Henry David Thoreau was a significant contributor to American literature and political thought. His works include Walden and “Civil Disobedience.” Thoreau lived a subsistence life at Walden Pond, where he protested the Mexican-American War and slavery. He later became interested in natural history and environmental protectionism. Thoreau died at 44, leaving unpublished works that were […]
Henry VIII had six wives, each with a distinct personality and position as powerless partners to the king. His marriages represented important changes in English history, including the break with the Roman Catholic Church. Henry’s wives produced one daughter and one son, but he sought an annulment or executed them when they failed to produce […]
Henry III, ruler of England, received exotic animal gifts from other leaders, including an African elephant, three lions, a camel, and a polar bear. These animals were displayed publicly, but often did not survive due to lack of knowledge of their care. Henry III also built Westminster Abbey. Henry III received strange gifts from other […]
William Henry Harrison was the oldest president to be elected until Ronald Reagan, the first president to die in office, and served for only one month. He was a pro-settler, anti-Indian governor and participated in the Battle of Tippecanoe. He ran for president twice, winning in 1840. William Henry Harrison was the ninth president of […]
Admiral Henry Morgan was a Welsh privateer who gained fame for his exploits in the 17th century. He rose rapidly in the navy, participating in the looting and capture of several Spanish ports. He became invaluable to the English government as a privateer, but his brutal tactics eventually led to his downfall. Morgan sacked Panama […]
Henry VIII was King of England from 1509 to 1547. He sparked the Protestant Reformation, established the Church of England, and had six wives. He was an accomplished and athletic man who promoted innovation and unification of England. In his later years, he became tyrannical and may have suffered from syphilis. He was succeeded by […]
Henry IV is a play by Shakespeare based on historical events during the War of the Roses. It is part of a tetralogy and follows the story of King Henry IV and his son, Prince Harry, as they face off against rebels. The play features fictional and real characters, with dramatic license taken in their […]
Shakespeare’s Henry V is based on Holinshed’s Chronicles and other sources, depicting the King of England’s victory over the French at Agincourt. The play portrays Henry as a heroic ruler and may have been intended to bolster James I’s position as Elizabeth I’s heir. Shakespeare’s Henry V is one of his best known historical plays […]
Henry Miller was an American writer known for blending genres and using explicit sexual content in his works. He attended City College briefly but was successful in publishing travel writing, literary analysis, and criticism. His most famous works include Sexus, Nexus, Plexus, Tropic of Cancer, and Tropic of Capricorn. Henry Miller, born Henry Valentine Miller […]
