to the physical. Ironically, Kepler never produced results that confirmed his worldview of the cosmos - he never found the divine design of nature - but he did produce ideas that led to the view of today's universe. As such, Kepler's work came to form the backbone of modern astronomy Legendary Scientists: The Life and Legacy of Johannes Kepler looks at the life and groundbreaking work of the influential mathematician and astronomer, explaining his laws of planetary motion and analyzing his lasting legacy. Along with pictures of important people, places, and diagrams of his work, you will learn about Kepler like you never have before, in no time at all.

*Includes pictures of Pizarro and important people, places, and events in his life. *Includes pictures of Inca artifacts and ruins, including Macchu Picchu, Inca art, Inca clothing, and more. *Describes the Inca Empire and Pizarro's conquest of it. "Friends and comrades On that side south] are toil, hunger, nakedness, the drenching storm, desertion, and death; on this side ease and pleasure. There lies Peru with its riches; here, Panama and its poverty. Choose, each man, what best becomes a brave Castilian. For my part, I go to the south." - Francisco Pizarro During the Age of Exploration, Native American tribes fell victim to European conquerors seeking legendary cities made of gold and other riches, attempts that were often being made in vain. And yet, of all the empires that were conquered across the continent, the one that continues to be most intimately associated with legends of gold and hidden riches is the Inca Empire. The Inca Empire, which flourished in modern day Peru and along the west coast of South America, was the largest Native American empire in pre-Columbian America until Pizarro and the Spanish conquistadors conquered them in the 16th century. What ultimately sealed their doom was the rumor that huge amounts of gold were available in regions south of the Andes Mountains. If Columbus and Cort s were the pioneers of Spain's new global empire, Pizarro's conquest of the Inca consolidated its immense power and riches, and his successes inspired a further generation to expand Spain's dominions to unheard of dimensions. Furthermore, he participated in the forging of a new culture: like Cort s, he took an indigenous mistress with whom he had two mixed-race children, and yet the woman has none of the lasting fame of Cort s's Do a Marina. With all of this in mind, it is again remarkable that Pizarro remains one of the less well-known and less written about of the explorers of his age. On the other hand, there are certain factors that may account for the conqueror of Peru's relative lack of lasting glory. For one, he was a latecomer in more than one sense. Cort s's reputation was built on being the first to overthrow a great empire, so Pizarro's similar feat, even if it bore even greater fruit in the long run, would always be overshadowed by his predecessor's precedent. But Pizarro also lacked the youthful glamour of Cort s: already a wizened veteran in his 50s by the time he undertook his momentous expedition, he proceeded with the gritty determination of a hardened soldier rather than the audacity and cunning of a young courtier. Though the Spanish physically conquered them in quick fashion, the culture and legacy of the Inca Empire has continued to endure throughout the centuries in both Europe and South America, due in no small part to the fact they were one of the most advanced and sophisticated cultures on the continent. Like the Aztecs, the Spanish burned much of the Inca's extant writings, but it is estimated that as many as 35 million once fell under their banner, and the empire's administrative skills were so sharp that they kept accurate census records. Their religion, organization, and laws were also effectively centralized and tied to the rulers of the empire, and their military mobilization would have made the ancient Spartans proud. After the Spanish conquest, several rebellions in the area attempted to reestablish the proud Inca Empire over the next two centuries, all while famous Europeans like Voltaire glorified the Inca Empire in optimistic artistic portrayals. Francisco Pizarro & The Inca chronicles the life of Pizarro and the history and culture of the Inca Empire, while also examining the conquest of the Inca and the manner in which their culture has survived. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Pizarro and the Inca like you never have before.

