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Giants Among Men: How Robustelli, Huff, Gifford, and the Giants Made New York a Football Town and Changed the NFL
by Jack CavanaughFrom the mid-1950s to the early 1960s, when basketball’s Boston Celtics were piecing together a run for the ages, when Montreal’s Canadiens were in the midst of notching a record-setting five streaight Stanley Cups, and when the New York Yankees were the once-and-future kings of the diamond, one team boosted the NFL to national prominence as none other: the New York Giants. In Giants Among Men, Jack Cavanaugh, the acclaimed author of Tunney, transports us to the NFL’s golden age to introduce the close-knit and diverse group that won the heart of a city, helped spread the gospel of pro football across the nation, and recast the NFL as a media colossus.Central to Cavanaugh’s narrative, and emblematic of the Giants’ bond with their followers, was a hard-nosed future Hall of Fame defensive end named Andy Robustelli, who anchored a Giants defense unit so ferocious that they were the first team to inspire crowds to chant “Dee-fense!” But while Robustelli and the Giants were a hit on the gridiron, playing in six NFL Championship Games in eight seasons between 1956 and 1963, the most remarkable aspect of this team was perhaps its relationship with the fans, who were equally at east hobnobbing with Jackie Gleason and Frank Sinatra as they were rubbing elbows with working-class rooters on the IRT en route to Sunday games in the Bronx. But the Giants of this era didn’t merely affect the fans’ relationship to the game; they changed the game itself. The team launched the NFL careers of future head-coaching geniuses Tom Landry and Vince Lombardi, as well as those of future Hall of Famers including Frank Gifford, Sam Huff, Emlen Tunnell, Roosevelt Brown, and Y. A. Tittle, along with stars like Charlie Conerly, Rosey Grier, and Pat Summerall. Filled with historical and cultural insight and vivid portraits of large-than-life characters and indispensable everymen, Giants Among Men transcends nostalgia and sports trivia to faithfully depict a watershed era for both football and the American nation.
Giants Past & Present
by Dan FostWith a history that straddles two coasts and more than a century of winning, the Giants baseball club stands out as one of the great franchises of professional sports. The 2010 World Series championship—the franchise’s first since moving to San Francisco more than 50 years ago—provided the ultimate high for a team steeped in history and tradition.The Giants organization boasts more Hall of Fame inductees than any other baseball team, as well as 21 National League pennants gathered over nine different decades. From McGraw and Mathewson to Mays and Marichal, Hubbell and Ott to Lincecum and Posey, the Giants have been bringing excitement and drama to the diamond for generations.Giants Past & Present goes around the horn to celebrate the legends at each position on the field—from the little-remembered stars of the nineteenth century to the heroes of tomorrow—and visits the memorable and distinctive ballparks that have housed the team on two ends of the continent. The book presents the players, the dugout and front-office wizards, the voices from the broadcast booth, the hard-luck heroes, and the myriad rites of spring that keep fans coming back year after year.
Giants Upon Our Shoulders: A Philosophical History of Physics in Uruguay (Studies in History and Philosophy of Science #65)
by Juan A. Queijo Olano Evelyn Mozo MenesesThis book offers the hitherto unknown history of physics in Uruguay. To describe this history, it is necessary to take a broader view of the first Latin American attempts at research in physics. These first researchers dedicated to the understanding of physics received the "giants" achievements of the discipline from Europe or the United States, but all they could do was find ways to preserve most of this knowledge. Thus, instead of thinking of science as an international enterprise in which all members participate with the same goal of looking far ahead, this book reflects on the real circumstances of Uruguayan and Latin American scientists, who were willing to become part of the international communities, but did not have the proper training, resources and cultural support to do so. That's why the history contained in this book is mixed with some philosophical problems about the real nature of the practice of physics and science in general. The mainstream definitions of scientific activity, or the proper concept of science should be adapted to material conditions and different kinds of aims and proposals. This book explores, based on the history of physics in Uruguay and Latin America, new standards of "the scientific" itself, making it of great interest to historians and philosophers of science and those interested in the history of Latin America and Uruguay in particular.
