This text comes from our book, Light to the Nations, Part II . Throughout the winter of 1815, the Congress of Vienna had continued its work, despite the return of Napoleon. By June 9, 1815, nine days before Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo, the Congress had signed its “Final Act”—its settlement for Europe. At the heart of this agreement was Metternich’s goal that the boundaries of the European states should, as far as possible, return to what they had been before the French Revo

This text comes from our book, Light to the Nations, Part I . How to heal the Great Schism was the most important question of the time, but no one could come up with a solution. Finally, in 1394, the theology faculty at the University of Paris came up with one—have both popes resign and a new pope elected in their place. The university actually demanded that both popes resign, and the clergy of France, Bohemia, Hungary, and Navarre said they would not obey the Avignon pope un

This text comes from our book, Lands of Hope and Promise . Of all Europeans, it was the French people who most warmly supported the American Revolution. This at first might seem strange, for France was a highly centralized monarchy—just the kind of government that it seems would most oppose revolution. Yet, it had been only 14 years since the Treaty of Paris gave all of Canada to Great Britain, and many of the French and their king wanted to see their ancient enemy, England,

This text comes from our book, From Sea to Shining Sea . Not long after he helped the British capture Fort Duquesne, George Washington resigned from the colonial militia. The 26-year-old Washington was about to take on new responsibilities: marriage and family. On January 6, 1759, he married Martha Dandridge Custis, a widow with two children. Martha not only brought happiness to Washington, but, because she was one of the richest women in Virginia, she brought him wealth. Tho

This text comes from our book, Light to the Nations, Part II . After failing to help Napoleon in the invasion of England, Admiral...

This text comes from our book, Light to the Nations, Part II . With Liberals challenging the tsar’s autocratic government, with Marxists...