A Moment in History

At the start of the final decade of the 20th Century, the world was rapidly changing. The Cold War was about to end; technology and computers were on the rise; and there was growing tension in the Middle East. Presiding over this pivotal time in American history was a determined, former baseball star and World War II hero looking to lead the country in the footsteps of his predecessor for whom he had served as Vice President. He was the 41st President of the United States: George H. W. Bush.

Jerusalem is arguably the most important city in the history of the world. With over 3,000 years of history and the location where the Lord of the universe was crucified and rose again, there’s little debate to that statement. Add that to the fact that the city is claimed as the cream of the crop for Christianity, Judaism, and even Islam. Speaking of Islam, the most holy site in the religion is housed on the foundations of the Jewish Temple Mount – the place where Muslims claim that the prophet Muhammad ascended into Heaven. It is one of, if not the oldest, site in Islam – the Dome of the Rock.

In the mid-1970’s, America was in a time of crisis. The nation was coming to terms with the fact that it couldn’t secure a win with the war in Vietnam; it was divided back home between conservatives and a newly-birthed radical liberal contingent; and it was coming off a decade of public assassinations as well as a troubling scandal that forced a promising president out of the Oval Office. Coming out of this chaos was a relatively calm and steady leader who served as the 38th President of the United States: Gerald Ford.

Controversial characters of history are some of the most fascinating to explore because they really do come as a mixed bag. So, the story of America has several of these, especially in the 20th century. One of the most memorable was the golden boy of a 20th century American Dynasty. He is the infamous, 35th President of The United States John F. Kennedy.

In the United States, there are many geographical landmarks that provide boundary markers for states and regions. One of these is a massive mountain range that runs like a backbone north to south through the eastern section of the nation. It played a critical role in the development of American state boundaries in the first 100 years of the nation’s existence. Running from the state of Maine through the Deep South, these are the Appalachian Mountains.

In the Cold War, tensions between the two world Superpowers of the United States and Soviet Union had never been higher. Yet, during the 40-plus years of conflict, not a single shot was fired between these two foes. The moment most historians believe started the Cold War was the Berlin Airlift in 1948.

In a place as chaotic and eerie as the sea, many legends have come about throughout the ages of sailing. Perhaps the most famous from the Golden Age of pirating is a terrifying tale about a ghost ship that would allegedly appear as a harbinger of doom and death to sailors on dark waters. It was known as The Flying Dutchman.

In marine legends, there are certain places in the world that strike fear in the hearts of sailors and travelers. One of the most famous is a portion of water that covers a large footprint in the North Atlantic Ocean, roughly 500,000 square miles, and straddles the Sargasso Sea and parts of the Caribbean Islands. Legend says it is a place where ships have been lost at sea, radar connections have been unexplainedly disrupted or fractured altogether, and planes have mysteriously gone down without explanation. This place of legend is known as the Bermuda Triangle.

The only man in United States history who served the nation as President for more than 2 terms. He led the nation through the Great Depression and almost through all of World War II, serving for a record 12 years. Franklin Delano Roosevelt is one of the most influential and controversial American leaders.

The ocean is an unsettling place, and humans have often turned to mythological stories as a way to make sense out of the turbulence of the sea. While many of those tales are little more than folklore, some legends are based on aspects of truth. One of the most terrifying of these is the beast of the waters that was said to crush whole ships in its grip.  Known in ancient days as the Kraken, it is known today by another name.

Have you ever thought about how armies in the pre-Modern world fired artillery at their opponents? Gunpowder didn’t come about until the 15th Century, so how did the Ancient Romans or Persians or Medieval Crusaders bombard cities when they attacked?

There were many Ancient Roman villains, but there is perhaps no villain quite as notorious as the last emperor of the inaugural Julio-Claudian dynasty. He is forever remembered for his mental instability, a fire that destroyed most of the city during his reign, and the ruthless targeting of Christians.

A calm, calculated man who governed the nation during the raucous and pompous Roaring 20’s era. Perhaps his cool, quiet demeanor was the check and balance the nation needed during such a time. He was the 30th U.S. President, Calvin Coolidge.

The American legacy of the Great War is intertwined with the legacy of the man who led the nation during its involvement in this war. A complicated fellow, respected by some and berated by others, that man was the 28th President Woodrow Wilson.

Let’s explore the story of perhaps the most influential people group in world history. This culture is at the center of human history, with origins going back to the early ancient world, and it was through this nation that the most important Man to ever live, Jesus Christ, would come. Tonight, let’s explore the history of the people of Israel.

These men were more than just a military fraternity – they were an entire societal class, and they dominated the fabric of Japanese society for hundreds of years. They were, in many ways, the Far East counterpart to the European Medieval Knights. Let’s explore the famous Japanese warrior class – the Samurai.

Garfield, a Civil War veteran, assumed the presidency in 1881. He was already a celebrated politician and a successful military commander for the Union army. He had potential, but only served less than a year before being killed in office.

One of the Presidents tasked with the difficult challenge in reunifying the nation after the Civil War. Hayes presided over the country during the end of the Reconstruction Period, leading into the Second Industrial Revolution.

Three possible thieses on the exact date which brought the end of the Middle Ages.