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Portrait of a Man and Woman from Pompeii
This medallion comes from the center of a painted panel. The woman's hairstyle suggests a date in the reign of the Roman Emperor Augustus. From Pompeii, in modern-day Italy. Roman period, made about 20 BCE - 20 CE. Bequeathed by Sir William...
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Thomas Hobbes
Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) was an English philosopher who famously summarised his pessimistic view of human nature in his greatest work, Leviathan, published in 1651. Hobbes believed that the life of humanity in the state of nature is short...
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Middle and Southern English Colonies
The establishment of the Middle and Southern English Colonies of North America was encouraged by the earlier English settlements of Jamestown Colony of Virginia in the south (founded 1607) and Plymouth Colony and, especially, Massachusetts...
Article
The Gifts of Isis: Women's Status in Ancient Egypt
An inscription on an Egyptian papyrus dating from the 2nd century CE relates that the goddess Isis, bestowing gifts on humanity at the beginning of time, gave as much power and honor to women as she did to men. This brief passage reflects...
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The Brave Who Went on the Warpath Alone and Won the Name of the Lone Warrior
The Brave Who Went on the Warpath Alone and Won the Name of the Lone Warrior is a Sioux tale in the tradition of the hero's journey in which a young person overcomes seemingly impossible challenges and is recognized as a great champion and...
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Civil Constitution of the Clergy
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy was a law passed in July 1790 during the French Revolution (1789-1799), which caused the immediate subordination of the Catholic Church in France to the French government. An attempt to modernize the Church...
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Women in Ancient Mesopotamia - Celebrating the Feminine Principle in the Near East
The lives of women in ancient Mesopotamia cannot be characterized as easily as with other civilizations, owing to the different cultures over time. Generally speaking, though, Mesopotamian women had significant rights, could own businesses...
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Virginia Slave Laws and Development of Colonial American Slavery
Racialized chattel slavery developed in the English colonies of North America between 1640-1660 and was fully institutionalized by 1700. Although slavery was practiced in the New England and Middle colonies, and Massachusetts Bay Colony passed...
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Patrick Henry
Patrick Henry (1736-1799) was a Virginian lawyer and politician who played a vital role in the American Revolution (c. 1765-1789). Known for his brilliant oration, including the famous Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death speech, Henry served...
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Statue of a Man from Oxyrhynchus
This limestone statue depicts a citizen from the city of Oxyrhynchus (part of modern-day El-Bahnasa, Egypt). Traces of the original colors can still be seen. The man wears a toga dress. The city developed a culture influenced by Greece and...