Charles River

*Includes historic illustrations of Every and important people, places, and events in his life. *Includes a profile of Every from the famous English pirate history "A General History of the Pyrates". *Discusses common legends about Every and his career. *Includes a Bibliography for further reading. "NONE of these bold Adventurers were ever so much talked of, for a while, as Avery; he made as great a Noise in the World as Meriveis does now, and was looked upon to be a Person of as great Consequence." - Captain Charles Johnson, A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the most notorious Pyrates The people who have lived outside the boundaries of normal societies and refused to play by the rules have long fascinated the world, and nowhere is this more evident than the continuing interest in the pirates of centuries past. As the subjects of books, movies, and even theme park rides, people continue to let their imaginations go when it comes to pirates, with buried treasure, parrots, and walking the plank all ingrained in pop culture's perception of them. Charles River Editors' Legendary Pirates series covers the lives, piracy, legends, myths, and legacies of history's most famous pirates. The Golden Age of Piracy generally refers to the era when history's most famous pirates roamed the seas of the West Indies from 1670-1720, engaging in colorfully daring and oftentimes murderous attacks on any ship they felt emboldened enough to take on. And it is no coincidence that while the end of the Golden Age was marked by the death of Blackbeard, the beginning of it was marked by the rise of Henry Every. Though Every is no longer as well-remembered as the likes of Blackbeard or Black Bart, in his day he was the "King of Pirates", and he is recognized as blazing the trail and setting the gold standard for the pirates that followed him. In addition to popularizing the famous skull and crossbones logo that would become the most famous pirate flag, Every conducted what is considered the most profitable pirate raid in history, leading to what is considered the first worldwide manhunt in history when the English put a large bounty on his head. As amazing as Every's pirate career was, the most incredible part about it was that he survived it. In fact, Every's one of the few famous pirates to ever actually retire, or at least so it's believed. A year after conducting the raid that netted him over half a million pounds, Every dropped off the historical record, and while speculation swirls as to what actually became of him, what is known is that he never met his fate at the hands of English authorities or any of the other sworn enemies he had made during his piracy. Legendary Pirates: The Life and Legacy of Henry Every looks at the life and legends of the famous pirate, attempting to separate fact from fiction while analyzing his lasting legacy. Along with pictures depicting Every and important people, places, and events in his life, you will learn about the famous pirate like you never have before, in no time at all.

*Includes pictures of important places and historic art depicting Athena and other Greek gods and goddesses. *Explains the historical origins of the goddess and the mythological tales about her. *Includes a Bibliography for further reading. "I begin to sing of Pallas Athene, the glorious goddess, bright-eyed, inventive, unbending of heart, pure virgin, saviour of cities, courageous, Tritogeneia. From his awful head wise Zeus himself bare her arrayed in warlike arms of flashing gold, and awe seized all the gods as they gazed. But Athena sprang quickly from the immortal head and stood before Zeus who holds the aegis, shaking a sharp spear: great Olympus began to reel horribly at the might of the bright-eyed goddess, and earth round about cried fearfully, and the sea was moved and tossed with dark waves, while foam burst forth suddenly..." - "The Hymn To Athena", attributed to Homer For the ancient Greeks, there were few divine beings more important, and more generous, to humanity than the goddess Athena, who was also called "Pallas," "Pallas Athena" and (to the Romans) "Minerva." The daughter of Zeus, Athena was famous as a virgin warrior woman who was born from her father's skull bearing a helmet, shield and spear, but she was far more than simply a warrior goddess. She was at heart the patronage of civilization and all of the arts that made advanced human society possible. She was the mistress of weaving, navigation, craftsmanship, and she gave her patronage to defensive wars, wise laws, and the "city" itself. Since the city-state, known as a "Polis" by the Greeks, was the center of Ancient Greek life, law and politics, this made her all the more important as a deity, especially since she lent her name to one of the most famous of them all: Athens. The pervasive nature of her influence in the Greeks' everyday life has ensured that Athena remains one of the most instantly recognizable goddesses. She is mentioned in diverse works like Hesiod's Theogony, Homer's Iliad and Odyssey and several of Plato's philosophical texts. These works shine light on what contemporary Greeks said about their goddess and how they understood the relationship she had with humanity. At the same time, there were temples, festivals, and everyday forms of worship that the Greeks dedicated to her. What did the worship of this goddess provide for her worshipers? How did belief in her existence fulfill their spiritual needs? How was she different from other members of the Greek pantheon? This book explores the figure of Athena, including her origins, the stories told about her, the way she was worshiped and how she is remembered today. Along with pictures and a bibliography, you will learn about the Greek goddess like you never have before, in no time at all.

