Résultats de "Hourly History" dans Toutes les catégories

H. H. Holmes’ story has become one of legend. Holmes committed his crimes during a time in history where the idea of murdering on a mass scale was being introduced to the world through the actions of Jack the Ripper. Unlike Jack the Ripper, Holmes’ motives were clear; he killed out of greed, convenience, and curiosity.

If anything, Karl Marx’s life reminds us of the power of the pen over the sword. During his lifetime, he lived in relative obscurity. Rather than making any waves, Marx was usually lucky just to make the rent. And to make the ongoing hardship of his life even worse, Karl Marx was afflicted with boils from the top of his head to the soles of his feet. But his pen would indeed demonstrate its power, and by the time 70-some years had passed since his demise, one-third of the entire planet would be living under regimes based upon his ideology.

James Dean is known as the first rebel. He was a ‘50s-styled, leather-clad biker rebuking authority. With his black turtleneck and a penchant for bongo drums and poetry, he could also easily be a kind of forerunner to the beatniks. And with his unkempt, wild hair and far-reaching philosophies, he is often cited as a kind of early hippie, as well. But whatever category you put him in, James Dean was the embodiment of cool. He had a cool look, cool clothes, cool attitude, and a cool backstory that most know nothing about.

Explore the rich and storied culture of the Indian subcontinent. This region of the world, largely considered to be one of the cradles of civilization, has developed over a period of over 5,000 years. Consequently, this long run of history has drawn up a national history filled with intrigue, philosophy, art, architectural wonders, and the births and deaths of great men and women.

One of America’s most influential presidents was a man who could not walk. The polio that struck Franklin Delano Roosevelt when he was a future political star did not diminish him. Instead, against all expectations, it was the agent that forged his destiny.

Spartacus has passed into legend as an enduring symbol of righteousness in his noble battle for the freedom of man. This transcendent icon did not appear from the aether and had plenty of inspiration from the brave and often forgotten figures that stood before him. The actions of Spartacus and his rebellion against the Roman Republic offer a unique look into the details of commercial slavery in Rome, and its long-lasting effects on the evolution of a nation.

The Roman Catholic Inquisition was one of the most controversial organizations in human history. Although it has been painted in a negative light, the Inquisition was too broad in scope to define as simply good or bad. It was a period where conflict and bloodshed were inevitable. It was a time where war, famine, plague, and poverty were common factors of human life. From the 1180s to the 1830s, the Inquisition was the judicial arm of the Catholic Church. Created to root out and punish heretics within the Catholic faith, the Inquisition became an institution that would carve its name into history.

How is it that so little is known about the Renaissance man of America’s early history, with no image on Mount Rushmore, no face on currency, and certainly no Broadway musical to his posthumous credit? Perhaps it’s because he was not a man who sought renown. Throughout his career, others, including George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and John Adams, sought his help when the country was in need of his skills. John Jay’s role in the establishment of the United States, a country that was founded upon ideals of freedom and democracy, has almost been forgotten.

The list of American war heroes who went on to become presidents includes men as little remembered as Zachary Taylor and as famous as Dwight D. Eisenhower. While these men are venerable with a significant their place in American history, they cannot equal the status of Ulysses S. Grant, the Civil War general who rose through the ranks from virtual obscurity to command.

Explore the life of one of the medieval world’s most memorable figures. Eleanor of Aquitaine became the queen of both France and England, the wife of two kings, and later the mother of two kings. Heiress to the rich French provinces of Aquitaine and Poitou, she was undoubtedly one of medieval Europe’s most powerful and wealthiest women.

The name Disney is celebrated throughout the world because of its association with blockbuster animated films and iconic cartoon characters. Just about everyone on the planet, regardless of time, place, or culture, has at one time or another become acquainted with Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and everybody’s favorite anthropomorphic dog, Goofy. These are the characters that we know and love.

This audiobook provides an introduction to one of the most intriguing wars of modern times - a war that saw several innovations, including the use of heliography and indirect fire, and caused the complete overhaul of the great Imperial British fighting machine in its aftermath. It also tells of the first example of the brilliant use of guerrilla warfare by the people who, to this day, have never been outclassed: the Boer commandos.

Listen to the epic saga of the ordinary British civilians who sailed across the English Channel to the embattled port of Dunkirk to rescue their trapped soldiers, while the German military launched its might to prevent the evacuation.

Wilbur and Orville Wright have gone down in history as pioneers of flight and the inventors of the first airplane. This is the story of how their mechanical interest in printing presses and bicycles led them towards finding solutions to the conundrum of flight. Find out how their methodological research and innovative ideas set them apart from other inventors, and learn about the newspaper editors and scientists’ reactions to the Wright brothers’ achievement - the slow transformation of skepticism and disbelief to amazement.

The Taj Mahal in Agra is arguably the most iconic image of India. For centuries, the world believed that it was built by Shah Jahan in 1631 to immortalize his love for his wife Mumtaz Mahal. This audio presents the five main historical figures of the Mughal Empire in India and the many details of how the Taj Mahal was built. Listen to stories about: the life of Mumtaz Mahal, considered the jewel of the place; the building of the Taj Mahal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; the myths, conjecture, and controversy; the 22 locked rooms in the basement; and much more.

The saga of the Vikings rises and falls on the banks of history, ebbing and flowing with popular opinion and whimsical anecdotes. The Vikings are routinely typecast and labeled anywhere from bloodthirsty tyrants to valiant heroes. They have been condemned as pirates and praised as explorers. We have all heard the stories of the fierce warriors with long ships and horned helmets storming onto the shores of medieval Europe - but who were these men really?

He’s the president with the asterisk by his name: Richard Milhous Nixon, the only US president to resign from office. But Richard Nixon’s legacy to the history of the US is much more complicated than the scandal of Watergate. His is the classic story of American legend - a young man who rose from his humble roots to achieve power and influence. Was Nixon a villain or a hero? Meet the president whose personality consisted of conflicting layers of pragmatism, patriotism, and self-doubt, which caused a fall from grace that roiled American democracy.

Slavery is a dark spot in the history of the United States, a time when the rights of African Americans were non-existent. Slaves were beaten, mutilated, raped, and killed with impunity. Their lives were a living hell from which death was the only escape they could dare to hope for. From this darkness, many heroes emerged, one of which was a man named Frederick Douglass. Born a slave in Maryland, Douglass believed he had found the key to the power of the white man - education. He taught himself to read and write, and then he proceeded to teach other slaves to read and write as well.

The Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union lasted from the end of World War II until the end of the 1980s. Over the course of five decades, they never came to blows directly. Rather, these two world superpowers competed in other arenas that would touch almost every corner of the globe. This overview of the Cold War provides the story of how these two countries came to oppose one another and the impact it had on them and others around the world.

There was truly no one like Theodore Roosevelt. From a sickly boy, Teddy (as the world came to know him) would transform himself into the apex of vigor and energy. From husband, father, and rancher to hunter, governor, and president of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt led a most extraordinary life. This was a man who did many things and did them outstandingly well. Roosevelt's willingness to go the extra mile, to put fear in the back seat, were qualities that he saw in his beloved country as well. America is a better place for having known Theodore Roosevelt.