Crompton, Samuel Willard

Examines the U.S.-Soviet space race of the 1950s and the launches of Sputnik I and II as well as the U.S. Explorer I.

Presents a brief biography of Sir Francis Drake, the British explorer who traveled around the globe from 1577 to 1580, and includes information on his career as the greatest seaman of the Elizabethan Age.

Presents a comprehensive study of sixteenth-century Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan and his quest to find the Spice Islands of the Far East and to circumnavigate the globe.

Examines the life and achievements of Cyrus the Great, discussing his military accomplishments, as well as his skills as a diplomat and leader in ancient Persia.

Provides an account of the Supreme Court case of McCulloch v Maryland in which the State of Maryland attempted to block the operation of a branch of the Second Bank of the United States, setting off a debate over issues of sovereignty and implied powers.

Presents biographical profiles of one hundred spiritual leaders significant to world history, arranged chronologically according to birth year, including Akhenaten, Moses, Jesus Christ, Socrates, Lao-tzu, the Buddha, Confucius, Muhammad, Mohandas Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King Jr., Desmond Tutu, Pope John Paul II, and the Fourteenth Dalai Lama.

Presents a short biography of second president of the United States, John Adams, and chronicles his life and early supporter of independence, his vice-presidency and presidency, and more.

Provides a historical account of the 1066 Battle of Hastings, a pivotal event in England's history, as well as the people and events leading up to it and its ramifications.

Examines the life of Thomas Paine, discussing how his words inspired the nation during the crisis of the Revolutionary War, and looking at the events that led to his downfall.

Brief biographies of one hundred men and women who attained greatness through military force, strategy, and/or the ability to command, relating the often harsh conditions and incredible odds each faced.