Charles River

*Includes pictures *Includes eyewitness accounts of the Trail of Tears *Includes a Bibliography for further reading. "I fought through the War Between the States and have seen many men shot, but the Cherokee Removal was the cruelest work I ever knew." - Georgia soldier on the Trail of Tears The "Five Civilized Tribes" are among the best known Native American groups in American history, and they were even celebrated by contemporary Americans for their abilities to adapt to white culture. But tragically, they are also well known tribes due to the trials and tribulations they suffered by being forcibly moved west along the "Trail of Tears". Though the Trail of Tears applied to several different tribes, it is most commonly associated today with the Cherokee. The Cherokee began the process of assimilation into European America very early, even before the establishment of the Unites States, but it is unclear what benefits that brought the tribe. Throughout the colonial period and after the American Revolution, the Cherokee struggled to satisfy the whims and desires of American government officials and settlers, often suffering injustices after complying with their desires. Nevertheless, the Cherokee continued to endure, and after being pushed west, they rose from humble origins as refugees new to the southeastern United States to build themselves back up into a powerhouse both economically and militarily. The Cherokee ultimately became the first people of non-European descent to become U. S. citizens en masse, and today the Cherokee Nation is the largest federally recognized tribe in the United States, boasting over 300,000 members. The Creek became known as one of the Five Civilized Tribes for quickly assimilating aspects of European culture, but in response to early European contact, the Muscogee established one of the strongest confederacies in the region. Despite becoming a dominant regional force, however, infighting brought about civil war in the early 19th century, and they were quickly wrapped up in the War of 1812 as well. By the end of that fighting, the Creek were compelled to cede millions of acres of land to the expanding United States, ushering in a new era that found the Creek occupying only a small strip of Alabama by the 1830s. With the Spanish Empire foundering during the mid-19th century, the young United States sought to take possession of Florida. President Andrew Jackson's notorious policy of Indian Removal led to the Seminole Wars in the 1830s, and that was already after General Andrew Jackson had led American soldiers against the Seminole in the First Seminole War a generation earlier. The Seminole Wars ultimately pushed much of the tribe into Oklahoma, and the nature of some of the fighting remains one of the best known aspects of Seminole history among Americans. The Trail of Tears comprehensively covers the history and legacy of the events that brought about the removal of the Southeastern tribes. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Trail of Tears like you never have before, in no time at all.

*Includes pictures of Pompeii, artifacts, and more. *Chronicles the history of Pompeii since the first settlements there nearly 3,000 years ago. *Includes quotes from Pliny the Younger about the eruption of Vesuvius. *Includes a Bibliography for further reading. They come in droves, busloads of tourists shepherded down through modern streets, shops and stalls, past souvenir stands and hordes of local guides offering insight and spectacle. From all across the world they come to the Italian region of Campania, to walk the cobbles of ancient streets, peer at frescoes, marvel at sculptures, and visit the remnants of historic villas, bath-houses and even brothels. In 2003, it was estimated these international visitors contributed some $35 million dollars to the Italian economy. A feature of the Grand Tour, an educational rite of passage for wealthy travelers from the mid-1600s to the mid-1800s, Pompeii has long been a popular destination for tourists; in 2008, an estimated 2.5 million tourists visited it. The type of tourists also changed over time. In 79 A. D., the year Vesuvius erupted, Pompeii was actually the equivalent of a resort town for wealthy Romans. Over 1500 years later, it was only the wealthy elite who could afford to travel, trekking through Italy to examine culture, art and the roots of Western civilization. They sought exposure to the relics of classical antiquity while deepening language skills, broadening aristocratic connections, commissioning paintings and generally mingling with the higher social classes of the Continent. In more contemporary times, increases in the technology of transportation allowed the movement of people from multiple social classes, scales of wealth and cultural backgrounds. The style of traveler has altered, but the attractions of Pompeii have not. Naturally, the main attraction of Pompeii is its time capsule nature, and the way in which it provides a snapshot of life in the past. The study of archaeology can examine varied scales of space and time, examining the long term changes of human material across centuries and continents, or the short term actions of a single event in one small room. Scale varies according to the research questions and the available data, but it goes without saying that it is highly unusual to encounter the material culture of an entire city effectively preserved within a single moment. Ancient Cities: The History of Pompeii comprehensively covers the history of the famous Roman city that was born, destroyed, and reborn again, looking at what life was like in the city before and during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A. D. Along with pictures and a bibliography, you will learn about Pompeii like you never have before, in no time at all.

