How far back does the oldest human (hominid) date from?

A)     250,000 years
B)     500,000 years
C)     1,000,000 years
D)     2.3 million years
E)     4.4 million years

Before I give you the answer (and before you search it online), you might want to know that back in 2005, National Geographic launched its Genographic Project. National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Dr. Spencer Wells and his team of renowned international scientists began using the latest in genetic computational technologies to analyze historical patterns in DNA from participants around the globe to obtain further insight into our genetic origins.  The project is ongoing and you can participate and discover the migration paths your ancient ancestors followed thousands of years ago.

Ardipithecus ramidus

And the answer to question #1 is E. Named “Ardi,” (short for Ardipithecus ramidus) an international team of paleontologists discovered the oldest known skeleton of a potential human ancestor in Aramis, Ethiopia back in the early 1990’s. Some debate still remains whether Ardi is indeed the oldest human ancestor ever found. According to Tim White, paleontologist at the University of Berkeley’s Human Evolution Research Center, “It’s not a chimp. It’s not a human. “

Pop Quiz question #2.

What time period is generally considered the dawning of the Industrial Revolution?

A)     1760
B)     1780
C)     1800
D)     1820
E)      1840

Richard Trevithick (1771-1833)

Before we pick a date, let’s quickly remind ourselves of the one of the most influential and unsung heroes of the Industrial Revolution, Richard Trevithick.  A British inventor and mining engineer, it took years of experimentation and frustration for Trevithick to finally bring to life the world’s first high pressure cylindrical boiler and the first full-scale working railway steam locomotive, all around the turn of the 19^th century.

Did you answer question #2? It was Arnold Toynbee, famous 19^th century British economist and social reformer, who is first credited with describing England’s economic development from 1760 to 1840 as the “Industrial Revolution.” Answer A.

To encourage further study and learning on the major historical developments of humanity’s past, Questia is opening its doors to five of the top most researched history books and articles from our library. These books and articles were individually selected by our librarians and each one will spur you on as you plow into your history studies.

Prehistory: A Very Short Introduction

Author: Chris Gosden

This VSI to prehistory will introduce the reader to four and a half million years of human existence. Many of the familiar aspects of modern life are no more than a century or two old, yet our deep social structures and skills were in large measure developed by small bands of our prehistoric ancestors many millennia ago. Chris Gosden invites us to think seriously about who we are by considering who we have been.

Women’s Influence on Classical Civilization

Editors: Fiona Mchardy, Eireann Marshall

Written by an international range of renowned academics, this volume explores how women in antiquity influenced aspects of culture normally though of as male. Looking at politics, economics, science, law and the arts, the contributors examine examples from around the ancient world asking how far traditional definitions of culture describe male spheres of activity, and examining to what extent these spheres were actually created and perpetuated by women.

The Oxford History of Medieval Europe

Editor: George Holme

Covering a thousand years of history, this volume tells the story of the creation of Western civilization in Europe and the Mediterranean. Now available in a compact, more convenient format, it offers the same text and many of the illustrations which first appeared in the widely acclaimed Oxford Illustrated History of Medieval Europe. Written by expert scholars and based on the latest research, the book explores a period of profound diversity and change, focusing on all aspects of medieval history

The Industrial Revolution in World History. Edition: 2nd

Author: Peter N. Stearns

This concise, accessible new edition from noted historian Peter N. Stearns examines the industrial revolution as a global phenomenon, in terms of causes and results extending through the 20th century and into the present.

The “New” Cold War History and the Origins of the Cold War

Author: Joseph M Siracusa

Siracusa writes his own analysis on the meaning and significance of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. In 1998, the United States Congress passed legislation recognizing the dates of the Cold War as starting in September 2, 1945 and lasting until December 26, 1991.

For more information on human history, check out Questia’s topic page on archeology. 

This Mighty Scourge: Perspectives on the Civil War

Author: James M. McPherson

One of America’s preeminent historians on the American Civil War, Pulitzer Prize winner McPherson compiles a number of his essays, several previously unpublished and all updated and revised, in this 2007 collection. Dealing with everyday topics, such as the love soldiers had for newspapers, to larger topics, such as the creation of the Lost Cause mystique in the postwar South, McPherson provides an interpretive history of the war and its meaning for America. McPherson spotlights famous figures including Harriet Tubman, John Brown, Jesse James and William Tecumseh Sherman, and offers new insights into General Robert E. Lee’s goals in the Gettysburg Campaign, Lincoln and Grant in the Vicksburg campaign, and Lincoln as Commander-in-Chief.

