Archive of ‘Changed the World’ Columns
How the Wealthy Medici Changed the World
Like a medieval ATM, one family bankrolled the cultural movement that dragged Europe out of the Dark Ages and into modernity.
How the Black Death Changed the World
Seven thousand people died per day in Cairo. Three-quarters of Florence’s residents were buried in makeshift graves in just one macabre year. One third of China evaporated before the rest of the world knew what was coming.
How the Magna Carta Changed the World
It is crumbling, water-stained and written in Medieval Latin, but the Magna Carta has managed to remain relevant to the cause of human rights even today, 800 years after it was scrawled on parchment and affirmed with the sticky wax seal of the English king.
How Charlemagne Changed the World
Europe was mired in a centuries-long dark age before a king named Charlemagne came along and turned on the light switch.
How Gunpowder Changed the World
Ironically, it was a quest for immortality that led to the invention of the deadliest weapon before the arrival of the atomic bomb.
How the Council of Nicea Changed the World
When Constantine became the first Christian leader of the Roman Empire in the 4th century, his vast territory was populated by a hodgepodge of beliefs and religions.
How the Battle of Actium Changed the World
It was the pivotal moment in an ancient soap opera, one marked by intrigue, romance, betrayal and widespread consequence.
How the Greek Agora Changed the World
It was the heart of the city – where ordinary citizens bought and sold goods, politics were discussed and ideas were passed among great minds like Aristotle and Plato.
How the Hyoid Bone Changed History
Our gift of the gab is all due to a small horseshoe-shaped bone suspended in the muscles of our neck, like a piece of fruit trapped in Jell-O.
How the Iron Age Changed the World
A thousand years before the age of empires in Rome and Greece, the Iron Age was ushered into the world
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