*Includes pictures *Includes accounts of the fighting *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading Like lethal insects undergoing a series of metamorphoses into ever more mature and dangerous forms, military aircraft moved rapidly from stage to stage of their development as the 20th century progressed. The catalyst of war provided the swiftest impetus to this evolution. The new mechanized armies existing from the later period of World War I onward seized on the fresh technology and sought to squeeze every possible drop of advantage from it that the limits of science and the era's materials would allow. Many military thinkers and even aeronautical enthusiasts believed that blimps would remain the chief military aerial asset more or less forever. These men thought airplanes would play a secondary role at best, and might even prove a uselessly expensive gimmick soon to fade back into obscurity, leaving the majestic bulk of the dirigible as sole master of the skies. Thus, when World War I began, airplane improvements occurred in an ad hoc, almost accidental manner during the war. However, when pilots' mounting of armaments on airplanes proved a successful means of defeating other aircraft and even attacking men on the ground, a much more active and systematic development of warplanes began across the continent. Each advance prompted a countermeasure, as the two sides strove for primacy in a deadly, unforgiving environment which rewarded real advances in equipment and tactics with survival and punished poor ideas with death. Before long, relatively powerful, heavily armed aircraft buzzed through the skies over battle-stained Europe, tearing each other apart with furious gusts of machine gun fire and sending many of the vaunted dirigibles plunging, burning, to the ground. The new era of fighting aircraft arrived in dramatic fashion, raising successful pilots to celebrity or heroic status, and laying the groundwork for the tremendous potential of airpower to achieve its next logical expansion in World War II and beyond. By the time World War II arrived, the fighter airplane appeared as a much different beast than the purpose-built aircraft-hunting machines of 1917 and 1918. Though propellers still provided motive force, greatly increased engine power allowed these aircraft to slice through the sky at speeds of 200 mph, 300 mph, or even in excess of 400 mph when flying flat-out. Service ceilings jumped to 25,000 feet, 30,000 feet, or higher, altitudes unthinkable to World War I's aviators. Engineering and research and development began working scientifically to shave time off the climb rate and address a host of other problems and possibilities. At the start of the war, as the German Luftwaffe first flew against Poland and then the Royal Air Force, aircraft were already swift, metal-skinned hunter-killers in the sky, with enclosed cockpits, armor, and powerful loadouts of machine guns, 20mm cannons, and, soon, rockets. But an even bigger transformation awaited - the birth of the jet age, a future glimpsed briefly in the spectacular but doomed appearance of the Messerschmitt Me 262 near the war's end. World War II Dogfights: The History and Legacy of Aerial Combat during the Second World War looks at how technology and tactics evolved during the war. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about World War II dogfights like never before.

*Includes pictures of important people and places. *Examines and explains Nietzsche's works and his overarching philosophy. *Includes a bibliography for further reading. "There are no facts, only interpretations." - Nietzsche A lot of ink has been spilled covering the lives of history's most influential figures, but how much of the forest is lost for the trees? Among all the knowledge and pursuits handed down by our ancestors, few were as important as philosophy, which literally taught people how to think and became directly responsible for ideas like reason and empiricism. Men like Socrates, Plato and Aristotle formed the backbone of Western philosophy, and subsequent philosophers like Marcus Aurelius and Thomas Aquinas expounded on previous philosophy. In Charles River Editors' Legendary Philosophers series, readers can get caught up to speed on the lives of the most important philosophers in history in the time it takes to finish a commute, while learning interesting facts long forgotten or never known. It might be fair to say that everyone's thinking has been influenced at one point or another by Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche, or at least someone who was influenced in turn by Nietzsche. Nietzsche (1844-1900) was one of the most influential men of the 19th century, a German philosopher, poet, and composer who wrote at length about everything from religion to science. In addition to the importance of his work, he was a deft writer and polemic, ensuring his continuing popularity among readers. Nietzsche's influence remains substantial within and beyond philosophy today, most notably in existentialism, nihilism and postmodernism, all thriving movements in the 21st century. As his quote about the nonexistence of facts suggest, Nietzsche was open to questions about everything considered objective, a radical viewpoint that still gains plenty of traction among students, even as it continues to be subjected to all kinds of debate and interpretation. Ironically, Nietzsche's groundbreaking work went in lockstep with poor health, including various mental maladies. Despite being a well-respected philologist and clearly one of Europe's most creative thinkers, he suffered a mental breakdown in his mid-40s that is still controversial today, and he only lingered for about another decade before dying in 1900 at the age of 55. Legendary Philosophers: The Life and Philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche chronicles the life, work, and untimely death of one of the West's most famous modern philosophers. Along with a bibliography and pictures of important people, place, and events, you will learn about Nietzsche like you never have before, in no time at all.

