Greenwood Press Daily Life Through History Series – serie

During the 1920s and 1930s, changes in the American population, increasing urbanization, and innovations in technology exerted major influences on the daily lives of ordinary people. Explore how everyday living changed during these years when use of automobiles and home electrification first became commonplace, when radio emerged, and when cinema, with the addition of sound, became broadly popular. Find out how worklife, domestic life, and leisure-time activities were affected by these factors as well as by the politics of the time. Details of matters such as the creation of the pickup truck, the development of radio programming, and the first mass use of cosmetics provide an enjoyable read that brings the period clearly into focus.Centering its attention on the broad masses of the population, this animated reference resource emphasizes the wide variety of experiences of people living through The Roaring Twenties and The Great Depression. Readers will be surprised to discover that some of the assumptions we have about the lives of average Americans during these eras are historically inaccurate. A final chapter provides a unique look at six American communities and gives a vivid sense of the diversity of American experience over the course of these tumultuous years.

The nineteenth century American frontier comes alive for students and interested readers in this unique exploration of westward expansion. This study examines the daily lives of ordinary men and women who flooded into the Trans-Mississippi West in search of land, fortune, a fresh start, and a new identity. Their daily life was rarely easy. If they were to survive, they had to adapt to the land and modify every aspect of their lives, from housing to transportation, from education to defense, from food gathering and preparation to the establishment of rudimentary laws and social structures. They also had to adapt to the Native Americans already on the land—whether through acculturation, warfare, or coexistence.Jones provides insight into the experiences that affected the daily lives of the diverse people who inhabited the American frontier: the Native Americans, trappers, explorers, ranchers, homesteaders, soldiers and townspeople. This fascinating book gives a sense of the extraordinary ordinariness of surviving, prospering, failing, and dying in a new land; and explores how these westering Americans inevitably displaced those already bound to the land by tradition, culture, and religion. A wealth of illustrations complement the text of this easy-to use reference.

Explore the Middle Ages, a complex and often misunderstood period in European history, through this vivid examination. Details of everyday living recreate the time period for modern readers, conveying the foreignness of the medieval world while bringing it into focus. The volume provides a two-pronged approach to history beginning with a broad sketch of the general dynamics that shaped the medieval experience while at the same time creating a detailed and clear portrait of what life would have been like for real individuals living in specific settings at the time.The reader is introduced to medieval society in the first three chapters, which include information on the life cycle, material culture, and the economy. These chapters provide an understanding of what people ate, what their social lives were like, what they wore, what kinds of jobs they had, and much more. Following are portraits of life in four specific medieval settings, offering in each case a particular example of the type: the village (Cuxham in Oxfordshire), the castle (Dover), the monastery (Cluny) and the town (Paris). Extensive use of documentary sources from each place sketch the broad contours of the social setting and provide details of the everyday experiences of real individuals. The volume concludes with an exploration of how ordinary people perceived the world in which they lived. Original games, recipes, and music are also provided to round out this rich introduction to life in medieval Europe.

Use this fascinating reference resource to find out what it meant to be a typical Ancient Roman. Using plenty of anecdotal material written by Romans themselves, this volume explores the ins and outs of daily living for ordinary people, from their homes, to the foods they ate, to the sports and games they enjoyed. The ancient civilization is brought to life, and students can easily make comparisons between the people of that culture and the people of our own, discovering the similarities and differences between the two.Many different aspects of life in Ancient Rome are presented to provide a full and varied picture. Discover what the education system was like and what the critics had to say about it. Find out who the most successful gladiators and charioteers were, the equivalent of our modern-day sports superstars. Examine what life was like for slaves. These details and more help to provide an understanding of this ancient society that at first glance may seem very foreign but that upon closer study seems to have much in common with modern day society.

