Charles River

*Includes pictures *Includes accounts of the trial and excerpts from it *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents "I never had any idea my bill would make a fuss. I just thought it would become a law, and that everybody would abide by it and that we wouldn't hear any more of evolution in Tennessee." - John Washington Butler In the early 20th century, Darwin's theory of evolution was still a relative novelty, but it had spurred some Americans to react by preventing it from being taught in schools, including in Tennessee, which passed the Butler Act to prohibit teaching the theory in a state-funded school. This set the stage for proponents of the theory to challenge the law by having a teacher bring up Darwin's theory in a classroom, which is how a little known substitute teacher named John Scopes had his name attached to one of the most famous cases in American history. Although it is best known as the Scopes Trial or Scopes Monkey Trial even 90 years later, the case was intentionally created as a test case, and from the beginning it was meant to draw attention not just to the issue but to the small town of Dayton, Tennessee itself. In that, it succeeded, not simply because the case was important but because it brought William Jennings Bryan, one of America's most famous politicians, to participate. Bryan would square off against renowned lawyer Clarence Darrow, who would represent Scopes in the proceedings. While the case was technically challenging a law and proceeded like a normal trial, including an appeal to Tennessee's Supreme Court, the Scopes Monkey Trial was essentially a national debate on theology, science, and each one's place in the classroom. The trial is best known not necessarily for the results but for the rhetorical arguments that were made on each side, and for the manner in which Darrow and Bryan squared off. In perhaps the most famous scene of the entire affair, Darrow actually cross-examined Bryan himself. Naturally, the case was politically charged on all sides, and even the judge was conspicuously biased against Scopes' defense, but Scopes successfully appealed the fine at the Tennessee Supreme Court. Still, the issue remained heated even after, especially when Bryan died shortly after the trial. The Scopes Monkey Trial: The History of 20th Century America's Most Famous Court Case analyzes the background and proceedings of the case. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Scopes Monkey Trial like never before.

*Includes pictures*Includes the actors' quotes about their lives and careers*Includes a bibliography for further reading In the 1960s and 1970s, no actor personified cool, calm and collected like Steve McQueen, whose suave anti-hero protagonists made men jealous and women swoon. As actor Donald Logue puts it in The Tao of Steve, "Steve is the prototypical cool American male. He's the guy on his horse, the guy alone. He has his own code of honor, his own code of ethics, his own rules of living. He never, ever tries to impress the women, but he always gets the girl." And indeed, that was the case not only in movies like The Thomas Crown Affair, Bullitt, The Getaway, and Papillon, but also in real life. Actress Ali MacGraw, who later became one of his wives, described his effect on women: "I remember seeing him across the swimming pool and my knees were knocking. He radiated such macho energy. Men wanted to be like him. Uptight society ladies and biker molls wanted to be with him." Unlike many actors who become this type of heartthrob, McQueen seemed to have the bona fides. Growing up rough and tough in the Midwest, McQueen was sent to a juvenile facility California because he didn't get along with his stepfather, and after that there he became a Marine. Like Jim Dean before him, McQueen also loved to race, and before he became an actor, he was actually making a living winning races in New York. As he once put it, "Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting." However, McQueen was destined to become "The King of Cool" on screen, and after a few quick stints in acting jobs in the early 1950s, he began to look at it as an actual occupation. He once noted, "I really don't like to act. At the beginning, back in '51, I had to force myself to stick with it. I was real uncomfortable, real uncomfortable." Eventually, McQueen was comfortable enough to simply act natural and thus exude the tough confidence that made him an idol. That kind of performance translated well on the old TV Westerns, and a few of those, Tales of Wells Fargo and Trackdown, catapulted McQueen to the conscience of Hollywood. From there, it would only take a few years and a few movie appearances for McQueen to become a huge box office draw. By the time Charles Bronson emerged from a series of miniscule, uncredited roles in the mid-1950s, the singing cowboy was two generations gone, save vestiges in television serials, such as Roy Rogers and Dale Evans. The dancing romantic lead of the Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire variety would soon exhaust itself as a genre in an age increasingly bent on realism and a more severe form of escape. Bronson possessed none of the gifts common to the heroes of the previous era. Light-heartedness did not become him, and by all accounts, he was neither a singer nor dancer. He could not offer the heft of Gary Cooper or John Wayne, although he shared a reserved quality with the former. He did not possess the pristine good looks of Gregory Peck. In fact, one good-natured description making the rounds in Bronson's heyday likened him to "A Clark Gable who has been left out in the sun too long." To accompany the rough-hewn appearance of Bronson's new class of hero, the typical script gave his remarkably enduring persona, little to say in terms of dialogue that would reveal his inner thoughts. With minimal text, even those he attempts to help are unsure of his intentions, and few clues are offered by which the viewer can come to know his mind. As the grotesqueness of his characters' violent acts increased, so did the heinous deeds of the criminals he fought, upping the ante to an eager public in search of a simple cure for its social ills. In a career of almost eighty films and a total body of work totaling 160 appearances including television, Bronson pushed the envelope of what graphic action the studios were willing to offer, and what the censors would accept.

