Combining engagingly written, well-researched history with the respected imprimatur of Scientific American magazine, this authoritative, accessible reference provides a wide-ranging overview of the inventions, technological advances, and discoveries that have transformed human society throughout our history.

More than 400 entertaining entries explain the details and significance of such varied breakthroughs as the development of agriculture, the ""invention"" of algebra, and the birth of the computer. Special...

Although the distinction between the politics of the left and the right is commonly assumed in the media and in treatments of political science and history, the terms are used so loosely that the student and the general reader are often confused: What exactly are the terms left and right supposed to imply? This two-volume Encyclopedia of Politics: The Left and the Right contains over 450 articles on individuals, movements, political parties, and ideological principles, with those usually thought of as left in the left-hand volume (Volume 1), and those considered on the right in the...

This entry in ABC-CLIO's exciting series Turning Points--Actual and Alternate Histories covers the development of the original 13 states, from first European contact up to the Revolutionary War. Using the fascinating tool of alternate history--postulating the course of events, had one key fact been different--the book engages students' imaginations and critical thinking skills.

This critical period in American history is particularly suited to the alternative history approach: The population of the colonies was small, so the import of individual actions, or of singular events, was...

The first title in ABC-CLIO's groundbreaking series Turning Points--Actual and Alternate Histories delves into the history of North America before European contact. There is much classroom literature on Native Americans after first contact; there is little on the history before. This work fills that gap, detailing the thousands of years before Europeans arrived.

Climate changes, major battles, technology, and settlement patterns--all played a part in shaping the pre-Columbian history of North America. This book takes eight key points in history, presents the facts as they happened, and...

This volume poses "what if" questions about ten crucial "tipping points" in the history of U.S. expansionism between 1800 and the Civil War. It not only describes what happened--in the case of Lewis and Clark, the War of 1812, the Monroe Doctrine, railroads and telegraphs, the Mexican War, the gold rush, the Compromise of 1850--it also offers alternative scenarios, essays on what "could" have happened.

In this exciting and imaginative approach to history, students not only develop analytical skills by tracing the causes and effects of crucial events; they are empowered by the knowledge...

In colorful, readable prose, this volume provides a full history of the Civil War--including John Brown's raid; the story of the Confederate States of America; the battles of Bull Run, Antietam, and Gettysburg; Sherman's March to the Sea; the Emancipation Proclamation; the Thirteenth Amendment; Lincoln's assassination; Reconstruction; and Andrew Johnson's impeachment.

But more importantly, it offers a range of essays on how events could have turned out differently--militarily, politically, and culturally. It challenges students and general readers alike to remember that the course of...

This volume in the Turning Points--Actual and Alternative Histories series looks at a tumultuous recent era in American history, a time when pivotal, often tragic, world-changing events seemed to be happening at an alarming rate.

"America in Revolt during the 1960s and 1970s" looks at 12 significant events, from the assassination of John F. Kennedy to the passage of the Civil Rights Act, from the student killings at Kent State to Richard Nixon's resignation. Drawing on the concepts of alternative history, the book portrays each event as it happened, then considers some plausible...

"The Reagan Era" explores a time that saw the rise of the political conservatism that has dominated U.S. politics in recent years, as well as the end of the Cold War, which drove American foreign policy for nearly a half century.

What if Jimmy Carter had successfully navigated the energy shortage and the Iranian hostage crisis? What if the assassination attempt on Reagan had succeed? What if Iran-Contra had not become a scandal? These are among the specific topics examined in

the book, which looks at 11 crucial events and speculates on the effects of alternative outcomes. By showing...

CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title for 2009

"This ground-breaking resource is strongly recommended for all libraries and health and welfare institutional depots; essential for university collections, especially those catering to social studies programs."
--Library Journal, STARRED Review

Children and adults spend a great deal of time in activities we think of as "play," including games, sports, and hobbies. Without thinking about it very deeply, almost everyone would agree that such activities are fun, relaxing, and entertaining. However, play has...