Login form
- Home
- People
People
Alexander the Great
He was a king, a commander, and a conqueror. Alexander the Great was so powerful some people called him a god. He was one of the greatest generals in history, and he built a vast empire that extended from the Mediterranean Sea to India.
ALEXANDER’S EARLY LIFE
Alexander was born in Macedonia in 356 bc. His father, King Philip II of Macedonia, hired the famous Greek philosopher Aristotle to tutor young Alexander. In the summer of 336 bc, Philip was murdered by one of his bodyguards. Alexander then became king.
Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama, the man who became known as Buddha, could have led a comfortable, carefree life. But he devoted himself to a search for truth and understanding so that he could help end the suffering of other people.
Late in life, Gautama was given the name Buddha, which means “enlightened one.” Buddha was considered enlightened because he had gained understanding of spiritual matters. His teachings form the basis of Buddhism, one of the world's major religions.
Confucius
Confucius helped shape Chinese civilization. He lived a quiet life and made no great discoveries. But by teaching people to respect old ideas of good behavior, he set standards that are still admired today.
STUDENT AND TEACHER
Confucius was born in Lu, a state in northeast China, about 551 bc. His father died when he was three years old, and he grew up very poor. Even so, Confucius got a good education. He married young, and worked as a laborer to support his wife and children. Then in 527 bc, he began a new career as a teacher.
Charlemagne
Brave, bold, and brutally successful—he was known as Charlemagne (Charles the Great). Charlemagne is remembered as one of history’s great leaders. This warrior king succeeded in building an empire that united much of Europe.
A legend in his own lifetime, Charlemagne was hated and feared by some. Yet many others saw Charlemagne as the ideal Christian ruler.
BORN IN WAR-TORN EUROPE
Ferdinand Magellan
Ferdinand Magellan tried to accomplish something that many people believed was impossible: reach the East by sailing west.
The expedition Magellan led was the first to sail all the way around the world. Magellan’s voyage provided undeniable proof that the Earth was round!
EARLY LIFE
Ferdinand Magellan was born about 1480 in Portugal. He first went to sea in 1505. Magellan joined the Portuguese fleet and served in India, Malaysia, and Indonesia. At that time, these lands were known as the East Indies. Portugal wanted to conquer all of the East Indies to control the international spice trade.