North America is the planet’s third-largest continent, comprising 23 countries and dozens of dependencies and territories. It extends some 37,000 miles (59,000 km) from the Arctic Ocean to the Pacific, and encompasses Greenland (the largest island in the world), all of Mexico and Central America, much of the Caribbean Sea, Canada, the United States, and…
Western history, as it is often defined, encompasses Europe’s long history from the prehistoric era through the medieval world and into the modern era. The phrase is a misnomer, however, as western culture encompasses much more than just what is centered in Europe. It also extends to the cultures of places such as Mesopotamia and…
The Western Trail was the main route that Texas cattlemen drove north to markets. Between 1866 and 1890 as many as six million cattle made this trek. The town of Dodge City, Kansas was once known as “cowboy capital of the world.” The towns of Ogallala, Nebraska; Cheyenne, Wyoming; Miles City, Montana and Medora, North…
The traditional story of Western history emphasized how Western Civilization was both distinct from and superior to other branches of civilization. Its growth and influence accelerated after a technological leap: the Industrial Revolution, in which Europe discovered how to use fossil fuels that had been locked in the ground for thousands of years and unleashed…
Purchasing life insurance can seem complex, but it’s an important part of creating financial security for your family. It’s a contract between an insurer and a policyholder that provides a lump sum of money to designated beneficiaries after the death of the insured. The death benefit can help your loved ones pay off debts, meet…
The telegraph changed everyday life by providing nearly instantaneous communication over long distances. It also gave rise to one of the first communications corporate giants, Western Union. The company was established in Rochester, New York, in 1851 and adopted its current name five years later after a merger with several other companies. Western Union reached…
In 1776 colonists living in the new world wrote a document called the Declaration of Independence. They said they were tired of being ruled by the British. The document declared that all men are created equal and established a union of states with a constitution. The Declaration also proclaimed freedom and liberty as a right…
Western Europe is small but densely populated, with a remarkable diversity of peoples and languages. In the early Middle Ages, kings and princes consolidated their power as feudal overlords in Europe’s northern and southern regions. This was a time of exploration, with the growth of the Ottoman Empire cutting off trade routes to the east…
Western Union has been a global leader in money transfers and the company’s reputation for expediency means that if you need to send funds quickly and reliably, you likely turn to them.1 If you’ve ever had to send cash to a loved one abroad, or to pay your cable or internet bill, or buy a…
Howard Zinn fundamentally changed the way millions of people think about history with his book A People’s History of the United States. He would be the first to acknowledge, however, that he didn’t do it alone. Many of the most significant struggles in American history — the fights for higher wages and workers’ rights, health…