A concise and descriptive history.This introductory history of Sparta gives readers a welcome overview of the intense and brilliant history of the great... Greek city state.

In a trawl through the entire sweep of sub-Saharan history, the authors have written an accessible introduction for students and general readers. The... opening chapter on geography and climate frames the discussion, demonstrating how the environment has shaped the societies and cultures of those living in the region. Thereafter they describe the rise of states and empires in the classical period, the slave trade within Africa and beyond to the Americas, and the European conquest. The concluding section focuses on Africa in the twentieth century as it gains independence and searches for a new identity beyond colonialism. While the authors mull over the debates which have shaped the study of African history, at the center of this story are the tragedies, triumphs and the resilience of the African people. The book is illustrated with photographs, maps, and sidebars which feature the salient points on either side of the debates.

In A History of Thailand, Chris Baker and Pasuk Phongpaichit reveal how a world of mandarin nobles and unfree labour evolved into a rural society of... smallholder peasants and an urban society populated mainly by migrants from southern China. They trace how a Buddhist cosmography adapted to new ideas of time and space, and a traditional polity was transformed into a new nation-state under a strengthened monarchy. The authors cover the contests between urban nationalists, ambitious generals, communist rebels, business politicians, and social movements to control the nation-state and redefine its purpose. They describe the dramatic changes wrought by a booming economy, globalization, and the evolution of mass society. Finally, they show how Thailand's path is still being contested by those who believe in change from above and those who fight for democracy and liberal values. Drawing on new Thai-language research, this second edition brings the Thai story up to date and includes a new section on the 2006 coup and the restoration of an elected government in 2008.

The fifth edition of Robert July's critically acclaimed work continues the tradition of excellence established in previous editions, providing a... comprehensive history that both illuminates and clarifies events past and present. A History of the African People, 5/E surveys Africa's history from its earliest beginnings to the present day, exploring themes that cut across time and place to furnish their own unity and consistency: the migrations of peoples, the power of religion, the enduring impact of Africa's climate, and Africa's relationship with the wider world--that is, the invasion of foreign peoples, ideas, and institutions that has been a pervasive influence in shaping African political, economic, and social life. This volume addresses the role of Africa's women in Africa's history, includes additional sections on slavery and the slave trade, and discusses the persistent difficulties of African societies to gain the economic and social advantages hoped for from independence. July examines Africa's peoples and its cultures with a authority that has made this book the standard in the field and an indispensable guide to understanding the complexity of the African struggle for nationhood. Titles of related interest from Waveland Press: Bohannan-Curtin, Africa and Africans, Fourth Edition (ISBN 9780881338409); Curtin, Africa Remembered: Narratives by West Africans from the Era of the Slave Trade (ISBN 9780881339482); and Middleton, African Merchants of the Indian Ocean: Swahili of the East African Coast (ISBN 9781577663140).

Among both judges and academics, one of the hottest issues in constitutional law is the role of "original intent." Almost everyone agrees that it is... important, and some scholars and judges believe it should be the most important factor in constitutional law. To think about these issues intelligently, law students need to have ready access to the historical materials so they can see how the Framers of the Constitution thought about critical issues. Yet the original source materials fill many volumes. Writings by historians also fill many bookshelves. Just as the traditional casebook selects and condenses materials from the court reports to make them useful for law students, this book does the same thing for the historical evidence of original intent. There is no other source that covers this range of materials, combined with concise overviews of the best understanding of the historical context. Only this book gives students a cogent introduction to the history behind the Constitution and its major amendments, so they can form their own judgments about the "original understanding" and its relevance to modern constitutional law.

"The creation of the United States of America is the greatest of all human adventures," begins Paul Johnson's remarkable new American history. "No other... national story holds such tremendous lessons, for the American people themselves and for the rest of mankind." Johnson's history is a reinterpretation of American history from the first settlements to the Clinton administration. It covers every aspect of U.S. history--politics; business and economics; art, literature and science; society and customs; complex traditions and religious beliefs. The story is told in terms of the men and women who shaped and led the nation and the ordinary people who collectively created its unique character. Wherever possible, letters, diaries, and recorded conversations are used to ensure a sense of actuality. "The book has new and often trenchant things to say about every aspect and period of America's past," says Johnson, "and I do not seek, as some historians do, to conceal my opinions." Johnson's history presents John Winthrop, Roger Williams, Anne Hutchinson, Cotton Mather, Franklin, Tom Paine, Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Hamilton, and Madison from a fresh perspective. It emphasizes the role of religion in American history and how early America was linked to England's history and culture and includes incisive portraits of Andrew Jackson, Chief Justice Marshall, Clay, Lincoln, and Jefferson Davis. Johnson shows how Grover Cleveland and Teddy Roosevelt ushered in the age of big business and industry and how Woodrow Wilson revolutionized the government's role. He offers new views of Harding, Coolidge, and Hoover and of Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal and his role as commander in chief during World War II. An examination of the unforeseen greatness of Harry Truman and reassessments of Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Reagan, and Bush follow. "Compulsively readable," said Foreign Affairs of Johnson's unique narrative skills and sharp profiles of people. This is an in-depth portrait of a great people, from their fragile origins through their struggles for independence and nationhood, their heroic efforts and sacrifices to deal with the `organic sin' of slavery and the preservation of the Union to its explosive economic growth and emergence as a world power and its sole superpower. Johnson discusses such contemporary topics as the politics of racism, education, Vietnam, the power of the press, political correctness, the growth of litigation, and the rising influence of women. He sees Americans as a problem-solving people and the story of America as "essentially one of difficulties being overcome by intelligence and skill, by faith and strength of purpose, by courage and persistence...Looking back on its past, and forward to its future, the auguries are that it will not disappoint humanity." This challenging narrative and interpretation of American history by the author of many distinguished historical works is sometimes controversial and always provocative. Johnson's views of individuals, events, themes, and issues are original, critical, and admiring, for he is, above all, a strong believer in the history and the destiny of the American people.