*Includes pictures *Includes accounts *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading The legends of vampires like Dracula have generated massive interest throughout time. Indeed, the story of a man (in some versions a very handsome, dashing man), who feeds on the blood of virgins in order to survive, and who walks the earth only at night, has been revived throughout the centuries in different forms. However, one famous tale that has been lost among the legends is the story of a female Dracula, an educated woman from a well-known family of 16th century Hungary who was so afraid to lose her beauty and young looks that she engaged in dangerous practices, combining witchcraft with exsanguination. Countess Elizabeth B thory is this female Dracula. She is said to have drained the blood of approximately 600 young women, in order to drink it, spread it all over her body as a nurturing blend, or simply to bathe in it. There have been a countless number of serial killers throughout history, and certainly more prolific ones, but the timing, circumstances, and unsolved nature of the case continue to make Jack the Ripper the most famous serial killer in history. The murders came at a time when media coverage could be both more acute and more widespread, and it allowed the public a closer look into how police agencies operated at the time, exposing both their strengths and shortcomings. Around the same time the Zodiac Killer was murdering people on the West Coast, the Son of Sam terrorized New York City in much the same way by killing at random and writing letters to the police. Serial killers often use a set pattern and/or rituals as part of their modus operandi, so in that regard the actions of the Zodiac Killer didn't exactly distinguish him from other serial killers. The main difference, of course, is that most serial killers are caught, including the Son of Sam (David Berkowitz), while the Zodiac Killer's identity remains an unsolved mystery. By both remaining unidentified and leaving seemingly tantalizing clues in his writing, the Zodiac Killer ensured his notorious legacy in American history, much the same way the attempt to identify Jack the Ripper continues to fascinate people across the world today. For most people, Ted Bundy is the quintessential serial killer - a good-looking, highly intelligent man who used his charm to lure an untold number of women to their deaths. In fact, as the judge announced his death sentence, he noted Bundy's intellect and mused that he would have enjoyed hearing Bundy try a case before him had he remained simply the genius law student he had once been. Bundy, of course, ended up choosing a far different path, going on a historic crime spree during the 1970s so prolific that estimates of his kill count vary by dozens, a debate Bundy was only too happy to stoke. On one occasion, when the FBI estimated he was responsible for 3 dozen murders, Bundy replied, "Add one digit to that, and you'll have it." On another occasion, he claimed the estimate of 3 dozen was close to accurate. The case of the Boston Strangler is as confusing and mystifying as it is terrifying. In fact, the mythology and debate lingering over the crime spree only heightened when Albert DeSalvo confessed to the crimes, provided both accurate and inaccurate details about some of them, and had his DNA tied to several of the crime scenes. However, before DeSalvo himself was murdered by an unknown assailant in jail in 1973, he had recanted his confession, and ultimately, he was never tried for the murders in Boston. 50 years after the Boston Strangler stopped killing, investigators and amateurs alike are still debating the very messy and all too real 18 month reign of terror that gripped the city of Boston in the early 1960s and haunts many to this day.

Diferentes ramifica es da mesma religi o constituem mais uma exce o do que uma regra e tiveram um impacto profundo na hist ria. O cisma entre as Igrejas Ortodoxa e Cat lica influenciou as rela es entre na es por toda a Europa e, a intoler ncia religiosa baseada em diferentes f s crist s levou a persegui es e total viol ncia por todo o continente durante s culos. A Reforma Protestante separou ainda mais o Cristianismo e os resultados culminaram na incrivelmente destrutiva Guerra dos Trinta Anos no s culo XVII. Atualmente, a separa o religiosa mais importante entre Sunitas e Xiitas no seio do Isl o. Contrariamente a outras divis es de f - entre Judeus Conservadores e Ortodoxos ou Crist os Cat licos e Protestantes -, a separa o entre os Sunitas e Xiitas tem existido ao longo quase da pr pria f e, rapidamente emergiu de tens es criadas por crises pol ticas ap s a morte do profeta Maom . De certo modo, as diferentes formas do Isl o que existem agora, surgiram essencialmente de fa es pol ticas no seio da unidade de crentes mu ulmanos. Ao longo de muitos s culos, os Crist os t m praticamente conseguido viver ao lado dos seus correligiosos, mas a separa o entre Sunitas e Xiitas ainda t o pronunciada que muitos aderentes de cada ramifica o veem-se mutuamente com desprezo, se n o como ap statas ou n o crentes. A divis o religiosa por ventura a mais importante descontinuidade no turbulento M dio Oriente de hoje, com na es Sunitas como o Egito e Ar bia Saudita em desacordo com na es Xiitas como o Ir o. A n veis mais baixos, grupos n o-estatais como o Estado Isl mico e o Hezbollah est o a combaterem entre si de uma forma que atravessa fronteiras estatais, em lugares como o L bano, o Iraque e a S ria. Apesar de ser tecnicamente uma separa o na religi o, a divis o tem tido ramifica es substanciais e globais por d cadas e parece que n o h um fim vista. A Hist ria da Separa o entre Sunitas e Xiitas tra a as origens da separa o e os hist ricos esfor os da maior divis o no seio do Isl o. Juntamente com imagens de pessoas importantes, lugares e eventos, o leitor ir aprender acerca da hist ria dos Sunitas e Xiitas como nunca dantes, em muito pouco tempo.