*Includes pictures of famous art depicting Caligula, Nero and important people, places, and events. *Discusses the facts and legends surrounding Caligula's madness and the excesses of his turbulent reign. *Describes ancient accounts of Nero's reign, including the murder of his mother, the Great Fire of Rome, and his suicide. *Includes a bibliography for further reading. *Includes Suetonius's accounts of the lives of Caligula and Nero Given how bad some of Rome's emperors were, it's a testament to just how insane and reviled Caligula was that he is still remembered nearly 2,000 years later as the epitome of everything that could be wrong with a tyrant. The Romans had high hopes for him after he succeeded Tiberius in 37 A. D., and by all accounts he was a noble and just ruler during his first few months in power. But after that, he suffered some sort of mysterious illness that apparently rendered him insane. Indeed, the list of Caligula's strange actions is long. Among other things, Caligula began appearing in public dressed as gods and goddesses, and his incest, sexual perversion, and thirst for blood were legendary at the time, difficult accomplishments considering Roman society was fairly accustomed to and tolerant of such things. In fact, the Romans were so taken aback by some of Caligula's behavior that historians catalogued some of his strangest antics. Suetonius wrote that as Caligula's relationship with the Senate deteriorated, he ordered that Incitatus be made a member of the Roman Senate and a Consul. Incitatus, Latin for "swift," was Caligula's favorite horse. But far from simply being a way to stick it to the Senate, Caligula invited guests to dine with Incitatus and had the horse's stables made of marble, suggesting Caligula was simply mentally unstable himself. In 41 A. D., the Praetorian Guard turned on Caligula and assassinated him. Caligula's reign was so traumatic to the Romans that they even considered restoring the Republic, but military officials ultimately installed Claudius, the only male left in the Julian family line, as emperor. Claudius's short reign was followed by Caligula's nephew Nero, a man whose excesses sometimes made Caligula seem tame. Nero ranks among the very worst of the Caesars, alongside the likes of mad Caligula, slothful Commodus, and paranoid Domitian, a figure so hated that, in many ancient Christian traditions, he is literally considered the Antichrist. According to a notable Biblical scholar, the coming of the Beast and the number 666 in the Book of Revelation are references to Nero. He was the man who famously "fiddled while Rome burned", an inveterate lecher, a murderous tyrant who showed little compunction in murdering his mother and who liked to use Christian martyrs as a source of illumination at night by burning them alive. His economic policies, according to many historians, virtually bankrupted Rome. Even his appearance, apparently, was unattractive. His busts show him to be fleshy-faced, with a weak chin that he attempted to disguise with a distinctly unprepossessing beard, and according to Suetionius he was also spotty, stinking, pot-bellied and thin-legged - not a pretty picture. The best known accounts of Nero come from biographers like Tacitus, Cassius Dio, Suetionius and Josephus, but there are also indications that, to some extent, reports of Nero's cruelty were exaggerated. Nero was popular with the common people and much of the army, and during his reign the Empire enjoyed a period of remarkable peace and stability. Many historians, including some of his ancient biographers - such as Josephus - suggest that there existed a strong bias against Nero. Caligula & Nero profile the lives, crimes, and excesses of the two notorious emperors. Along with pictures and ancient accounts, you will learn about Rome's most famously bad emperors like never before.