This thorough exploration of the aspects of everyday life in China during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) provides fascinating insight into a culture and time that is often misunderstood, especially by those from western cultures. Here students will find the details of what life was really like for these people. How was their society structured? How did they entertain themselves? What sorts of food did they eat? The answers to these and other questions are provided in full detail to bring this golden age of Chinese culture alive for the modern reader.Based mainly on classical translations from the Chinese themselves, each chapter addresses a specific aspect of daily living in the voices of those who lived during the time. A myriad of interesting details are provided to help readers discover, among other things, what life was like in the city, what homes and gardens were like, how the role's of men and women differed, and the many rituals in which people participated. Detailed descriptions of the clothes and materials people wore, the games they played and the cooking methods they used for specific foods provide readers with the ability to experiment on their own to recreate the time and place, so they can have a better understanding of this intriguing culture.

From the Thirteenth century through the Nineteenth, the waterways of the world provided the major means of transportation for exploration, trade, the military, and even criminals. Find out what life was like for those who chose to sail the high seas, as well as for those who didn't choose to be on board, like wives brought to sea by husbands and slaves en route to the auction block. What were their quarters like? What did they eat? How did they pass their long days at sea? These and other questions are answered in animated prose that brings the lives of ordinary people who oftentimes engaged in extraordinary activities, into sharp focus.First-hand accounts from such sources as personal journals and magazine articles are provided to help bring the time period alive. Students will also learn what life was like in the seaport towns and what the sailors did when they visited these towns, as well as the physical parts of the ships and the different roles different members of the crew played. This engaging history helps to separate fact from fiction while exploring the reasons the sea and sea life have held such prominent roles in popular fiction, and will help students understand what life was truly like for these people.

Details what ordinary life was like during the extraordinary years of the reign of Soviet Union. Thirty-six illustrations, thematic chapters, a glossary, timeline, annotated multimedia bibliography, and detailed index make it a sound starting point for looking at this powerful nation's immediate past.What was ordinary life like in the Soviet police state? The phrase daily life implies an orderly routine in a stable environment. However, many millions of Soviet citizens experienced repeated upheavals in their everyday lives. Soviet citizens were forced to endure revolution, civil war, two World Wars, forced collectivization, famine, massive deportations, mass terror campaigns perpetrated against them by their own leaders, and chronic material deprivations. Even the perpetrators often became victims. Many millions, of all ages, nationalities, and walks of life, did not survive these experiences. At the same time, millions managed to live tranquilly, work in factories, farm the fields, serve in the military, and even find joy in their existence.Structured topically, this volume begins with an historical introduction to the Soviet period (1917-1991) and a timeline. Chapters that follow are devoted to such core topics as: government and law, the economy, the military, rural life, education, health care, housing, ethnic groups, religion, the media, leisure, popular culture, and the arts. The volume also has two maps, including a map of ethnic groups and languages, and over thirty photographs of people going about their lives in good times and bad. A glossary, a list of student-friendly books and multimedia sources for classroom and/or individual use, and an index round out the work, making it a valuable resource for high school as well as undergraduate courses on modern Russian and Soviet history. Copious chapter endnotes provide numerous starting points for students and teachers who want to delve more deeply.

The life of persecuted minorities, as well as that of the wealthy and the ordinary people of Spain during the Spanish Inquisition, comes alive in this illuminating account. For three and a half centuries, the Inquisition permeated every aspect of daily life in early modern Spain. This history depicts in graphic terms the dangers faced by Jews and Muslims and their suffering at the hands of the Inquisitors, as well as the struggle for survival of the lower classes and the ostentatious display of wealth of the high nobility. Set against the political, religious, social, economic, and cultural events of the time, it presents a balanced account, rich in detail, of the daily activities of the Spanish people during this period.Each chapter offers a succinct perspective of life during early modern Spain, covering the political and social setting, the Church, the Inquisition, Jews and Conversos, Muslims and Moriscos, the court, urban and rural life, family life, clothes and fashions, food, arts and entertainment, military life, education, and health and medicine. All these aspects of life are discussed in the context of a society experiencing profound internal conflicts arising from matters of religion, class, gender, and ethnic prejudice. Interwoven in the text is a discussion of relevant political and economic events that helped to shape the times, as well as comments from both contemporary Spanish writers and foreign visitors who witnessed firsthand the conditions and attitudes of the people. More than 40 illustrations, a timeline of important events, a list of Spanish rulers during the centuries of the Inquisition, a glossary, and a bibliography add value to the narrative.

