Recounts the struggles and triumphs of nine athletes who have battled illness, accidents, and other disasters on their way to success in their sports, including Lance Armstrong, Gail Devers, and Babe Didrikson Zaharias.
Looks at the history of pirates, covering such topics as the pirate code of conduct, life on board a pirate ship, and famous pirates throughout history.
When gold was found at Sutter's Mill in California in 1849, the lives of thousands of people changed forever.
Meet eight of the greatest teams in sports history--some underdogs, some powerhouses--all working together to win.
Explains what early civilizations believed about natural disasters; highlights notable eruptions, earthquakes, fires, floods, droughts, famines, and diseases, as well as two noted military failures; and recounts the end of the ancient world.
Presents a history of aeronautical sports, including ballooning, skydiving, airplane racing, flying circuses, and military dogfights.
Examines the history of ancient Egypt and the many different aspects of ancient Egyptian society, including religion, technology, the pyramids, and home life.
Explains the situations behind the cases of Leopold and Loeb, the Lindbergh kidnapper, the Rosenbergs, the Brown school segregation suit, the Manson family, the Pentagon Papers, and O.J. Simpson, and discusses the trials and aftermath.
Recounts the struggles and triumphs of athletes who have helped to open their sports to participants who are African American or women, or who have disabilities, including Jackie Robinson, Billie Jean King, and Jim Abbott.
Find out how host cities are chosen, how politics, drug use, and terrorism affect the Games and what the future holds for the Olympics.
Briefly describes life in United States at the beginning of the twentieth century, including immigration, the labor movement, America's role in World War I and world affairs, and the Roaring Twenties.
It's 5:30 in the morning and still dark outside. Two hundred and fifty young men are in the mess hall having breakfast. They've been out of the sack since 4:30. That's when the operations sergeant made the rounds. He woke up everyone whose name was posted on the assignment sheet the night before. Right now, the men are very quiet. They are all thinking the same thing. "Will my plane get back safely? Will I be alive tonight?"
Describes America's earliest settlers, discussing the reasons people took the risky trip, the journey, and the hardships they faced.
From the Patty Hearst kidnapping to the Oklahoma City bombing, these cases kept America watching.
When elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers. This ancient proverb of the Kikuyu people, a tribal group in Kenya, Africa, is as true today as when the words were first spoken, perhaps thousands of years ago. Its essence is simplicity—when the large fight, it is the small who suffer most. And when it comes to war, the smallest, the most vulnerable, are the children. When Elephants Fight presents the stories of five children—Annu, Jimmy, Nadja, Farooq and Toma—from five very different and distinct conflicts—Sri Lanka, Uganda, Sarajevo, Afghanistan and the Sudan. Along with these very personal accounts, the book also offers brief analyses of the history and geopolitical issues that are the canvas on which these conflicts are cast. When Elephants Fight is about increasing awareness. For the future to be better than the past, better than the present, we must help equip our children with an awareness and understanding of the world around them and their ability to bring about change. Gandhi stated, "If you are going to change the world, start with the children."
Learn detailed information about the Vietnam War Memorial and basic history of this war.
A Founding Father of the United States, Thomas Jefferson once wrote that a free press is important to a functioning democracy. In other words, without critical and reliable press, a society and government cannot be held to account. This engaging title takes a probing look at what press freedom and censorship means, as well as where people find information, who owns and controls the press in a “free world,” and what makes good, reliable journalism.
Astronauts and cosmonauts were the heroes of a 20th Century battle without weapons—the race for global dominance in space. The Space Race explores how the quest to put “a man on the moon” fueled fast-paced scientific research and kept the world occupied with more peaceful pursuits at a time when the world seemed to be on the edge of nuclear annihilation. Readers will learn how to examine primary and secondary source materials, which reveal the political and scientific implications of the space programs in the United States and the former Soviet Union.
In this age of fast-paced social media, news and views are shared throughout the world in seconds. This timely title critically examines the elements of journalism, truth and perspective, sources of news, as well as bias and objectivity to help readers make informed choices about the accuracy of news and information. Readers will gain an understanding of what journalism is and how the medium can shape the message being presented.
In the 19th Century, railroads were a form of transportation that changed the world. Transcontinental Railroads looks at the sweeping changes made to society and the challenges created by the building and running of these railroads in North America. Readers will be encouraged to critically analyze source material on why the railroads were built, who built them, and how they changed the movement of people and products. Topics include settlement and nation-building, as well as who gained through railroad building—and who lost.
This interesting book examines the events and people who were involved in the War of 1812 between the United States and what would later become Canada. Unusal for a war, the conflict ended with friendly relations established and no major loss of territory for either country. However, an examination of primary and secondary source materials reveals the War of 1812 is remembered differently in each country, as well as by the Indigenous peoples whose territory and dreams of an independent nation east of the Mississippi River vanished.
Using speeches, photos, and paintings of the time, as well as material that addresses historical context, The Civil War guides readers in critically examining primary and secondary source materials. Discussions include how emerging technologies such as photography and the telegraph affected the messages being conveyed, and how ideologies of the era shaped what was seen, as well as whose voices were heard—and whose were not. Readers will gain an understanding of the sad and brutal aspects of a war whose echo continues to have an impact even today.
Mr. Hockey, Gordie Howe, spent 25 of his 26 seasons in the NHL with one team: the Detroit Red Wings. One of the "Original Six," the Red Wings are revered for having 58 players inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, appearing numerous times in the playoffs, and winning 11 Stanley Cups. A fascinating read for fans of the team and the game, this book features appealing historic and contemporary images, and mixes informative text with quick-reference infographic charts for statistics buffs.
Arguably the most valuable franchise in the NHL, the Toronto Maple Leafs have proven that fans fuel the game—despite a much-lamented half-century Stanley Cup drought. This vibrant book tells the story of the Leafs’ 100 years of colorful coaches, irascible owners, and bruised and beloved players. The story of the Leafs gives a big-picture view of the importance of professional sports teams to the history and economy of a big city and a big sports league. Appealing historic and contemporary images mix with informative text and quick-reference infographic charts for statistics buffs.
This celebration of the Chicago Blackhawks, one of the revered "Original Six" NHL teams, provides a detailed history from their beginnings in 1926 through their six Stanley Cup wins, as well as various ownership and home rink changes. A fascinating read for fans of the team and the game, this book features appealing historic and contemporary images, and mixes informative text with quick-reference infographic charts for statistics buffs.