*Discusses all of the colorful quotes and legends about the battle but also analyzes what is historical fact and what is apocryphal fiction. *Explains Thermopylae's legacy from both historical and cultural standpoints. *Includes pictures of Thermopylae and historic art depicting Greek and Persian leaders and soldiers. *Includes a Bibliography for further reading. "Although extraordinary valor was displayed by the entire corps of Spartans and Thespians, yet bravest of all was declared the Spartan Dienekes. It is said that on the eve of battle, he was told by a native of Trachis that the Persian archers were so numerous that their arrows would block out the sun. Dienekes, however, undaunted by this prospect, remarked with a laugh, 'Good. Then we will fight in the shade..." - Herodotus The names of history's most famous battles still ring in our ears today, their influence immediately understood by all. Marathon lent its name to the world's most famous race, but it also preserved Western civilization during the First Persian War. Saratoga, won by one of the colonists' most renowned war heroes before he became his nation's most vile traitor. Hastings ensured the Normans' success in England and changed the course of British history. Waterloo, which marked the reshaping of the European continent and Napoleon's doom, has now become part of the English lexicon. In Charles River Editors' Greatest Battles in History series, readers can get caught up to speed on history's greatest battles in the time it takes to finish a commute, while learning interesting facts long forgotten or never known. 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. Though there was another contingent of Greeks fighting alongside them, Thermopylae is remembered for the stand of the 300 Spartans, who, with no compulsion binding them, chose to fight and die in the remote mountain pass against insurmountable odds. Their story has been told in literature, art, film, and even in graphic novels. But the battle was more than the ultimate self-sacrifice, the embodiment of the famous statement that "greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends". It was also a veritable clash of civilizations, and one that, though in and of itself it was a defeat, helped set the stage for the eventual Greek victory that might very well have changed the course of history. It was a showdown between various Greek city-states, including Sparta and democratic Athens, against the autocratic, absolutist Persian Empire. Had the Persians triumphed, the Golden Age of Athens would have been snuffed out, and Ancient Greece would never have formed the backbone of Roman and Western culture. Simply put, the West as we know it today might never have existed. The Greatest Battles of History: The Battle of Thermopylae separates the facts from the legends to explain who fought the battle, how the battle was fought, and the results and aftermath of the battle. Along with art depicting important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Battle of Thermopylae like you never have before, in no time at all.

*Includes pictures *Includes contemporary accounts of the company and its expeditions *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading When Queen Elizabeth arrived in Lower Fort Garry, Manitoba in 1970, she was, like many foreign leaders, greeted with a reception and offered tokens by her hosts. What was different about this occasion, however, were the gifts offered: live elk and beaver. In the long-standing tradition of the Hudson's Bay Company, should the King or Queen arrive in the lands governed by the charter King Charles II granted in 1660, he or she would be presented with two elk and two beavers by Company officials. Only Queen Elizabeth and her father had the opportunity to take advantage of this part of the charter's clauses, but the royal houses of Britain had benefitted from the rule of the Hudson's Bay Company for hundreds of years beforehand. Britain had grown rich on the profits brought into the country from across the seas in North America. Ironically, however, the 300-year relationship between the British Crown and the Hudson's Bay Company may never have developed without the mistakes of the rival French government in relation to their own adventurers. After the Englishman Henry Hudson, under the aegis of the Dutch East India Company, sailed by Manhattan in 1609, he returned home with good news and bad news. Like the other explorers before him, he hadn't been able to find a water route to the Orient. He had, however, returned with maps (confiscated by the English) and beaver pelts. With that, it became clear that the region around the bay that would take Hudson's name was a very promising new territory for trade and settlement, which would become a serious bone of contention between the Dutch and the English for the rest of the century. In 1614, another Dutch East India merchant, Adriaen Block, entered through the narrows of the East River between Queens and Randall's Island, a difficult and dangerous passage that later sank numerous ships and that Block named Hell's Gate (Hellegat). The European world would know the name "Manhates" when Block returned to the Netherlands with new and improved maps. After that further exploration, the Dutch returned to build settlements on the southern tip of Manhattan and elsewhere, and by 1626 trade was brisk both between the Native Americans and the European settlers and between the settlers and their mother countries. In 1652, England and the Netherlands were at war, but heavy losses on both sides hurried the prospect of peace. Nevertheless, the two countries' representatives in the New World were increasingly hostile toward each other, even though they were an ocean away from the main belligerents. The Puritans of New England were said to be intent on attacking Manhattan, so preparations were made in New Amsterdam. A wall would be erected at New Amsterdam's northern border, at a cost of 5,000 guilders, with the labor being cheaply supplied by slaves. Made of 15 foot planks, bastions, cannons, and two gates (one at the corner of present-day Wall and Pearl, the other at Wall and Broadway), the location of the wall would become not a barrier to invasion but the center of the financial world. In the end, the diversity of New Amsterdam helped assure that the people would rather become part of New York City than lose everything. The Dutch briefly reclaimed the city, but the tide had turned, and New York became an English settlement. The English would then use that toehold, and similar settlements across the Northeast, as bases for trade, and the Hudson's Bay Company would be one of the most influential actors in the New World. Even over 300 years later, the company still exists, albeit in a very different form than what it was originally intended to do.