During Charlemagne's time, life was full of ordinary difficulties: the food supply could be depleted quickly by a bad growing season; most people had no access to artificial lighting; childbearing was extremely dangerous for both the child and the mother. This book covers topics ranging from food, clothing, housing, the intellectual life at court, the military life, the monastic life, and everything in between, giving readers a compelling portrait of how life was lived in the early Middle Ages.Charlemagne's impact on the world is virtually unparalleled. Had he not built his empire and encouraged what became known as the Carolingian renaissance, much of the ancient Roman culture would have been lost, and Christianity may have died in the West. Yet on a personal level, people of Charlemagne's age lived as they had for hundreds of years.

Though infamous for their violent marauding, Vikings were but one part of the complex Scandinavian culture from which they emerged. This excellent and intimate study goes beyond the rumors of the fury of the Northmen, into the prosaic realities of the greater Scandinavian community, and is ideal for readers who want to discover the everyday details of living in this dynamic time and place. What were Viking families like? How were slaves treated? Were older people treated well, or regarded with contempt? Exactly how did they manage to travel from Baghdad to Greenland? Author Kirsten Wolf answers all of these questions and many more in this highly readable and informative resource volume, which will be a benefit and pleasure to the student and the general reader alike.For the reader's convenience, the work is organized into chapters covering all aspects life: domestic, economic, intellectual, material, political, recreational, and religious. It includes a historical timeline of Viking history, complementary pictures, illustrations, and maps, and a bibliography.

From the time of its birth in Mecca in the 7th century C.E., Islam and the Islamic world rapidly expanded outward, extending to Spain and West Africa in the west, and to Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent in the east. An examination of the daily life in these Islamic regions provides insight into a civilized, powerful, and economically stable culture, where large metropolitan centers such as Damascus, Baghdad, and Cairo thrived in many areas, including intellectual and scientific inquiry. In contrast with medieval Europe, there is little common knowledge in the West of the culture and history of this vibrant world, as different from our own in terms of the political, religious, and social values it possessed, as it is similar in terms of the underlying human situation that supports such values. This book provides an intimate look into the daily life of the medieval Islamic world, and is thus an invaluable resource for students and general readers alike interested in understanding this world, so different, and yet so connected, to our own.Chapters include discussions of: the major themes of medieval Islamic history; Arabia, the world of Islamic origins; warfare and politics; the major cities of Damascus, Baghdad, and Cairo; religious rituals and worship; and a section on curious and entertaining information. Author James E. Lindsay further provides a focused look at the daily lives of urban Muslims during this time period, and of their interactions with Jews, Christians and other Muslims. Timelines, tables (including a calendar conversion to align the Islamic lunar and the Christian solar dates, and a dynastic table highlighting the major genealogies of the ancient ruling families), a bibliography, and a glossary of important dates and technical terms are also provided to assist the reader.

Discover how ordinary people lived during the Middle Ages in the eastern Mediterranean in this unparalleled exploration of life in the Byzantine Empire. Learn how the subjects of the Byzantine Empire kept track of time with sundials and water clocks. Witness a typical wedding and all of the traditions followed by the bride, groom, and guests. Find out how the Byzantines kept up their appearance, covering everything from skincare to dental care. Learn the rules of games that children played, and explore everything in the city of Constantinople, from tourist attractions to city administration and defense strategies. Learn about sports entertainment at the Hippodrome as well as theaters and other festivals. Compare city life to that of the country, military, and monastery. Understand Byzantine humor, education system, and musical instruments. Ideal for high school students and undergraduates. Even general readers can explore the world of the Byzantine Empire in this comprehensive study that covers everything from clothing styles to typical city life.Rautman discusses not only general issues of everyday life in the Byzantine Empire, but also probes into very specific topics. Questions such as Who were some writers during the Byzantine Empire? as well as, How did people brush their teeth? are answered in this extensive study. Topics include Byzantine worldviews, how their society and economy flourished, and how families were structured. Rautman also looks at the city of Constantinople (modern Istanbul), as well as other cities and towns and the countryside. Other topics include life in the military and monastery, artistic life, and education beliefs. Also included are a list of Byzantine rulers, a list of Byzantine and contemporaneous writers, and a glossary. This all-inclusive study is essential to all high school, academic, and public library reference shelves.