*Includes pictures *Includes ancient accounts of the battles *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading The Ancient Greeks have long been considered the forefathers of modern Western civilization, but the Golden Age of Athens and the spread of Greek influence across much of the known world only occurred due to one of the most crucial battles of antiquity: the Battle of Marathon. In 490 B. C., after the revolt in Ionia had been crushed, Darius sent his general Mardonius, at the head of a massive fleet and invading force, to destroy the meddlesome Greeks, starting with Athens. The Persian army, numbering anywhere between 30,000 and 300,000 men, landed on the plain at Marathon, a few dozen miles from Athens, where an Athenian army of 10,000 hoplite heavy infantry supported by 1,000 Plataeans prepared to contest their passage. The Athenians appealed to the Spartans for help, but the Spartans dithered; according to the Laws of Lycurgus, they were forbidden to march until the waxing moon was full. Accordingly, their army arrived too late. Thus, it fell upon the Athenians to shoulder the burden. With their army led by the great generals Miltiades and Themistocles, the Athenians charged the outnumbering Persians. Outmatched by the might of the heavy, bronze-armored Greek phalanx, the inferior Persian infantry was enveloped and destroyed, causing them to flee for their ships in panic. The Athenians had won a colossal victory against an overwhelming and seemingly invincible enemy. There are few battles in history in which the vanquished are better remembered and celebrated than the victors, and even fewer where a defeat is considered a victory. But that has become the enduring legacy of the Battle of Thermopylae, a battle as unique as it is famous. The story of the battle and the willing sacrifice of the Greek defenders to buy the rest of the retreating Greeks time is well known across the world and still resonates with audiences to this day. Last stands are the stuff of martial legends, and Thermopylae is the greatest of them all. When the Spartans' famous and sacrificial stand at the Battle of Thermopylae ended, the Athenian fleet was forced to fall back, and Xerxes' massive Persian army marched unopposed into Greece before advancing on Athens. The Greek armies were scattered and unable to face the might of Persia, so Athens was forced to do the unthinkable: evacuate the entire population of the city to Salamis, from where the Athenians watched in horror as Xerxes' troops plundered the defenseless city, set it aflame, and razed the Acropolis. However, the Athenians remained belligerent, in part because according to the oracle at Delphi, "only the wooden wall shall save you." Indeed, this would prove true when Themistocles managed to lure the Persian fleet into the straits of Salamis. There, on a warm day in September 480 BCE, hundreds of Greek and Persian ships faced each other in a narrow strait between the Attic peninsula of Greece and the island of Salamis. Although the Romans gained the upper hand over Carthage in the wake of the First Punic War, the legendary Carthaginian general Hannibal brought the Romans to their knees for over a decade during the Second Punic War. Cannae is still considered one of the greatest tactical victories in the history of warfare, and the fact the battle was a complete victory resulting in the wholesale annihilation of the enemy army made it the textbook example for military commanders to try to duplicate. Of course, others usually were unsuccessful. Cannae was the kind of complete victory that every commander from Caesar to Frederick the Great to Napoleon to Robert E. Lee sought, and that few generals save Caesar and Napoleon bagged whole armies is a testament to the near impossibility of achieving a victory like Cannae.

*Includes pictures *Includes ancient accounts of the battles *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading The Ancient Greeks have long been considered the forefathers of modern Western civilization, but the Golden Age of Athens and the spread of Greek influence across much of the known world only occurred due to one of the most crucial battles of antiquity: the Battle of Marathon. In 490 B. C., after the revolt in Ionia had been crushed, Darius sent his general Mardonius, at the head of a massive fleet and invading force, to destroy the meddlesome Greeks, starting with Athens. The Persian army, numbering anywhere between 30,000 and 300,000 men, landed on the plain at Marathon, a few dozen miles from Athens, where an Athenian army of 10,000 hoplite heavy infantry supported by 1,000 Plataeans prepared to contest their passage. The Athenians appealed to the Spartans for help, but the Spartans dithered; according to the Laws of Lycurgus, they were forbidden to march until the waxing moon was full. Accordingly, their army arrived too late. Thus, it fell upon the Athenians to shoulder the burden. With their army led by the great generals Miltiades and Themistocles, the Athenians charged the outnumbering Persians. Outmatched by the might of the heavy, bronze-armored Greek phalanx, the inferior Persian infantry was enveloped and destroyed, causing them to flee for their ships in panic. The Athenians had won a colossal victory against an overwhelming and seemingly invincible enemy. There are few battles in history in which the vanquished are better remembered and celebrated than the victors, and even fewer where a defeat is considered a victory. But that has become the enduring legacy of the Battle of Thermopylae, a battle as unique as it is famous. The story of the battle and the willing sacrifice of the Greek defenders to buy the rest of the retreating Greeks time is well known across the world and still resonates with audiences to this day. Last stands are the stuff of martial legends, and Thermopylae is the greatest of them all. When the Spartans' famous and sacrificial stand at the Battle of Thermopylae ended, the Athenian fleet was forced to fall back, and Xerxes' massive Persian army marched unopposed into Greece before advancing on Athens. The Greek armies were scattered and unable to face the might of Persia, so Athens was forced to do the unthinkable: evacuate the entire population of the city to Salamis, from where the Athenians watched in horror as Xerxes' troops plundered the defenseless city, set it aflame, and razed the Acropolis. However, the Athenians remained belligerent, in part because according to the oracle at Delphi, "only the wooden wall shall save you." Indeed, this would prove true when Themistocles managed to lure the Persian fleet into the straits of Salamis. There, on a warm day in September 480 BCE, hundreds of Greek and Persian ships faced each other in a narrow strait between the Attic peninsula of Greece and the island of Salamis. Although the Romans gained the upper hand over Carthage in the wake of the First Punic War, the legendary Carthaginian general Hannibal brought the Romans to their knees for over a decade during the Second Punic War. Cannae is still considered one of the greatest tactical victories in the history of warfare, and the fact the battle was a complete victory resulting in the wholesale annihilation of the enemy army made it the textbook example for military commanders to try to duplicate. Of course, others usually were unsuccessful. Cannae was the kind of complete victory that every commander from Caesar to Frederick the Great to Napoleon to Robert E. Lee sought, and that few generals save Caesar and Napoleon bagged whole armies is a testament to the near impossibility of achieving a victory like Cannae.

