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Henry Box Brown on Slavery in the United States
The Narrative of the Life of Henry Box Brown (1851) is the autobiography of Henry Box Brown (l. c. 1815-1897), who became the most famous fugitive slave of his time when he had himself shipped in a box from Richmond, Virginia, to Philadelphia...

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5 Maps on the Origins of the United States
In this gallery of five maps, we examine the creation and expansion of the United States from the colonization of North America by European powers to the routes of the explorers who pushed ever westwards to the Pacific coast. Here we can...

Definition
Carolingian Dynasty
The Carolingian Dynasty (751-887) was a family of Frankish nobles who ruled Francia and its successor kingdoms in Western and Central Europe during the Early Middle Ages. The dynasty expanded from Francia as far as modern Italy, Spain, and...

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Founding Fathers of the United States
The Founding Fathers of the United States were the leaders of the American Revolution (c. 1765-1789), who led the push for American independence from Great Britain, founded the United States, and oversaw the implementation of the US Constitution...

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Constitutional Convention
The Constitutional Convention was held at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from 25 May to 17 September 1787. Spurred on by economic troubles left over from the American Revolution and compounded by the weak Articles of Confederation...

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Map of the United States Under the Compromise of 1850
This map illustrates the situation in the United States n 1850, as the country faced growing sectional tension over the expansion of slavery into new territories gained from the Mexican-American War. The Compromise of 1850 aimed to preserve...

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Matilda of Tuscany
Matilda of Canossa (c. 1046-1115), the Countess of Tuscany (r. 1055-1115) and Vice-Queen of Italy (r. 1111-1115), was the final head of the noble House of Canossa following the deaths of her father in 1052 and her elder brother in 1055. One...

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Exsurge Domine
Exsurge Domine (“Arise, O Lord” in Latin) is a papal bull issued 15 June 1520 by Pope Leo X (served 1513-1521) condemning Martin Luther’s 95 Theses as heresy along with any other works by Luther or those who supported him. Luther burned the...

Definition
Doctrine of Discovery
The Doctrine of Discovery is a policy enacted initially by the 15th-century Catholic Church proclaiming the right of Christian nations to take possession of the lands of non-Christians in the interest of saving their souls. Non-Christians...

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Map of the United States on the Eve of Civil War, 1861 - Free States, Slave States, and the Fracturing of the Union
This map illustrates the political landscape of the United States in 1861, just as the nation stood on the brink of civil war. It highlights the division between free and slave states, the status of U.S. territories, and the emerging Confederacy...