England witnessed an overall rising standard of living in the seventeenth century. Still very much an agrarian society, approximately 80% of the population lived in rural settlements, and even citydwellers were in walking distance of farmland. However, as the the century came to an end a growing proportion of the population was living in urban areas. London in particular grew from some 200,000 people in 1600 to 575,000 by 1700 and went from being the 3rd largest city in Europe to the largest. Homes were larger than previously and the wealth of a family could be determined by how many fireplaces were in the home. Clothing was another important facet of Stuart culture and not only protected the wearer against the elements but was a statement of their position in society. Clothing and homes weren't the only marker of social status, even sports and games were often divided along class lines - many in the lower classes played football while the upper-classes were consumed with billiards. Forgeng brings life in Stuart England alive for students and general readers alike. Chapters devoted to the course of life and cycles of time; the living environment; clothing and accoutrements; food and drink; and entertainments detail the day-to-day lives of those living in Stuart England; while the role of women; religion; science and technology; the military; and trade and economy are also explored.Greenwood's Daily Life through History series looks at the everyday lives of common people. This book will illuminate the lives of those living in Stuart England and provide a basis for further research. Black and white photographs, maps and charts are interspersed throughout the text to assist readers. Reference features include a timeline of historic events, sources for further reading, glossary of terms, bibliography and index.

Until recently little was known about ancient Nubia and day-to-day lives of the Nubian people aside from knowing it was a civilization contemporary with, distinct from, and living under the shadow of Ancient Egypt. Nubia existed from about 3500-300 BCE, close to 3,000 years. Thanks to recent massive archeological surveys, we now have a much clearer picture of Nubian civilization, what they ate, how they dressed, how they cared for their dead, their military triumphs and defeats, where their cities were built, and what they looked like. Of course they underwent dramatic changes over time, and these are noted where appropriate. Though often confused with the Ethiopians of Greek lore, little doubt remains that Nubians were in fact black African peoples, and their civilization has been claimed by many as proof of a sophisticated and ancient black African society.For ease of use by students, the work is organized chronologically. Each chapter is divided into convenient subheads that detail military and warfare, government, language, relations with neighboring civilizations; work and the economy, engineering and architecture, housing, transportation, family life, life cycle events, women's roles, art, music and dance, literature, science, and religion. It includes a historical timeline of Nubian history, a glossary of Nubian terms, and a bibliography for further reading. Throughout the work, Bianchi, an expert on the Nubians, shows how the modern world has little by little come to discover and recognize the distinctiveness and importance of Nubia in ancient history. This work will replace all earlier resources on Nubian life and will provide school and public librarians with the most up-to-date and historically correct information on the Nubians.