*Includes pictures *Includes accounts *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading The legends of vampires like Dracula have generated massive interest throughout time. Indeed, the story of a man (in some versions a very handsome, dashing man), who feeds on the blood of virgins in order to survive, and who walks the earth only at night, has been revived throughout the centuries in different forms. However, one famous tale that has been lost among the legends is the story of a female Dracula, an educated woman from a well-known family of 16th century Hungary who was so afraid to lose her beauty and young looks that she engaged in dangerous practices, combining witchcraft with exsanguination. Countess Elizabeth B thory is this female Dracula. She is said to have drained the blood of approximately 600 young women, in order to drink it, spread it all over her body as a nurturing blend, or simply to bathe in it. There have been a countless number of serial killers throughout history, and certainly more prolific ones, but the timing, circumstances, and unsolved nature of the case continue to make Jack the Ripper the most famous serial killer in history. The murders came at a time when media coverage could be both more acute and more widespread, and it allowed the public a closer look into how police agencies operated at the time, exposing both their strengths and shortcomings. Around the same time the Zodiac Killer was murdering people on the West Coast, the Son of Sam terrorized New York City in much the same way by killing at random and writing letters to the police. Serial killers often use a set pattern and/or rituals as part of their modus operandi, so in that regard the actions of the Zodiac Killer didn't exactly distinguish him from other serial killers. The main difference, of course, is that most serial killers are caught, including the Son of Sam (David Berkowitz), while the Zodiac Killer's identity remains an unsolved mystery. By both remaining unidentified and leaving seemingly tantalizing clues in his writing, the Zodiac Killer ensured his notorious legacy in American history, much the same way the attempt to identify Jack the Ripper continues to fascinate people across the world today. For most people, Ted Bundy is the quintessential serial killer - a good-looking, highly intelligent man who used his charm to lure an untold number of women to their deaths. In fact, as the judge announced his death sentence, he noted Bundy's intellect and mused that he would have enjoyed hearing Bundy try a case before him had he remained simply the genius law student he had once been. Bundy, of course, ended up choosing a far different path, going on a historic crime spree during the 1970s so prolific that estimates of his kill count vary by dozens, a debate Bundy was only too happy to stoke. On one occasion, when the FBI estimated he was responsible for 3 dozen murders, Bundy replied, "Add one digit to that, and you'll have it." On another occasion, he claimed the estimate of 3 dozen was close to accurate. The case of the Boston Strangler is as confusing and mystifying as it is terrifying. In fact, the mythology and debate lingering over the crime spree only heightened when Albert DeSalvo confessed to the crimes, provided both accurate and inaccurate details about some of them, and had his DNA tied to several of the crime scenes. However, before DeSalvo himself was murdered by an unknown assailant in jail in 1973, he had recanted his confession, and ultimately, he was never tried for the murders in Boston. 50 years after the Boston Strangler stopped killing, investigators and amateurs alike are still debating the very messy and all too real 18 month reign of terror that gripped the city of Boston in the early 1960s and haunts many to this day.

*Includes pictures *Includes accounts of the work by supervisors and workers *Includes a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents "America loves the representation of its heroes to be not just larger than life, but stupendously, awesomely bigger than anything else. If blue whales built statues to each other they'd be smaller than these." - Simon Hoggart In the 1920s, plans were made to carve the figures of America's greatest presidents into Mount Rushmore, the tallest spot in the Black Hills of the Dakotas, and by 1939, the faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt had been carved into the rock. With that, one of America's greatest national monuments was born. The four men were certainly worthy of being immortalized in granite, and Mount Rushmore poignantly symbolizes the legacies and legends of the four presidents (which often overshadow the actual men themselves). 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. Schoolchildren can recite the life story of Lincoln, the "Westerner" who educated himself and became a self made man, rising from lawyer to leader of the new Republican Party before becoming the 16th President of the United States and saving the Union. And at the turn of the 20th century, Theodore Roosevelt came to be recognized as the quintessential American, remembered for being a president, explorer, hunter, author, soldier, president, and safari adventurer, all of which combine into one unique reputation. Given the sheer size and scope of the project, it's no surprise that Mount Rushmore was a gargantuan undertaking in every conceivable way. Originally envisioned as a monument that would help spur tourism to South Dakota, it took hundreds of workers nearly 15 years to laboriously dynamite and carve the likenesses of the four presidents' faces into the side of Mount Rushmore about 60 feet up. As if the final product wasn't ambitious enough, the supervisors originally envisioned carving all the way down to each president's waist, and including a commemoration of achievements like the Declaration of Independence alongside the figures. Amazingly, the entire project cost less than $1 million and there were no fatalities. Mount Rushmore: The History and Legacy of America's Most Unique Monument chronicles the construction of the national monument that commemorates some of America's most famous individuals. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Mount Rushmore like never before, in no time at all.