Giants in Their Tall Black Hats: Essays on the Iron Brigade (Encounters: Explorations in Folklore and Ethnomusicology)
by Kent Gramm D. Scott HartwigThis volume of essays by renowned Civil War historians provides a comprehensive history of the legendary Iron Brigade and its service to the Union. Fighting in the Civil War for the Union Army of the Potomac, Brigadier General Rufus King&’s Wisconsin Brigade was the only all-Western Brigade to fight for the Eastern armies of the Union. Known as "The Black Hat Brigade" because the soldiers wore the regular army&’s dress black hat instead of the more typical blue cap, they were renowned for their discipline and valor in combat. From Brawner Farm and Second Bull Run to Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, the Western soldiers were giants of the battlefield, earning their reputation as &“The Iron Brigade.&” And when the war was over, the records showed that it led all federal brigades in percentage of deaths in battle. These essays, by some of the most renowned Civil War historians and experts on the brigade, spotlight significant moments in the history of this celebrated unit. "Editors Alan Nolan and Sharon Eggleston Vipond's insightful essays provide fresh perspectives on the Iron Brigade's exploits, detailing military and political events in the words of actual combatants."—Military Review
Giants in Their Time: Representative Americans from the Jazz Age to the Cold War
by Norman K. RisjordIn Giants in their Time, the latest volume in the Representative Americans Series, noted historian Norman Risjord uses biographical sketches to create a composite portrait of the United States during this dynamic and trying period. From sketches of Aimee Semple McPherson to Duke Ellington, Robert Oppenheimer to the Nisei Japanese, Risjord makes the past more vivid and concrete, revealing a heritage that present-day readers can feel and experience.
Giants in the Earth; A Saga of the Prairie
by O. E. Rolvaag Lincoln ColcordThe book is a classic story of a Norwegian pioneer family's struggles with the land and the elements of the Dakota Territory as they try to make a new life in America.
Giants in the Nursery
by David ElkindExamine the evolution of developmentally appropriate practice with this biographical history of early childhood education. This book explores the theory's progression—from its beginnings in writings of sixteenth- and seventeenth-century philosophers, its experimental implementation by eighteenth- and nineteenth-century practitioners, and its scientific grounding in contemporary theory and research—and includes biographical sketches and perspectives of eleven philosophical, pedagogical, and theoretical figures—the giants—in this evolution. David Elkind, PhD, is the best-selling author of more than twenty books and a well-known early childhood expert who has appeared on shows including Today Show, CBS Morning News, 20/20, Dateline, Donahue, and Oprah.
Giants of Computing: A Compendium of Select, Pivotal Pioneers
by Gerard O’reganIt has been upon the shoulders of giants that the modern world has been forged. This accessible compendium presents an insight into the great minds responsible for the technology which has transformed our lives. Each pioneer is introduced with a brief biography, followed by a concise account of their key contributions to their discipline. The selection covers a broad spread of historical and contemporary figures from theoreticians to entrepreneurs, highlighting the richness of the field of computing. Suitable for the general reader, this concise and easy-to-read reference will be of interest to anyone curious about the inspiring men and women who have shaped the field of computer science.
Giants of Enterprise: Seven Business Innovators and the Empires They Built
by Richard S. TedlowSeven business innovators and the empires they built. The pre-eminent business historian of our time, Richard S. Tedlow, examines seven great CEOs who successfully managed cutting-edge technology and formed enduring corporate empires. With the depth and clarity of a master, Tedlow illuminates the minds, lives and strategies behind the legendary successes of our times: . George Eastman and his invention of the Kodak camera; . Thomas Watson of IBM; . Henry Ford and his automobile; . Charles Revson and his use of television advertising to drive massive sales for Revlon; . Robert N. Noyce, co-inventor of the integrated circuit and founder of Intel; . Andrew Carnegie and his steel empire; . Sam Walton and his unprecedented retail machine, Wal-Mart.
Giants of Jazz (Revised and Updated)
by Studs Terkel Milly Hawk DanielReissued with the original illustrations and discography, Giants of Jazz offers a unique glimpse into the lives of America's jazz greats. Told with masterful detail, the selected portraits weave together the stories of the individual jazz musicians' lives with the history of the jazz era, and jazz music's evolution from the speakeasies of New York to the concert halls of the world's greatest cities. Details include Joe Oliver's favorite meal, Fats Waller's 1932 rendezvous in Paris with eminent organist Marcel Dupre, Dizzy Gillespie's trip as a child to the pawnshop to buy his first horn, and the origin of Billie Holiday's nickname. Other artists featured include Count Basie, Bix Beiderbecke, Benny Goodman, Woody Herman, and Bessie Smith.
