検索キーワード： 著者 "in60Learning" すべてのカテゴリー

Many associate Mahatma Gandhi with peace, but this should not be confused with passivity. Gandhi was an activist who helped India achieve independence from Britain, advocated for Indian rights in South Africa and at home, and improved the lives of India’s “untouchable” people. He did this all through nonviolent activism and thoughtful reflection on the nature of the injustices he saw around him. This short biography reveals the life experiences that made Gandhi an inspirational peacemaker with an international legacy.

The Roman Empire crumbled, and nothing could replace it. People groups shifted all over the continent: the Byzantines came after the Visigoths, the Saxons clashed with the Celts, and the Vikings pillaged everyone. Eventually, feudalism emerged and brought with it knights in shining armor and long lines of monarchs.

The Whigs were a party born out of opposition. Whigs came from all sorts of political beliefs. The little they had in common defines their legacy today: They upheld the Constitution and Federal law, advocated for the rights of Native Americans, supported free public education, and encouraged women’s participation in political campaigns. While their diversity in beliefs allowed the Whigs to accomplish many different goals at the local level, this ultimately led to their dissolution in the 1850s. Still, this short-lived party left a long-lasting impact on American politics. 

Did you know that the Illinois Confederacy of North America is arguably the longest ruling civilization in the world? Surpassing the Romans, Egyptians, Japanese, and Chinese, the Native Americans of this confederacy ruled the Midwest unchallenged for more than 9,000 years. 

Throughout the 1920s, America's public figures considered a prosperous stock market to be a sign of a prosperous nation. While unemployment slowly rose and production dropped, leaders assured everyone that they should have faith in the economy. Then came the Great Crash on Wall Street. The loss of faith in public institutions devastated Americans ideologically just as it devastated the national economy - the US would never be the same again. This brief introduction paints the picture of life in America on the precipice of the Great Depression.

The great Texan Sam Houston had an unusual upbringing: at age 16 he ran away from home to live with the Cherokee Indians. His three years with this adopted family shaped the course of his entire life. He went on to a life of military and political service, advocating all the while for the rights and protections of the Native Americans. He was elected first president of the Republic of Texas, saw to the union of Texas with the US, served as a general in the Mexican-American war, and became the first and only US governor to have previously been head of a foreign state. 

The shift from the Paleolithic to Neolithic periods represents a watershed moment in human history. While many may consider the humans of both stone ages to be unintelligent barbarians, this brief history proves that the humans of yesteryear were just as smart as we are today. Between 10,000 BC and 2,000 BC, they instituted revolutionary changes in human life. All over the globe, formerly nomadic people began settling into villages, farming, and creating high-tech stone inventions. 

Since 1823, Texas Rangers have defended frontier families, stopped cattle rustlers, solved crimes, and done much more beyond the scope of even the US Army. Writer Karl Kesel once noted that the Texas Rangers would make perfect comic book characters because “They’re so larger than life.” Their skill and bravery pushed the borders of believability: they’d famously send a single ranger to control an entire riot. This brief text delves into the Rangers’ storied history - from their humble beginnings serving the Republic of Texas, to their modern role as detectives in cowboy hats.

The 20th US president, James A. Garfield, served for only 200 days before his untimely death. His widowed mother raised Garfield in poverty on an Ohio farm. He served as a general in the Civil War before serving his country in the House of Representatives. A passionate man, Garfield had many priorities when elected president - he wanted to reduce the national debt, build up education, and ensure Civil Rights were granted to all freed slaves. Yet his death came too quickly when a madman with a personal vengeance shot him, and a fumbling doctor failed to save his life.

All major historians agree that Gaius Caesar Caligula ruled as a depraved, cruel, and ruthless emperor. Yet some discrepancies in the historical accounts raise questions about what was true and what was libel intended to discredit Caligula as an utter raging, evil madman. This audiobook reexamines the evidence to reveal the exaggerations of history while still detailing the verified truth of Caligula’s monstrous ways.  

