Showing results by author "Hourly History" in All Categories

The history of the Persian Empire (or Empires) stretches from ancient times well into the 20th century. Through biblical events, to the dawn and spread of Islam, to the revolutions of the 20th century, Persia - or Iran - has played an integral role in nearly all major events of world history. Uncover the fascinating story of this influential and unique civilization.

The Civil Rights Movement in America is a broad term for the movement in the mid-20th century among and for the African American community in pursuit of equal protection and rights under the law. In reality, it began much earlier than the 1950s and continues until this day. What is more, it was about so much more than the extension of universal rights; the Civil Rights Movement is about the story of the long struggle to overcome the legacies of slavery and racism. It is a story of triumph over adversity and perseverance in the face of great hardship.

James Dean is known as the first rebel. He was a ‘50s-styled, leather-clad biker rebuking authority. With his black turtleneck and a penchant for bongo drums and poetry, he could also easily be a kind of forerunner to the beatniks. And with his unkempt, wild hair and far-reaching philosophies, he is often cited as a kind of early hippie, as well. But whatever category you put him in, James Dean was the embodiment of cool. He had a cool look, cool clothes, cool attitude, and a cool backstory that most know nothing about.

From the bullfights of Spain to safaris in East Africa; from being a war correspondent in war zones around the world to surviving multiple airplane and car crashes, Hemingway’s life is a riveting story worth exploring in and of itself.

The Hittites lived among gods and kings and captivated the mysterious Sir Lawrence of Arabia, among many eager minds. Who were they? Simply warlike conquerors on a mission to impose Hittite power on the world? How did they become part of the elite highly-exclusive club of kings as great as Egyptian, Assyrian, and Babylonian empires of the second millennium BCE? They created a complex system of collective governance and changed the metallurgy of the ancient world. This mysterious empire remained the unknown fourth empire and thanks to their tradition of preservation we continue solving mysteries buried in their ancient past.

Discover the remarkable life of Empress Dowager Cixi... Empress Dowager Cixi, who first rose to prominence as a royal consort, connived and schemed her way to the very pinnacle of power in China. From the shadows of the Forbidden City's inner chambers, she emerged as the empire's de facto ruler, wielding authority few women in history had ever possessed. She ruthlessly crushed her opponents and at times subjected even close family members to abject cruelty all in pursuit of power. Yet outside forces and internal turmoil proved too much for even her guile and cunning to overcome.

The War of the Spanish Succession, which occurred between 1701 and 1714, was fought over who would succeed the childless King Charles II to the throne of Spain. During the early modern era, European countries were almost constantly at war, vying for land, resources, power, and wealth. The succession of the Spanish throne - and everything that came with it - had much of all of those things up for grabs; therefore all of Europe had much to gain, or lose, from the new Spanish ruler. By the end of the war, conflict in Europe was hardly over, but a new, dominant power had emerged.

When the establishment of the State of Israel was announced on May 14, 1948, it seemed to many people that the new nation could not survive for long. The haste with which it was created meant that Israel lacked the infrastructure of government, and its armed forces consisted of little more than a handful of lightly armed former guerilla fighters. Ranged against it were some of the most powerful nations in the Arab world, including Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, and Syria.

The Battle of Berlin was a monumental battle between two adversaries who despised one another. For the Russians who had endured the horrific suffering and loss of lives in defending their nation against the Nazi invasion, the opportunity for vengeance seemed as if fate was on their side.

Elvis Presley was much more than a cultural icon; he was a reliable barometer of the world in which he grew up. Long before the cultural revolutions of the '60s and '70s, Elvis was sparking a dynastic change of hands in American society. In this audiobook, you will learn about the life, the legend, and the unmistakable icon - Elvis Presley.

