This comprehensive and highly readable collection of essays highlights 50 important events that changed the course of American history. What Happened? An Encyclopedia of Events That Changed America Forever is designed to introduce beginning U.S. history students and lay readers to the most significant events in the nation's history. More than that, it also will give readers insight into why a particular event is important. This book consists of 50 chapters in four volumes, each dealing with a critically important event in American history from the 17th century to the present. Each chapter includes a factual essay on the subject prepared by John Findling or Frank Thackeray. The factual material is augmented with an interpretive essay on the same subject, written by a specialist in the field. Through this juxtaposition, readers can learn not only about the who, what, and where of an event, but also why it is important in the sweep of American history.

This comprehensive five-volume set contains readable essays that describe and interpret the most important global events since the European Renaissance, some accompanied by related document excerpts and primary source materials. What were the effects of the Age of Exploration on today's ethnic groups and social structure? How did the development of moveable type pave the way for Facebook and Twitter? Why is the Reformation so critical for understanding today's religious controversies? This set will help readers answer these questions by exploring the most significant historical events of the modern world. This five-volume set covers times from the Renaissance to the present. Each volume focuses on a specific historic period and examines 12 events within those time frames that changed the world. Each entry provides an introduction that lays out factual material in a chronological manner, an in-depth essay interpreting the event's significance, and an annotated bibliography of the most important current works on the topic. Select entries are followed by primary sources pertaining to the event under consideration, such as diary entries. Targeted to both general readers as well as entry-level university students, this book also directly supports high school and undergraduate curricula, allowing students to identify and contextualize events in order to think critically about their causes, aftermath, and legacy. Entries covering 62 major events that changed the world Contributions from dozens of well-respected scholars from a variety of disciplines An extensive timeline accompanies each volume Appendices for subjects such as States Achieving Independence since 1945 and Ruling Houses and Dynasties An annotated bibliography of many recent works on each subject event

Since Alexander II ascended to the Russian throne in 1855 and implemented a series of modernizing reforms, including the emancipation of the serfs in 1861, Russia has found itself in the throes of continuous upheaval, caught between the autocratic traditions of empire and the dawn of the modern era. As the advent of industrialization and two world wars thrust Russia onto the global stage, the ramifications of its tumultuous history have been felt throughout the western world. This unique resource presents and evaluates ten of the most critical events in modern Russian history from the pivotal years of 1855-1991, including the Russian Industrial Revolution, the fall of the monarchy, the Stalin era, the Cold War, and the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. A full chapter is devoted to each event, and each chapter includes a factual introduction to the event, as well as an in-depth interpretative essay exploring its underlying causes, factors, and effects. Coverage for each event also includes an annotated bibliography of works suitable for students and an illustration for each. A glossary of terms, a timeline of Russian history from 1853-2004, a list of Russian/Soviet rulers and a population chart serve as ready reference materials for students looking to understand this critical period in world history. Since Alexander II ascended to the Russian throne in 1855 and implemented a series of modernizing reforms, including the emancipation of the serfs in 1861, Russia has found itself in the throes of continuous upheaval, caught between the autocratic traditions of empire and the dawn of the modern era. As the advent of industrialization and two world wars thrust Russia onto the global stage, the ramifications of its tumultuous history have been felt throughout the western world. This unique resource presents and evaluates ten of the most critical events in modern Russian history from the pivotal years of 1855-1991, including the Russian Industrial Revolution, the fall of the monarchy, the Stalin era, the Cold War, and the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. A full chapter is devoted to each event, and each chapter includes a factual introduction to the event, as well as an in-depth interpretative essay exploring its underlying causes, factors, and effects. Coverage for each event also includes an annotated bibliography of works suitable for students and an illustration for each. A glossary of terms, a timeline of Russian history from 1853-2004, a list of Russian/Soviet rulers and a population chart serve as ready reference materials for students looking to understand this critical period in world history.

This unique resource describes and evaluates ten of the most important events in British history between the Norman Conquest of 1066 and the Glorious Revolution of 1689 and its aftermath. A full chapter is devoted to each event, and each chapter includes an introduction presenting factual information in a clear, chronological order. Longer, interpretive essays explore the short-term and far-reaching ramifications of the events. Coverage for each event also includes an annotated bibliography of works suitable for students and a full-page illustration. A glossary of terms, a timeline of British history up to 1714, and a chronological list of ruling houses and monarchs help students to better understand the major developments in modern British history, along with their significance and long-term impact.

