Showing results by author "Doug West" in All Categories

During the War of 1812, or the “second war of independence,” the United States, which consisted of eighteen loosely joined states, took on Great Britain, the greatest naval power in the world, in a conflict that would have a lasting impact on the nation’s future. The causes of the war, which have been debated for more than two centuries, include the British attempts to restrict U.S. trade, the Royal Navy’s impressment of American seamen, and the United States’ desire to expand her territory. Over the course of the war, the U.S. suffered many costly defeats at the hands of British,...

For a man who would be known the world over for his genius, Albert Einstein had a rather unimpressive childhood. It would not be until his mid-20s that his insight into nature and its connection with mathematics became apparent. Working as a Swiss patent clerk, he would squirrel away his research papers in his desk and work on them when no one was looking. During his “miracle year” of 1905, Einstein would produce four papers that would revolutionize theoretical physics.

Born of humble beginnings, Ronald Reagan came into the world as the son of working class parents in Illinois. During his youth, he wasn't a particularly gifted student, but he did graduate from college. A Hollywood actor and union leader turned politician, he served as the 33rd governor of California during the tumultuous period from 1967 to 1975. Though his hard work, determination, and a bit of good luck, Ronald Reagan became the 40th president of the United States, in office between 1981 and 1989.

John Adams was in some form of service to America for most of his adult life - serving as a representative to the Continental Congress, envoy to European nations, vice president and, finally, ending his political career as the second president of the United States. At only five-foot-seven, nearly bald, a little overweight, occasionally cranky, and without most of his teeth, John Adams was not an Adonis, but through his intellect, force of will, and dogged determination, he would become one of the founding fathers of America.

The decade after the First World War saw a period of growing prosperity and new freedoms for the average American. With help of clever bankers, brokers, and a supply of easy money the average man and woman found their path to wealth – the stock market. As moths are drawn to a flame, so were the gullible investors lured to the securities exchanges seeking to turn their pennies into dollars. For years the market just went up and up, and as the lyrics of the song of the time echoed, “Blue skies, Smiling at me, Nothing but blue skies, Do I see.” By the end of the decade the cracks in the ...

If you want to learn about the 1918 Spanish Flu Pandemic but don’t have the time or patience to read a thick book, then this is the short and concise book for you!! The book “The 1918 Spanish Flu Pandemic in America: A Short History” covers many aspects of the flu pandemic, including: The virus is believed to have originated in Kansas, from there it spread rapidly throughout the armies on both sides of World War I. The state of medicine in the early twentieth century was such that it was of little help to the unlucky many that fell ill with the virus. Researchers in America and Europe...

Edwin Hubble was a man ahead of his time. For him only astronomy really mattered. He took advantage of the opportunity given to him to use the most advanced telescope of his time to determine the truth behind the most distant clouds of light visible to Earth-based observers. His major discoveries changed our knowledge of our place in the universe forever. His determination that the universe is expanding served as the foundation for the big bang theory.

Joe Biden was interested in politics at an early age. By age 29 he had already won a seat in the United States Senate becoming one of the youngest Senators in history. His life would meet with tragedy as his wife and daughter were killed in a car accident during a Christmas shopping outing. Biden, grief stricken, but determined to continue in the Senate would make the long daily commute from Willington, Delaware to Washington, DC to be both a Senator and father to his two remaining sons. He would go on to serve in the Senate for 36 years and have a distinguished career. Being an ambitious ...

Most of us, young or old, have dreams of grand things, but it is the rare souls that sees their dreams standing before them, taller than the Statue of Liberty, with enough raw power to launch men to the moon. Wernher von Braun was such a dreamer. From a young age, he knew that rockets and space travel would be the driving force in his life; however, Adolf Hitler and the Nazi regime had different plans for this young man, as he would lead Germany’s development of the V-2 rocket, which at that time was one of the most advanced weapons known to man. After World War II had ravaged most of ...

The son of a Boston Congregationalist deacon, Samuel Adams was educated at Harvard and took over his father’s malt house business and failed. Adams admitted that he wasn’t good at business, revolutionary agitator was more his game. He was one of the first American patriots to call for independence from England. Thomas Jefferson wrote of Adams “truly the man of the revolution.” Adams loved to write and made a fiery newspaper editor, producing an onslaught of articles denouncing the British control of the colonies and calling for a new independent nation. A very religious man, he ...