*Explains Arnold's achievements for the Americans, his treason, and how he has been remembered. *Includes pictures of Arnold and important people, places, and events in his life. "Neglected by Congress below, distressed with the small-pox; want of Generals and discipline in our Army, which may rather be called a great rabble, our credit and reputation lost, and great part of the country; and a powerful foreign enemy advancing upon us, are so many difficulties we cannot surmount them." - Benedict Arnold On October 7, 1777, Benedict Arnold rode out against orders and led an American assault against British forces led by General John Burgoyne in one of the climactic battles of the Revolution at Saratoga, the ultimate turning point of the war. Near the end of the most important American victory of the Revolution, Arnold's leg was shattered by a volley that also hit his horse, which fell on the leg as well. Arnold would later remark that he wish the shot had hit him in the chest. If it had, Benedict Arnold would be remembered as one of America's greatest war heroes, and probably second only to George Washington among the generals of the Revolution. In fact, when Arnold was injured at the height of his success in October 1777, he had been the most successful leader of American forces during the war. Arnold had been instrumental in the seizure of Fort Ticonderoga in 1775, he constructed the first makeshift American navy to defend Lake Champlain and delay British campaigning in 1776, and he was the principal leader at Saratoga in 1777. Even his unsuccessful campaign to Quebec in the winter of 1775 is remembered primarily for the amazing logistical feats undertaken by Arnold and his men to even reach the target. History has accorded Arnold his fair share of credit for the fighting he participated in from 1775-1777. The problem is his contemporaries did not. Arnold was better on the field than any other American general in those years, but his mercurial personality rubbed some the wrong way, and other self-promoting generals, from Ethan Allen to Horatio Gates, credited themselves with success at Arnold's expense. Meanwhile, the Second Continental Congress frequently if inadvertently slighted Arnold, failing to duly promote him in a timely fashion and failing to pay him four years of back pay even as he spent his own private fortune training, equipping, and feeding his army and navy. Historian William Sterne Randall estimates Congress shorted Arnold out of the equivalent of $275,000. Today, of course, all of that has been overshadowed by Arnold's treacherous plot to turn over West Point to the British in 1780. The infamous plot came about while Arnold convalesced as the military governor in Philadelphia, where he met and married the Tory-affiliated Peggy Shippen. Arnold grew more concerned about the patriot cause, and combined with the perceived insults, exposure to Loyalist leanings, and another Congressional rebuke for living extravagantly in Philadelphia, Arnold decided to secretly offer his services to the British. As every American knows, Arnold's plot was uncovered, and he barely escaped to the British side, where he was just as distrusted and nearly as despised. Though he would serve as a brigadier-general for the British through the end of the war, his personal fortune and reputation were permanently tarnished. The man who could have been one of his country's greatest heroes became its most despised traitor. The Patriot Traitor: The Life and Legacy of Benedict Arnold chronicles Arnold's life and military career, but it also humanizes the man and offers an objective look at Arnold's treachery and plot in an effort to separate fact from legend. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events in his life, you will learn about Arnold like you never have before, in no time at all.

