Biographies

This first of a two-part biography of Genghis Khan describes the myth surrounding his birth, specifically that he was destined to be a great ruler. The biography goes on to describe Khan's early life of poverty and his eventual rise to power within the...

This second of a two-part biography on the life Genghis Khan describes his consolidation of power and military conquests throughout northern Asia and southeastern Europe. Additionally, the biography describes Khan's attitude towards religious tolerance...

This biography of Zheng He focuses on his origins and his contributions to Chinese naval exploration during the 14th century. The biography includes a series of questions based on the reading. In using this in my own class room, students are encouraged...

This biography on John Locke focuses on his Two Treatises of Government. Believing that man was born with a "blank slate" (tabula rasa) and was essentially good by nature, Locke argued that the only true governments were those who ruled with the consent...

This resource contains five biographies on Enlightenment thinkers and their ideas about the nature of government. The collection includes Niccolò Machiavelli, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Charles de Montesquieu, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. The...

This biography on Charles de Montesquieu focuses on his book Spirit of the Laws and his influence on American government. Montesquieu claimed that government should be divided into three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. These branches...