*Includes pictures *Includes contemporary accounts of the company and its expeditions *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading When Queen Elizabeth arrived in Lower Fort Garry, Manitoba in 1970, she was, like many foreign leaders, greeted with a reception and offered tokens by her hosts. What was different about this occasion, however, were the gifts offered: live elk and beaver. In the long-standing tradition of the Hudson's Bay Company, should the King or Queen arrive in the lands governed by the charter King Charles II granted in 1660, he or she would be presented with two elk and two beavers by Company officials. Only Queen Elizabeth and her father had the opportunity to take advantage of this part of the charter's clauses, but the royal houses of Britain had benefitted from the rule of the Hudson's Bay Company for hundreds of years beforehand. Britain had grown rich on the profits brought into the country from across the seas in North America. Ironically, however, the 300-year relationship between the British Crown and the Hudson's Bay Company may never have developed without the mistakes of the rival French government in relation to their own adventurers. After the Englishman Henry Hudson, under the aegis of the Dutch East India Company, sailed by Manhattan in 1609, he returned home with good news and bad news. Like the other explorers before him, he hadn't been able to find a water route to the Orient. He had, however, returned with maps (confiscated by the English) and beaver pelts. With that, it became clear that the region around the bay that would take Hudson's name was a very promising new territory for trade and settlement, which would become a serious bone of contention between the Dutch and the English for the rest of the century. In 1614, another Dutch East India merchant, Adriaen Block, entered through the narrows of the East River between Queens and Randall's Island, a difficult and dangerous passage that later sank numerous ships and that Block named Hell's Gate (Hellegat). The European world would know the name "Manhates" when Block returned to the Netherlands with new and improved maps. After that further exploration, the Dutch returned to build settlements on the southern tip of Manhattan and elsewhere, and by 1626 trade was brisk both between the Native Americans and the European settlers and between the settlers and their mother countries. In 1652, England and the Netherlands were at war, but heavy losses on both sides hurried the prospect of peace. Nevertheless, the two countries' representatives in the New World were increasingly hostile toward each other, even though they were an ocean away from the main belligerents. The Puritans of New England were said to be intent on attacking Manhattan, so preparations were made in New Amsterdam. A wall would be erected at New Amsterdam's northern border, at a cost of 5,000 guilders, with the labor being cheaply supplied by slaves. Made of 15 foot planks, bastions, cannons, and two gates (one at the corner of present-day Wall and Pearl, the other at Wall and Broadway), the location of the wall would become not a barrier to invasion but the center of the financial world. In the end, the diversity of New Amsterdam helped assure that the people would rather become part of New York City than lose everything. The Dutch briefly reclaimed the city, but the tide had turned, and New York became an English settlement. The English would then use that toehold, and similar settlements across the Northeast, as bases for trade, and the Hudson's Bay Company would be one of the most influential actors in the New World. Even over 300 years later, the company still exists, albeit in a very different form than what it was originally intended to do.

*Includes pictures *Profiles the art departments and most famous works *Profiles the history of the site from medieval times to the present day *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading "Keep good company - that is, go to the Louvre." - Paul Cezanne The Louvre: The very name conjures up scenes of art and elegance, and of long halls filled with beauty and people strolling through them whispering quietly among themselves about the glories they are witnessing. Even those who have never been to the Louvre know some of its most prized possessions, from ancient statues to Leonardo Da Vinci's "Mona Lisa". As the world's largest museum, the Louvre is unquestionably the cultural highpoint of Paris, a city that has long been considered the cultural center of Europe. However, life is rarely as simple as one imagines, and the life of the Louvre is no different. While just about everyone is familiar with its history as an art museum, the Louvre's history goes back over 800 years, and it used to have far different purposes, both as a medieval fortress and a palatial residence for French kings. The Louvre bore witness to mass murder during the French Revolution, and there have been countless accusations of theft and other questionable actions since its opening. Furthermore, the museum is also a classic example of beating one's swords into ploughshares, for it has been largely stocked through the conquests of war. Its first collection was put on display by a king who wanted to share his personal art collection with his subjects. Following the French Revolution, the Louvre became a place of ascetic refuge, where those burdened by daily life could go, often at no cost, and visit some of the most beautiful pieces of art in the world. While the power hungry Napoleon made war across the continent, he was also always on the lookout for beautiful and interesting items to send home to his people. Later, when rioters attempted to burn the building down, the museum portion of the palace survived, almost by miracle, and when the Nazis occupied Paris, they found that most of the items of value had been safely sent away. Ironically, when World War II was over, the museum became a safehouse for items stolen by the Germans from around the world, and a conduit to get the pieces back to their rightful owners. Even now, in the 21st century, the museum is serving as a bridge to peace and understanding; its latest gallery was designed to showcase Islamic art in the hope of bringing together people from different cultures. This is, to say the least, quite a change of pace for a fortress originally intended to fight off invaders. The Louvre: The History and Legacy of the World's Most Famous Art Museum chronicles the remarkable history of the museum and highlights some of its most important pieces. Along with pictures depicting important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Louvre like never before.