*Includes pictures *Includes the actors' quotes about their lives and careers *Includes bibliographies for further reading Americans have always loved movie stars, and there have been no shortage of Hollywood icons, but 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. At the end of the 20th century, when the American Film Institute assembled its list of the 50 Greatest American Screen Legends, Bogart was at the top of the list. 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). Ultimately, it was portraying tough guys and gangsters in the 1930s that turned Cagney into a massive Hollywood star, and they were the kind of roles he was literally born to play after growing up rough in Manhattan at the turn of the 20th century. In movies like The Public Enemy (which included the infamous "grapefruit scene") and White Heat, Cagney convincingly and grippingly played criminals that brought Warner to the forefront of Hollywood and the gangster genre. Cagney also helped pave the way for younger actors in the genre, like Humphrey Bogart, and he was so good that he found himself in danger of being typecast. While Cagney is no longer remembered as fondly or as well as Bogart, he was also crucial in helping establish the system in which actors worked as independent workers free from the constraints of studios. Refusing to be pushed around, Cagney was constantly involved in contract squabbles with Warner, and he often came out on top, bucking the conventional system that saw studios treat their stars as indentured servants who had to make several films a year. For most enthusiasts of film history, Edward G. Robinson's name is virtually synonymous with the Depression-era gangster films of the 1930s. After all, Robinson starred in Little Caesar (1931), which was one of the first major gangster films and is perhaps the most representative example of the genre. Little Caesar remains his most iconic gangster role, but he acted in several other notable gangster films over the course of the decade, including The Little Giant (1933) and A Slight Case of Murder (1938). Even during the 1940s, after the gangster genre had ceded much of its standing to the postwar film noir genre, Robinson retained his ties to gangster films, memorably playing gangster Johnny Rocco in Key Largo (1948). With his short, round physique and irascible screen persona, Robinson became a kind of cinematic brother to James Cagney, and the two remain the most famous of the Hollywood gangster stars. Hollywood's Gangster Icons analyzes the lives and careers of the three stars. Along with pictures and bibliographies, you will learn about Bogart, Cagney, and Robinson like never before.

*Includes pictures *Includes chronicle accounts of some of the battles *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents In the time period between the fall of Rome and the spread of the Renaissance across the European continent, many of today's European nations were formed, the Catholic Church rose to great prominence, some of history's most famous wars occurred, and a social class system was instituted that lasted over 1,000 years. A lot of activity took place during a period frequently labeled derogatively as the "Dark Ages," and while that period of time is mostly referred to as the "Middle Ages" instead of the Dark Ages today, it has still retained the stigma of being a sort of lost period of time in which Western civilization made no worthwhile progress after the advances of the ancient civilizations of Greece and Rome. In reality, this oversimplification of the Middle Ages overlooks the progress made in the studies of sciences and philosophy, especially during the High Middle Ages. It also ignores the fact that one of the most important inventions of the last millennium was created in Germany during the Late Middle Ages, the printing press, which allowed the Renaissance to move across the continent and help position Western Europe as the wealthiest region in the world. If anything, the one aspect of the Middle Ages that has been romanticized is medieval warfare. Indeed, the Middle Ages have long sparked people's imaginations thanks to imagery of armored knights battling on horseback and armies of men trying to breach the walls of formidable castles. What is generally forgotten is that medieval warfare was constantly adapting to the times as leaders adopted new techniques and technology, and common infantry became increasingly important throughout the period. Starting around 1000 CE, there was a gradual consolidation of power in the region after the fragmentation of the Early Middle Ages, and it brought about the rise of more centralized states that could field large armies. The Normans, one of the first groups to do this, were notable for their discipline and organization, and it's little surprise that they were the last foreigners to successfully invade Britain under William the Conqueror in the mid-11th century. Meanwhile, political and technological progress led to continuous change of tactics and equipment. Cavalry became ascendant, only to be later replaced by infantry as their weapons improved. By the end of the period, warfare was radically changing thanks to the rise of gunpowder weapons such as the handgonne and the bombard. Warfare in the Middle Ages: The History of Medieval Military and Siege Tactics looks at how the armies of that era fought each other. Along with pictures and a bibliography, you will learn about medieval tactics like never before, in no time at all.

*Includes pictures *Includes a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents Though Napoleon Bonaparte's unquenchable thirst for military adventurism eventually cost him both his throne and his freedom during the Napoleonic Wars of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the French Emperor was not easily defeated even when most of Europe's nations united against him. Two military setbacks on a scale unprecedented in history until then were required before the high tide of Napoleon's success began to ebb towards the final denouement of the Hundred Days and the famous battle of Waterloo. The incredible losses inflicted on Napoleon's Grand Armee by the ill-fated invasion of Russia in 1812 constituted the first setback to switch the Corsican's life journey from the road of success to that of defeat and exile. A huge, veteran, highly experienced force, the French Army of Napoleon perished on the rain-soaked tracks and sun-seared plains of Russia. Napoleon eventually committed over 400,000 men to his Russian project, but at the end of a relatively brief campaign, only about 40,000 men returned alive to Germany, and the Russians took some 100,000 prisoner and largely absorbed them into the Russian military or population. The remainder died, principally from starvation but also through enemy action and the bitter cold of early winter. The failed Russian invasion set the stage for the second defeat at Leipzig, which essentially sealed the fate of Napoleon's empire. The four-day Battle of Leipzig in October 1813, romantically but accurately dubbed the "Battle of the Nations," proved the decisive encounter of the War of the Sixth Coalition and essentially determined the course the Napoleonic Wars took from that moment forward. All the belligerents showed awareness that the European conflict's climax was at hand: "There was keen determination in Prussia to exact revenge for the humiliation visited by Napoleon, but enthusiasm for armed struggle that would bring the eviction of the French found enthusiastic response throughout the German states. ...] To minimize his army's exposure and purchase time to rebuild, Napoleon might have stood on the defensive, but he followed his standard strategy of deciding the campaign with a bold advance to achieve decisive victory in one stroke." (Tucker, 2011, 302). The resultant collision was the single largest field action of the Napoleonic Wars, dwarfing Waterloo in size, complexity, and overall importance. The Battle of Leipzig was probably the combat which involved the highest concentration of men on a single extended battlefield on the planet up to that point in history, and would not be exceeded until the vast struggles of the First World War almost precisely a century later. Its outcome permanently settled what might be called the Napoleonic question, though it could not undo the massive changes Napoleon's conquests brought to the European continent. The old Europe of feudal nobility, absolute monarchs, strong clerical power, and relatively slow technical progress soon gave way to the potent dynamism, enormous new mental horizons, and fresh possibilities of the modern age. The Battle of Leipzig: The History and Legacy of the Biggest Battle of the Napoleonic Wars details the background leading up to the campaign, the fighting, and the aftermath of France's catastrophic defeat. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Battle of Leipzig like never before, in no time at all.