Though certainly not untouched by tragedy, the historical period of the Middle Ages was a dynamic and prosperous time for Jewish civilization; for despite the mass expulsions and periodic attacks that the Jews of the time suffered, they also managed prolonged periods of at least civil relations with the Christian and Muslim cultures that surrounded them, periods in which the Jewish culture at large produced great poetry and important philosophical and theological works, and made inspired contributions to mathematics and the sciences. Accessible to the general reader but enlightening also to the scholar, Norman Roth's account of the diverse and diffuse culture of Jewish daily life in the medieval world offers a direct look on this profoundly historical people, who through their unique relationship with the cultures that surrounded them touched obliquely on so much else in the world of the Middle Ages—as well as on that of the present day.For ease of use by students, the work is organized into chapters covering all aspects of daily life: education, marriage and family life, the Jewish community at large, religious customs and observances, work, medicine, literature and the arts, the dangers of being Jewish, and the relationship between Jews and Gentiles. It includes a historical timeline of the critical events in the Jewish experience of the middle ages, a glossary of terms, and a bibliography for further reading. Throughout the work Roth shows the circumstances surrounding and at times invading Jewish life at the time, and paints a picture that is at once intimate and also comprehensive. This work will provide school and public librarians with a resource on Jewish culture that is unique, highly informative, historically accurate, and compelling to a high degree.

Despite the fact that the majority of the inhabitants of the Roman Empire lived an agricultural existence and thus resided outside of urban centers, there is no denying the fact that the core of Roman civilization—its essential culture and politics—was based in cities. Even at the furthest boundaries of the Empire, Roman cities shared a remarkable and consistent similarity in terms of architecture, art, infrastructure, and organization which was modeled after the greatest city of all, Rome itself. In Gregory Aldrete's exhaustive account, readers will have the opportunity to peer into the inner workings of daily life in ancient Rome, to witness the full range of glory, cruelty, sophistication, and deprivation that characterized Roman cities, and will perhaps even gain new insight into the nature and history of urban existence in America today.Included are accounts of Rome's history, infrastructure, government, and inhabitants, as well as chapters on life and death, the dangers and pleasures of urban living, entertainment, religion, the emperors, and the economy. Additional sections explore two other important Roman cities: Ostia, an industrial port town, and Pompeii, the doomed playground of the rich. This volume is ideal for high school and college students, as well as for anyone interested in examining the realities of life in ancient Rome. A chronology of the time period, maps, illustrations, a bibliography, and an index are also included.

The Mongol Empire comes to life in this vivid account of the lives of ordinary people who lived under the rule of Ghengis Khan. The book allows the reader to enjoy traditional Mongol folktales and experience life in a yurt, the tent in which the nomadic Mongols lived. It explains why the Mongols had a reputation for being savage barbarians by describing their fur-lined clothes and their heavy, meat- and alcohol-based diet. It supplies first-hand accounts of fighting in Ghengis Khan's decimalized army, and explores the various tasks that were left up to the women, such as loading and unloading the wagons when traveling. High school students and undergraduates can compare and contrast religious beliefs and various laws of the Mongols with those of other cultures they are studying. From traditional medicinal treatments to the Great Yasa law system, readers young and old can enjoy this comprehensive, in-depth study of everyday living during the Mongol Empire.The Mongol Empire comes to life in this vivid account of the lives of ordinary people who lived under the rule of Ghengis Khan. The book allows the reader to enjoy traditional Mongol folktales and experience life in a yurt, the tent in which the nomadic Mongols lived. It explains why the Mongols had a reputation for being savage barbarians by describing their fur-lined clothes and their heavy, meat- and alcohol-based diet. It supplies first-hand accounts about fighting in Ghengis Khan's army and explores the various tasks that were left up to the women, such as loading and unloading the wagons when traveling. High school students and undergraduates can compare and contrast religious beliefs and various laws of the Mongols with those of other cultures they are studying. From traditional medicinal treatments to the Great Yasa law system, readers young and old can enjoy this comprehensive, in-depth study of everyday living during the Mongol Empire.In addition to general questions, Lane delves into specific situations of everyday living during the Mongol Empire. Questions such as How did the judicial system of the Mongol Empire work? and What spices were generally used in Mongol cooking? are answered in this extensive study. Subjects include: the structure of steppe society; clothes and hairstyles; the evolution of the nomadic life to one more permanent; the decimalization of the Mongol army; and the shaman's methods of healing sick patients. Other topics are: the Mongols' insatiable thirst for airag, an alcoholic beverage; Hu Szu-hui's royal cookbook; the liberal religious beliefs held by the Mongols; Ghengis Khan's strict law system; and the status of Mongol women. Passages from ancient texts and authors enhance this reference work, one that is essential to all school and public libraries.