Except for the twentieth century, the period from the late Middle Ages through the sixteenth century witnessed the most significant developments in the history of the world. From the expulsion of the Muslims from Spain, through the flowering of the Renaissance, the religious strife of the Reformation, and the attempts by great empires to conquer their own continent and expand into the New World, the enormous political, religious, and social change took place on every continent of the globe are examined. These events and their impact have been carefully described and analyzed in this useful student resource. The events covered are: the "Reconquista" in Spain, the Renaissance, the Hundred Years' War, the Ming Dynasty Comes to Power, the Age of European Expansion Begins, the Development of Movable Type, the Fall of Constantinople, the Conquest of the New World, the Protestant Reformation, and the Spanish Armada.

An introductory essay provides factual material about the event in a clear, concise, and chronological manner that makes complex history understandable. An interpretive essay, written by a recognized authority in the field, explores the short-term and long-term ramifications of the event. Each chapter concludes with a helpful annotated bibliography of further reading. A glossary, timeline of events, and table of ruling houses and dynasties across the globe provide additional reference value. "Events That Changed the World Through the Sixteenth Century" is an ideal addition to the high school, community college, and undergraduate reference shelf, as well as excellent supplementary reading for social studies and world history courses.

From the settlement of the earliest peoples in the Americas to the close of the seventeenth century, enormous changes took place in what was to become the continental United States. To help students understand this sweep of history, this unique resource provides detailed description and expert analysis of the ten most important events through the seventeenth century: First Encounters, c. 40,000 BCE - 1492 AD; The Expedition of Coronado, 1540-1542; The Founding of St. Augustine, 1565; Early English Colonization Efforts, c. 1584-1630; Early European-Native American Encounters, 1607-1637; The Introduction of Slavery into America, 1619; The Surrender of New Amsterdam, 1664; King Philip's War, 1675-1676; The Glorious Revolution in America, 1688-1689; and The Salem Witch Trials, 1692. Each event is dealt with in a separate chapter. The examination goes beyond traditional textbook treatment of history by considering the immediate and far-reaching ramifications of each event. Each chapter features an introductory essay that presents the facts of the event in a clear, chronological manner that makes complex history understandable. This essay is followed by an interpretive essay, written by a recognized authority in the field in a style designed to appeal to a general readership and promote critical thinking, that places the event in a broader context and assesses it in terms of its political, economic, sociocultural, and international significance.

With an illustration and an annotated bibliography for each event, a glossary of names, events, and terms of the period, a timeline of important events in American history through the seventeenth century, "Events That Changed America Through the Seventeenth Century" is an ideal addition to the high school, community college, and undergraduate reference shelf, as well as excellent supplementary reading in social studies and American history courses.

It was the age of empire and the dawn of political and scientific revolution. The seventeenth century brought about enormous changes in the global political landscape and in the understanding of the principles of science. From this dynamic century, often fraught with upheaval and bustling with fascinating historical actors, several key events are treated by recognized experts in the field. These important events include, among others:

The age of the great Russian tsars, Indian moguls, and Japanese shoguns

The beginning of a four-century dynasty in China

The reign of Louis XIV

The expansion of the Ottoman Empire

England's Glorious Revolution

The Founding of Jamestown

The Thirty Years' War

The Scientific Revolution

To help students understand the major developments of the seventeenth century and their impact on our own time, this unique resource offers detailed description and expert analysis of the century's most important events.

Each of the events is covered in a separate chapter. An introductory essay provides factual materials about the event in a clear, concise, and chronological manner that makes complex history understandable. An interpretive essay, written by a recognized authority in the field, then explores the short-term and far-reaching ramifications of the event. With an annotated bibliography, full-page illustrations, a timeline of important events, a listing of ruling houses and dynasties of the period, and a glossary of names, events, and terms of the seventeenth century, "Events That Changed the World in the Seventeenth Century" is an ideal addition to the high school, community college, and undergraduate reference shelf, as well as excellent supplementary reading for social studies and world history courses.

Designed to help students better understand the vitally important historical events of 18th century American history, this volume in the acclaimed series presents 10 major events in separate chapters. From the Great Awakening early in the century to Jefferson's Revolution of 1800, each chapter goes beyond the traditional textbook treatment of history by considering the immediate and far-reaching ramifications of each event. Events covered are: The Great Awakening, The Era of Salutary Neglect, The French and Indian War, The Stamp Act, The Boston Tea Party, The Declaration of Independence, The American Revolution, The Constitutional Convention, The XYZ Affair, and The Revolution of 1800.

Each chapter features an introductory essay that presents the facts of the event, followed by an interpretive essay that places the event in a broader context and promotes student analysis. The introductory essay provides factual material in a clear, concise, chronological manner that makes complex history understandable. The interpretive essay, written by a recognized authority in the field and written in a style designed to appeal to a general readership, assesses the event in terms of its political, economic, sociocultural, and international/diplomatic significance. With its emphasis on factual details and interpretive analysis, an illustration, and an annotated bibliography for each event, a glossary of names, events, and terms of the period, a timeline of important events in eighteenth-century history, and a table of the population of the colonies and selected colonial towns, "Events That Changed America in the Eighteenth Century" is an ideal addition to the high school, community college, and undergraduate reference shelf, as well as excellent supplementary reading in social studies and American history courses.