Michael Jackson is undoubtedly a legend. His music is known all over the world, and his status as the “King of Pop” is rarely if ever disputed. However, as much as we know about Jackson’s larger-than-life presence on the stage, less is known about the story of his life. MJ dominated the '80s, then fell hard in the '90s, but was poised for a comeback in 2009. He would put everything on the line to make sure that his performance was flawless. Although he would ultimately leave this mortal plane in the undertaking, his legacy would become greater than ever before.

Genghis Khan: a man who managed to unify the warring nomadic Mongol clans, who orchestrated military victories from China all the way to Russia, who founded an empire that continued to expand across Asia and into Europe during the generations that followed his reign. Riding across the steppes, bow and arrows at his side, he was a man who believed himself to be on a divinely appointed mission and would stop at nothing to fulfill it. He valued loyalty above all else and destroyed kingdoms that got in his way.

During the bitter winter of 1692/93, a group of young Puritan women in the colonial town of Salem, Massachusetts, accused more than 200 of their neighbors and fellow townspeople of using witchcraft to injure and torment them. This was an incredibly serious allegation that led to sensational court proceedings and ended with the execution of 19 people.

John Denver was a musician with a roving free spirit. He left on a jet plane and promised to be back again. Just like the seasons, he went through plenty of changes, but he always returned to the source of his inspiration. John Denver was inspired by nature and the love of life in general. He wrote songs about how sunshine made him happy, and how the natural disposition of Mother Earth made him high.

The name Bruce Lee is synonymous with martial arts superstar. Lee’s movie career was cut tragically short by his death at just 32 years old. Starring in six big-release feature movies, Lee revolutionized martial arts movie-making and challenged Western prejudices against the East. Challenging the status quo of martial arts practice, Lee created his own unique system, Jeet Kune Do. More than a martial art, Jeet Kune Do is a philosophy for life that is founded on the art of fighting without fighting.

Florence Nightingale is usually thought of for her work in the Crimean War, where, as the “Lady with the Lamp”, she tirelessly nursed wounded soldiers at all hours of the night and day. But while these two years were a significant part of her life, she was also much more.

Charlie Chaplin is most famously known for his "tramp" character - the homeless hobo that can be seen hopping from trains and lining up in the soup kitchens of the Great Depression. At a time when the whole world was struggling from economic meltdown, Charlie Chaplin made "destitute" a term of endearment. We may laugh when we see Charlie Chaplin so broke that he has to boil his shoes and eat them, but during the worst parts of the economic collapse of the 1920s and 1930s, some people had to do just that. So, at the time, even though many would laugh at the crazy tramp's antics, they could also relate and identify with them. And the fact that Charlie Chaplin's tramp character could be completely broke with his pockets turned out, sitting in a gutter with the rain pouring down, yet still be happy, gave people quite a bit of encouragement.

World War I, or the Great War, was believed to be "the war to end all wars". Because of the incredible extent of destruction and the staggering number of wounded and dead, even those who lived through it could scarcely comprehend its horror. Beginning in 1914, alliances between powerful nations soon plunged the world into a global conflict. Fighting - including miserable trench warfare - broke out in practically every corner of Europe and spread around the world to Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.

Roy Orbison possessed a voice that commanded immediate attention. He may have appeared meek and mild-mannered on the surface, yet beneath this facade lay an inner world brimming with passion and fervor. Orbison’s style was innovative and avant-garde, almost as if he were an embodiment of alternative rock before the term even entered the lexicon. He represented the emotive, tender facet of rock and roll, a stark contrast to his contemporaries, who were often swathed in leather jackets and exuded the confidence of a typical rockstar.

Lyndon B. Johnson was a powerful figure in American politics for many decades. Rising to prominence as a congressman and senator in his home state of Texas, he then became the surprise vice-president pick for the young and dashing John F. Kennedy. LBJ certainly cut a far different figure and utilized a much different approach than JFK, but he was just as charismatic (and not to mention cunning) in his own right. When Kennedy was tragically struck down by an assassin’s bullet in 1963, Johnson was sure to rise to the occasion.