*Includes pictures*Includes contemporary accounts of the insurrections*Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading Even as the young United States successfully secured its independence, the new nation was beset by problems. The drafters of the Articles of Confederation had deliberately avoided giving the national legislature the power to tax, because Parliament had so abused that authority against the colonies, but this proved to be a severe limitation on the national government. Besides hampering the Continental Army, the inability of the national government to raise revenue made foreign policy difficult. Under the Articles of Confederation, the Congress was also completely unable to pay any of the debts it incurred to foreign powers during the Revolutionary War. Though allied powers had lent to the American government on favorable terms and no repayment was expected until the end of hostilities, the hope of ever paying national debts without a national government that could tax was slim. In particular, the prospect of the new nation defaulting on its loans from France led to the end of the Articles of Confederation. To top it all off, the Articles of Confederation also had no judiciary or executive branch. Therefore, laws passed by the Congress could not be enforced by the national government: the enforcement of laws was left to the mercy of the states. Likewise, there was no national judiciary to decide disputes over national law. The series of riots known collectively as Shays' Rebellion began during the earliest years of American independence and were led by men who were, by their very nature, rebels. Unlike most countries in the world, 18th century America was made up of people who believed in change, and who were willing to leave their homelands and strike out for the unknown to find it. The men who had just years earlier participated in the American Revolution were not afraid to break down a government they did not like; indeed, many of them reveled in it. When Massachusetts enacted laws that Shays and others didn't like, the rebels had no qualms about taking up arms, and while the rebellion was eventually put down, changes were made to prevent similar problems in the future. Out of this came peace, order, and more freedom. As Secretary of Treasury, Alexander Hamilton was looking for ways to shore up the young nation's finances and pay off the debts incurred by the Revolution. At the same time, he believed in strengthening the federal government vis- -vis the states, which would eventually make him a leader of the Federalist party but also compel him to push for a tax on distillers of alcohol, many of whom took their excess corn and grain crops and produced liquors. Ironically, Hamilton came up with the idea of this tax to avoid more direct forms of taxation, and because he didn't think it would be difficult to collect. What Hamilton didn't consider was just how ubiquitous the production of whiskey and other liquors were on the frontier, where they were often used as a form of currency itself. In addition to being upset at this new tax, Westerners believed it was disproportionately aimed at them because Americans still residing on the East Coast weren't as reliant on the production of whiskey. In 1794, violence actually broke out, and with the tax opponents numbering in the thousands, President Washington himself felt compelled to raise a militia force and personally lead it to deal with the rebels, the only time an American president actually led soldiers in the field. Ultimately, no pitched battle took place once the militia was marched into western Pennsylvania, but dozens were arrested and tried for treason in the wake of the episode.