Warfare on three continents, empire building, and revolution--political, agricultural, and industrial--dominate 18th-century world history. In Europe royal dynasties formed, fought major wars that carved up the map of Europe and the Americas, and began the great colonial expansion that dominated the next century. But the 18th century also ushered in the Enlightenment, which fired the imagination of Europeans, and the Industrial and Agricultural Revolutions, which changed society and work forever. To help students better understand the major developments of the 18th century and their impact on 19th- and 20th-century history, this unique resource offers detailed description and expert analysis of the 18th century's most important events: Peter the Great's Reform of Russia; the War of the Spanish Succession; the First British Empire; the War of the Austrian Succession and the Seven Years' War; the Enlightenment; the Agricultural Revolution; the American Revolution; the Industrial Revolution; the Slave Trade; and the French Revolution.

Each of the ten events is dealt with in a separate chapter. Designed for students, this unique format features an introductory essay that presents the facts, followed by an interpretive essay that places the event in a broader context and promotes student analysis. The introductory essay provides factual material about the event in a clear, concise, and chronological manner that makes complex history understandable. The interpretive essay, written by a recognized authority in the field in a style designed to appeal to general readership, explores the short-term and far-reaching ramifications of the event. An annotated bibliography identifies the most important recent scholarship about each event. A full-page illustration complements the narrative for each event. Three useful appendices include: a glossary of names, events, and terms; a timeline of important events in 18th-century world history; and a listing of ruling houses and dynasties of 18th-century Europe. This work is an ideal addition to the high school, community college, and undergraduate reference shelf, as well as excellent supplementary reading for social studies and world history courses.

In the year 1800 the United States was a fledgling nation. By the time the century ended we had expanded westward exponentially, stamped our imprint as the major power in the Western hemisphere, revolutionized our economy from agriculture to manufacturing, and suffered the schism of a civil war that nearly brought the nation as conceived by our forefathers to an end. To help students better understand the cataclysmic changes of this century, this unique resource offers detailed description and expert analysis of the most important 19th-century events in America: the Louisiana Purchase, the War of 1812, the Monroe Doctrine, Jacksonian Democracy, Abolition, the war with Mexico, the Civil War, the Industrial Revolution, the closing of the frontier, and the Spanish-American War.

Each of these events is dealt with in a separate chapter. A factual introductory essay provides clear, concise information in chronological order. The interpretive essay, written in a widely appealing style by a recognized authority, then places each event in a broader context and explores the short-term and far-reaching ramifications of the event. A selected bibliography that follows identifies the most important and recent scholarship about the event. A full-page photo or illustration of each event portrays a visual component to the narrative. The volume contains three useful appendices: a glossary of names, events, and terms; a timeline of important events in 19th-century American history; and a list of 19th-century U.S. presidents, vice presidents, and secretaries of state. This work is an ideal addition to the high school, community college, and undergraduate reference shelf, as well as excellent supplementary reading in social studies and American history courses.

The revolutions around the globe in the 19th century have had an enormous impact on the course of history. To help students better understand the major developments in the tumultuous 19th century and their impact on the 20th century, this unique resource offers detailed description and expert analysis of the 19th century's most important events: The Napoleonic Era, the Congress of Vienna and the Age of Metternich, the Latin American Wars of Independence, the Reform Bill of 1832, the Revolutions of 1848, the Emancipation of the Russian Serfs, the Meiji Restoration, the Unification of Germany, Marxism and the Rise of Socialism, and Imperialism. Each of the ten events is dealt with in a separate chapter. Designed for students, the unique format features an introductory essay that presents the facts, followed by an interpretive essay that places the event in a broader context and promotes student analysis.

The introductory essay provides factual material about the event in a clear, concise, chronological manner that makes complex history understandable. The interpretive essay, written by a recognized authority in the field in a style designed to appeal to a general readership, explores the short-term and far-reaching ramifications of the event. An annotated bibliography identifies the most important and recent scholarship about each event. A full-page photo of each event complements the narrative. This volume contains four useful appendices: a glossary of names, events, and terms; a timeline of important events in 19th-century world history; the comparative population of selected countries in the 19th century; and countries colonized during the Imperial Scramble of 1870-1914. This work is an ideal addition to the high school, community college, and undergraduate reference shelf, as well as excellent for supplementary reading in social studies and world history courses.