This book presents a clear, concise history of the extraordinary multicultural civilizations of the ancient Near East. Bestselling narrative of the... complex history of the ancient Near EastAddresses political, social, and cultural developmentsContains in-depth discussion of key texts and sources, including the Bible and the Epic of GilgameshIncludes numerous maps, illustrations, and a selection of Near Eastern texts in translationIntegrates new research, and greatly expands the guides to further reading for this second edition

Reflecting five decades of teaching and research, and drawing on the most recent scholarship, the fourth edition of this widely-read history provides... the same broad coverage, chronological framework, and absorbing literary style that distinguished previous editions. For the new edition, the chapters on early humankind, the section on the revolt of Bar Kochba, and the chapter describing the end of the Roman Empire in the west have been rewritten to incorporate the most recent scholarship, and bibliographies have been brought up to date throughout. A classic survey of history from the beginnings of humankind to the fall of the Roman Empire, Starr's A History of the Ancient World makes the latest scholarship available to the general reader in a lively and accessible way.

Encyclopedic and panoramic in its scope, this fascinating work chronicles the rich spiritual, political, and cultural institutions of Arab history... through 13 centuries.

Upon its publication in 1991, Albert Hourani's masterwork was hailed as the definitive story of Arab civilization, and became both a bestseller and an... instant classic. In a panoramic view encompassing twelve centuries of Arab history and culture, Hourani brilliantly illuminated the people and events that have fundamentally shaped the Arab world. Now this seminal book is available in an expanded second edition. Noted Islamic scholar Malise Ruthven brings the story up to date from the mid-1980s, including such events as the Gulf War; civil unrest in Algeria; the change of leadership in Syria, Morocco, and Jordan; and the aftermath of the events of September 11, 2001. The terrorist attacks in the United States, ongoing crisis in Iraq, and renewed violence between Israelis and Palestinians all underscore the need for a balanced and well-informed understanding of the Arab world, and make this insightful history of the Arab peoples more important than ever.

Upon its publication in 1991, Albert Hourani’s masterwork was hailed as the definitive story of Arab civilization, and became both a bestseller and an... instant classic. In a panoramic view encompassing twelve centuries of Arab history and culture, Hourani brilliantly illuminated the people and events that have fundamentally shaped the Arab world. Now this seminal book is available in an expanded second edition. Noted Islamic scholar Malise Ruthven brings the story up to date from the mid-1980s, including such events as the Gulf War; civil unrest in Algeria; the change of leadership in Syria, Morocco, and Jordan; and the aftermath of the events of September 11, 2001. The terrorist attacks in the United States, ongoing crisis in Iraq, and renewed violence between Israelis and Palestinians all underscore the need for a balanced and well-informed understanding of the Arab world, and make this insightful history of the Arab peoples more important than ever.

A History of the Archaic Greek World offers a theme-based approach to the development of the Greek world in the years 1200-479 BCE.A Thematic study of... this crucial formative period of Greek history, from the same series as P.J. Rhodes' A History of the Classical Greek World.Takes a critical and analytical look at evidence about the history of the archaic Greek World.Involves the reader in the practice of history by questioning and reevaluating conventional beliefs.Casts new light on traditional themes such as the rise of the city-state, citizen militias, and the origins of egalitarianism.

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania experienced a sequence of foreign regimes, including Nazism and communism, before recovering their independence and... joining the European Union. Clearly and accessibly written, this book is one of the first to provide a general overview of their histories from the stone age to the present using a comparative approach.

From the earliest pre-history to the present day, Jeremy Black's vigorous and fascinating narrative explores the rich historical influence of the... British Isles and the varied stages through which they have passed to achieve their present identity. Giving proper weight to all four, often fractious, components of the British Isles, Black provides the reader with a balanced and absorbing account--political, social, economic, and cultural--of an extraordinary shared history. In the second edition of this highly successful text, each chapter has been thoroughly revised and updated in the light of recent scholarship.