*Includes pictures *Includes contemporary accounts and descriptions of the natural wonders *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading Even for those who have never seen it, the Grand Canyon is perhaps the most appreciated and remarkable feature of the American landscape. Indeed, the Grand Canyon has been amazing Americans since explorers first started venturing into the area in the mid-19th century. On one expedition, May Humphreys Stacey wrote in his journal of "a wonderful canyon four thousand feet deep. Everyone (in the party) admitted that he never before saw anything to match or equal this astonishing natural curiosity." Cut through by the Colorado River over the course of millions of years, the Grand Canyon is a popular destination spot that attracts millions of tourists annually, and what they come to see can be found nowhere else on the planet. Whether they ride donkeys across steep ledges or visit old Pueblo settlements in the area (which the natives themselves considered a holy site), awe-inspiring spectacles abound. As Jack Schmitt put it, "It's like trying to describe what you feel when you're standing on the rim of the Grand Canyon or remembering your first love or the birth of your child. You have to be there to really know what it's like." North America is full of natural wonders, but few inspire as much awe as Niagara Falls, the continent's most famous waterfalls. Comprised of three separate waterfalls (Horseshoe Falls, American Falls, and Bridal Veil Falls), Niagara's falls can boast of the fastest flow rate in the world, dropping 6 million cubic feet of water every minute from as high as 185 feet. Situated on the border between the United States and Canada, Niagara Falls is not just a prime tourist spot but a source of hydroelectric power that attracted scientists like Nikola Tesla who hoped to harness the waterfalls' energy. In fact, Niagara Falls is so powerful that it is eroding the ground under it, to the extent that it will cease to exist in about 50,000 years. Few wonders remain unspoiled by man as much as Yosemite National Park, a 750,000 square acre park near the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Despite being inhabited by people for nearly 3,000 years, the relatively remote spot helped ensure that even as America expanded west, the Yosemite area avoided being settled or exploited like so many other areas on the frontier. Although it is a World Heritage Site and has been visited by millions of people, nearly the entire park remains wilderness, replete with features like waterfalls, giant sequoia groves, mountains, and some of America's most impressive granite cliffs. While Old Faithful and other geysers remain the park's most popular features, Yellowstone offers a vast array of diversity, not only among wildlife but within the land itself. Yellowstone is home to mountains, rivers, canyons, lakes, forests, waterfalls, and North America's largest supervolcano, which remains active underneath Yellowstone Lake. While all of this attracts millions of tourists, Yellowstone is also home to all kinds of animals, from bison to birds, some of which are endangered species protected within the park. Established by President Ulysses S. Grant, Yellowstone is one of America's most ambitious and crucial conservation areas, and nearly 150 years later, officials still try to balance the interests of everyone and everything involved.

*Includes pictures *Includes contemporary accounts and descriptions of the natural wonders *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading Even for those who have never seen it, the Grand Canyon is perhaps the most appreciated and remarkable feature of the American landscape. Indeed, the Grand Canyon has been amazing Americans since explorers first started venturing into the area in the mid-19th century. On one expedition, May Humphreys Stacey wrote in his journal of "a wonderful canyon four thousand feet deep. Everyone (in the party) admitted that he never before saw anything to match or equal this astonishing natural curiosity." Cut through by the Colorado River over the course of millions of years, the Grand Canyon is a popular destination spot that attracts millions of tourists annually, and what they come to see can be found nowhere else on the planet. Whether they ride donkeys across steep ledges or visit old Pueblo settlements in the area (which the natives themselves considered a holy site), awe-inspiring spectacles abound. As Jack Schmitt put it, "It's like trying to describe what you feel when you're standing on the rim of the Grand Canyon or remembering your first love or the birth of your child. You have to be there to really know what it's like." North America is full of natural wonders, but few inspire as much awe as Niagara Falls, the continent's most famous waterfalls. Comprised of three separate waterfalls (Horseshoe Falls, American Falls, and Bridal Veil Falls), Niagara's falls can boast of the fastest flow rate in the world, dropping 6 million cubic feet of water every minute from as high as 185 feet. Situated on the border between the United States and Canada, Niagara Falls is not just a prime tourist spot but a source of hydroelectric power that attracted scientists like Nikola Tesla who hoped to harness the waterfalls' energy. In fact, Niagara Falls is so powerful that it is eroding the ground under it, to the extent that it will cease to exist in about 50,000 years. Few wonders remain unspoiled by man as much as Yosemite National Park, a 750,000 square acre park near the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Despite being inhabited by people for nearly 3,000 years, the relatively remote spot helped ensure that even as America expanded west, the Yosemite area avoided being settled or exploited like so many other areas on the frontier. Although it is a World Heritage Site and has been visited by millions of people, nearly the entire park remains wilderness, replete with features like waterfalls, giant sequoia groves, mountains, and some of America's most impressive granite cliffs. While Old Faithful and other geysers remain the park's most popular features, Yellowstone offers a vast array of diversity, not only among wildlife but within the land itself. Yellowstone is home to mountains, rivers, canyons, lakes, forests, waterfalls, and North America's largest supervolcano, which remains active underneath Yellowstone Lake. While all of this attracts millions of tourists, Yellowstone is also home to all kinds of animals, from bison to birds, some of which are endangered species protected within the park. Established by President Ulysses S. Grant, Yellowstone is one of America's most ambitious and crucial conservation areas, and nearly 150 years later, officials still try to balance the interests of everyone and everything involved.

