Akron Public Library

From a New York Times best-selling historian and Pulitzer Prize finalist, a sweeping epic of how the Vikings and their descendants have shaped history and America. Scandinavia has always been a world apart. For millennia Norwegians, Danes, Finns, and Swedes lived a remote and rugged existence among the fjords and peaks of the land of the midnight sun. But when they finally left their homeland in search of opportunity, these wanderers-including the...

Discusses the history of the transcontinental railroad, including the construction of the Central Pacific, Union Pacific, and other related railroads which joined the east and west coasts.

Details the events of the Protestant Reformation, including early reformers, how it spread, and the Church's reaction, and includes samples of primary sources from the time period.

"Europeans widened their world in a search for goods, land, raw materials, and other objects that created wealth in the fifteenth to the seventeenth centuries. View documents, maps, art, and the words from the people and events that marked this interaction of world cultures"--Provided by the publisher.

Details the events of the Middle Ages, including the fall of Rome, the Crusades, and the Mongol invasions, and includes samples of primary sources from the time period.

Refugees search for safety in new countries after they are forced to leave home, but some people are afraid of them and treat them poorly in the countries they escape to. Learning about the history of refugees increases readers' sense of empathy for those who have been left with no choice but to flee their homes. This sensitive topic is addressed through fact-filled main text and sidebars, annotated quotes, primary sources, and a thorough timeline....