Defining Documents in World History – serie

In the current politically charged era, the word “treason” frequently surfaces in vitriolic discourse. However, how many cases of actual treason have there been, who were the perpetrators, and what were their consequences? The list of people convicted of treason against the U.S. is actually void of famous names such as Benedict Arnold and Julius and Ethel Rosenberg – who, while treacherous and treasonous in their own rights, were never legally convicted of that crime – but does contain names such as Aaron Burr, John Fries (leader of Fries' Rebellion), John Brown (perpetrator in the Harpers Ferry raid), and numerous individuals convicted of defecting to Nazi Germany during WWII. In fact, the last conviction for treason in the U.S. was in 1952.This set expands its coverage to look at acts of treason throughout history and around the world. Chapters also look at tyrannical governments’ attempts to label their enemies as treasonous. Individuals and events covered include Canada’s Louis Riel; Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI of France; Adolph Hitler; the anti-Nazi White Rose Movement; the July 20, 1944 attempted assassination of Hitler; Great Britain’s Thomas Paine; Nelson Mandela and the 1956 Treason Trial in South Africa; among many others.These volumes explore the history of treasonous acts in the United States from the country’s founding to present. Documents examined include charters, constitutions, legislative debates, political speeches, historical accounts, court cases, modern-day articles, and more.

Plagues and pandemics are a part of global history, from the biblical “plague of locusts” to today’s COVID-19 pandemic. Dealing with unchecked diseases and disasters has given rise to great human suffering and loss of life, but it has also played a significant role in shaping our societies. Advances in public health, medicine, scientific research, and even the arts have often been inspired by or required of those who have survived. This two-volume set includes content on the Black Death , smallpox, the plague, malaria, typhoid, polio, SARS, AIDS, Covid-19 and others.

Defining Documents in World History: Renaissance & Early Modern Era explores vital documents from important world figures from the 15th and 16th centuries, including Thomas Aquinas, Giovanni Boccaccio, Marco Polo, and many more. This new addition to the Defining Documents series offers in-depth analysis of a broad range of historical documents and historic events that shaped these documents and the authors behind them. This text closely studies more than forty primary source documents to deliver a thorough examination of various peoples and events throughout history.Renaissance & Early Modern Era provides detailed, thought-provoking analysis of:Thomas Aquinas: Summa TheologiaeLeon Alberti: On PaintingGiovanni Boccaccio: The DecameronIbn Battuta: Travels in Asia and AfricaMarco Polo: Description of Hangzhou. Articles begin by introducing readers to the historical context surrounding the document, followed by a description of the author's life and circumstances in which the document was written. Next, a detailed analysis of the document provides an in-depth examination of the issues surrounding the document and its historical significance. An historical timeline and bibliography of supplemental readings will suport readers in understanding the broader historical events and subjects in the period.

The Middle East is the site of the first great civilizations in history. Today, it remains one of the most significant regions of the world for a variety of political, economic, and religious reasons. This new 2-volume set spans the history of the region and includes a variety of documents from several eras including: Book of the Cave of Treasures (ca. 500-600)Qur'an (ca. 610 632)Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Isreal (1948)Osama bin Laden: Declaration of Jihad Against Americans (1996)Benjamin Netanyaju: Address to AIPAC (2016)The Document chapters include the primary source document, often reproduced in its entirety, the Summary Overview, Defining Moment, Author Biography, Document Analysis, and Essential Themes.