*Includes pictures*Includes accounts of the plague written by survivors across Europe*Includes a bibliography for further reading"The trend of recent research is pointing to a figure more like 45-50% of the European population dying during a four-year period. There is a fair amount of geographic variation. In Mediterranean Europe, areas such as Italy, the south of France and Spain, where plague ran for about four years consecutively, it was probably closer to 75-80% of the population. In Germany and England ... it was probably closer to 20%.." - Philip Daileader, medieval historianIf it is true that nothing succeeds like success, then it is equally true that nothing challenges like change. People have historically been creatures of habit and curiosity at the same time, two parts of the human condition that constantly conflict with each other. This has always been true, but at certain moments in history it has been abundantly true, especially during the mid-14th century, when a boon in exploration and travel came up against a fear of the unknown. Together, they both introduced the Black Death to Europe and led to mostly incorrect attempts to explain it. The Late Middle Ages had seen a rise in Western Europe's population in previous centuries, but these gains were almost entirely erased as the plague spread rapidly across all of Europe from 1346-1353. With a medieval understanding of medicine, diagnosis, and illness, nobody understood what caused Black Death or how to truly treat it. As a result, many religious people assumed it was divine retribution, while superstitious and suspicious citizens saw a nefarious human plot involved and persecuted certain minority groups among them. Though it is now widely believed that rats and fleas spread the disease by carrying the bubonic plague westward along well-established trade routes, and there are now vaccines to prevent the spread of the plague, the Black Death gruesomely killed upwards of 100 million people, with helpless chroniclers graphically describing the various stages of the disease. It took Europe decades for its population to bounce back, and similar plagues would affect various parts of the world for the next several centuries, but advances in medical technology have since allowed researchers to read various medieval accounts of the Black Death in order to understand the various strains of the disease. Furthermore, the social upheaval caused by the plague radically changed European societies, and some have noted that by the time the plague had passed, the Late Middle Ages would end with many of today's European nations firmly established. The Black Death: The History and Legacy of the Middle Ages' Deadliest Plague chronicles the origins and spread of a plague that decimated Europe and may have wiped out over a third of the continent's population. Along with pictures and a bibliography, you will learn about the Black Death like never before, in no time at all.

*Includes pictures *Includes a Bibliography for further reading. From the "Trail of Tears" to Wounded Knee and Little Bighorn, the narrative of American history is incomplete without the inclusion of the Native Americans that lived on the continent before European settlers arrived in the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the first contact between natives and settlers, tribes like the Sioux, Cherokee, and Navajo have both fascinated and perplexed outsiders with their history, language, and culture. In Charles River Editors' Native American Tribes series, readers can get caught up to speed on the history and culture of North America's most famous native tribes in the time it takes to finish a commute, while learning interesting facts long forgotten or never known. Among all the Native American tribes, the Iroquois peoples are some of the most well documented Native Americans in history. Indigenous to the northeast region of what is now the United States and parts of Canada, they were among some of the earliest contacts Europeans had with the native tribes. And yet they have remained a constant source of mystery. At the same time, the Iroquois are a confederation of several different tribal nations that include the Seneca, Oneida, Onondaga, Mohawk, Cayuga and the Tuscarora. Among these groups, the most famous is the Mohawk, who refer to themselves as Kanien'keh ka ("People of the Place of Flint"), but pop culture has a very different image in mind when it comes to the Mohawk (and the Iroquois as a whole). Those unfamiliar with the group associate them with the conspicuous Mohawk haircut, and images of a warlike people who scalp their enemies are still constantly evoked. The Mohawk were mentioned in James Fenimore Cooper's classic 1826 novel The Last of the Mohicans, an entertaining novel that led to many misconceptions about the Mokawk and continues to do so. That said, European settlers who came into contact with the Mohawks in the Northeast certainly learned to respect their combat skills, to the point that there were literally bounties on the Mohawks' heads, with scalps fetching money for colonists who succeeded in slaying them and carrying away the "battle prize". Both the British and Americans encountered some of their military leaders, who subsequently became well known as portraits were made of them and word of their actions traveled. The Mohawk leader known by the British and Americans as Joseph Brant fought in the Revolution for the British and met men like George Washington and King George III. Native American Tribes: The History and Culture of the Mohawk comprehensively covers the culture and history of the famous group, profiling their origins, their history, and their lasting legacy. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Mohawk like you never have before, in no time at all.