*Includes pictures *Includes Gospel accounts of the history *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents Herod is one of the more well-known characters of the Bible, as even those with a limited knowledge of the Bible will recognize the name and maybe have some idea of who Herod was. One of the most popular stories, known even to non-Christians, is "Herod's slaying of the Innocents," a gruesome part of the Christmas story. Others who may know a little bit more about the Bible will know of the accounts of Herod and John the Baptist, Herod and Jesus, Herod who was eaten by worms and maybe even Herod and Paul. Although Herod doesn't appear in the Bible very often, it is at critical junctures in New Testament history that readers come across the name, and a casual reader of the Bible might incorrectly assume that each time the name "Herod" is mentioned, the Bible is referring to the same person. In fact, there were actually six different people in the New Testament who were part of this dynasty of "Herods." From before the birth of Christ until the destruction of Jerusalem, the Herodian Dynasty was the ruling family in Palestine. The family of Herod came from Idumea, so they were considered by some Jews to not be qualified to sit on the throne of David in Jerusalem. However, the close connections of the family with the current Roman emperors and those who were to become emperors kept them in power for almost 100 years. The dynasty started with a celebrated war hero and ended with strong rumors of an incestuous relationship between brother and sister. The power struggles among the aristocracy and the discontent of the populace also characterized the political scene behind the events of New Testament Palestine. The Kingdom of Herod the Great: The History of the Herodian Dynasty in Ancient Israel During the Life of Jesus looks at the life and dynasty of the Judean client king through both Scripture and historical analysis. Along with pictures and a bibliography, you will learn about Herod the Great's dynasty like never before, in no time at all.

De todos los pueblos del antiguo cercano oriente, los fenicios est n entre los m s reconocidos, pero quiz s tambi n entre los menos comprendidos. Los fenicios nunca construyeron un imperio como los egipcios y los asirios; de hecho, los fenicios nunca crearon un estado fenicio nico, en cambio existieron como ciudades-estados que eran reinos independientes, dispersos por toda la regi n del Mediterr neo. Sin embargo, a pesar del hecho de que nunca hubo un "imperio fenicio', los fenicios se mostraron m s prol ficos en su exploraci n y colonizaci n que ning n otro pueblo en la historia universal hasta los espa oles en la poca del descubrimiento. Los fenicios fueron bien conocidos a lo largo de muchas civilizaciones en todo el mundo antiguo y su influencia se puede apreciar en muchos lugares del occidente hoy en d a porque a ellos se les atribuye la invenci n del precursor del alfabeto griego, del que se deriv directamente el alfabeto latino. Sin embargo, los fenicios dejaron pocos textos escritos, de manera que los historiadores modernos se han visto forzados a reconstruir su pasado por medio de una variedad de antiguas fuentes egipcias, asirias, babilonias, griegas y romanas. No es ni siquiera claro c mo se llamaron a s mismos los fenicios, porque el nombre "fenicio" se deriva de la palabra griega "phoinix", que se refiere posiblemente a los tintes que ellos produc an y comerciaban (Markoe 2000, 10). El misterio de los antiguos fenicios se complica m s por el hecho de que los arque logos han sido capaces de excavar solo peque as secciones de las tres m s importantes ciudades fenicias: Biblos, Sid n y Tiro. Durante siglos, la ciudad portuaria de Sid n sirvi como la capital de Fenicia, como el centro administrativo de su red comercial mar tima, y el centro sagrado de uno de los cultos religiosos m s populares del Levante. Localizada en el sur de Fenicia, aproximadamente 30 millas al sur de Beirut, la capital actual de El L bano, el asentamiento tiene una narrativa que se extiende hasta las profundidades de la prehistoria. Los restos arqueol gicos m s antiguos datan de la segunda mitad del cuarto milenio A. C. Lo mismo que con otras ciudades fenicias, la historia de Sid n fluctu constantemente entre la libertad y la sujeci n. Su posici n geogr fica privilegiada sobre la costa fue la causa de su desarrollo comercial y su apertura a culturas for neas, pero por eso mismo la pr spera ciudad fue codiciada por numerosos conquistadores. La ciudad pas por la influencia sucesiva de Egipto, Tiro, la vecina ciudad-estado fenicia, y finalmente floreci bajo el gobierno de Persia como sede de un s trapa para toda la regi n del ufrates. El rey persa hizo uso con frecuencia de la renombrada flota sidonia durante sus campa as militares, y los reyes de Sid n fueron ampliamente recompensados por sus servicios. Durante las campa as de Alejandro Magno, Sid n abri sus puertas al joven macedonio, que decidi deponer la duradera dinast a de los reyes sidonios. Se convirti luego en el campo de batalla entre los califatos rabes y los cruzados europeos en la Edad Media en un conflicto que de muchas maneras sigue hasta nuestros d as dando forma a la regi n. Como muchas otras ciudades del Levante, Sid n ha sido habitada sin interrupci n por siglos, y a pesar de las transformaciones tra das por m ltiples civilizaciones que sucedieron a los fenicios, la ciudad mantuvo completamente una identidad antigua y un car cter original hasta el per odo moderno. De todas maneras, mucha de su antigua historia sigue envuelta en el misterio, no solo por la falta de una excavaci n arqueol gica sistem tica, sino tambi n porque mucho de su patrimonio se ha perdido como consecuencia de los conflictos y del saqueo de los buscadores de tesoros a lo largo de los siglos 19 y 20. En la actualidad, una gran cantidad de los activos arqueol gicos de Sid n son propiedad de colecciones de mus

