The true legacy of Christopher Columbus is much more complex than the familiar myth of him as the celebrated founder of the New World. On his voyages to islands in the Caribbean, he killed and enslaved many native people and was even arrested in Spain for his tyrannical governance of the lands he still believed to be the Indies. This resource takes a critical look at Columbus’s actions, their implications for colonization and cross-cultural exchange, and their lasting impact on today’s wor...

In 1325, a young Muslim man named Ibn Battuta set out on a religious pilgrimage to Mecca. It would be nearly thirty years before he returned home. Ibn Battuta was a fourteenth-century pilgrim, traveler, scholar, and writer. He walked, sailed, and rode some seventy-five thousand miles across the medieval Muslim world, covering the equivalent of forty-four modern-day countries. This volume details the fascinating cultures Battuta experienced: the people he met, the foods he ate, the dangers ...

Though most often remembered as marauding barbarians, the Vikings were also traders, farmers, and skilled craftsmen. Their exploration beyond the shores of Europe began in the late 900s with the founding of settlements in Greenland and Newfoundland. Notable Viking adventurers such as Erik the Red, Leif the Lucky, and Thorfinn Karlsefni are profiled. Readers will also learn about the Vikings’ weapons and armor, ships, religious beliefs, lifestyle, and the vast legacy they left behind in myt...

The river in New York State and the Canadian bay both bear Henry Hudson's name. During the 16th century, this English mariner sailed one important voyage after another. This guide covers his quest for the Northwest Passage, his time in the Arctic, his voyage down the East Coast of North America into present-day New York, and his exploration of Canada's Hudson Bay. Learn how he made contact with Native Americans, suffered from terrible disease, and endured the worst fear of all sea captains...

Lil Nas X became famous in 2019 for the country rap song "Old Town Road." He collaborates with other musicians and aims to defy expectations. Learn more about Lil Nas X's life as a famous musician!