*Includes over 25 pictures of Lee and the important people, places, and events in his life. *Includes maps of the battles of Antietam, Gettysburg, Chancellorsville, and Second Manassas. *Includes a Bibliography for further reading. "It is well that war is so terrible, otherwise we should grow too fond of it." -Robert E. Lee With the exception of George Washington, perhaps the most famous general in American history is Robert E. Lee (January 19, 1807 - October 12, 1870), despite the fact he led the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia against the Union in the Civil War. As the son of U. S. Revolutionary War hero Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee III, and a relative of Martha Custis Washington, Lee was imbued with a strong sense of honor and duty from the beginning. And as a top graduate of West Point, Lee had distinguished himself so well before the Civil War that President Lincoln asked him to command the entire Union Army. Lee famously declined, serving his home state of Virginia instead after it seceded. Lee is remembered today for constantly defeating the Union's Army of the Potomac in the Eastern theater from 1862-1865, considerably frustrating Lincoln and his generals. His leadership of his army led to him being deified after the war by some of his former subordinates, especially Virginians, and he came to personify the Lost Cause's ideal Southern soldier. His reputation was secured in the decades after the war as a general who brilliantly led his men to amazing victories against all odds. Despite his successes and his legacy, Lee wasn't perfect. And of all the battles Lee fought in, he was most criticized for Gettysburg, particularly his order of Pickett's Charge on the third and final day of the war. Despite the fact his principle subordinate and corps leader, General James Longstreet, advised against the charge, Lee went ahead with it, ending the army's defeat at Gettysburg with a violent climax that left half of the men who charged killed or wounded. Although the Civil War came to define Lee's legacy, he was involved in some of American history's other turning points, including the Mexican-American War and the capture of John Brown. The World's Greatest Generals: The Life and Career of Robert E. Lee closely examines Lee's war records, but it also humanizes the cheerful husband who was raised and strove to be dignified and dutiful. Along with pictures of Lee and other important people and events in his life, you will learn about the great general like you never have before, in no time at all.

*Includes pictures of Butch, Sundance, and other important people and places in their lives. *Explains the origins of the names Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid *Discusses the legends and mysteries surrounding the lives, deaths, and legacies of Butch and Sundance. *Includes a Bibliography for further reading. The Wild West has made legends out of many men through the embellishment of their stories, such as crediting Billy the Kid and Wild Bill Hickok for killing far more people than they actually did. But it has also made icons out of outlaws like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid based on the mystery and uncertainty surrounding their crimes and deaths, allowing speculation and legend to fill in the gaps. Though Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid are the two most famous members of the Wild Bunch and will probably always be associated with each other, there's no indication that they had any particularly close friendship or relationship aside from being members of the same gang. In fact, they might not have been linked together at all but for the fact that they both chose to flee the country for Argentina to escape justice. It was in South America that the famous outlaws are believed to have met their ultimate fate in a shootout with Bolivian soldiers, but the mystery and controversy surrounding that shootout (and whether the two bandits were actually them) have helped ensure their place in Western lore. As with so many other legends of the West, people continue to speculate that Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid survived and lived out the rest of their lives. In fact, it was in South America that Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid are believed to have met their ultimate fate in a shootout with Bolivian soldiers. The mystery and controversy surrounding that shootout (and whether the two bandits were actually them) have helped ensure their place in Western lore, and as with so many other legends of the West, people continue to speculate that Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid survived and lived out the rest of their lives. Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid chronicles the outlaws' lives, while also analyzing their legacies and mythology that have enveloped their stories, in an attempt to separate fact from fiction and determine what the notorious robbers were really like. Along with pictures of important people and places, you will learn about Butch and Sundance like never before.

*Covers the lives, crimes, and deaths of the Public Enemies. *Explains the legends and myths surrounding all of the public enemies in an attempt to separate fact from fiction. *Includes pictures of important people, places, and events. *Includes Bibliographies for further reading. America has always preferred heroes who weren't clean cut, an informal ode to the rugged individualism and pioneering spirit that defined the nation in previous centuries. The early 19th century saw the glorification of frontier folk heroes like Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone. After the Civil War, the outlaws of the West were more popular than the marshals, with Jesse James and Billy the Kid finding their way into dime novels. And at the height of the Great Depression in the 1930s, there were the "public enemies", common criminals and cold blooded murderers elevated to the level of folk heroes by a public frustrated with their own inability to make a living honestly. In 1933, the Chicago Crime Commission designated the first Public Enemy, and the most famous of them all. Despite his organized crime spree during the '20s, Al Capone was a popular figure in Chicago, viewed by many as a Robin Hood because he