*Includes pictures *Includes accounts of the invasion and occupation written by Japanese and Chinese officers and civilians *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents Though scarcely mentioned in the world of early 21st century politics, Manchuria represented a key region of Asia during the first half of the 20th century. Once the heartland of the fierce Manchu empire, this northeastern Chinese region's rich natural resources made it a prize for nations in the process of entering the modern age, and three ambitious nations in the midst of such a transformation lay close enough to Manchuria to attempt to claim it: Japan, Russia, and China. For countries attempting to shake off their feudal past and enter a dynamic era of industrialization, Manchuria's resources presented an irresistible lure. With immense natural resources coupled to economic activity more concentrated than elsewhere in China, this region, abutting Mongolia, Korea, the Yellow Sea, and the Great Wall "accounted for 90 percent of China's oil, 70 percent of its iron, 55 percent of its gold, and 33 percent of its trade. If Shanghai remained China's commercial center, by 1931 Manchuria had become its industrial center." (Paine, 2012, 15). Thus, it's not altogether surprising that Japan's invasion of Manchuria in 1931 resulted from a long, complex chain of historical events stretching back to the late 19th century. Approximately 380,000 square miles in extent, or 1.4 times the size of the American state of Texas, Manchuria came into Imperial Russia's possession in 1900 due to the "Boxer Rebellion" in China, but the Russians held it only briefly; their defeat in the Russo-Japanese War shook loose their control from important parts of Manchuria by the end of 1905. The Japanese gained two important footholds in Manchuria thanks to their victory. One consisted of Port Arthur (renamed Ryojun by the Japanese), an economically and strategically vital harbor city on the Liaodung Peninsula, plus the peninsula itself. The other comprised the South Manchurian Railway, which the Russians gave to the Japanese as a prize of war, in lieu of a cash indemnity. The Japanese subsequently formed the South Manchurian Railway Company, mostly owned by the Japanese Army, and Japanese civilians began investing heavily in Manchuria's lucrative industries. Tens of thousands of entrepreneurs flooded into Manchuria, greatly strengthening Japan's interests in the area. The Japanese Army stepped up their presence in this economically vital region, creating a quasi-independent military force and government known as the "Kwantung Army." Naturally, the Chinese also wanted their portion of the tempting Manchurian feast. Unable to go head to head with the organized, thoroughly militaristic Japanese, they sent some 6 million emigrant laborers and settlers into the area as a sort of "demographic occupation." Nominally Chinese but subject to massive Japanese investment and military infiltration, filled with bandits and rival chieftains, Manchuria hovered on the brink of another conflict in the 1920s. The Kwantung Army deliberately shoved it over that brink in 1931, and the Japanese invasion and occupation of Manchuria is sometimes described as the true beginning of World War II. At the very least, it marked the expansion of Japan's imperial empire, its ongoing friction with China, and what would turn into a Chinese resistance campaign that would last nearly 15 years until the end of World War II. Given its importance, the invasion of Manchuria continues to be remembered as one of the seminal events of the 20th century. The Japanese Invasion of Manchuria: The History of the Occupation of Northeastern China that Presaged World War II examines the important events in northeastern China. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the invasion of Manchuria like never before.

*Includes pictures *Profiles the leaders and tactics of the battles *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents "King Edward told me in all the battles which he had won, as soon as he had gained victory, he mounted his horse and shouted to his men that they must spare the common soldiers and kill the lords of which none or few escaped." - Philippe de Commines Today, roses are a sign of love and luxury, but for over 30 years, they provided the symbols for two houses at war for control of England. Thousands of people died and many more were injured fighting beneath the white rose of York and the red rose of Lancaster, and the noble families ruling England tore each other apart in a struggle that was as bitter as it was bloody. Though what followed was a period of strong rule under the Tudors monarchs, it ultimately came at a terrible cost, and even then, it was through Elizabeth of York that the Tudor line received its legitimacy. After all, while Henry VII won his throne in battle, Elizabeth of York was the daughter of King Edward IV of England, a Yorkist monarch. Despite their limited social and economic impact, the political and personal dramas of the Wars of the Roses have ensured that they are well remembered and still part of the popular imagination. The most famous depictions of the period came from Shakespeare, whose earliest plays included Richard III and the three parts of Henry VI. Naturally, Shakespeare dramatized the tensions of what he presented as hugely destructive events, and his account, which showed the damage done by corruption and weak rule, and which turned Richard III into a popular villain, aimed to please the Tudor dynasty still in power at the time. Of course, it also played to a popular interest in high drama and the sort of personal and political conflicts that lay at the heart of the war. Meanwhile, excitement over the real history of the period reached a peak in late 2012 and early 2013 when Richard III's long-lost remains were found by archaeologists. The once proud king was found beneath a parking lot after the church in which he had been buried had been destroyed. This provoked a new rash of books about Richard, as well as a dispute over where his remains should be reburied. Centuries later, passions can still run high about the House of York. The Wars of the Roses are brought more literally to life by the hundreds of people who dress up in military costumes of the period and refight its battles in displays every summer. Both politically dramatic and visually interesting, the Wars of the Roses are one of the most popular periods for British reenactments. However, the most popular cultural response to the Wars of the Roses is not a work of history or historical fiction but one of fantasy; George R R Martin's Game of Thrones books, and their TV adaptation, are hugely influenced by the Wars of the Roses. Martin has taken the core of the conflict - a political and personal struggle between two medieval dynasties - and depicted it on an epic scale. Though his version contains monsters and magic, it also contains many incidents based on those of the war, as well as characters based on its protagonists, most notably the noble houses of Stark and Lannister. The Wars of the Roses may have ended centuries ago, but they clearly remain fascinating to this day. The Wars of the Roses: The History of the Conflicts that Brought the Tudors to Power in England traces the history of the crucial civil war between the Lancasters and Yorks. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Wars of the Roses like never before, in no time at all.