This book surveys current archaeological and historical thinking about the dimly understood characteristics of daily life in Great Britain during the fifth and sixth centuries.Arthurian legends are immensely popular and well known despite the lack of reliable documentation about this time period in Britain. As a result, historians depend upon archaeologists to accurately describe life during these two centuries of turmoil when Britons suffered displacement by Germanic immigrants. Daily Life in Arthurian Britain examines cultural change in Britain through the fifth and sixth centuries—anachronistically known as The Dark Ages—with a focus on the fate of Romano-British culture, demographic change in the northern and western border lands, and the impact of the Germanic immigrants later known as the Anglo-Saxons. The book coalesces many threads of current knowledge and opinion from leading historians and archaeologists, describing household composition, rural and urban organization, food production, architecture, fashion, trades and occupations, social classes, education, political organization, warfare, and religion in Arthurian times. The few available documentary sources are analyzed for the cultural and historical value of their information.

Daily life during the Black Death was anything but normal. When plague hit a community, every aspect of life was turned upside down, from relations within families to its social, political, and economic stucture. Theaters emptied, graveyards filled, and the streets were ruled by the terrible corpse-bearers whose wagons of death rumbled day and night.Daily life during the Black Death was anything but normal. During the three and a half centuries that constituted the Second Pandemic of Bubonic Plague, from 1348 to 1722, Europeans were regularly assaulted by epidemics that mowed them down like a reaper's scythe. When plague hit a community, every aspect of life was turned upside down, from relations within families to its social, political and economic structure. Theaters emptied, graveyards filled, and the streets were ruled by terrible corpse-bearers whose wagons of death rumbled night and day. Plague time elicited the most heroic and inhuman behavior imaginable. And yet Western Civilization survived to undergo the Renaissance, Reformation, Scientific Revolution, and early Enlightenment.In Daily Life during the Black Death Joseph Byrne opens with an outline of the course of the Second Pandemic, the causes and nature of bubonic plague, and the recent revisionist view of what the Black Death really was. He presents the phenomenon of plague thematically by focusing on the places people lived and worked and confronted their horrors: the home, the church and cemetary, the village, the pest houses, the streets and roads. He leads readers to the medical school classroom where the false theories of plague were taught, through the careers of doctors who futiley treated victims, to the council chambers of city hall where civic leaders agonized over ways to prevent and then treat the pestilence. He discusses the medicines, prayers, literature, special clothing, art, burial practices, and crime that plague spawned. Byrne draws vivid examples from across both Europe and the period, and presents the words of witnesses and victims themselves wherever possible. He ends with a close discussion of the plague at Marseille (1720-22), the last major plague in northern Europe, and the research breakthroughs at the end of the nineteenth century that finally defeated bubonic plague.

Donald Fixico, one of the foremost scholars on Native Americans, details the day-to-day lives of these indigenous people in the 20th century. As they moved from living among tribes in the early 1900s to the cities of mainstream America after WWI and WWII, many Native Americans grappled with being both Indian and American. Through the decades they have learned to embrace a bi-cultural existence that continues today. In fourteen chapters, Fixico highlights the similarities and differences that have affected the generations growing up in 20th-century America. Chapters include details of daily life such as education; leisure activities & sports; reservation life; spirituality, rituals & customs; health, medicine & cures; urban life; women's roles & family; bingos, casinos & gaming.Greenwood's Daily Life through History series looks at the everyday lives of common people. This book explores the lives of Native Americans and provides a basis for further research. Black and white photographs, maps and charts are interspersed throughout the text to assist readers. Reference features include a timeline of historic events, sources for further reading, glossary of terms, bibliography and index.