took pains to make charitable donations to the city. At the same time, he bribed government officials and cops, ensuring they looked the other way despite his violent ways of doing business. Throughout the decade, Capone was often out in public, despite several attempts on his life, and the gang war between Al Capone and Bugs Moran was well known and even celebrated to an extent. Even to this day, Chicago's gangster past is viewed as part of the city's lore, and tours of the most famous spots in Chicago's gang history are available across the city. Eventually, J. Edgar Hoover's FBI appropriated the term "Public Enemy" and applied it to outlaws like John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson, and Bonnie and Clyde. Two months after Franklin D. Roosevelt's inauguration in 1933, a petty thief who had spent almost a decade behind bars for attempted theft and aggravated assault was released from jail. By the end of the year, that man, John Dillinger, would be America's most famous outlaw: Public Enemy Number One. From the time of his first documented heist in early July 1933, until his dramatic death in late July of the following year, he would capture the nation's attention and imagination as had no other outlaw since Jesse James. The man who became Public Enemy Number One after the deaths of John Dillinger and Pretty Boy Floyd was Baby Face Nelson, who ran with Dillinger in 1934. Baby Face was a merciless outlier who pulled triggers almost as fast as he lost his temper. By the time fate caught up with Baby Face Nelson in November 1934 at the "Battle of Barrington", a shootout that left his body riddled with nearly 20 bullet holes, he was believed to have been responsible for the deaths of more FBI agents than anybody else in American history. There was no shortage of well known public enemies like John Dillinger and Baby Face Nelson, but none fascinated the American public as much as Bonnie and Clyde. While the duo and their Barrow Gang were no more murderous than other outlaws of the era, the duo's romantic relationship and the discovery of photographs at one of their hideouts added a more human dimension to Bonnie and Clyde, even as they were gunning down civilians and cops alike. When Bonnie and Clyde were finally cornered and killed in a controversial encounter with police, a fate they shared with many other outlaws of the period, their reputations were cemented. Public Enemies chronicles the lives, legends, and legacies of America's most famous public enemies. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Capone, Dillinger, Baby Face, and Bonnie & Clyde like never before.

*Includes pictures of important people, places, and events. *Explains the origins of the Gunfight and the controversial details that continue to be debated today. *Includes witness accounts and newspaper accounts of the gunfight. *Includes a Bibliography for further reading. "The 26th of October, 1881, will always be marked as one of the crimson days in the annals of Tombstone, a day when blood flowed as water, and human life was held as a shuttle cock, a day to be remembered as witnessing the bloodiest and deadliest street fight that has ever occurred in this place, or probably in the Territory." - The Tombstone Nugget Space may be the final frontier, but no frontier has ever captured the American imagination like the "Wild West", which still evokes images of dusty cowboys, outlaws, gunfights, gamblers, and barroom brawls over 100 years after the West was settled. A constant fixture in American pop culture, the 19th century American West continues to be vividly and colorful portrayed not just as a place but as a state of mind. In Charles River Editors' Legends of the West series, readers can get caught up to speed on the lives of America's most famous frontier figures in the time it takes to finish a commute, while learning interesting facts long forgotten or never known. The Wild West has made legends out of many men through the embellishment of their stories, but one of the most colorful stories of them all is the fateful Gunfight at the O. K. Corral. The West's most famous gunfight, the Gunfight at the O. K. Corral involved two of the West's most legendary figures, and though the gunfight lasted less than a minute, it is still widely remembered as the climactic event of the period, representing lawlessness and justice, vendettas, and a uniquely Western moral code. Fought in the middle of Tombstone, Arizona, the gunfight pitted Wyatt Earp, his brothers Morgan and Virgil, and Doc Holliday against Billy Clanton, Tom McLaury and Frank McLaury. By the time the 30 second gunfight was over, the McLaury brothers were dead in the street and Billy Clanton had suffered a painful and fatal gunshot wound to the chest. Virgil and Morgan Earp were wounded, as was Holliday. Though it is the West's most famous gunfight, it is also one of the West's most controversial events. In Tombstone, the initial reaction after the gunfight was that the Earps and Holliday were heroes. The Tombstone Epitaph's described the shootout, "Wyatt Earp stood up and fired in rapid succession, as cool as a cucumber, and was not hit." The San Francisco Examiner suggested that Tombstone's residents be grateful to have the Earps on their side of the law. However, plenty of people in Tombstone believed that the three dead men were murdered in cold blood, and they wondered why the Earps would ever ask a hothead like Doc Holliday to help them disarm the McLaurys and the Clantons. The local undertaker displayed the three corpses in their coffins in his window with a sign that read, "Murdered in the Streets of Tombstone." To this day, the motives behind the gunfight, and exactly how it all went down, remain heavily debated, but the aftermath of the gunfight is much better known. For Wyatt Earp, the aftermath led to assassination attempts on his brothers, one of which was successful, touching off the "Earp Vendetta Ride". It also ensured that Doc Holliday would become a legend of the Wild West. Legends of the West: The Gunfight at the O. K. Corral comprehensively covers the fight, including the origins behind the feud, theories over what happened, and the aftermath and legacy of it all. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Gunfight at the O. K. Corral like you never have before, in no time at all.