Why the Civil War Came

Editor: Gabor S. Boritt

Turning Points of the Civil War

Author: James A. Rawley

Freedom, Union, and Power: Lincoln and His Party during the Civil War
Author: Michael S. Green

Causes Won, Lost, and Forgotten: How Hollywood and Popular Art Shape What We Know about the Civil War

Author: Gary W. Gallagher

Mexican history

The seeds of Mexican independence were planted when on September 16, 1810 a priest named Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, with a historic proclamation, urged his fellow Mexicans to take up arms against the Spanish government. Ending Spanish Colonial rule took Mexico down a long, difficult road towards establishing independence. Being forced to endure many civil uprisings, Mexico lost nearly half of its geographical landscape to the United States during a two year war ending in 1848.

We at Questia want to open the doors to our digital library by granting access to reference works on five books that explore Mexican history, tracing its roots back to the Mayans all the way through the fight for independence to the continuing challenges faced by today’s native population.

Mayan Civilization

In this second edition, author John S. Henderson has reorganized his research to take into account the vast new quantities of data about the Maya that was unearthed in the 1980’s and 1990’s. Epigraphers have put forward an avalanche of new interpretations of glyphs and readings of texts that provide a rich source of information for reconstructing the politics of Classic Maya cities. All of the new research has shifted basic perceptions about the Maya cultural tradition. [Henderson, John S. The World of the Ancient Maya. 2nd ed. Ithaca, NY: Cornell UP, 1997. Questia. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.]

Mexico under Spanish Rule (New Spain)

Author Susan Schroeder examines Mexico’s nonnative populations who, not uncommonly, still feel threatened and angry whenever there is a manifestation by indigenous groups to make known their grievances. Why this misplaced animosity toward Indians continues is difficult to understand but one can pinpoint a series of recent instigating events including the United States designating 1992 as the year of the American Indian. According to Schroeder, nonnatives’ qualms are rooted in the colonial era, when Spaniards worried constantly about Indian uprisings. [Schroeder, Susan, ed. Native Resistance and the Pax Colonial in New Spain. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska, 1998. Questia. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.]

Mexican War of Independence

Author Jaime E. Rodriguez examines the complex process of New Spain’s transition from a kingdom of the Spanish Monarchy to the First Federal Republic of Mexico. During his first ten years of research, Rodriguez  worked in the archives and repositories of Mexico City; the second decade he spent researching in the states of Puebla, Veracruz, Oaxaca, Yucatán, Jalisco, Michoacán, and Zacatecas in Mexico as well as in the archives of Madrid and Seville.  The overriding question Rodriguez explores is why one former colony, the United States, succeeded in establishing a stable government and a flourishing economy, while other former colonies, the Spanish American countries, endured political chaos and economic decline. [RodrÍguez O., Jaime E. "We Are Now the True Spaniards": Sovereignty, Revolution, Independence, and the Emergence of the Federal Republic of Mexico, 1808-1824. Stanford, CA: Stanford UP, 2012. Questia. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.]

The Mexican War (U.S.-Mexican War)

The editors have chosen to spotlight the Mexican war diary of controversial Southerner, Lt. Daniel Harvey Hill, and 4th Artillery, USA. It is the day-by-day chronicle of young Lt. Daniel Harvey Hill, Company E, 4th Artillery, U.S. Army, from June 8, 1846, when he embarked for Mexico at Fortress Monroe, Virginia, to March 24, 1848, when he sailed back home.  The Mexico City campaign was among the most important military operations conducted by American arms prior to the Civil War, and Hill’s perceptive eye provides the reader with unique insights into the expedition. [Hill, Daniel Harvey. A Fighter from Way Back: The Mexican War Diary of Lt. Daniel Harvey Hill, 4th Artillery, USA. Ed. Nathaniel Cheairs Hughes, Jr. and Timothy D. Johnson. Kent, OH: Kent State UP, 2002. Questia. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.]