*Includes pictures *Includes Beckwourth's quotes about his life *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading "Jim Beckwourth, who knew, said that though the Indian could never become a white man, the white man lapsed easily into an Indian." - Bernard DeVoto, The Year of Decision: 1846 Explorers, soldiers, and settlers of African-American heritage comprise an unfamiliar story to most students of American history. However, in the push westward, they were present in sufficient numbers to exert great influence on the nation's development. Among the earliest accounts is that of Isabel de Olvera, who settled in New Mexico around the year of 1600, and it is estimated that by 1750, 25% of Albuquerque's population shared discernible African ancestry. York, the well-known servant of Lewis and Clark, accompanied the legendary expedition under the auspices of the Jefferson administration, and Edward Rose traveled up the Missouri River in the same era. Within just a few years, Pio Pico became the governor of California, and George Bush became one of the first African-Americans to travel the Oregon Trail, opening that route to a flood of settlers over a 10-year period. In parallel with these individuals came a number of African-American frontiersmen who participated in the exploration of the Western terrain, said to have numbered in the dozens. Needless to say, such a career was an unusual destiny for those who "emerged from the system of slavery." Emancipation for an American slave generally involved a dangerous and illegal trek on foot toward the north, or through the Underground Railroad network operating between states east of the Mississippi. Given the illiteracy rates of the day, few tangible accounts of such journeys have survived, but one glaring exception is that of James Pierson Beckwourth, the only known African American mountain man to leave behind a detailed, if somewhat sensationalistic, account of his travels. In a journey spanning over half a century, Beckwourth tried his hand at virtually every line of work related to Western life. He served as a soldier, explored a vast range of territory as a mountain man, and worked as a scout and guide. In later years, he lived as an entrepreneurial merchant, professional card player, and as a skilled horse thief for both Indian tribes and the U. S. Army. Perhaps most unique of all was Beckwourth's relations with Native American tribes. Adapting himself to the culture of several tribes of the Plains and the Southwest, and employing a particular charm and prowess in battle, he was adopted by the Crow nation. In their society, Beckwourth rose to the level of War Chief, and he lived with the tribe for several years. Hailing from a largely anonymous slave culture, Beckwourth was in a perpetual search for personal fame throughout his life, and to some degree, he found it, thanks to the "autobiography" personally dictated to author T. D. Bonner, who recast the frontiersman's lasting legacy as that of a "black Daniel Boone." His resulting reputation thrived alongside famed Western characters such as Kit Carson, Jedediah Smith, Pierre Vasquez, and Jim Bridger. Jim Beckwourth: The Life and Legacy of the Former Slave Who Became One of America's Most Famous Mountain Men examines the legendary career of one of the most unique figures in the history of the American West. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Jim Beckwourth like never before.

Se conoce como la Era de la Prohibici n en Estados Unidos al periodo que va de 1920 a 1933, pero sus antecedentes y legado son tan extensos, que sin duda el tema corre adherido a lo largo de toda la historia del pa s, desde sus primeros a os como naci n independiente hasta la actualidad. Durante trece a os se intent convertir por la fuerza a todo un pa s en una naci n de no bebedores; fue el reventar de un ola que se hab a ido formando lentamente hasta explotar en 1920, y una vez pasada, sus efectos continuaron sinti ndose durante el resto del siglo XX. Incluso hoy en d a, la prohibici n del alcohol en el pa s consagrado a la libertad sigue teniendo lecciones importantes que ense arnos. La 18a Enmienda que convirti la iniciativa en ley constitucional, y el Acta Volstead que pormenorizaba su aplicaci n, no surgieron de la nada; no fue una ocurrencia electoral ni una batalla r pida y sorpresiva de un grupo de inter s que tom al otro desprevenido. En realidad la Ley Seca fue el resultado de casi un siglo de adoctrinamiento y lucha entre dos posturas pol ticas y sobre todo morales: la de quienes apoyaban la Prohibici n, los llamados "secos", y quienes se opon an a ella, en parte por considerar que no era incumbencia del gobierno condicionar la libertad de la persona, los llamados "h medos". Los primeros cre an que la prohibici n de licores, bebidas embriagantes y salones (o cantinas) era una medida necesaria para erradicar los grandes males que ya eran parte de la vida de la naci n: esposos embriagados y violentos, accidentes laborales debido al alcoholismo, hogares destrozados, esposas maltratadas y patrimonio familiar echado a volar en un solo d a. Los h medos defend an una industria leg tima que brindaba empleos e impuestos; les preocupaban los grandes intereses econ micos que se ver an afectados; recordaban el respeto a la sacrosanta libertad individual y sobre todo, hac an notar lo extra o que era que el gobierno determinara lo que alguien pod a ingerir o no. Especialmente porque, desde el inicio, el alcohol hab a sido parte inseparable de la cultura norteamericana: desde los salones del Lejano Oeste, los campos de uva de los valles de California, las mesas de los hogares de todo el pa s, hasta las cantinas de las grandes ciudades donde la clase trabajadora se reun a para hablar sobre pol tica. Ello sin tomar en cuenta otros mbitos en los que la cultura del vino resultaba un elemento esencial: el desarrollo de las artes -sobre todo la m sica y la literatura-, la cohesi n social y la econom a.