All About History Issue 09

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//-->The legend of Robin HoodDiscover the truth behind the world’smost famous folk heroTHE TITANICTRAGEDYThe full story of the shipthey thought unsinkableBattle of MarathonPiazza di SpagnaSpanishcivil warALEXANDERTHEGREAT“OneWNE+smallstep for man”Eyewitness account frominside NASA controlRacingprejudiceHow Jesse Owensstunned Hitlerwww.historyanswers.co.ukISSUE 9The First World War endsWorldMags.netcirculating gold in Great BritainBut British collectors get an unexpected chanceOn 4 August 1914, Great Britain declaredwar on Germany following Kaiser WilhelmII’s refusal to honour Belgium’s neutrality.It was the start of the world’s first globalconflict but also a watershed in the historyof gold coinage.Since 1814, Britain had been on thegold standard, its coinage and banknotesexchangeable for gold. When war wasdeclared, the British governmentimmediately began to recall its goldsupplies. On 5 August 1914, theChancellor, David Lloyd George,announced the issue of One Pound and TenShilling Treasury notes to be exchanged forSovereigns and Half Sovereigns. His appeal tothe British people to give up their gold camewith a warning that anyone selfish enoughto withdraw gold from the bank would be“assisting the enemies of his native land”.Millions of British Sovereigns goneIn spite of concerns that the notes were toosmall and looked like lottery tickets, thepeople dutifully exchanged their Sovereignsfor paper. Of the £123m worth of gold coincirculating in Britain at the outbreak of theFirst World War, around £100m ended upin the Bank of England. Simultaneously, theBank dramatically reduced the number ofSovereigns struck from 30 million in 1913to just over one million in 1917.War ends 100 year old British traditionThe vast costs of the First World War sawmuch of Britain’s gold used to pay theUnited States. Ultimately, far more moneywas printed than could ever be redeemed forgold and, in 1925, the Gold Standard ActLIMITED EDSOLID SILVEITIONRActual sizeis 38.6 mmended the exchange of paper money for goldcoins. Britain no longer had a circulatinggold currency, and a 100 year old British lawallowing exchanging banknotes for gold wasput to a halt.Immortalised in solid sterling silverAs this year marks the centenary of the firstgreat global war and its undeniable impact onBritish coinage, The London Mint office isproud to reveal a limited edition WWI SilverCommemorative. Struck in solid sterlingsilver and to the highest quality possible,its superb design depicts King George VGold Sovereign, the last British gold coin incirculation. Fittingly, the commemorative isaccented in pure 24 carat gold and is nowavailable to British collectors for a limitedperiod of time. Secure yours today for as littleas £49.95 (plus £4.95 P&P). If you are notsatisfied, you can return it within 14 days ofreceipt, no questions asked.Due to the memorial significancewe expect quick sell out.Please call us FREE today!0800 195 2925Reservation code: 92008209Unrivalled experts in the fascinating world of coinswww.londonmintoffice.org/WW1There is no further obligation and no on-going commitment.Subject to status. Lines are open now.WorldMags.net14 DAYS RETURNGUARANTEEWelcomeOur issue six cover star Winston Churchillwas quoted as saying in the House ofCommons in 1947: “It has been said thatdemocracy is the worst form of government,except all those other forms that have beentried from time to time.” As with so many ofhis quotes, the flippancy of the remark hidesthe deeper truth of the words.Many of us happily criticise ourgovernments, but those fortunate enoughto be living in a democracy at least get thechance to vote them out. This is a right thathas been hard-fought and has evolved froma time when most civilisations were ruled bya single figure not accountable to the people.This issue’s themed section focuses ondemocracy and the individuals and eventsthat have shaped its development.One individual far removed fromdemocracy was Alexander the Great. To findout more about the great warrior’s tacticalA crowd gathers in New York asnews of the Titantic’s sinkingbecomes knownPage 58WorldMags.netacumen, leadership skills and fearsome armyturn to our cover feature on page 48. By thetime of his death aged just 32 he had putmost of the known world to the sword andhad done so leading from the front.In another historically eclectic issue wealso have a feature on the ten dirtiest tricks ofWWII on page 66 (think itching powers andexploding animals) and examine the storybehind the Titanic, the ‘unsinkable ship’, onpage 58. I hope you enjoy the issue as muchas we did pulling it all together.This issue’shighlights36Eye WitnessJack Garman, a NASAcomputer engineer who wasinside the mission controlroom, played a key role inhelping the first man to landon the Moon in 1969.40Heroes & villainsJesse Owens wasn’t justracing against his fellowcompetitors at the 1936Olympics, but also the racialprejudices of Nazi Germanyand his own countrymen.84Andrew BrownEditorRobin HoodHis legend is one of history’smost enduring, that ofstealing from the rich andgiving to the poor, but justhow much of the myth isbased in reality?Be part of historyShare your views and opinions onlinewww.historyanswers.co.uk/AllAboutHistoryFacebook@AboutHistoryMagTwitterWorldMags.net© Mary Evans; Alamy3CONTENTSWelcome to All About History48How one man’s military genius, inspirational leadershipand fearsome army conquered most of the known worldWorldMags.net48ALEXANDERTHEGREATDEMOCRACYbecome the form of government most aspire to12From humble beginnings democracy has14Day in the lifeOf a 19th-century English MP16Democracythroughout timeCome with us to witness thebirth, awkward adolescence anddevelopment of democracy18How to…Get elected as a Roman senator – doyou have what it takes?20Top 5 factsPericles is known as one of thefounding fathers of democracy22Greatest battlesThe Battle of Marathon saw thefledgling democracies of Greece takeon a formidable Persian force26Hall of fameTen pioneers of democracy28Anatomy of...A soldier in the Spanish civil war8658Titanic: Theunsinkable shipFEATURES76Killing for honourThe tragic tale of the last fatal duelbetween Englishmen at a time whengentlemen demanded ‘satisfaction’How a symbol of modern technologybecame a byword for disaster66Ten dirtiest ticksof WWIIExploding rats, itching powder andother dastardly deeds84Robin HoodJust how much of the legendary folkhero and outlaw’s myth is actuallybased on fact?58@AboutHistoryMag4Be part of historywww.historyanswers.co.uk/AllAboutHistoryWorldMags.netWorldMags.net36EVERY ISSUE06Defining momentsImages that capture an iconicmoment in history30What if?Prohibition had never beenrepealed in the US in 1933 and theconsumption and production ofalcohol had continued to be illegal34What was it like?England in 1070, four years afterWilliam the Conqueror’s victory2236Eye witnessJohn ‘Jack’ Garman was in theNASA control centre when man firstwalked on the moon; he gives us hisfascinating insider’s account40Heroes & villainsHow Jesse Owens raced against notjust the clock but racial prejudice76664044Tour guideTour through the Piazza di Spagna,home to the Spanish Steps and someof the great Romantic poets90ReviewsThe books, apps and DVDs on WWIIworth your time and attention92CompetitionGrab yourself a great prize94Your historyTwo readers share with us amazingstories from their past98History vsHollywoodCritics were dismissive ofPearlHarbour’sacting and storyline – willit fare any better on the historicalaccuracy front?ENJOYED THEMAGAZINE?SUBSCRIBE &SAVE 50%Page 468434WorldMags.net5 [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]