Do you want to learn about George Washington but don’t have the time or patience to read a thick book? Then this is the short and concise book for you!! George Washington, the revolutionary war hero, and first president of the United States has risen to the level of an American legend. This one-dimensional view of the “founding father” turns out to be short sighted. For this complex man of the soil from Virginia, though of limited formal education, would change the very destiny of nations. Few knew Washington as well as did his Secretary of State, Thomas Jefferson, who wrote of ...

Do you want to learn about Dr. Benjamin Rush but don’t have the time or patience to read a thick book? Then this is the short and concise book for you!! The book “Dr. Benjamin Rush: A Short Biography” covers the many accomplishments of this amazing patriot and physician: He was a member of the Continental Congress and a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Served as the Surgeon-General of the Middle Department of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. He was one of the few physicians that stayed in Philadelphia during the great yellow fever outbreak of 1793. He ...

Louisa Catherine Adams, the wife of John Quincy Adams, the sixth president of the United States, was a talented and lovely lady by all accounts. She grew up in England and France and lived much of her life abroad with her diplomatic husband, in the major capital cities of London, Berlin, and St. Petersburg. She was a gifted writer of prose and poetry, a translator of classic literature, and a discerning critic of the society and the political realm.

Thomas Jefferson is known by most as the third president of the United States, but his legacy extends much further than that. Born to a wealthy plantation owner, Thomas was the third of nine children. When he was just 14, his father died, leaving him half his land, slaves, and wealth. These circumstances allowed Thomas to attend college at the age of 16, and later on, to study under one of the top lawyers of the time. His political history is one of great triumph and struggle.

Because of the painstaking work of this tireless American astronomer, we were given a clearer picture of our place in the universe. Shapley was a prodigious astronomer who completed significant work on globular clusters, Cepheid variables, as well as key aspects of cosmology and stellar astronomy, including nebular and stellar spectroscopy and photometry.

Do you want to learn about the artist Benjamin West but don’t have the time or patience to read a thick book? Then this is the short and concise book for you! Grew up in colonial Pennsylvania and with little formal instruction became a portrait painter at a very young age. The first American artist to travel to Italy to study the art of the great masters. Painted the first historical art in America. His art helped transform the Neoclassical art world. Historical painter for Britain’s King George III. Helped found the Royal Academy of Art in London. His “American School” in London ...

Have you ever wondered how the world around you works—from the morning cup of coffee to the colors of a rainbow? This book reveals the hidden science behind it all! "Everyday Physics: Uncovering the Science in the Simple Things" is your perfect solution to understanding physics in an engaging, concise way. Here's what you'll discover: Discover the science behind your morning coffee: Learn how heat transfer works through conduction, convection, and radiation, and uncover simple tips to keep your favorite brew warm longer. Explore motion and mechanics in everyday life: Understand how ...

If you want to learn about the First Continental Congress held in 1774 but don’t have the time or patience to read a thick book, then the short and concise book “The First Continental Congress: A Short History” is the book for you. In this book you will read about: The British imposed the harsh Coercive Acts on the citizens of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in response to the Boston Tea Party. Men like Samuel Adams and John Adams in Boston; Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, and George Washington in Virginia; openly opposed the British aggression. In September 1774, 56 delegates from 12 ...

Do you want to learn about the development of religion in Colonial America but don’t have the time or patience for a thick book? Then this is the short, concise book for you!! The book “Religion in Colonial America: A Short History” looks at the formation and spread of the different religions in colonial America. To illustrate the story there are pictures of the people, places, and events that are part of this historic movement. In addition, the book contains a list of reference books for further reading, a timeline of the development of religions in that period, and short ...

Do you want to learn about Dwight “Ike” Eisenhower but don’t have the time or patience to read a thick book? Then this is the short and concise book for you! In the book you will read about the many accomplishments of Dwight Eisenhower, including: His rise through the ranks in the Army to become the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe during World War II. Served in the U.S. Army for over four decades. Becoming General of the Army. Elected the 34th President of the United States. Ended the Korean War within his first year as president. Kept America at peace during the ...