Hero or Villain? Claims and Counterclaims

Few people in history have had as significant an impact on the shaping of multiple cultures as Christopher Columbus, the explorer who sailed across the Atlantic Ocean in 1492 in search of a sea route from Europe to Asia. He has been widely admired throughout history for his persistence, courage, charisma, and impressive nautical and navigational skills, particularly considering his lack of formal education. However, he has been the target of significant criticism due to his perceived cruelty toward the native inhabitants of the islands he discovered, his ineptitude at governing the colony he founded, and his tendency toward dishonesty and manipulation of others when it suited his purposes. This book seeks to provide the reader with a balanced perspective of Columbus's personality, achievements, and far-reaching effects on cultures on both sides of the Atlantic.

To some, John Brown was a hero and a martyr to the abolitionist cause. To others, he was a treasonous murderer operating outside the law. Unlike most mainstream abolitionists, Brown believed that slavery would never end without the use of violence, and he was more than willing to take up arms against anyone who stood in his way. His ill-fated raid on Harpers Ferry, Virginia, in 1859, which resulted in his execution, was merely the final chapter in his history of using violent means to fight slavery. The question of whether violence is ever acceptable as a form of protest is one that Brown's contemporaries asked themselves and one we are still asking today. Through this book, students can contemplate that same question as they examine the facts of John Brown's life, the historical context in which he lived, and the legacy he left behind.

In 2013, a British newspaper revealed how U.S. government agencies were collecting private information from millions of telephone calls. The news had been leaked to reporters by Edward Snowden, a private subcontractor for the National Security Agency. Snowden now lives in Russia. He faces criminal charges if he returns to the United States. Is Snowden a traitor for giving away American secrets, or is he a hero for protecting the human rights of the American people? With this book, students can read both sides of the story and decide for themselves.

Activist, hacker, publisher, whistle-blower, hero, criminal, intelligent, paranoid, tragic, champion of truth. All these words have been used to describe Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks. This is the story of Assange's life, which is also the story of WikiLeaks, the website that has published millions of classified documents. Assange was born in 1971 in Australia, and he was an adventurous real-life Tom Sawyer, he has said. As a teenager, he discovered yet another seemingly infinite playground: computer networks. Though Assange has maintained political asylum since 2012, he continues to lead WikiLeaks, revealing and changing the world. Your readers will be intrigued by this revealing biography.

Certain figures in history have proved to be particularly polarizing: are they a hero or are they a villain? The answer is rarely one or the other; most are complex individuals that can fit either profile depending on the situation. In the recent past, Chelsea Manning has been such a figure. After leaking thousands of classified and sensitive military and diplomatic documents, she was sentenced to thirty-five years in prison, but her sentence was commuted by President Obama shortly before he left office. Careful examination of Manning's actions and the culture and events surrounding them will provide readers with a nuanced view of this public figure.

The American Civil War tore the nation apart in the 1860s, and in some ways, it continues to do so today, with arguments over states' rights, racism, and Confederate flags and monuments. Robert E. Lee became the face of one side of this debate. Much of our knowledge about Lee is gained culturally, filtered through public opinion and our own personal biases. This book provides a more holistic view of Lee, detailing his life before the war, thoughts he communicated during it, and his nineteenth-century Virginian background. It offers a chance to learn about the roots of the controversy around Lee, as well as enough facts for readers to develop opinions for themselves.

Andrew Jackson was one of the most influential presidents in the history of the United States. Even in his own day, he was a controversial figure, and time has only increased the conflict. How was Andrew Jackson seen in his own time, and how is he seen in ours? What actions and beliefs did he represent that are still debated to this day? This biography presents readers with compelling details about the life and times of "Old Hickory, the People's President," and examines the conflicts that still divide our nation.