Jim Whiting

The formation of the State of Israel in 1948 is one of the most important events in recent history. About 3,000 years ago, Israel was a powerful nation. But it soon fell from power and in the second century CE most Jews were forced out of their homeland. Many went to Europe, where they were subject to prejudice and persecution for centuries. By far the worst case was the Holocaust, in which six million Jews were killed. Their suffering accelerated...

One of the most famous trials in U.S. history took place in a tiny town in Tennessee in 1925. Dayton was the site of what became known as the Scopes Monkey Trial.The defendant, John T. Scopes, was accused of violating a recently passed state law. This law made it illegal to teach the theory of evolution. Under most circumstances, few people would have paid any attention to the trial.Several of Daytons leading citizens saw a chance to put their town...

Do you want a pet that won't wake you up with its barking, doesn't need daily walks, and can go for a week or more without being fed? If so, a snake might be for you. But owning a snake is not easy. You need a container and other specialized equipment to make sure that your pet lives a long and comfortable life. Like any other pet, snakes can become ill. Most snakes eat only small animals such as mice. You may not be comfortable with feeding them....

When the Great War began in August 1914, many people thought it would be over by Christmas. Instead it lasted for more than four years and claimed millions of lives.The most dominant feature of the conflict was the seemingly endless miles of trenches that faced each other, often just a few hundred yards apart. The only way of attacking was through brutal frontal assaults. Often thousands of men died in a few hours. When they werent fighting, men lived...

The Japanese attack on the U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, was one of the worst defeats in U.S. military history. It began a string of Japanese successes that seemed to threaten the security of the United States. Many U.S. citizens and government leaders were on the verge of panic. But the attack was probably the greatest mistake the Japanese made during World War II. At that time, many Americans didn t want to go to war. The...

Many people believe that chameleons change their colors to blend in with their surroundings. They are partially right. Chameleons are nature's quick-change artists. They can change their colors within a few moments. But they do it either to express their feelings or to help control their body temperature. This ability to change colors is only one of the things that make chameleons so interesting. Because they are so much fun to watch, many people...

From the time he was young, Robert Fulton liked to work with his hands. For a while he thought he wanted to be an artist, but it was hard to make a living as a painter. Fulton turned to inventing things, including a very early version of the submarine. He is most famous for building the first practical steamboat. Others had tried and failed, but his North River Steam Boat was successful. It sailed regularly between New York City and Albany, the capital...

Ordained as a priest, Antonio Lucio Vivaldi became one of Europe s most popular composers during the early part of the eighteenth century. He wrote hundreds of concertos, dozens of operas, and many sacred works before his music fell out of fashion during the latter part of his life. He died in obscurity and his work suffered a similar fate for almost two centuries. His music was rescued from oblivion in the 1930s. His most famous work, The Four Seasons,...

What better guides to help students learn about the world than teens of the world? This unique series looks at 12 countries, one of which is the Navajo Nation inside the United States, through the eyes of both expert authors and real-life teens who live in those countries. The author provides background information on the history, culture, customs, politics, and economy of the country, while the teen describes for readers their points of view on teen...

The ancient Greek writer Herodotus is known as the father of history. He provides most of what is known about one of the most important periods in world history. It began in 490 BCE. An invading Persian army was defeated at the Battle of Marathon. It concluded just over ten years later with Greek victories at Salamis and Plataea. The triumph allowed the Greeks to develop ideas and institutions in politics, economics, science, and even sports. These...