Search
Search Results
Definition
Mexican-American War
The Mexican-American War (1846-1848) was a conflict between the United States and Mexico, sparked by the US annexation of Texas in 1845. Hoping to seize even more territory from Mexico, US President James K. Polk (served 1845-1849) used the...
Definition
Texas Revolution - The State that Became a Country that Became a State
The Texas Revolution (Texas War of Independence, 1835 to 1836) was a conflict between the Anglo and Tejano residents of the Mexican state of Coahuila y Tejas (Texas) and the Mexican government over state and individual rights. The rebellion...
Definition
Siege of the Alamo - The "small affair" That Won Texas Independence
The Siege of the Alamo (23 February to 6 March 1836) was an engagement of Texian forces with the Mexican Army, leading up to the Battle of the Alamo on the morning of 6 March 1836. The 13-day siege and battle has become legendary and is among...
Definition
William Barret Travis - The Unlikely Hero of the Alamo
William Barret Travis (1809 to 1836) is best known as the commander of the Alamo during the 13-day siege (23 February to 6 March 1836), dying in the Battle of the Alamo on 6 March at the age of 26. Arguably, however, Travis should receive...
Definition
Renaissance Art
The art of the Renaissance period in Europe (1400-1600 CE) includes some of the most recognisable and best-loved paintings and sculptures in the world. Masters were often skilled in both painting and sculpture, and by studying the art of...
Article
10 Myths of the Alamo - How Did Davy Die?
The 13-day siege and Battle of the Alamo, 23 February to 6 March 1836, is among the most famous in American history, but, like any such event, it has inspired several myths, many accepted as historical fact. Disney's Davy Crockett miniseries...
Article
Prodigies: Earthquake Perception from Julius to L'Aquila
The beauty of being an archaeologist is having the good fortune to find something on an archaeological dig that remains in a relatively good state of preservation. In various degrees, there are those who study how nature can actually help...
Article
Treasure Ports of the Spanish Main
The treasure ports of the Spanish Main such as Cartagena, Portobelo, Panama, and Veracruz were used to collect the riches the Spanish Empire had extracted from the Americas, ready for transport in the two annual treasure fleets back to Europe...
Interview
Interview: Preclassic Maya
The genesis of Maya civilization in Mesoamerica was marked by an effervescence in the arts, the beginnings of their written language with glyphs, and a great attention to detail in the sphere of urban planning. Yet, despite these tremendous...
Article
Copies & Fakes in Art during the Renaissance
The Renaissance period witnessed a great renewed interest in the art of antiquity. There was an appreciation of the technical skill required to produce such objects as a Roman marble figure of Venus and an admiration for the form and beauty...