The Mexican Revolution

Authors Hodges and Gandy try to solve the puzzle of what happened to the Mexican Revolution? What happened to the social pact that was supposed to benefit the business community, the bureaucrat-professionals, the proletarian workers, and the landless peasants? The outcome of the Mexican Revolution is still a mystery. According to both authors, the revolution had not only been betrayed; an invisible hand had also remodeled the business corporation. Professionals not only seized the reins; they had become the corporations’ chief beneficiaries. [Hodges, Donald C., and Ross Gandy. Mexico, the End of the Revolution. Westport, CT: Praeger, 2002. Questia. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.]

Today, Mexico is not only one of the world’s largest economies, but its strong ties to the United States through its free trade agreements have enabled it to produce 1.7 trillion in overall gross domestic product (GDP) in 2011, and with Volkswagen’s latest auto plant opening in Mexico, the country seeks to become the world’s top car maker.

School of Athens

What is the philosophy of education? It is the philosophical study of education and the problems surrounding it. Since the time of Socrates, philosophers and educators have discussed many issues which are trouble contemporary philosophers of education. What is the aim or purposes of education? Who should be educated? Should education depend on natural interests and abilities? What role should the state play in education?

Greek philosophers Plato, Socrates and Aristotle are among the major figures who laid the foundations of educational philosophy. They debated on different subjects in the past that are important for philosophy of education even now.

While teaching, Socrates engaged the others in dialogue. His method excluded writing, but focused on dialogues where series of questions are discussed by the teacher and the student until the analysis goes as far as both can take it. This way of teaching is known now as the “Socratic method.”

Plato’s way of teaching was tailored to create competent adults to meet the needs of the state. Through this functionalist model Plato developed his image of education in the context of the ideal state. His ideas suggest that there is no inherent conflict between the individual and the state. In Plato’s view educators could work to develop people who are useful to the state.

In Aristotle’s view, people had to be trained or educated according to their place in life. They should excel in their tasks and in line with their function. Aristotle believed that no matter if one is a leader, an artist or a housewife, they have their talents and virtues, but these features differ in every one of them.

Aristotle’s work is also interesting for modern educators due to his moral thought. Aristotle taught that children should be trained in morally appropriate modes of conduct. The model of moral education he established is widely popular today.

The ideas of Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712 to 1778) are also attractive for present-day philosophers. He believed strongly in the freedom of the human spirit.

John Dewey (1859 to 1952) is also among the most influential names in the area of educational philosophy. Throughout his lifetime Dewey wrote many books and articles in nearly all branches of philosophy, including logic, metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of science, ontology aesthetics, political and social philosophy and ethics.

For Dewey, philosophy of education was the most fundamental and crucial branch of philosophy, and all other branches were dependent on it. He perceived philosophy of education as philosophy of life. Dewey often put education as a synonymous of growth, though this view met a lot of opposition. He insisted that growth was the ultimate aim of education.

Others who devoted part of their work to philosophy of education include Avicenna, John Locke, Immanuel Kant, John Milton and Maria Montessori.

If you are writing a paper on this topic, you can find and cite high-quality, scholarly research in the Questia library, which contains the books and journal articles as well as magazine and newspaper articles needed to complete most college-level, core-curriculum course assignments.

Selected books and articles on Philosophy of Education

From Fallacy to Integrity: Dewey’s Call for a Philosophy of Experience
O’Neill, Linda. Journal of Thought, Vol. 41, No. 3, Fall 2006

Non-Western Educational Traditions: Indigenous Approaches to Educational Thought and Practice
Timothy Reagan. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2005 (3rd edition)

An Educational Philosophy Guides the Pedagogical Process
Petress, Kenneth C. College Student Journal, Vol. 37, No. 1, March 2003

Fifty Major Thinkers on Education: From Confucius to Dewey
Joy A. Palmer; Liora Bresler; David E. Cooper. Routledge, 2001

Democracy and Education: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Education
John Dewey. Macmillan, 1921

Visit Questia’s topic page on the philosophy of education for more information. If not already a member, you can try Questia free for one day and conduct research into philosophy and education in our more than 75,000 books and 9 million articles.

Giant squid photo by NASA 1999

It was once thought to be impossible, but the giant squid video released January 7, 2012 by the Discovery Channel and Japan’s National Science Museum showed that humans could actually capture film of the elusive creature in its natural habitat. In December, Discovery made the announcement that Japanese scientists had captured footage of the creature thought to have inspired the kraken of Greek Mythology, popularized in recent films such as Clash of the Titans.

