Violence. Rape. Pillaging. The Mongol conqueror Genghis Khan is often thought of as one of history’s worst villains. But Genghis Khan also had an outsized influence on polite society, building a great empire that thrived on culture, trade, technology, and tolerance. In fact, many of our modern traditions and laws were influenced by his rule. Genghis […]
How to Plot and Scheme
Common sense is like oxygen; the higher people rise, the less likely they are to find it. Put another way, powerful people have, historically, had a hard time keeping their aspirations in check. You’ve heard the saying, “With great power comes great responsibility.” But with great power also comes the distinct possibility of making bad […]
How to Know What You Stand For
Omar Little, the character from “The Wire,” had a famous expression: “A man’s got to have a code.” From the ancient Stoic philosophers to the Internal Revenue Service, codes of conduct have been important to individuals and organizations who want strong values to guide their choices. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has a code, too. Former […]
When did China Begin?
Different cultures look at the world in different ways. Since world leaders think about issues of war, peace, and international order in different ways, understanding China’s long and fascinating history is critical to understanding global politics. The old Chinese dynasties inform the more modern history of Sino-American relations. An interesting thing to understand about China is […]
The New World Order
As we face the threats of climate change, weapons of mass destruction, and invasive technologies, there’s a burning need for a new world order. Foreign policy expert Henry Kissinger says that comprehending the forces that have shaped world politics is essential to understanding the current moment. So let’s dive in. According to Kissinger, no country […]
The First Black American Millionaire
In 1841, in New Orleans, William Alexander Leidesdorff passed as a white man. (His father was Jewish and his mother was Black.) When his fiancée learned his secret and called off their engagement, William sold everything he owned and bought a ship. He traveled to California to start a new life. On the West Coast, […]
Seventy-five Years of Russian Containment
As Russia continues its aggression against Ukraine, the United States has found itself in an awkward position. On one hand, there’s the call to protect democracy in Europe. And on the other, well, there’s Vladimir Putin, who no one really wants to provoke. This is not a new dilemma. In 1947, President Harry Truman faced […]
One Weird Tip For Surviving Disaster
The next time you find yourself in the middle of an emergency, you might want to pour yourself a drink. That’s what the chief baker on the Titanic, Charlie Joughin, did on the day of the disaster. He had been in the kitchen all day. When the ship hit an iceberg, he simply headed to the […]
The American Royals
Most of us wouldn’t mind a little more floor space. But we’re guessing that even your wildest Zillow dream house isn’t 175,000 square feet. That’s the size of the Biltmore House, a real American castle built by a Vanderbilt heir and nestled in the verdant mountains of Asheville, North Carolina. Construction began in 1889, and […]
Surviving a Plane Crash
When Larry Shaben regained consciousness, he was still strapped into his seat. The plane had hit the ground upside down, and it took a moment to get oriented. Several of the other passengers were already dead, and more would die before the ordeal was over. But Larry was relatively intact, with broken ribs and a […]
