Showing results for "In the World" in Historical

Johannes Gutenberg spent his days shut away, working on a mysterious project. His neighbors wondered what he was doing in his metal shop. Why did he need so much money? Was he making expensive gold jewelry? Weapons? Armor? What project could possibly take up so many hours of Johannes's time? And how did his invention change the world?

Ethelred's mother stood behind him. The archbishop smeared holy oil on Ethelred's shoulders and hands. He gave Ethelred a heavy sword and placed a gold crown on his head. The crown was too big—it fell over his eyes, and Ethelred almost dropped the sword on the archbishop's foot. How did Ethelred become king when he was only ten years old?

The Emperor Justinian could not decide what to do. His people were rioting. An angry mob poured through the streets, looting, setting fires, and destroying houses and taverns. If they reached the palace, they might kill him. Justinian's trusted advisers pressed him to run to the port and sail away, giving up his throne to save his life. He turned and looked at his wife, the wisest person in the room. What would she, the Empress Theodora, urge him to do?

Thrown overboard, enslaved by the Turks, captured by pirates, rescued by a princess-the story of Englishman John Smith (1580-1631) would seem unbelievable were it fiction. Young John first sought adventure in Europe, traveling as far as Russia and distinguishing himself in the wars that raged across the Old World. But John Smith's real passion was for the New World, and in 1607 he sailed to North America with the men who would establish the first lasting British settlement—Jamestown.