Jordan Leibowitz
America
The Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence was written in 1776 and represents the beginning of the United States as its own independent nation, as they announced that they would refuse to be seen as a British colony. It continues to define the values of American and what it means to live in a free country.
The First American Flag
The first American flag had thirteen stars and thirteen stripes to represent the thirteen former British Colonies that made up the Union. The three colors represented, red, white, and blue all represent different values that the early leaders of America wanted to emphasize. Red represents the valor and hardiness of the nation, white represents purity and innocence, and blue represents perseverance and justice.
The Constitutional Convention
The Constitutional Convention took place in Philadelphia in 1787 and was led by George Washington who would later become President. The 55 men at the Constitutional convention faced an unprecedented amount of challenges during this convention, but ended up coming up with what would form the backbone of the United States legal and political system.
The Louisiana Purchase
The Louisiana purchase was the acquisition of a significant amount of territory in the Midwestern United States from the French. This was the beginning of Westward expansion by the American people, as they would begin to expand their nation into the western parts of the United States, many of which play crucial roles in the economy today.
The Confederacy
The states in the Southern United States began to feel pressure due to the Northern opposition of slavery, which played an essential role in their economy, as it drastically increased productivity. The split between the two different sides of the country started to become a major point of tension to the point where the Southern States split from the union and formed the Confederate States of America.
The Civil War
The Civil War was fought between the Union and Confederate army in a brutal dispute about state’s rights and the justification for slavery. The war started in 1861 and ended in 1865, after over 600,000 American lives were lost and the Union’s size and capital advantage manifested in a victory over the Confederacy.
End of the Civil War
The Civil War ended on April 12th of 1865 after four years of brutal fighting and political turmoil with an agreement at Appomattox Court House between Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant. Despite the end of the war, the nation would face many difficult obstacles in restoring the Union in the aftermath over a long period over the later half of the 19th century known as Reconstruction.
The Great Depression
The Great Depression is the single largest and most impactful economic recession in modern history. It took place from 1929 until 1939 and peaked at a starggering 25% unemployment rate that caused nearly everyone to struggle for money. The impact of the Great Depression lead to the Americans joining the Allied powers in World War II, in part to help bolster their economy, while helping to defeat the Nazis.
Pearl Harbor
The Attack on Pearl Harbor took place on December 7th, 1941 when Japanese air forces bombed a US Naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, killing thousands. This was the most influential step in the United States entering World War II, in effort to help its European Allies defeat the Axis powers and to protect itself from future attacks.
Jackie Robinson
Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier to Major League Baseball during the 1942 season, which proved to be a major stepping stone for the Civil Rights movement, as Robinson gave African-Americans the courage to let their talent speak instead of their race.
The March on Washington
The march on Washington took place on August 28th, 1963 in Washington D.C. and was lead by Martin Luther King jr. This march was a peaceful protest to fight against the discrimination that African-Americans faced in the United States. The protesters were advocated for better Civil and economics rights, hoping for better compensation for their jobs. This march was one of the most significant parts of the Civil Rights Movement, which took place among not only African-Americans, but many United States citizens in effort to level the playing field for all people.
The Moon Landing
The moon landing occurred on July 20th, 1969 and marked the first time that a man would step foot on the moon. The two astronauts who were on the mission were Neal Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, who are credited for not only being the first two men to step foot on the moon, but with helping to get there before the USSR. The moon landing occurred at the height of the Cold War, a time where the United States and the USSR were the two most powerful nations in the world and were competing on literally every ground, from political influence to sports to prove superiority.
The History of EGYPT
The Nile River
The Nile River is the main source of water within Egypt and has always been a foundation of their economy. The Nile Delta is in Northern Egypt, which has allowed them to grow crops on the river. Their entire life depended upon the Nile in Ancient times, as it was their primary source of food through both fish and watering their crops and their primary source of transportation to trade with other civilizations.
The Pyramids of Giza
The Pyramids of Giza is the resting place of King Khufu who ruled from 2589 BCE until 2566 BCE, during the fourth dynasty of Egypt. This landmark stands 455 feet tall and is the oldest of the seven wonders of the world. Pyramids were an essential part of Egyptian culture, as they were not always actual tombs, but were monuments dedicated to the life of a ruler.
King Tut
King Tutankhamen was the last ruler of the 18th dynasty of Egypt and ruled from 1324 BCE until 1334 BCE, where he died at the age of 19. Tutankhamen’s father is the well known ruler Akhenaten , who is also known by the name Amenhotep IV and ruled Egypt for 17 years. King Tut is more famous for his tomb than his actual rule, as the discovery of his tomb lead to a significant amount of knowledge about Ancient Egyptian society.
Hieroglyphics
Hieroglyphics were the formal written language of Ancient Egypt, combining logographic elements with syllabic and alphabetic elements. They were written in rows and columns and read from right to left, as human characters would often face towards the beginning of the line. They were written on stone in temples and tomb walls, as well as papyrus. It was written in a cursive form on wood and stone when directed for religious literature.
Ancient Egyptian Temples
Many Ancient Egyptian temples continue to stand today in ruins because they were built in stone. These have been some of the most important factors in the acquisition of knowledge about Ancient Egypt because of their elaborate design as well as their specific dedication, often only to one deity of a specific region.
The Temple of Ramses ii
This statue sits in front of the temple of Ramses ii and is one of the most well known architectural structures associated with Egypt. Its elaborate design of the four men sitting in front of the temple is done in great detail, especially for having been done around 1240 BCE.
Cleopatra
Cleopatra is the most well known female ruler of Ancient Egypt as well as the last ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom. She ruled from 69 BCE until her death in 30 BCE and is most well known for her refusal to surrender to the Romans, as well as her complicated Romantic and Political relationship with Mark Antony.
The Sphynx
The Sphinx of Giza is another well known statue that came out of Ancient Egypt. It depicts a reclining sphynx, a mythological creature with a lion body and human head made out of limestone standing 66 feet tall. It faces directly from West to East and stands on the Giza plateau on the West Bank of the Nile.
Anwar Sadat
Anwar Sadat was the President of Egypt from 1970 until October 15th, 1981, when he was assassinated by a Muslim Extremist during a parade. Sadat’s reputation fell because of his desire to impress the Western World, along with his inability to see the situation of his own country and how it would be impacted by his going against the European Union in efforts to make peace with Israel. This failed effort not only did not pave the path to peace between Israel and other nations, but pulled Egypt further into a recession.
The Camp David Accords
The Camp David Accords were a meeting in September of 1978 led by United States President, Jimmy Carter between the Egyptian President, Anwar Sadat and the Israeli Prime Minister, Menachem Begin in order to take the first steps towards peace between Israel and its Middle Eastern neighbors en route to solving the dispute that had been brewing since Israel’s conception in 1948. The tension in the Middle East was so volatile that communications between the countries and Israel was essentially impossible, so it was almost a miracle that the two men were able to have a productive conversation that led to a treaty that both sides agreed to.
The Ottoman Empire
Egypt became a part of the Ottoman Empire in 1517, where it was absorbed by Turkey following the 1516 Ottoman-Mamluk War. Egypt served as an administrative district for the Ottomans and adopted Islam as its main religion due to Ottoman rule and influence on society. Egypt remained a crucial part of the Ottoman empire until the early 20th century, where the Ottomans lost it due to World War I.
The Fall of the Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire was clearly in decline during the early part of the 20th century, and eventually this decline culminated in them losing Egypt, as well as the Suez Canal to England, where it became a British colony until the end of World War II.