Born the illegitimate son of the Duke of Normandy, young William rose against his controversial origins to become a powerful leader. He fought to establish his power as a Duke and then used that power to take England by storm. He faced off against King Harold in the Battle of Hastings, ultimately winning the English crown. William’s legacy as “the Conqueror” is not a nice one—he achieved greatness through brutal means. What he did not only secured his own reign, however, it paved the way for the future of England. 

This audiobook details the rise and fall of New France, describing the role of the Seven Years’ War, Napoleon Bonaparte, and the Louisiana Purchase. Though French colonization ended more than 200 years ago, it left behind a distinct French flair and unique Creole culture that lives on in Louisiana today. 

Nero Claudius Caesar holds a reputation as a tyrant, a maniacal leader. Some say he may have suffered from lead poisoning and gone mad, but most historical sources quickly dismiss this excuse for his cruelty. Various historical accounts record that Nero had his own mother killed, persecuted Christians, and ordered the setting of Rome’s Great Fire. The last ruler of the Julio-Claudian dynasty is certainly one of the most infamous leaders of the Roman Empire. This brief history explores what we know about the man behind the myth and the monster within the man.

Wealth, indulgence, and a Gatsby-like aesthetic: This is what comes to mind when one thinks of the Roaring Twenties. This revolutionary decade marked the end of the American Gilded Age, a period of sustained economic growth which led to a booming marketplace. After World War I, Americans had more money to spend, and mass production rose to meet the emerging wealth. This was the era of Broadway and bootleggers, new cars and Al Capone, mass culture and money, money, money. However, it was also the prelude to the Great Depression.

Everyone knows of Los Angeles’ legendary film industry, but few know the history that came before it. Native American tribes lived in the area for thousands of years before the city’s official founding. In 1791, the governor of Las Californias sent a diverse group of 44 “pobladores” - settlers - to establish a community in what is now downtown Los Angeles. The land passed into the hands of Mexico, then the US, who saw it through the influx of migrants during the California gold rush. 

Jesse James grew up in Clay County, Missouri, a place where north and south conflicted over the issue of slavery. Tensions grew in the lead-up to the Civil War, and James’ Southern loyalties meant he had to make a decision. When war broke out, Jesse and his brother Frank joined the Confederate guerrillas known as “bushwhackers” alongside other notorious characters like “Bloody Bill”. By the age of 17, Jesse had escaped death twice and gained a reputation as a ruthless killer. 

Grace Kelly only graced American film screens from 1950-1956. She came from a line of successful individuals, and her short career was no exception; she starred in numerous films, worked with legendary director Alfred Hitchcock, and won an Academy Award. She also won the heart of the Prince of Monaco, whom she wed in 1956. She reigned as a philanthropic princess until her dramatic death on a winding Monaco street in 1982. This biography serves as an introduction to her life and legacy as a film princess.

Leland Stanford retains a double legacy as both a robber baron and a great philanthropist. He got his start in business as a merchant during the California gold rush, but he worked his way up to president of both the Central and Southern Pacific Railroad companies by 1861. He became a railroad mogul, a leading force in an under-regulated industry wherein he gained a reputation for corrupt and greedy practices. Yet, he and his wife benevolently founded Stanford University in memory of their deceased son.

Frank Sinatra, one of America's most iconic singers, entered the world a child of Italian immigrants living in New Jersey. After his expulsion from high school, Frank taught himself to sing and got his start in nightclubs. Sinatra's humble, rough-and-tumble youth didn't stop him from becoming one of the most successful musicians of the 20th century, however. He conquered the world of music and film both, but he struggled with mental health throughout his life. This biography examines the life of the man who, at the end of his lifelong career, looked back and said, "I did it my way."

Actor Marlon Brando, famous for his role in The Godfather, used his troubled childhood to fuel his work. Between two alcoholic parents, Brando grew up physically abused and emotionally underdeveloped. As an actor, he practiced the Stanislavski system, a kind of method acting where one draws emotions from past experiences to bring realism into a performance. This biography delves into the complicated life and career of this actor, director, and activist.