When Columbus discovered America in 1492, there were over five hundred indigenous groups living in what is now the United States. Despite the breathtaking diversity and inventiveness of these peoples, the culture, customs, and history of Native Americans are relatively unknown to many students and general readers today. In ten narrative chapters, organized by geographical region, Nash and Strobel examine the real history of Native Americans. How did Natives interact with European settlers? Did they really have pow-wows? Where did Indian children go to school? Did chiefs really wear feathered headdresses and smoke peace pipes? Dispelling the myths and stereotypes, the day-to-day lives of these tribes and groups during a time of tremendous change is discussed. Chapters include details of daily life such as: clothing; colonization; education; farming & hunting; households & homes; leadership & political power; spirituality, rituals & customs; trade & alliance; warfare; women's & children's roles. Readers will learn the other history of indigenous people; not what is told in many history books, or seen in Hollywood movies and old westerns.When Columbus discovered America in 1492, there were over five hundred indigenous groups living in what is now the United States. Despite the breathtaking diversity and inventiveness of these peoples, the culture, customs, and history of Native Americans are relatively unknown to many students and general readers today. In ten narrative chapters, organized by geographical region, Nash and Strobel examine the real history of Native Americans. How did Natives interact with European settlers? Did they really have pow-wows? Where did Indian children go to school? Did chiefs really wear feathered headdresses and smoke peace pipes? Dispelling the myths and stereotypes, the day-to-day lives of these tribes during a time of tremendous change is discussed. Chapters include details of daily life such as: clothing; colonization; education; farming & hunting; households & homes; leadership & political power; spirituality, rituals & customs; trade & alliance; warfare; women's & children's roles. Readers will learn the other history of indigenous people; not what is told in many history books, or seen in Hollywood movies and old westerns.Greenwood's Daily Life through History series looks at the everyday lives of common people. This book will illuminate the lives of this indigenous group and provide a basis for further research. Black and white photographs, maps and charts are interspersed throughout the text to assist readers. Reference features include a timeline of historic events, sources for further reading, glossary of terms, bibliography and index.

Christians in ancient Rome were a persecuted minority, living in communities of worship and sometimes in fear. Despite this, their daily lives were largely similar to that of the Romans they lived among. This volume explores the private and public daily lives of Christians in the ancient Roman world—primarily in the city of Rome—from the death of Jesus to Emperor Constantine's legalization of Christianity in 354 C.E. From the New Testament's vivid descriptions of the earliest Christians, the followers of Jesus of Nazareth, to the archaeological evidence from ancient Rome itself (catacombs, inscriptions, etc.), to the bloody accounts of the Roman states occasional persecution of Christians, this compelling title in the Greenwood Daily Life through History series brings to vivid life the ancient Christians of the Roman empire.Thematic chapters examine the day to day behavior of Christians in the Roman world , including the conversion of Gentiles, religious practices and afterlife, food, housing and clothing, interaction with paganism, and private and public life.

A study of life inside medieval monasteries that explores monastic spirituality, daily routines, contact with the outside world, and the historical impact of these foundational institutions on the Western world.How did the Western monastic tradition begin? What was monastic life typically like for a monk or nun? How was the institution of the monastery formative to Western culture from antiquity through the Middle Ages? This book covers the entire span of monastic history in the late-ancient and medieval periods and provides an in-depth look at several monasteries across Europe. Each chapter introduces the reader to the surviving evidence for the houses studied, such as its monastic rules, plans, records of visitation, chronicles, and biographical accounts; and aims to give an "insider" view—not only of monks' and nuns' daily activities, but what these dedicated individuals' values, ambitions, and aspirations might have been.