“Since we’re inclined to take a ‘pics or it didn’t happen’ view of the world over here, it’s safe to say that we were all dubious of the claim, especially when past experience has shown that such overhyped discoveries are often run-of-the-mill colossal squid that don’t even merit a second glance,” wrote Steven Romano in his January 7, 2012 Geekosystem post “Giant Squid footage is actually of a giant squid, and its apparently silver.” The contributor was thrilled, however, that his cynicism was misplaced. The release of an image and a few seconds of film from the raw footage, taken by Tsunemi Kubodera and his team, proved without a doubt that humans had ventured into the giant squid’s domain and captured proof of their visit.

Years in the making

The film captured by Kubodera was the work of more than the 400 hours he and his team spent in their research sub. Dr. Clyde Roper, one of the world’s foremost authorities on the giant squid, has been looking for a living specimen in its natural habitat for years. In 1999, Roper wrapped up an expedition into New Zealand’s Kaikoura Canyon with no sightings, though the team was able to study corpses of the creature caught in fishing nets. The Smithsonian zoologist, also funded in part by the Discovery Channel, noted how inaccessible the creature’s habitat is.

In 2004, Japanese scientists were able to capture the first photographs of the giant squid in its habitat. The same team caught a live squid and hauled it to the surface, where they filmed it, in 2006.

“For hundreds of years, stories and legends and myths have been perpetuated about these huge animals, largely because we have no biological or behavioral information about them,” Roper said in an April 18, 1999 interview, “Smithsonian in search of a giant squid,” with Karen Goldberg Goff of the Washington Times. “Giant squids are portrayed in movies and books as being fearsome beasts that attack ships and eat people. It has always been my objective to try and learn the truth about giant squid, to learn the truth about where they live and how they live and what their behavior is so I can dispel these myths. I have always believed it is much more interesting to know about the real animals than to make up stories, especially horror stories.”

Architeuthis facts

The reasons giant squid, which have the scientific name architeuthis, are so hard to study is due in part to the depth of their home environments. Some fast facts about giant squid include:

• The giant squid lives between 660 feet and 3,300 feet below sea level.
• It can grow as long as 59 feet and weigh up to a ton.
• Its eyes run about 10 inches in diameter, or about the size of a human head.
• The scientific name comes from the Greek for “ruling squid.”
• After death, the body of a giant squid decomposes rapidly, making it difficult for scientists to study the anatomy.
• The beaks of giant squid have been found in the stomachs of sperm whales.

Kubodera’s team

Traveling via research submarine, Kubodera’s team spotted the squid more than a half mile below the surface of the ocean, 620 miles south of Tokyo. Knowing that the giant squid would avoid bright lights and a loud vehicle, the team avoided those usual flaws of research vessels trying to capture footage of the squid. The specimen they discovered was small – only about three meters long – but it was missing its two longest tentacles; with them, it might have been closer to eight meters, or over 26 feet in length.

In his January 8, 2013 article “All hail the kraken: Scientists capture live footage of giant squid” Nolan Feeney of Time magazine quoted the reaction of biologist Edie Widder, a member of Kubodera’s 2012 expedition. “It looked carved out of metal. And it would change from being silver to gold. It was just breathtaking.”

The full footage will be released on January 27, 2012, on the Discovery Channel’s Monster Squid: The Giant Is Real. For more information on ocean life, visit Questia’s topic page on marine biology.

Election Day is November 6th! To help you gain some fascinating background on voting through the ages, we’re sharing 15 of our most popular books on elections and politics. We were even able to quickly create a perfect MLA bibliography using Quesita’s handy bibliography tool! Did you know Questia will automatically generate your bibliography in MLA, APA or Chicago format? Be sure to try it out as you work on your next research paper or project. (And, hey, why not choose a political topic with all this free, librarian-selected research?)

Alvarez, R. Michael, and Thad E. Hall. Electronic Elections: The Perils and Promises of Digital Democracy. Princeton, NJ: Princeton UP, 2008. Questia. Web. 22 Oct. 2012.

Anderson, Christopher J., Andre Blais, Shaun Bowler, Todd Donovan, and Ola Listhaug. Losers’ Consent: Elections and Democratic Legitimacy. Oxford, England: Oxford UP, 2005. Questia. Web. 22 Oct. 2012.