*Includes pictures *Includes accounts of the battles written by soldiers *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading "It could scarcely be said that any of the officers in Longstreet's corps] ... save one had by this date displayed qualities that would dispose anyone to expect a career of eminence. The exception was Hood. ... Anyone who had followed the operations of the Army after Gaines's Mill would have said that of all the officers under Longstreet, the most likely to be a great soldier was Hood." - Douglas Southall Freeman, Lee's Lieutenants The history of war is replete with examples of men who distinguished themselves in battle only to disgrace themselves after being promoted to commands above their capabilities. During the American Civil War, that man was John Bell Hood. Hood was one of the most tenacious generals in the Confederacy, for better and worse. This quality, which made him one of the best brigade and division commanders in the Army of Northern Virginia also made him ineffective when he was promoted to higher commands, forever marring his career at Atlanta and Franklin. Although Hood may have sullied his reputation, the brigade that bore his name suffered no such fate. Organized in Richmond, Virginia on October 22, 1861, Hood's Texas Brigade was one of the most formidable fighting forces of the Confederate States of America (C. S. A.) during the American Civil War. At times undisciplined, the men who comprised this brigade were a group of fearless and determined volunteers-turned-soldiers. Though it's best remembered for consisting of Texans and being led by General John Bell Hood, for a brief time the 18th Georgia Infantry Regiment and Wade Hampton's South Carolina Legion were attached to the brigade, and after the redeployment of the Georgia and South Carolina men, the 3rd Arkansas Infantry was permanently assigned to the Texas Brigade and joined the 1st, 4th, and 5th Texas Infantry Regiments, who comprised the bulk of the brigade from October 1861 until the Confederate surrender at Appomattox in April 1865. Over the course of the Civil War, the Texas Brigade engaged over 4,000 men and was comprised of the only Texans to fight with General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia in the Eastern Theater. With the exception of Chancellorsville, these men fought in every major battle in the East, and they also participated in significant battles in the Western Theater. Of the more than 4,000 men who fought with the brigade over the course of the war, approximately 600 remained to surrender at Appomattox. The brigade suffered a horrific casualty rate of sixty-one percent and were lauded for their courage by men such as generals Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, James Longstreet, and Lee. It is estimated that 56,000 Texans served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War, yet the approximately 4,000 men, organized into 32 companies, that formed the Texas Brigade were the only Texans who fought in both theaters of operation. They have been compared to the famous Stonewall Brigade in terms of bravery, skill, and fortitude, and naturally, their fighting directly contributed to the outcome of crucial battles like Antietam and Gettysburg. As a result, they helped change the course of history. Hood's Brigade: The History and Legacy of the Legendary Texas Brigade during the Civil War looks at the history of the brigade and the battles it fought in. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Texas Brigade like never before.

*Includes medieval depictions of Saladin and important people, places, and events in his life. *Includes a Bibliography for further reading. "It is equally true that his generosity, his piety, devoid of fanaticism, that flower of liberality and courtesy which had been the model of our old chroniclers, won him no less popularity in Frankish Syria than in the lands of Islam." - Ren Grousset A lot of ink has been spilled covering the lives of history's most influential figures, but how much of the forest is lost for the trees? In Charles River Editors' Legends of the Middle Ages series, readers can get caught up to speed on the lives of important medieval men and women in the time it takes to finish a commute, while learning interesting facts long forgotten or never known. During a trip to Damascus, Syria in 1958, Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser visited the tomb of Saladin. It was a symbolic visit for the pan-Arab leader, who sought to unite the Arab world and restore it to its past glory. For nationalists like Nasser and devout Muslims across the Middle East, Saladin's life and reign represent the pinnacle of that glory, more than 8 centuries after his death. Saladin is widely considered one of the greatest generals in history and one of the most famous leaders of the Middle Ages, but he remains a paradox, both in personal and in historical terms. A military genius, he first served other generals and was overshadowed, late in life, by his greatest rival, Richard I of England. He was far more admired by his Christian enemies, who extolled his chivalry, than some of his Muslim rivals, who fought him for control of Egypt and Syria in the 12th century. His Christian enemies continued his name long after it was forgotten in the Middle East, only to spark a revival of his reputation in Arab culture in the 20th century. Revered as the flower of Arab culture, he was really a Kurd who nearly destroyed it. Taught to Egyptian children as a native born Egyptian hero, he was, in fact, Egypt's conqueror, the man who destroyed its native dynasty and suppressed the local Shi'ite sect. Praised for his mild temper and mercy, he made it his mission in the last decade of his life to destroy the Frankish states created by the First Crusade in 1099. The most powerful man in the Levant for the last ten years of his life, he died a virtual pauper after giving away his personal fortune to the poor. Having united almost all of the Levant under one rule, he left it as divided as before. He founded a dynasty that was eventually destroyed by slaves. Nevertheless, Saladin remains both a poignant and important symbol in the Middle East over 800 years after his death, making him as relevant as ever today. Legends of the Middle Ages: The Life and Legacy of Saladin chronicles the historic life and reign of the famous leader, and it analyzes his influential and enduring legacy. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Saladin like you never have before, in no time at all.