Giants of Steam: The Great Men and Machines of Rail's Golden Age
by Jonathan GlanceyThe thrilling story of the last, and greatest, generation of steam railway locomotives in regular main line serviceA story of invention, skill, and passion, Giants of Steam reveals how the true advocates of steam's glory days pushed its design and performance to remarkable limits, taking these powerful and beautifully designed machines to new heights against a backdrop of the political upheavals and military conflicts of the mid-20th century. Glancey tells the stories of the greatest of the "steam men," the charismatic engineers who designed these machines and put them to use. Giants of Steam also reveals how steam design has continued to progress against the odds in recent decades, while enthusiasm for the steam locomotive itself is far from burning out.
Giants of the Seas: The Ships that Transformed Modern Cruising
by Aaron SaundersThe cruise ship market is a 30 billion-dollar industry, and in 2013 it is estimated that it will carry more than 20 million passengers; nor is there any sign of a slow down in the seven percent annual growth. What keeps the passengers coming in such huge numbers isn't the food, the ports or the entertainment. They come for the magnificent floating palaces themselves, the giants of the sea.In this new book, the author showcases the most influential cruise ships of the last three decades beginning with Royal Caribbean's ground-breaking Sovereign of the Seas. When she was launched in 1988 she was the largest passenger ship constructed since Cunard's Queen Mary entered service some 48 years earlier, and her entry into service sparked a fiercely competitive building boom that continues to this day. The reader is taken aboard thirty of the most spectacular ships to reveal how their innovative designs changed the landscape of modern cruising. By employing original and archival photographs, deck plans, cruise programmes, as well as the author's intimate knowledge of many of these vessels, a unique picture is built up of these great ships and it becomes clear that the true Golden Age of Cruising is not in some distant past but exists right now, and that its origins can be traced back to one ship, launched in 1988.A truly sumptuous and fascinating book for all those drawn to the world of the modern cruise ship.As seen in Ships Monthly Magazine
Giants vs. Dodgers: The Coast-to-Coast History of the Rivalry Heard ?Round the World
by Steve Dilbeck Joe Konte Bruce JenkinsGames between the Dodgers and Giants are never just another day at the ballpark. Dating back to the late nineteenth century-when the teams embodied the competitive spirit of rival metropolises of New York and Brooklyn-the Giants-Dodgers rivalry gained intensity throughout the early twentieth century. The cheering and jeering continued unabated until 1957, when the clubs backed the moving vans up to the Polo Grounds and Ebbets Field, and took their rivalry to new venues in Los Angeles and San Francisco.Indeed, Brooklyn-New York baseball was a tough act to follow, but the West Coast version didn’t take long to fire up the emotions. Only six games into the first West Coast season, the clubs had their first beanball dustup. The venue had changed but the venom remained, and the rivalry became author Joe Konte’s obsession. Fifty-eight years ago, he attended one of the first Giants-Dodgers games ever played outside of New York. A longtime newspaper editor and baseball fiend, Konte understands what is so special about this storied rivalry. And so-via statistical analysis, game summaries, roster scrutiny, manager matchups, season recaps, and more-he has put together a rivalry bible. Revised and updated to include the events of the last three seasons-from the Giants’ 2014 World Series win and the Dodgers’ playoff runs-Giants vs. Dodgers captures the spirit and intensity of one of the greatest rivalries in American sports.
Giants: The Parallel Lives of Frederick Douglass & Abraham Lincoln
by John StaufferThey were the preeminent self-made men of their time. Abraham Lincoln was born dirt poor, had less than one year of formal schooling, and became the nation's greatest President. Frederick Douglass spent the first 20 years of his life as a slave, had no formal schooling - his masters forbade him to read or write - and became one of the nation's greatest writers and activists. At a time when most whites would not let a black man cross their threshold, Lincoln met Douglass three times at the White House and invited him to tea at the Soldier's Home. Their friendship was based on usefulness: Lincoln recognized that he needed Douglass to help him destroy the Confederacy and preserve the Union; Douglass realized that Lincoln's shrewd sense of public opinion would serve his own goal of freeing the nation's blacks. They were ambitious men, and had great faith in the moral and technological progress of their nation. They also shared many common interests: They loved music and literature, and educated themselves by reading the same books. They were athletic, strong and tall: Douglass was 6 ft., Lincoln 6 ft. 4 inches, when the average height for men was 5 ft. 7 inches. Lincoln and Douglass moved beyond the traditional idea of character as fixed and based primarily on heredity and social status, and embraced a self in state of continual evolution. Award-winning historian John Stauffer describes the dramatic transformations in the lives of these giants during a a major shift in cultural history, when men rejected the status quo and embraced new ideals of personal liberty.
