Pivotal moments in history
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As legend has it, a young prince, Alexander, once subdued a wild stallion others couldn't control. Impressed by the youngster's bravery, his father, King Philip of Macedonia, predicted that Alexander would need to find a kingdom big enough for his ambitions. And when Alexander became king, that's exactly what he did. Alexander and his well-trained armies first gained the support of the Greek city states. Then in the mid-300s B.C., he conquered Egypt...
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Can the demise of a government 1,500 years ago have repercussions felt around the globe centuries later? If that government is the powerful Roman Empire, it can. From first century B.C. through fifth century A.D., the Romans ruled over an empire that stretched across much of Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. Then in 476, a leader from a Germanic group called the Goths overthrew the Roman Emperor. To this day, questions still exist about how...
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Can one book really change the world? A handwritten manuscript by Marco Polo in 1288 did. Polo, son of a wealthy Italian merchant, wrote about his incredible experiences traveling to China with his father and uncle on a trade expedition, and also about his adventures as an envoy of Kublai Khan, the ruler of most of China. Polo's book became a bestseller in Europe in the fourteenth century. It was copied over and over by hand, translated into fourteen...
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What happens when a foreigner takes over the throne of a powerful country like England? In the case of William the Conqueror, the forced rule would have an impact that lasted centuries. William was already Duke of Normandy-part of modern-day France. In 1066, he-along with thousands of Norman soldiers-invaded England and defeated King Harold Godwinson in the Battle of Hastings. As a result of William's victory, England's ties to Scandinavia loosened...
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Can one man's religious experience change the whole world? In the A.D. 600s, in the Arabian city of Mecca, a merchant named Muhammad began to receive and share messages from God. Muhammad attracted many followers. Eventually the revelations formed the basis for a new religion, Islam. By the time of Muhammad's death, the Islamic religion had spread across the Arabian Peninsula. Muhammad's successors continued to bring Islam to surrounding lands. Often,...