Showing results by narrator "Bill Hare" in All Categories

There are two great misconceptions about Cinco de Mayo in the United States, despite the fact it has become one of the country’s most beloved days. The first misconception is that the date marks the Independence of Mexico, and the second is that the celebration was imported in relatively recent times by Mexican immigrants. In fact, May 5 does not mark Mexico's independence (which is celebrated on September 16) but the day of the most important battle in the history of the country, fought against the French.

By the time the Revolutionary War started, military confrontations between the world powers had become so common that combat was raised to the status of a fine art, consuming a large portion of time for adolescent males in training and comprising a sizable component of the economy. Weaponry was developed to a degree of quality not accessible to most North Americans, and European aristocrats were reared in the mastery of swordsmanship with an emphasis on the saber for military use.

Baron Johann de Kalb: The Life and Legacy of the German Major General Who Fought in the American Revolution profiles one of the Revolutionary War’s most famous soldiers. You will learn about de Kalb like never before.

Brantura house sits by the water on the coast, a beckoning retreat for those wanting to get away from the city. But the house and water hold deadly secrets of love lost and minds gone mad. When Toby and his friends rent the house for a few weeks at the end of their university term, they all look forward to peace, quiet, and fun. But they get none of that. The water beckons them in, hoping to repeat its past, entrancing anyone who walks along its shores. The walls of Brantura hold both sadness and evil, and evil wins out.

The Greatest Battles in History: The Battle of Antietam comprehensively covers the fighting, analyzes the decisions made by the battle’s most important leaders, and explains the aftermath of the battle and the legacies that were made and tarnished by the battle.

Along with analysis and anecdotes of important events and people, Israel and Her Enemies is the perfect starting point for understanding how the Middle East conflicts have gotten to where they are at today and what the future may hold.

Serving as both a glossary and primer of the history of the Middle East conflict and the peace process, Decoding the Conflict Between Israel and the Palestinians defines the terms, looks at the region’s history, discusses previous attempts at negotiations like Oslo and Taba, identifies important figures, and explains the arguments and mentalities of each side, showing why the conflict has proven so intractable.

Experience Thailand takes listeners to Thailand’s main cities and beyond, exposing them to local architecture, art, nature, cuisine, dance, and more in a way that will make a trip to Thailand an unforgettable experience. Whether you’re planning a trip to Thailand or looking to learn more about the city, this guide is for you!

Today, streets, bridges, monuments, and even neighborhoods bear Tadeusz Kościuszko’s name across the country, and in Polish communities, he is often hailed as a hero equal to General Washington himself. Tadeusz Kościuszko: The Life and Legacy of Poland’s Most Famous General profiles one of the Revolutionary War’s most important figures.

For the most part forgotten, they were “the other” prophets, miracle workers, and messiahs - in some cases acclaimed as kings – and they were certainly contemporaries of Jesus of Nazareth. The New Testament does not deny the existence of such characters; in fact, it gives subtle but unequivocal clues to their presence. Learn about their existence in this audiobook.

Agrippa Hull: The Life and Legacy of the Revolutionary War’s Most Famous Black Soldier profiles one of the Revolution’s most unique participants.

During the Six-Day War in 1967, Israeli forces struck suddenly into Sinai in response to an Egyptian violation of an earlier treaty agreement that allowed Israeli ships passage through the important Straits of Tiran. In a lightning campaign, the Israeli forces, equipped with American and French vehicles and aircraft, shattered the low-quality Egyptian army forces decisively. When Jordan and Syria attacked Israel in support of Egypt, the Israelis smashed their forces also. Israel acquired most of the Sinai, as well as occupying the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and the Golan Heights.

By 1787, it became evident that the Articles of Confederation were inadequate for the new nation. With these problems hampering the national government under the Articles of Confederation and the threat of default on the nation's massive war debt looming, plans began being made to fix the problems of the Articles of Confederation. Thus, that summer, a Constitutional convention was called, and each state sent delegates to Philadelphia. Among the delegates were prominent patriots and former members of the Continental Congress, including George Washington and Benjamin Franklin.

Even before the American Revolution, Americans traveled west. From the narrow strip of the 13 colonies, across the Appalachians, ever westward they journeyed, and by the end of the 19th century the United States of America stretched from sea to shining sea.

Anne Bradstreet was born into an unusual family that, in the early years of the 17th century, believed in educating daughters as well as sons. She then moved to the American wilderness as a young bride and proceeded to produce children and poetry at nearly equal speed in the years that followed. She was the first published poet from the North American colonies, beating out the men who would follow her by a number of years. Anne Bradstreet: The Life and Legacy of the Famous Puritan Poet in the American Colonies examines Bradstreet’s influential work.

History for Kids: An Illustrated Biography of Jacqueline Kennedy for Children details the fame and fashion of the famous first lady while also examining her legacy during and after her years in the White House. Americans were fascinated by the young first lady’s style and the manner in which she glamorously positioned both the first family and the White House in those years, and Jackie remains one of the country’s most popular first ladies.

The reverence that ancient Egyptians had for certain animals evolved during the long duration of Pharaonic history until the Late Period animals of specific species were mummified by the thousands as offerings for their associated deities. For instance, ibises were mummified for the god Thoth, while cats were mummified for the goddess Bastet. Although most of the animal mummies discovered in the Sacred Animal Necropolis of Saqqara are the thousands of nameless ibises, falcons, crocodiles, and cats, the region was also home to another, more important animal cult.

Marco Polo (1254-1324) is an instantly recognizable name, and he is known for his travels, but it's safe to say that his influence and importance has been greatly overlooked in the nearly 700 years since he died. Born in Venice, Marco Polo was in a fortuitous position to participate in the Mediterranean trade, but he was still a young man when he went on the journey that would make him famous and greatly inspire the Age of Exploration.

Over the last 2,000 years, ambitious men have dreamed of forging vast empires and attaining eternal glory in battle, but of all the conquerors who took steps toward such dreams, none were ever as successful as antiquity’s first great conqueror. History for Kids: The Illustrated Life of Alexander the Great provides an entertaining look at the facts and myths surrounding one of history’s most famous men and conquerors, while exploring the lasting legacy he left.

History for Kids: The Illustrated Life of John F. Kennedy humanizes the nation's youngest elected president, explaining the roots of the Kennedy family, the basis for John’s presidential ambitions, his war service and journalism, his political career and assassination, and all of the accomplishments and shortcomings in between. Along the way, your kids will learn interesting facts about JFK you never knew, like which famous relative also died on November 22.