Caplan, Bryan. The Myth of the Rational Voter: Why Democracies Choose Bad Policies. Princeton, NJ: Princeton UP, 2008. Questia. Web. 22 Oct. 2012.

Chhibber, Pradeep, and Ken Kollman. The Formation of National Party Systems: Federalism and Party Competition in Canada, Great Britain, India, and the United States. Princeton, NJ: Princeton UP, 2004. Questia. Web. 22 Oct. 2012.

Farrell, David M., and Rudiger Schmitt-Beck, eds. Do Political Campaigns Matter? : Campaign Effects in Elections and Referendums. London: Routledge, 2002. Questia. Web. 22 Oct. 2012.

Franz, Michael M. Choices and Changes: Interest Groups in the Electoral Process. Philadelphia: Temple UP, 2008. Questia. Web. 22 Oct. 2012.

Gerken, Heather K. The Democracy Index: Why Our Election System Is Failing and How to Fix It. Princeton, NJ: Princeton UP, 2009. Questia. Web. 22 Oct. 2012.

Gunther, Richard, Jose Ramon Montero, and Juan J. Linz, eds. Political Parties: Old Concepts and New Challenges. Oxford, England: Oxford UP, 2002. Questia. Web. 22 Oct. 2012.

Han, Hahrie. Moved to Action: Motivation, Participation, and Inequality in American Politics. Stanford, CA: Stanford UP, 2009. Questia. Web. 22 Oct. 2012.

Hillygus, D. Sunshine, and Todd G. Shields. The Persuadable Voter: Wedge Issues in Presidential Campaigns. Princeton, NJ: Princeton UP, 2008. Questia. Web. 22 Oct. 2012.

King, Anthony, ed. Leaders’ Personalities and the Outcomes of Democratic Elections. Oxford, England: Oxford UP, 2002. Questia. Web. 22 Oct. 2012.

Neuman, W. Russell, George E. Marcus, Ann N. Crigler, and Michael Mackuen, eds. The Affect Effect: Dynamics of Emotion in Political Thinking and Behavior. Chicago: University of Chicago, 2007. Questia. Web. 22 Oct. 2012.

Sartori, Giovanni. Parties and Party Systems: A Framework for Analysis. Colchester, England: ECPR, 2005. Questia. Web. 22 Oct. 2012.

Simon, Adam F. The Winning Message: Candidate Behavior, Campaign Discourse, and Democracy. Cambridge, England: Cambridge UP, 2002. Questia. Web. 22 Oct. 2012.

Webb, Paul, David Farrell, and Ian Holliday, eds. Political Parties in Advanced Industrial Democracies. Oxford, England: Oxford UP, 2002. Questia. Web. 22 Oct. 2012.

Enjoy access to this content free for a whole month, and be sure to cast your vote in November to make your voice heard this election season!

All Quiet on the Western Front 1930 movie still

Spotlighting Erich Maria Remarque’s engaging novel, All Quiet on the Western Front, we at Questia, the premier online research and digital library tool for students, are paying homage to five of the most  searing novels published in the 20^th century. These are anti-war books profiling individuals impacted by their participation in military conflict. To honor these significant contributions, we’ve granted access to reference works and literary analyses on five of history’s most researched anti-war novels for free for the entire month!

All Quiet on The Western Front
The novel was first published in 1929, and received critical acclaim, leading to the 1930 film of the same name. The story revolves around Paul Baumer, a soldier who is encouraged by his school teacher to join the German army and fight at the start of World War I (one). Author Erich Maria Remarque mentions at the start of the novel that the book “will try simply to tell of a generation of men who, even though they may have escaped shells, were destroyed by the war.”  The book focuses less on the heroic bravery associated with warfare and more on the conditions that soldiers find themselves in.  [Chambers, John Whiteclay, and David Culbert, eds. World War II, Film, and History. New York: Oxford UP, 1996. Questia. Web. 9 Oct. 2012.]

Johnny Got His Gun
An unforgettable portrait of a young soldier, Joe Bonham, who awakens in a hospital bed only to eventually realize that he’s lost his arms, legs, all of his face, ears, teeth, and tongue. His mind is fully intact, however, leaving him a prisoner of his body.  Written by famed black-listed writer, Dalton Trumbo, and published in 1939, the book became a “rallying cry” for those of the political left who opposed involvement in World War 2 (two).  [Rollins, Peter C., and John E. O'Connor, eds. Hollywood's World War I: Motion Picture Images. Bowling Green, OH: Bowling Green State University Popular, 1997. Questia. Web. 9 Oct. 2012.]

