Events Leading to Columbus’ First Voyage

In 1469 Spain was still a disunited nation. The Kingdom of Castile was the largest kingdom and occupied the region between Portugal and the Kingdom of Aragon. The Atlantic Ocean lay to the north and the Muslim region of Grenada lay to the south. The Kingdom of Aragon bordered Castile to the west and France to the northeast. The Pyrenees Mountains formed the Aragon/France boundary. The Mediterranean Sea lay to the southeast. Continue reading Events Leading to Columbus’ First Voyage

Democracy in America – The Early Documents

By the time the Founding Fathers drafted the Constitution, the colonies had a long history of self-government. Many of the members of the Constitutional Convention had drafted similar documents for their states in the tumultuous months during the early phases of the Revolution. This collection of American documents includes the colonial charters and constitutions of the original colonies. The book includes histories of these documents as well as the full text of each one. Many of these early documents directly influenced the history of United States government from the earliest days of settlement. Continue reading Democracy in America – The Early Documents

The Tippecanoe Battlefield

Located near Prophetstown State Park, the Tippecanoe Battlefield Memorial marks the site of an important battle prior to the War of 1812 that pitted troops led by Indiana Territorial Governor William Henry Harrison and warriors led by the Shawnee brother of Tecumseh, the Prophet. The battle took place near the town established on the Wabash River at the mouth of the Tippecanoe River. Continue reading The Tippecanoe Battlefield