Giap: The General Who Defeated America in Vietnam
by James A. WarrenAn in-depth look at the strategy and tactics of the visionary commander who beat the United States in the Vietnam War—includes maps and photos.General Vo Nguyen Giap was the commander in chief of the communist armed forces during two of his country’s most difficult conflicts—the first against Vietnam’s colonial masters, the French, and the second against the most powerful nation on earth, the United States. After long and bloody efforts, he defeated both Western powers and their Vietnamese allies, forever changing modern warfare.In Giap, military historian James A. Warren dives deep into the conflict to bring to life a revolutionary general and reveal the groundbreaking strategies that defeated world powers against incredible odds. Synthesizing ideas and tactics from an extraordinary range of sources, Giap was one of the first to realize that war is more than a series of battles between two armies and that victory can be won through the strength of a society’s social fabric. As America contemplates its more recent wars and its future challenges, this is an important and timely look at a man who was a master at defeating his enemies even as they thought they were winning.Praise for James A. Warren’s military histories:“A solid study of the Vietnam War . . . a worthy introduction to a conflict that continues to haunt American politics and culture.” —Publishers Weekly“A very useful contribution to the lively ongoing debate on the role, creation, training, and use of elite troops.” —Booklist“Thought-provoking . . . deftly written.” —Kirkus Reviews
Giarrettiere
by Pamela Morsi Elisa PardiniMai sottovalutare il potere di un paio di giarrettiere. Esme Crabb ha trascorso tutta la vita tra le montagne, cercando di fare del proprio meglio per vivere col poco che possiede senza poter contare sull’aiuto del buono a niente di suo padre o delle sue sciocche sorelle. La famiglia riesce a malapena a tirare avanti, perennemente in debito con i vicini. Esme sperava che le gemelle potessero trovare un buon marito, ma, come tutto il resto in quella famiglia, sembra che debba essere lei stessa a farlo. Cleavis Rhy, prosperoso commerciante di Vader, non si è mai accorto di lei, almeno fino a quando lei non gli chiede di sposarla. Impossibile. Cleav, aspirante gentiluomo, è andato fino a Knoxville per studiare, e in qualità di piscicoltore autodidatta intrattiene una fitta corrispondenza con i migliori accademici del settore. Ama leggere e apprezza le conversazioni stimolanti. Le sue romantiche ambizioni sono attratte, molto ragionevolmente, dalla silenziosa e raffinata figlia del pastore. Un’ignorante ragazza di montagna con il vestito lacero e dalle calze cadenti non gli interessa affatto. Niente al mondo potrebbe mai farli finire assieme… o forse sì?
Gib Morgan Tall Tale Teller, Tall Tale Hero
by Gene Barretta Robert San SouciBack in the days of the first oil wells, the oilmen passed the time by spinning tall tales. One of their favorite storytellers was Gib Morgan, whose adventures became legend! Find out about the man behind his tales and hear a tale or two from the oil fields.
Gib Rides Home (Gib #1)
by Zilpha Keatley SnyderAll Gib ever wanted was to be adopted, but life with a family isn&’t quite what he thought it would beGib was sent to an orphanage when he was six years old, and with each year, he knows it becomes less likely that he will be adopted into a loving family. As kids get older, they are more likely to be adopted onto a farm, meaning a hard life of unpaid labor. And after seeing a friend come back battered and near death, Gib is understandably worried. When his turn for adoption finally comes, Gib is surprised to learn that life on the farm isn&’t too difficult. His new &“parents,&” the Thorntons, are kind to him, and his job in the stables is fun and interesting. It is as close to the home of his dreams as he could possibly imagine. And though Gib doesn&’t remember much of his past before the orphanage, as time passes, Gib realizes that his new family may be more connected to his real family than he ever imagined. This smart, touching novel is based on the life of author Zilpha Keatley Snyder&’s father and his experience as an orphan in the 1900s. This ebook features an extended biography of Zilpha Keatley Snyder.