Catch – 22
The book that introduced the phrase “Catch -22” into the English language was arguably author Joseph Heller’s most famous novel, a satirical take on the insanity of warfare and its critique of the military infrastructure and bureaucracy. The novel was first published in 1961 and follows the experience of Captain John Yossarian, a B-25 bombardier in the U.S. Air Force, serving on the island of Pianosa off the coast of Italy during World War 2 (II).  [Woodson, Jon. A Study of Joseph Heller's Catch-22: Going around Twice. New York: Peter Lang, 2001.Questia. Web. 9 Oct. 2012.]

The Red Badge of Courage
A graphic account of one man’s experience during  the American Civil War, the book tells the story of Union Army private Henry Fleming, who flees from the field of battle. Filled with shame, and longing for a “red badge of courage,” he later joins up with his regiment, leading it to battle. Written by American author, Stephen Crane, the story was first published as a novel in 1895 and received to general positive acclaim. Although Crane was born after the Civil War, his account of the civil war is known for its realism and explores themes of heroism, cowardice and indifference to nature. [Johnson, Claudia Durst. Understanding The Red Badge of Courage: A Student Casebook to Issues, Sources, and Historical Documents. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1998. Questia. Web. 9 Oct. 2012.]

Slaughterhouse-Five
Author Kurt Vonnegut’s most famous satirical novel about the World War II (two) experiences of a soldier named Billy Pilgrim. Pilgrim is an ill-trained soldier, captured by the Germans during the Battle of the Bulge. The bombing of Dresden is a central event impacting Pilgrim’s mental state. He later finds himself kidnapped by extraterrestrial aliens from the planet Tralfamadore. Published in 1969, the book went on to receive critical acclaim although it became the subject of numerous attempts at censorship due to its profanity and depictions of sex.  [Marvin, Thomas F. Kurt Vonnegut: A Critical Companion. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 2002. Questia. Web. 9 Oct. 2012.]

Visit Questia’s topic page on anti-war for more information. If not already a member, you can try Questia free for one day and conduct research into anti-war novels and books.

The fight to end slavery in America could not have found a more eloquent and vocal ally than Frederick Douglass, orator, statesman and abolitionist. In 1852, the leading citizens of Rochester, New York, where Douglass lived and published the abolitionist paper, The North Star, asked him to give a speech as part of their 4^th of July celebrations. Douglass delivered a scathing attack on the institution of American slavery.

“What to the American slave is your Fourth of July? I answer. It is a day that reveals to him more than all other days of the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. To him your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless; your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mock; your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanksgivings, with all your religious parade and solemnity, are to him mere bombast, fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy – a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages. There is not a nation of the earth guilty of practices more shocking and bloody than are the people of these United States at this very hour.”

For college students studying the abolitionist movement leading up to the Civil War, Questia, the premier online research and digital library tool for students, is able to offer its scholarly users:

• More than 2,700 books on the life and times of Frederick Douglass
• More than 500 magazine articles and 600 newspaper articles that explore slavery and civil rights
• 400 academic journal articles profiling African American activists and the writings of Douglass

Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton said in a statement, “This placement will be a fitting tribute to one of the nation’s most important human rights heroes.”  180 statues and busts are featured in the U.S. Capitol, but only two depict African Americans: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Sojourner Truth.

Douglass worked tirelessly to end slavery in the United States and President Abraham Lincoln reportedly told the abolitionist leader on one occasion, “Douglass, I hate slavery as much as you do, and I want to see it abolished altogether.”   During the reconstruction era, Douglass was appointed to several political positions, including chargé d’affaires for the Dominican Republic. Douglass was appointed by President Ulysses S. Grant to serve on the District of Columbia’s Legislative Council in 1872. He died suddenly in 1895 in Washington D.C.

Douglass’ best-known written work is his first autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, published in 1845. The book became a bestseller  was reprinted nine times, and later translated into French and Dutch and also published in Europe.

During his remarkable life, Douglass went on to champion not just the abolition of slavery, but women’s rights, Irish independence, and equal pay.