*Includes Patton's most colorful and inspiring quotes, including his famous Speech to the Third Army. *Includes pictures of Patton and other important people. *Includes a Bibliography for further reading. "Americans love to fight, traditionally. All real Americans love the sting and clash of battle. You are here today for three reasons. First, because you are here to defend your homes and your loved ones. Second, you are here for your own self respect, because you would not want to be anywhere else. Third, you are here because you are real men and all real men like to fight." - George Patton, Speech to the Third Army A lot of ink has been spilled covering the lives of history's most influential figures, but how much of the forest is lost for the trees? In Charles River Editors' American Legends series, readers can get caught up to speed on the lives of America's most important men and women in the time it takes to finish a commute, while learning interesting facts long forgotten or never known. Rommel, Guderian, Liddell-Hart and JFC Fuller were all early exponents and practitioners of armored warfare, tactics that were to break the stalemate that had characterized World War I. Advocates of the tank and above all speed, it was their ideas which decimated Saddam Hussein's forces in the 1990 Gulf War. But among the proponents and practitioners of armored warfare, the brash, bold, arrogant and eccentric George S. Patton remains the world's greatest armored commander by the one yardstick that really counts: the battlefield. In 1944-45, Patton's Third Army raced across northern Europe, covering more ground and destroying more enemy resources than any other equivalent force in history. Patton is one of America's most celebrated generals and one of the most famous generals of the 20th century, but his story has its origins in the form of a shy, dyslexic boy who could cry uncontrollably and who viewed his own emotional intelligence as unmanly. Patton was a fascinating, complicated and controversial man whose life story ranges between genius, folly and tragedy, with absolute determination the one constant theme. He was also a man constantly on the move, whether it was as an Olympic athlete or as one of the first American soldiers to work with tanks in World War I, but his life's work truly went toward revolutionizing warfare on and off the battlefield. Between the two World Wars, he wrote at length about mechanized warfare and tactics, and during the Second World War he worked his way up colorfully, controversially, and capably, all of which made him more conspicuous during the war. Patton's shocking death just a few months after the war ended ensured that the general died at the height of his fame and would always be remembered for his legendary attitude and exploits. American Legends: The Life of General George Patton profiles the amazing life and career of the American war hero, while also examining his personality and analyzing his lasting legacy. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Patton like you never have before, in no time at all.

