Social Studies Story Briefs

How do we make a "sound judgment" in a culturally diverse society? How do we know the best path to follow in an interdependent world? These stories, based on social-studies, help us to understand that personal and environmental relationships impact our lives and our world.

Giuseppe Mazzini is often called the "soul" or the "heart" of Italy's unification.

After Patriots forced General Howe and his fleet out of Boston, the Brits sailed into New York Harbor in June of 1776. It was the start of a planned ...

Long before anyone could actually build "The Golden Gate Bridge,'' the narrow passage of deep and turbulent water connecting the Pacific to the San Fr...

Graca Machel was born Graca Simbine on the 17th of October, 1945, in Incadine, Gaza Province, Mozambique. She was married to two different Presidents ...

This image—from a never-completed work—portrays David (writer of Psalms and Israelite King).  It was created by a miniaturist working...

On the evening of October 8, 1871 a spark set Chicago ablaze. Learn what made it such an at risk city.

In "The Great Chronicle of France of Charles V," we learn - among other things - that during medieval times the people of France believed they may hav...

London was devastated by the Great Fire of 1666, which began - in Pudding Lane - on September 2.

Thousands of years ago, the Great Library at Alexandria was "the world's first major seat of learning."  Some historians consider it "the birthpl...

As oil continues to spill into the Gulf of Mexico, from the uncapped well at Mississippi Canyon 252, BP (British Petroleum) and the U.S. federal gover...

Scholars believe that Jules Verne patterned Captain Nemo on Gustave Flourens (1838-1871), a French revolutionary and writer. Who was he?

The Library of Congress owns one of three "perfect" Gutenberg Bibles printed on vellum (calf's skin).  The other two are at the British Library (...

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