The French Revolution sought to change daily life itself. This book looks at the thirteen years between 1789-1802 that experienced the Terror, banning of the aristocracy, and the rearrangement of the calendar. No part of French life was left untouched during this incredible period of turmoil and warfare, from women's role in the family to men's role in the state. Art and theater were invigorated and harnessed for political purposes. Subtleties in one's dress could mean the difference between life and death. The first modern mass army was created. Chapters include the physical make-up of France; the social and political background of the revolution; the First Republic; religion, church and state; urban life; rural life; family life; the fringe society; clothes and fashion; food and drink; the role of women; military life; education; health and medicine; and writers, artists, musicians and entertainment. Anderson breathes life into the day-to-day lives of those living during the French Revolution.Greenwood's Daily Life through History series looks at the everyday lives of common people. This book will illuminate the lives of those living during the French Revolution and provide a basis for further research. Black and white photographs, maps, and charts are interspersed throughout the text to assist readers. Reference features include a timeline of historic events, glossaries of terms and names, an annotated bibliography of print and electronic resources suitable for high school and college student research, and an index.

This book provides a general overview of the daily life in a vast empire which contained numerous ethnic, linguistic, and religious communities.The Ottoman Empire was an Islamic imperial monarchy that existed for over 600 years. At the height of its power in the 16th and 17th centuries, it encompassed three continents and served as the core of global interactions between the east and the west. And while the Empire was defeated after World War I and dissolved in 1920, the far-reaching effects and influences of the Ottoman Empire are still clearly visible in today's world cultures.Daily Life in the Ottoman Empire allows readers to gain critical insight into the pluralistic social and cultural history of an empire that ruled a vast region extending from Budapest in Hungary to Mecca in Arabia. Each chapter presents an in-depth analysis of a particular aspect of daily life in the Ottoman Empire.

The Hellenistic world, ushered into existance by Alexander the Great, took in a vast region, stretching from Iraq in the east to Sicily in the west. Within this area, society was multicultural but the dominant culture was Greek, developed from the culture of classical Greece, and carrying on the legacy of classical Greece in the visual arts, literature, science, technology, and daily life.Narrative chapters guide the reader though the vast conquered lands of Hellenistic Greece, exploring marriage customs; festivals, sports, and spectacles; symposia (drinking parties); the agricultural and urban components of the polis (city-state); food; drink; education; science; technology; and the legacy of the Hellenistic age in the modern world.

This book offers an examination of everyday life in the Iberian colonies of Central and South America—the indigenous peoples, their Spanish and Portuguese colonizers, and the Africans brought over as slaves.Drawing on a wealth of primary documents and recent research, Daily Life in Colonial Latin America gives readers a genuine sense of everyday living in Central and South America, from the age of the great explorers in the 16th century to the beginning of the era of independence three centuries later.Daily Life in Colonial Latin America considers the full range of people caught up in the sweep of history during this pivotal time—Indians, Spanish and Portuguese settlers, Africans brought to the region as slaves, Whites and Mestizos, and women and children. By focusing on the lives of those often overshadowed by history, the book offers a new way of understanding how peoples from the Iberian peninsula, sub-Saharan Africa, and the western hemisphere interacted to produce a uniquely Latin American culture.

The history of imperial Russia is rich with warfare, class conflict, royal scandal, and the rise and fall of empire. This volume examines czarist Russia through the social and material lens, including changes in court life, serf/peasant life, the Orthodox church, and the effects of emancipation and industrialization, from the birth of Moscow to the rise of Communism.Thematic chapters cover Peter the Great's modernization of Russia, class structure, the role of the church, traditions and rituals, work and labor practices, health, fashion, and military life.

Explore the social and material culture of ancient Palestine during the era of the biblical New Testament. Who was the messiah prophesied by the Jews? What were the rites of passage in pre-messianic Judiasm? How did the rituals, parables, holidays, and labor practices mentioned in the New Testament relate to the daily life of the average citizen of the day? This lively volume explores the social history of ancient Palestine at the crossroads of the Eastern Mediterranean world, and the emergence of major monotheistic faiths during the time of Christ and the early centuries of the Common era.Narrative chapter topics include pre-Messianic Judaism; political and religious groups ; peasant life and agriculture; Roman occupation; work and labor; and Greek, Latin, and Persian influences.