Articles Index
Biography of Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus was the greatest explorer of his age: for centuries he was thought to have been the first to discover America. He was a complex man, however, who failed as often as he succeeded. Although his morals were questionable -- he wanted to send American slaves to Europe -- his fortitude, courage and sailing skill were unquestionable.
Cinco de Mayo - the Basics
Cinco de Mayo is much more than simply a Mexican version of St. Patrick's Day. It's a day for celebrating Mexican heritage, enjoying great food, and remembering a most unlikely win in an important battle!
Ancient Maya Architecture
The Ancient Maya were talented builders whose temples and palaces are still standing thousands of years after being constructed.
Stede Bonnet, the Gentleman Pirate
Major Stede Bonnet (1688-1718) was the most unlikely of pirates. He had a family and a prosperous plantation on Barbados, and didn't know one end of a sloop from the other. But he was determined to become a pirate, so he bought himself a ship, hired a crew and set sail.
The Paris Codex
The Paris Codex is one of only four surviving Maya books. It is full of priceless information about Maya culture, particularly calendars and prophecy.
The Maya Classic Era
The Classic Era (300 A.D. - 800 A.D.) was the "Golden Age" of the Ancient Maya. At this time, their civilization flourished, reaching great heights of culture, art and power.
The Cuban Revolution
In the final days of 1958, rebel commander Fidel Castro tightened the noose on Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista. Columns of rebel soldiers under Che Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos moved towards Havana, and on January 1, 1959, Batista fled the country. The ramifications of the Cuban Revolution would change world politics forever.
Politics of the Ancient Maya
The Ancient Maya had a complex political system with a king at the top. The King had many duties including leading in times of war and acting as a conduit between his people and the Gods.
The Dresden Codex
The Dresden Codex is one of only four surviving Maya books. It is mostly about astronomy and religious rituals.
Maya Glyphs and Writing
The ancient Maya had a complex written language consisting of hundreds of different characters or glyphs. For a long time, no one could read the handful of Maya texts that survived the ages, but now researchers have deciphered most of them.
The Ancient Maya: War and Warfare
Early researchers believed the ancient Maya to be a peaceful civilization, but recent discoveries prove just the opposite. How and why did this lost civilization make frequent war on its neighbors?
The History of Tikal
Tikal was one of the mightiest cities in the ancient Maya world, dominating its region and lesser city-states.
Timeline of the Ancient Maya
The Maya civilization peaked around 800 A.D., but it had been around for a long time before that...and is still there today! Learn more about the different eras of the Maya.
Maya Books
The Maya civilization was literate and at the time of the Spanish conquest, there were many books in the Maya cities of southern Mexico and Guatemala. Unfortunately, most of the books were destroyed and today only fragments of four Maya books remain.
Ten Facts About Anne Bonny and Mary Read
Anne Bonny and Mary Read became famous in a most unlikely way: they joined a pirate crew! They have since become legendary, the ferocious female pirates who fought under the flag of Captain John "Calico Jack" Rackham. What are some facts about these swashbuckling ladies?
What Happened to the Ancient Maya?
It's one of history's greatest mysteries: an advanced civilization in the foggy rainforests of Central America suddenly went into a steep, irreversible decline. What happened to the ancient Maya?
Ancient Maya Economy and Trade
The ancient Maya developed an extensive trading network for commerce in basic goods as well as prestige items such as gold and jade.
The Maya Calendar
The ancient Maya were keen astronomers and mathematicians and they had two complex, accurate calendars which they used to record time.
The Popol Vuh - the Maya Bible
The Popol Vuh is the Maya story of creation. One copy of these legends survived the Spanish colonial period and today it is a priceless treasure not only for the Quiche Maya but for historians and ethnographers.
Biography of Túpac Amaru
Túpac Amaru was the last member of the royal Inca family to ever rule over his people. The nephew of the last great Inca Emperor, Atahuallpa, he ruled over a handful of followers in the Peruvian jungle before becoming involved in an insurrection against the Spanish. He was captured and executed in 1572.
Ancient Maya Astronomy
The Ancient Maya were gifted astronomers who were interested in every aspect of their skies. They painstakingly charted the movements of the Sun, Moon, planets and stars, as they believed they were Gods traveling through the heavens and back and forth to the Earth and the Underworld. Their interest in astronomy impacted many aspects of Maya life, including architecture and religion.
The Ruins of Xochicalco
Not far from Mexico City is the Xochicalco archaeological site. Xochicalco was a thriving pre-Hispanic city and commercial hub around 700-900 A.D. Although lost for years, the city was rediscovered and excavated and is now a popular visitor destination.
Biography of Antonio López de Santa Anna
Antonio López de Santa Anna was president of Mexico eleven times from the 1830's to 1850's. He was the leader of the Mexican forces at the Battle of the Alamo in 1836. He had a long and checkered political and military career and remains one of Mexico's most fascinating historical figures.
Pirate Treasure
In the movies, pirates always seem to have huge chests of gold and jewels. Was this really the case? Learn more about what sort of treasure a pirate could really hope to find.
Biography of Eloy Alfaro
Eloy Alfaro, the "Old Fighter," was President of Ecuador from 1895 to 1901 and from 1906 to 1911. He was a liberal who instituted many important reforms during his time in office.