If not already a member, you can try Questia free for one day and conduct research into the history of the abolitionist movement and the American Civil War.

For example, on abolitionists, you’ll find a detailed list of scholarly publications including:

• 4,612 books
• 415 academic journal articles
• 403 magazine articles
• 575 newspaper articles
• 32 encyclopedia articles

On slavery in America, you’ll find:

• 11,788 books
• 1,654 academic journal articles
• 2,354 magazine articles
• 3,206 newspaper articles
• 32 encyclopedia articles

On the Emancipation Proclamation, you’ll find:

• 2,802 books
• 154 academic journal articles
• 270 magazine articles
• 491 newspaper articles
• 11 encyclopedia articles

And on the American Civil War, you’ll find:

• 25,979 books
• 6,020 academic journal articles
• 10,075 magazine articles
• 21,904 newspaper articles
• 590 encyclopedia articles

Below are just some of our many popular books and articles on Frederick Douglass, abolitionism and slavery that you’ll find on Questia:

Understanding Frederick Douglass: Toward a New Synthesis Approach to the Birth of Modern American Journalism
By Mindich, David T. Z.

Frederick Douglass, Booker T. Washington, and John Edward Bruce: The Relationship of a Militant Black Journalist with the “Father of Civil Rights,” and the “Wizard of Tuskegee.”
By L, Ralph

“The Republic of Letters”: Frederick Douglas, Ireland, and the Irish Narratives
By Sweeney, Fionnghuala

Final Freedom: The Civil War, the Abolition of Slavery, and the Thirteenth Amendment
By Michael Vorenberg

The Great Silent Army of Abolitionism: Ordinary Women in the Antislavery Movement
By Julie Roy Jeffrey

Lay My Burden Down: A Folk History of Slavery
By B. A. Botkin

For further scholarly research, try searching for Frederick Douglass, abolitionism, slavery and other related topics on Questia.

Miguel de Cervantes

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we at Questia, the premier online research and paper-writing tool for students, are paying homage to Hispanic authors who have made significant contributions to literature throughout history. For the entire month, enjoy free access to reference works on five of history’s most researched Hispanic authors:

1. Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra: Spanish-born Cervantes is widely regarded as an influential playwright, novelist and poet in history, penning infamous works such as Don Quixote during his lifetime. As a student under the direction of Juan Lopez de Hoyos, Cervantes published his first works, a collection of four poems. For a portion of his life, Cervantes lived a military-lifestyle, eventually being held prisoner in Algiers for many years.  Upon his release from captivity, Cervantes solidified his reputation as an author and authored many more novels. [Mancing, Howard.  The Cervantes Encyclopedia, Vol. 1 A-K.  Greenwood Press: 2004]

2. Gabriel Garcia Marquez: Marquez is among the most recognized Spanish American authors of the 20^th Century and is primarily associated with his novel One Hundred Years of Solitude. At the age of 12, the Colombian-born Marquez obtained a scholarship to study at Colegio Nacional, a national secondary school, and eventually went on to study law. While working as a journalist for a newspaper, Marquez began to publish his first works, many of which were short stories. As his works gained notoriety throughout his life, Marquez found fame and came to make many famous and powerful friends. [Pelayo, Ruben. Gabriel Garcia Marquez: A Critical Companion. Greenwood Press: 2001]

3. Federico Garcia Lorca: Internationally recognized as a poet and playwright, Lorca’s tumultuous personal life and anguish was visible in many of his works.  Born in Spain, Lorca collaborated with many artists throughout Spain on various plays. However, strained relationships with friends such as Salvador Dali led Lorca to make his way over to the United States where he enrolled at Colombia University and authored the poem Poet in New York. Lorca eventually returned to Spain and was murdered in the Spanish Civil War. [Nandorfy, Martha J. The Poetics of Apocalypse: Federico Garcia Lorca’s Poet in New York. Bucknell University Press: 2003]

4. Pablo Neruda: Born as Ricardo Eliecer Neftali Reyes Basoalto in Chile, he often used the pen name Pablo Neruda for his politically-charged prose and poems and eventually took the alias as his legal name. Throughout his life, Neruda became an internationally recognized figure for his involvement in politics, however in his youth he authored many poems such as the erotically-fueled Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair. [Belitt, Ben.  The Forged Feature: Towards a Poetics of Uncertainty: New and Selected Essays. Fordham University Press: 1995]

5. Jorge Luis Borges: An Argentinean poet and short-story writer, Borges was a master of the written word with his writing first beginning in Europe where he received a baccalaureat from the College de Geneve in Switzerland. In his Autobiographical Essay Borges reminisces about how his involvement in literary tertulia while living in Madrid and how participating in conversations about different essays became a pivotal point within his writing career. Borges is most remembered for his poetry and fictional essays that contained fantasy and magical realism themes. [De Quevedo, Francisco. Six Masters of the Spanish Sonnet: Essays and Translations.  Southern Illinois University Press: 1997]

Find further research on famous Hispanic authors on Questia.