*Includes pictures. *Includes actors' quotes about their careers. *Includes bibliographies. *Includes a table of contents. In 1999, the American Film Institute released its list of the 50 greatest Hollywood stars of the 20th century, and selecting the best actors out of the bunch was certainly a tall task. The competition was so stacked that men like Gary Cooper and John Wayne were not even among the Top 10. So who were the Top 5 men selected by the AFI? One man has long been considered the greatest male star. From the time he first became a leading man, Humphrey Bogart's screen image has resonated with viewers more than perhaps any other actor. His persona as a tough guy who manages to maintain his sense of virtue no matter how compromising the situation features in some of the most famous films ever made, including Casablanca (1942), The Maltese Falcon (1941), and Key Largo (1949). Movie stars are revered for their ability to captivate audiences, and perhaps no actor has done it as well as Cary Grant, the epitome of the suave, debonair actor who may have been rivaled only by dancer extraordinaire Fred Astaire. Grant offered a version of the male actor that stood in stark contrast with the gangster heroes and hard-boiled film noir detectives that populated the screen throughout his career. If the list was reconstructed today, it is entirely possible that Stewart would rank first. Not only have movies such as It's a Wonderful Life (1946) and Vertigo (1958) continued to gain in popularity even into the 21st century, but Stewart has come to embody an accessible image of American values that is easy for everyone to embrace. Over the course of his long, prolific career, Marlon Brando was considered perhaps the greatest actor of the 20th century as well as one of the most complicated and misunderstood. Uniquely able to be both emotionally charged and technically constrained in the same performance, he single-handedly changed the direction of not only the American style of acting, influencing successors such as Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and even Johnny Depp, but the acting profession on a global scale. Virtually all famous actors are regaled by the public, but even still, Fred Astaire occupies a privileged position in American pop culture. The specific films in which Astaire acted may not be especially famous in their own right, but Astaire's dancing prowess invariably creates a lasting impact on viewers. Hollywood's 5 Greatest Actors: The Lives of Humphrey Bogart, Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart, Marlon Brando, and Fred Astaire profiles the life, career, and legacy of the men deemed by the American Film Institute as the greatest male stars. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the AFI's Top 5 actors like you never have before.

*Includes pictures *Includes investigators' accounts and newspaper accounts about the crimes and suspects *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents "I keep on hearing the police have caught me but they wont fix me just yet. I have laughed when they look so clever and talk about being on the right track... How can they catch me now. I love my work and want to start again. You will soon hear of me with my funny little games." - Excerpt from a letter widely believed to be from Jack the Ripper When one hears the term "Victorian," many images come to mind. For some, the term conjures up visions of lace and gloves and delicate fans. Others think of tight corsets and even tighter morals. Others, swayed perhaps by one too many British costume dramas, envision gentle elegance and long lost beauty. Naturally, few people think of multiple dead bodies cast about in the streets or dark bedrooms, most mutilated to a shocking degree, and yet, those tragic images played a significant role not only in late Victorian London but ever since. In 1888 and 1889, a killer stalked the dark backstreets of the city through the notoriously overcrowded and crime-ridden Whitechapel district, murdering young women and then cutting their bodies up like a butcher. The Jack the Ripper case continues to fascinate historians and amateur sleuths so much that people have dubbed themselves Ripperologists, and since nobody knows for sure who the killer was, every aspect of the crimes is up for discussion, down to who the actual victims of the Ripper were and whether there was actually more than one Ripper. In addition to considering so many suspects, the police were only certain that 5 of the victims (the "canonical five") were killed by Jack the Ripper, but there were at least 11 documented murders over the course of several years, and today those are called the Whitechapel murders. Even in the 19th century, authorities were debating how many of the 11 were the work of the Ripper, and as the murders have been compared and contrasted for nearly 130 years, the debate continues. While the killer has no doubt been dead for decades, there is still no way to know for sure who he was. That is not to say that there are not suspects; in fact, there are literally hundreds of them, from virtually every walk of life, including a prince, several knights, a policeman, a number of surgeons or surgical students, a few women, and a great many violent criminals. The list is so extensive that it is nearly impossible to narrow down and still be comprehensive. The first group of suspects that deserve the closest review are those who the police themselves suspected, back during the dreadful days in which the murders were committed. Like all the most likely candidates, they were men who had some sort of medical or butchering background and thus knew how to use a big knife well. Some had weak alibis, and others had none at all, but none were ever tried, indicating there was not enough evidence to arrest any of them. Another group that bears another look are those men who were considered viable suspects by the press and the public, for while these men escaped police attention, there was still something in their lives that made the common people consider them criminals capable of dastardly deeds. In some cases, it was a matter of bigotry, as people turned on those that were different from themselves, either in their ethnicity, sexual preferences, or religion. In other instances, the press itself felt that that it had found out something that the police had either missed or chosen to ignore. Some suspects has a more recent origin, consisting of people who have been accused by various authors long after the fact. This list is by far the most extensive and also the least viable. This is where the sensational stories come in, of princes and royal cover-up, of policemen who knew the killer to be one of their own.