Gib and the Gray Ghost (Gib #2)
by Zilpha Keatley SnyderGib might have finally found the family he&’s always wanted. Will he be adopted for good?No child wants an extended stay in the Lovell House Home for Orphaned and Abandoned Boys. And in the sequel to Gib Rides Home, Gib, a smart, resourceful eleven-year-old orphan, returns to the Thornton family&’s ranch, hoping for a much happier experience this time. Instead of the farm labor that most orphans his age are forced to do, he gets the benefits of being part of the family: reduced chores and the freedom to go to school. Luckily, Gib also has a way with horses—and life with Livy, the irrepressible Thornton daughter, proves that horses can be much easier to deal with than people. When a whipped and starved horse comes to the Thornton Ranch during a blizzard, Gib finds a way to save this incredible creature. And while helping the horse recuperate and acclimate to his new home, Gib realizes that he may have finally found a permanent home of his own. This ebook features an extended biography of Zilpha Keatley Snyder.
Gib and the Gray Ghost (Gib #2)
by Zilpha Keatley SnyderGib might have finally found the family he&’s always wanted. Will he be adopted for good?No child wants an extended stay in the Lovell House Home for Orphaned and Abandoned Boys. And in the sequel to Gib Rides Home, Gib, a smart, resourceful eleven-year-old orphan, returns to the Thornton family&’s ranch, hoping for a much happier experience this time. Instead of the farm labor that most orphans his age are forced to do, he gets the benefits of being part of the family: reduced chores and the freedom to go to school. Luckily, Gib also has a way with horses—and life with Livy, the irrepressible Thornton daughter, proves that horses can be much easier to deal with than people. When a whipped and starved horse comes to the Thornton Ranch during a blizzard, Gib finds a way to save this incredible creature. And while helping the horse recuperate and acclimate to his new home, Gib realizes that he may have finally found a permanent home of his own. This ebook features an extended biography of Zilpha Keatley Snyder.
Gibbon’s Christianity: Religion, Reason, and the Fall of Rome
by Hugh LiebertThere has never been much doubt about the faith of the “infidel historian” Edward Gibbon. But for all of Gibbon’s skepticism regarding Christianity’s central doctrines, the author of The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire did not merely seek to oppose Christianity; he confronted it as a philosophical and historical puzzle. Gibbon’s Christianity tallies the results and conditions of that confrontation.Using rich correspondence, private journals, early works, and memoirs that were never completed, Hugh Liebert provides intimate access to Gibbon’s life in order to better understand his complex relationship with religion. Approaching the Decline and Fall from the context surrounding its conception, Liebert shows how Gibbon adapted explanations of the Roman republic’s rise to account for a new spiritual republic and, subsequently, the rise of modern Europe. Taken together, Liebert’s analysis of this context, including the nuance of Gibbon’s relationship to Christianity, and his readings of Gibbon’s better- and lesser-known texts suggest a historian more eager to comprehend Christianity’s worldly power than to sneer at or dismiss it.Eminently readable and wholly accessible to anyone interested in or familiar with the Decline and Fall, this groundbreaking reassessment of Gibbon’s most famous work will appeal especially to scholars of eighteenth-century studies.
Gibraltar: The Greatest Siege in British History
by Lesley Adkins Roy AdkinsA rip-roaring account of the dramatic four-year siege of Britain’s Mediterranean garrison by Spain and France—an overlooked key to the British loss in the American RevolutionFor more than three and a half years, from 1779 to 1783, the tiny territory of Gibraltar was besieged and blockaded, on land and at sea, by the overwhelming forces of Spain and France. It became the longest siege in British history, and the obsession with saving Gibraltar was blamed for the loss of the American colonies in the War of Independence.Located between the Mediterranean and Atlantic, on the very edge of Europe, Gibraltar was a place of varied nationalities, languages, religions, and social classes. During the siege, thousands of soldiers, civilians, and their families withstood terrifying bombardments, starvation, and disease. Very ordinary people lived through extraordinary events, from shipwrecks and naval battles to an attempted invasion of England and a daring sortie out of Gibraltar into Spain. Deadly innovations included red-hot shot, shrapnel shells, and a barrage from immense floating batteries.This is military and social history at its best, a story of soldiers, sailors, and civilians, with royalty and rank and file, workmen and engineers, priests, prisoners of war, spies, and surgeons, all caught up in a struggle for a fortress located on little more than two square miles of awe-inspiring rock. Gibraltar: The Greatest Siege in British History is an epic page-turner, rich in dramatic human detail—a tale of courage, endurance, intrigue, desperation, greed, and humanity. The everyday experiences of all those involved are brought vividly to life with eyewitness accounts and expert research.