Queen Elizabeth 1

In honor of September’s Women of Achievement Month, we at Questia, the premier online research and paper-writing tool for students, have released a list of the top five most researched women throughout history. To celebrate the occasion, we’ve opened up our library to make reference works on each influential woman free for a whole month. Enjoy!

1. Queen Elizabeth 1, Queen of England: Queen Elizabeth 1 is notably one of the most intriguing and influential women of her time. She was so influential, in fact, that it is the “Elizabethan Age that bears her name and was best noted for achievements in the arts and exploration of new lands” (Gilberd ix). Queen Elizabeth took the throne in a very vulnerable time in Britain’s history. It was on the verge of bankruptcy and was surrounded by two very powerful countries, France and Spain. “In her nearly forty-five year reign Elizabeth created and directed one of the most dynamic political and cultural transitions in the history of the world,” (Gilberd xiv). [Higgins, Shaun O'L., and Pamela Gilberd. Leadership Secrets of Elizabeth I. Cambridge, MA: Perseus, 2000. Questia.]

2. Queen Victoria, Queen of Great Britain:  Queen Victoria was the Queen of Great Britain for more than 63 years, the longest of any British monarch. She was crowned on Thursday, June 28 in 1838 in Westminster Abbey amid thousands of spectators. Queen Victoria fell in love with her cousin Prince Albert and married him on November 23, 1839. “She appeared before them in a simple dress and wearing a miniature of Prince Albert in a bracelet on her wrist,” (Hibbert 111). Her time on the throne is commonly known as the Victorian Era. [Hibbert, Christopher. Queen Victoria: A Personal History. New York: Basic, 2000. Questia.]

3. Rosa Parks:  Rosa Parks was one of the most poignant figures in the American civil rights movement. Her resistance to giving up her seat was what led to the Montgomery Bus Boycott and was an integral part in the battle against segregation. “Parks emphasizes that at the time she never considered that she might provide the NAACP with a test case to challenge legal segregation practiced by the local transit company,” (Franklin 59). [Collier-Thomas, Bettye, and V. P. Franklin, eds. Sisters in the Struggle: African American Women in the Civil Rights-Black Power Movement. New York: New York UP, 2001.Questia.]

4. Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt: Cleopatra is one of the most well known figures in history. Her life and mysterious death have been played out on the silver screen by some of Hollywood’s most well-known celebrities. “Cleopatra likely became in death even more than she was in life. She was immediately mythologized in a series of literary and historical vignettes that highlighted what were seen as her foremost qualities,” (Kleiner 8).  She is also well-known for her beauty and illustrious relationships that she had with Romans like Antony and Julius Caesar. [Kleiner, Diana E. E. Cleopatra and Rome. Cambridge, MA: Belknap, 2005. Questia.]

5. Joan of Arc: Joan of Arc’s trial and execution is one the most documented trials of its time. She is most known for her experience with the divine that instructed her to fight for the French which eventually led the way to the coronation of Charles VII of France. Although she was successful in leading the charge, she was captured and tried by the English. On “May 30, Joan of Arc was condemned as a relapsed heretic and burned at the stake in the Old Market Square of Rouen,” (Hobbins 5).  At the culmination of her trial, the English soon began to falter and Paris was then returned to French control. After Charles VII took the throne Joan of Arc was turned into a saint. “The king simply wanted to clear the air and put the civil war behind him. Joan of Arc’s family went away empty-handed. But in the eyes of many, she had been vindicated,” (Hobbins 7). [Hobbins, Daniel, trans. The Trial of Joan of Arc. Cambridge, MA: Harvard UP, 2005. Questia.]

For more information and quality research, check out our Women’s Studies topic page on Questia.