Alexander the Great

Alexander the Great, the moniker says it all really, doesn't it? On the day he was born in July 356 BCE, Herostratus burned down the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Herostratus did so for no better reason than to become forever known, hence the Ephesians ordered that his name never be mentioned, Strabo however marked it down and so we know of Herostratic fame. But only barely, more importantly, the night it burned, Alexander the Great came into the world. Mystics claimed that Artemis was too preoccupied with the birth to save her temple, while soothsayers predicted it as a sign that a force had entered the universe that would alter the world. That force was born in Pella, in the Kingdom of Macedon, the son of King Phillip II. It would appear that old Phillip bought into the whole divine providence confab regarding his son, when the young Alexander managed to tame the wild horse Bucephalus, he exclaimed that Macedonia was too small for the boy. Lofty praise, indeed. Riding the tide of this vaulted perspective, Phillip sought out the best tutor for Alexander, he didn't do too badly, landing none other than Aristotle, the greatest mind on the planet. Classes were conducted at the Temple of Nymphs at Mieza, sitting on stony seats in the shade, Aristotle emptied his head to the young Alexander. Aristotle remained the boy's mentor for three years until Phillip called for the boy to act as regent in his absence, whilst he departed to wage war against Byzantium. Alexander was just sixteen when he was left in charge of the Kingdom of Macedon, almost immediately the Thracian Maedi sensing an opportunity revolted against Macedonian rule. Alexander however, was to be no push over, he crushed the revolt, colonised the area and established a city, Alexandroupolis which he named after himself.

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The Hitler Pact - A Blood Oath

Brothers Alexander Adolph, Louis and Brian William live in a quiet working- class suburb in Long Island ,New York. They are all native New Yorkers. None have ever married or had children. Two of them have their own landscaping business and one is a social worker. Their brother Howard died in an auto accident. It has been reported that these brothers have lived a sad life by most standards. Living in seclusion, loneliness and fear. An existence with no vision or concept of what the American dream could or should mean to them. The dream of marriage, family children, grandchildren. The hope and dreams that we all grab hold of. The hope that our children will have better lives than we have. The hopes that our name and bloodline will be carried well into the future long after we are dust. Hopes not denied any death, disease or inability to enjoy the anticipation of the future. Hopes these boys have apparently denied themselves with purpose and resolve.
Why is this story any different or any more important than the struggles others living in the same neighborhood the same street, their next door neighbors? What has eliminated the hopes of the future of family and the continuation of family name to be carried proudly into future? Two words that are vilified world-wide have apparently crushed this middle class America family. Those words are "Adolph Hitler".

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Napoleonic France

The French Style of Government
The French government has drastically changed over the course of 15 years. Prior to Napoleon's rule, the French government was in a state of disarray. They suffered from a declining economy and a sudden drought of resources. At that time, France was still under the control of the Directory. However, right before the turn of the 1800's, Napoleon launched a coup to seize power. With the aid of five directors and his brother Lucien, Napoleon overthrew the Directory at the age of 30. The young tactician took advantage of political and financial disorders of the country at that time, which severely weakened the Directory. At the same time, it also helped that France had just lost to Italy and Germany.
Once in power, Napoleon established the Consulate Regime. Essentially, this act established a dictatorship, which placed Napoleon as first consul for the span of 10 years. In his new position, the government promised to provide new laws and order to the people, in an effort to revitalize the state of the nation. In 1801, the government launched a concordat that returned the church to its civil status. While it declared Catholicism the main religion of the French, it forced the clergy to swear loyalty to Napoleon. Essentially, this act solidified the power of the government, as it was designed in favour of the state. Despite his monumental achievements, Napoleon still desired more power. In 1802, a plebiscite made Napoleon consul for life. Yet Napoleon's bid for absolute power would not end. In 1804, he dubbed himself Emperor of France, with complete control over the newly centralized government.
At this point, Napoleon sought to expand his empire and the influence of the French government. He accomplished this by assigning his relatives and sibling as the rulers of lands he conquered. His actions gave way to the Napoleonic Administration, which strived to preserve his power. In order to maintain his status as an all-powerful individual, the use of propaganda was in order. Napoleon used secret agents, arbitrary arrests, and executions to control the public opinion. He gained control over the press, which allowed him to completely control the media. The government exerted its power to relinquish freedom of speech and political liberty from the people. In doing so, anarchy would be avoided. Yet, despite this negative influence, the administration also brought about new reforms. The government provided an orderly and efficient system for the people to follow. At this point, a more centralized government was emphasized. Napoleon appointed prefects to administer major governing departments. Combined, this new system centralized Government authority in Paris. These representative institutions created the illusion of a democracy, when in truth, the people had no real power.
One of the greatest reforms brought about by the Government was the Napoleonic Code. This set of rules attempted to unify the legal system. Napoleon himself appointed a council of legal experts to create a new civil code, in a bid to pacify the public outbursts that plagued France for so long. This code brought equality to the citizens before the law. Employment would be based on ability rather than birth, while people were free to pursue the career of their choice. Moreover, citizens were granted religious freedom. In a way, the government attempted to empower the people, while still preserving their unchallenged authority and power.

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