Unprecedented changes mark the American experience in the twentieth century--global and contained wars, great technological innovations, and enormous social changes. To help students better understand the major developments in this tumultuous century and our future direction as a nation, it is imperative to reflect on the century's seminal events and their lasting impact. Designed for students, this unique resource offers detailed description and expert analysis of the most important twentieth century events in America: Progressivism, World War I, the Great Depression, World War II, the development of atomic energy, the Cold War, the Civil Rights and women's rights movements, the rise of television, the Vietnam War, and the Reagan revolution.

Each of the ten events is dealt with in a separate chapter. A unique format features an introductory essay that presents the facts, followed by an interpretive essay that places the event in a broader context and promotes student analysis. The introductory essay provides factual material about the event in a clear, concise, chronological manner that makes complex history understandable. The interpretive essay, written by a recognized authority in the field in a style designed to appeal to a general readership, assesses the event in terms of its political, economic, sociocultural, and international/diplomatic significance. Some essays validate the norm, while others challenge conventional wisdom; all reflect the most recent scholarship concerning the event. Each interpretive essay is followed by an annotated bibliography that identifies the most important and most recent scholarship about the event. A photo of each event offers a visual component to the narrative. A timeline of important events in twentieth-century American history, glossary of names, events, and terms, and list of twentieth-century Presidents, Vice-Presidents, and Secretaries of State complete the work. This work is perfect for the high school, community college, and undergraduate library reference shelf and as supplementary reading in social studies and world history courses.

The aftershocks of the volatile 20th century will be felt for generations to come. In order to understand the current and future direction of the world, it is imperative to reflect on this century's seminal events and their lasting impact. Designed for students, this unique resource offers detailed descriptions and expert analysis of the 20th century's most important events: World War I, the Russian Revolution, the Rise of Fascism, the Great Depression, World War II, the Cold War, the Chinese Revolution, the end of Colonialism and the Rise of the Third World, European unification, and the collapse of the Soviet union. Each of the events is dealt with in a separate chapter. An introductory essay presenting the facts about each event precedes an interpretive essay by a recognized authority on the event. Exploring beyond the traditional textbook treatment of history, these interpretive essays consider the immediate and far-reaching ramifications of each event. Through this innovative approach, students will be inspired to further analyze these events not only from a historical perspective, but also in the context of the world in which they live today.

In order to make complex history easily understandable, the ]ntroductory essay for each event provides factual background in a clear, concise, chronological manner. Written for a general readership, the interpretive essays assess each event in terms of its political, economic, sociocultural, and international/diplomatic impact. Some essays validate the norm, while others challenge conventional wisdom; all reflect the most recent scholarship concerning each event. Each interpretive essay is followed by an annotated bibliography that identifies the most important and most recent scholarship about the respective events. A photo of each event offers a visual component to the narrative. The volume contains four useful appendices: a glossary of names, events, organizations, treaties, and terms; a timeline of important events in 20th-century world history; the population of selected countries; and a list of states achieving independence since 1945. This work is perfect for the high school, community college, and undergraduate library reference shelf, as well as supplementary reading in social studies and world history courses.

"Statesmen Who Changed the World" provides extensive essays on more than 70 statesmen of the Western world, covering the time period from the 15th century to the present. Some of the statesmen included were heads of state; others held ministerial positions in foreign affairs; a few were neither heads of state nor foreign ministers. All influenced or changed the world in which they lived.

Each essay includes a thorough and insightful biographical sketch covering the subject's life and career with particular emphasis on the subject's involvement in international affairs. In addition, each essay provides a bibliographical essay describing the available archival materials, works written by and about the subject, and the most recent scholarship. It concludes with a bibliographical checklist. Appendixes include glossaries of terms and a listing of heads of state. The book is fully indexed.

This unique resource describes and evaluates ten of the most important events in British history between 1689 and the present. A full chapter is devoted to each event. Every chapter includes an introduction presenting factual information in a clear, concise, chronological order, and a longer interpretive essay exploring both the short term and far reaching ramifications of the event.

The ten events covered are: DEGREESL DEGREESDBL The Industrial Revolution DEGREESL DEGREESDBL The Seven Years' War DEGREESL DEGREESDBL The Napoleonic Wars DEGREESL DEGREESDBL Pax Britannica DEGREESL DEGREESDBL The Reform Act of 1832 DEGREESL DEGREESDBL The Crystal Palace Exhibition DEGREESL DEGREESDBL The Movement for Irish Independence and Woman Suffrage DEGREESL DEGREESDBL World War I DEGREESL DEGREESDBL World War II DEGREESL DEGREESDBL The Thatcher Era DEGREESL Coverage for each event also includes an annotated bibliography of works suitable for students and a full-page illustration. A glossary of terms, a timeline of British history since 1689, a chronological list of ruling houses and monarchs, and a chronological list of prime ministers help students to better understand the major develop