*Includes pictures of important places and historic illustrations and art depicting the gods and other important Norse figures. *Explains the historical origins of the gods, the mythological tales about them, and the religious and literary evolution of them. *Includes a Bibliography for further reading. "In swelling rage then rose up Thor, -- Seldom he sits when he such things hears, -- And the oaths were broken, the words and bonds, The mighty pledges between them made." - V lusp Line #26 from the Poetic Edda A hammer no mortal can lift. A flame-haired fiery storm god. A comic book alien-hero-god who defends humanity. The swastika. Even the name "Thursday" ("Thor's Day"). Despite the virtual disappearance of the indigenous Norse religion and mythology several centuries ago, modern society still regularly encounters the storm god Thor, who continues to be brought back to life in the form of literature and was recently the protagonist in a big-budget Hollywood movie. What is it about this god, out of the hundreds (if not thousands) of deities that were consigned to the dustbin of history by the world's major religions, that so captures people's imaginations today? A better understanding of Thor's appeal can be found in just about every aspect of the history and evolution of the figure over the centuries, including the origins of the god, the evocative imagery used to describe him, and even the parallels between Thor and similar gods and heroes. All of this has been buffeted by literature, such as the stories about Thor found in the Prose Edda and the Poetic Edda, and the connection societies have had with Thor for hundreds of years, even up until today. This work also examines the decline and displacement of Norse mythology by Christianity, the reasons why Thor was often the last god worshiped by the Norse, and today's remnants of Thorism, including his parallels in other faiths, his role in revived Neo-Heathenism and his appearance in other media as a hero in comics and films. Thor's popularity has historically been rivaled only by his father Odin. A one-eyed old man, with a gray cloak and a wide-brimmed hat leaning on a staff. A wanderer who appears when least expected, bringing triumph or doom. The god of prophecy, poetry and fate. A shapechanger. A sorcerer. The god Odin cuts a dramatic figure in Norse mythology and is still a part of the popular imagination. He is the inspiration for figures like J. R. R. Tolkien's Gandalf the Grey, and he still appears in modern literature as varied as Marvel Comics and Neil Gaiman's novel American Gods (2001). Alongside Thor, Odin is one of the best known Norse gods, and it's often easy to forget that he was once at the heart of a pantheon devoutly worshiped by millions of Europeans in the Middle Ages. Odin has numerous names and titles (over 200 by one account), but his best known title is "The All-Father," the co-creator of Earth ("Midgard"), humanity and all of the creatures that inhabitant this world. He is also, importantly, the god of prophecy, ecstasy, and poetry, all roles that were closely connected in the Norse world. Along with pictures and a bibliography, you will learn about both gods like you never have before.

*Includes pictures of Tombstone and important people and places. *Profiles Tombstone's most famous residents, including Ed Schieffelin, the Earp brothers, Doc Holliday, and more. *Highlights the history of Tombstone, as well as its forms of entertainment. *Comprehensively covers the Gunfight at the O. K. Corral. *Includes a Bibliography for further reading. "The 26th of October, 1881, will always be marked as one of the crimson days in the annals of Tombstone, a day when blood flowed as water, and human life was held as a shuttle cock, a day to be remembered as witnessing the bloodiest and deadliest street fight that has ever occurred in this place, or probably in the Territory." - The Tombstone Nugget Space may be the final frontier, but no frontier has ever captured the American imagination like the "Wild West", which still evokes images of dusty cowboys, outlaws, gunfights, gamblers, and barroom brawls over 100 years after the West was settled. A constant fixture in American pop culture, the 19th century American West continues to be vividly and colorful portrayed not just as a place but as a state of mind. In Charles River Editors' Legends of the West series, readers can get caught up to speed on the lives of America's most famous frontier figures in the time it takes to finish a commute, while learning interesting facts long forgotten or never known. The Wild West has made legends out of many men, but it has forged a lasting legacy for the city of Tombstone, Arizona, a frontier boomtown that has come to symbolize everything about the Old West. In many ways, Tombstone fit all the stereotypes associated with that era in American history. A dusty place on the outskirts of civilization, Tombstone brought together miners, cowboys, lawmen, saloons, gambling, brothels, and everything in between, creating an environment that was always colorful and occasionally fatal. Those characteristics might not have distinguished Tombstone from other frontier outposts like Deadwood in the Dakotas, but some of the most famous legends of the West called Tombstone home for many years, most notably the Earp brothers and Doc Holliday. And ultimately, the relationships and rivalries forged by those men in Tombstone culminated in the legendary Gunfight at the O. K. Corral on October 26, 1881. The West's most famous fight all but ensured that Tombstone would be the epicenter of Western lore, and as the city's population dwindled at the end of the 19th century, the allure of Tombstone as a tourist center took hold. Nearly half a million tourists flock to Tombstone each year, where they find a city that has cashed in on its legacy through careful preservation. Many of the historic buildings in Tombstone haven't changed much in the last 130 years, and visitors who come to the O. K. Corral or Boothill Cemetery can get an idea of what Tombstone was like at its peak. Legends of the West: Tombstone, Arizona comprehensively covers the history of the city, profiles the people who called it home, and highlights the attractions and events that made it famous. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Tombstone like you never have before, in no time at all.