Gibraltar: The Greatest Siege in British History
by Lesley Adkins Roy AdkinsFor over three and a half years, from 1779 to 1783, the tiny territory of Gibraltar was besieged and blockaded, on land and at sea, by the overwhelming forces of Spain and France. It became the longest siege in British history, and the obsession with saving Gibraltar was blamed for the loss of the American colonies in the War of Independence. Located between the Mediterranean and Atlantic, on the very edge of Europe, Gibraltar was a place of varied nationalities, languages, religions and social classes. During the siege, thousands of soldiers, civilians and their families withstood terrifying bombardments, starvation and diseases. Very ordinary people lived through extraordinary events, from shipwrecks and naval battles to an attempted invasion of England and a daring sortie out of Gibraltar into Spain. Deadly innovations included red-hot shot, shrapnel shells and a barrage from immense floating batteries.This is military and social history at its best, a story of soldiers, sailors and civilians, with royalty and rank-and-file, workmen and engineers, priests, prisoners-of-war, spies and surgeons, all caught up in a struggle for a fortress located on little more than two square miles of awe-inspiring rock. Gibraltar: The Greatest Siege in British History is an epic page-turner, rich in dramatic human detail - a tale of courage, endurance, intrigue, desperation, greed and humanity. The everyday experiences of all those involved are brought vividly to life with eyewitness accounts and expert research.
Gibraltar: The Greatest Siege in British History
by Lesley Adkins Roy AdkinsFor over three and a half years, from 1779 to 1783, the tiny territory of Gibraltar was besieged and blockaded, on land and at sea, by the overwhelming forces of Spain and France. It became the longest siege in British history, and the obsession with saving Gibraltar was blamed for the loss of the American colonies in the War of Independence. Located between the Mediterranean and Atlantic, on the very edge of Europe, Gibraltar was a place of varied nationalities, languages, religions and social classes. During the siege, thousands of soldiers, civilians and their families withstood terrifying bombardments, starvation and diseases. Very ordinary people lived through extraordinary events, from shipwrecks and naval battles to an attempted invasion of England and a daring sortie out of Gibraltar into Spain. Deadly innovations included red-hot shot, shrapnel shells and a barrage from immense floating batteries.This is military and social history at its best, a story of soldiers, sailors and civilians, with royalty and rank-and-file, workmen and engineers, priests, prisoners-of-war, spies and surgeons, all caught up in a struggle for a fortress located on little more than two square miles of awe-inspiring rock. Gibraltar: The Greatest Siege in British History is an epic page-turner, rich in dramatic human detail - a tale of courage, endurance, intrigue, desperation, greed and humanity. The everyday experiences of all those involved are brought vividly to life with eyewitness accounts and expert research.'A fascinating, well-crafted account of a siege that defined Britishness' Andrew Lambert, BBC History Magazine
Gibraltar: The History of a Fortress
by Ernle BradfordSince ships first set sail in the Mediterranean, The Rock has been the gate of Fortress Europe. In ancient times, it was known as one of the Pillars of Hercules, and a glance at its formidable mass suggests that it may well have been created by the gods. Sought after by every nation with territorial ambitions in Europe, Asia, and Africa, Gibraltar was possessed by the Arabs, the Spanish, and ultimately the British, who captured it in the early 1700s and held onto it in a siege of more than three years late in the eighteenth century. The fact that that was one of more than a dozen sieges exemplifies Gibraltar&’s quintessential value as a prize and the desperation of governments to fly their flag above its forbidding ramparts. Bradford uses his matchless skill and knowledge to take the reader through the history of this great and unique fortress. From its geological creation to its two-thousand-year influence on politics and war, he crafts the compelling tale of how these few square miles played a major part in history.