Marvelous New Millennium

William the Conquer (1027-1087)

He led a force of Normans to England in 1066, and conquer the country. He became king on on Christmas Day in the same year. [more]

She was a Byzantine Historian of the First Crusade. Her father was the Byzantine emporer, Alexius I. Anna was 55 years old when she began serious work on "Alexiad", a 15 volume history of her family, the Comneni.

Henry II (reigned 1154-89) ruled over an empire which stretched from the Scottish border to the Pyrenees. One of the strongest, most energetic and imaginative rulers, Henry was the inheritor of three dynasties who had acquired Aquitaine by marrying Eleanor of Aquitaine in 1152; his charters listed them: 'King of the English, Duke of the Normans and Aquitanians and Count of the Angevins'. [more]

Mongol emperor, founder of the Yüan dynasty of China. He improved public works and established a magnificent capital at Cambuluc (Beijing), where Marco Polo visited him. His mother was Sorghaghtani Beki, "Mother of Great Khans" [more]

He left Venice in 1271 with his father and uncle, who had been to the far east at Kaifeng, China in 1266. The party reached the court of Kublai Khan, in Cambuluc (Beijing), in 1275. Marco Polo became the khan's favorite and served him in China, India, and SE Asia. He returned to Venice in 1295. His account of his travels has been of great value to historians. [more]

In 1450 Gutenburg invented the printing press, and printed the Gutenburg Bibles. This spawned a whole series of changes in the way members of society communicated with each other. It was possible, with the new ability to print multiple copies, for a writer to disseminate a particular message to a large and diverse number of people. Readers, which formed groups, which formed societies, were now linked, not simply by word of mouth, but by the casting of type.

Her real name was Jeanne'd Arc. First she was a military leader, then she was condemned as a witch. She was burned at the stake and declared a saint after death! [more] [more]

Christopher Columbus was born on 1451 in Genoa, Italy. In 1491, he obtain financing from the King & Queen of spain for an expedition to the "Spice Islands" by sailing west on the Atlantic Ocean. He set sail in 1492 with three ships, he landed in San Salvador at Cap-Haitien. He sailed the Atlantic four times from 1492 - 1502, but never landed on the mainland of America. He died in 1506.

He was a great thinker of his time. His work covered four main themes: painting, architecture, the elements of mechanics, and human anatomy. These studies and sketches were collected into various codices and manuscripts, which are now hungrily collected by museums and individuals (Bill Gates recently plunked down $30 million for the Codex Leicester!).

He broke with the Roman Catholic Church and declared himself Supreme Head of the Church of England. This led to the beginnings of the English Reformation.

He started his around the world voyage on December 13,1577. He and more than 160 men sailed from Plymouth on three ships called the Pelican, the Elizabeth, and the Marigold. There were two othersupply ships. After they sailed through the "Strait of Magellan", the Marigold was wrecked and the Elizabeth return to England. After changing the name of the Pelican to the Golden Hind, they sailed north along the Pacific coast of North America. Drake then turned south and repaired his ship where what is now called San Fransico and named the new area New Albion. He claimed the land for England in 1579. After crossing the Pacific and Indian oceans, he sailed around the Cape of Good Hope. Drake reached Plymouth on September 26,1580. [more]

English dramatist and poet. Born in Stratford-on-Avon, he is considered the greatest playwright who ever lived. Check out the Complete Works of William Shakespeare.

He served as the Commander in Chief of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War (1775-1781) against Great Britain, he was asked to preside over the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. There a new constitution for a democratic government was written and Washington was unanimously elected as its leader. In New York City on April 30, 1789, he took the oath of office as the first President of the United States. [more] [more]

Samuel F. B. Morse (1791-1872)

He was an American Inventor that invented 'Morse code,' an electronic alphabet that could carry messages. The first message sent over an electronic line was 'What hath God wrought!' on May 24,1844.

Was the greatest writer of the serialized novel. To the nineteenth century, this was like the 'Soaps' are on Television today. In his various novels he takes exeption to the law and lawyers.

Along with Friedrich Engels wrote the "Manifesto of the Communist Party" in 1847-48 and published by Friedrich Engles in 1888 after his death.

Read the Works of Jules Verne presented by The Electronic Literature Foundation.

He was the inventor of Dynamite, an "Improved Explosive Compound". His estate to this day contributs to the Nobel Prizes.

Inventor of the phonograph, the incandescent light bulb, and many other devices. Take a visit to the Edison Museum and read Edison's Important Events.

Inventor of the telephone with the assistance of  Thomas Watson. [more]

The early beginning begin in the late 18th century in England and the U.S.A. The first formal organization was in 1869 in New York. Many women took part in the movement, such as Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony and Lucy Stone in the US and Dame Millicent Garrett Fawcett in England. The movement is still goes on  today, because not all women have the right to vote and own property. [more] [Canada]

Inventor of wireless telegraphy, otherwise know as radio.

Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

In spite of being born dyslectic, he went on to be a great writer. He was a reporter in the Boer War, the Lord of the Admiralty in World War I, and the Prime Minister of Britain in World War II.

Thirty Second President of the U.S.A from 1933 to 1945. He led America out of the Great Depression into World War II. Along with the Allies led by Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin they defeated Hitler and the Axis forces.

Probable the most hated man of the millennium. He lead Germany into World War II and inspite of having one of the best equipped forces the world has ever seen, he and his generals lost the war.

Fortieth President of the United States of America from 1981 to 1989. He with Mikhail Gorbachev of the U.S.S.R helped to bring an end to the cold war. Visit the Ronald W. Reagan Presidential Library & Museum. [more]

Soviet political leader, last president of the USSR (1988-91). In 1990 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The imminent signing of a treaty transferring many powers to the republics led hard-liners in Gorbachev's government to attempt (Aug. 1991) to overthrow him. In the aftermath Gorbachev aligned himself with Boris
Yeltsin and other reformers and resigned from the Communist party. On Dec. 25, 1991, Gorbachev (without function or authority in government) resigned. In 1993 he became head of the International Green Cross, a newly established environmental organization. (see Ronald Reagan above)

Henry Ford (1863-1947)

Devise the factory assembly approach to production that revolutionized the auto industry by greatly reducing the time required to assemble a car, there by bringing the price of the car down and making it available to the masses.

They invented and achieved the first powered, sustained, and controlled flight of an airplane.

Gandhi helped free the Indian people from British rule through nonviolent resistance.

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Charlie Chaplin (1889-1977)

One of the early people who brought film into our lives, as an actor, director, writer, producer, composer, filmography editor and choreographer. He founded United Artists with Douglas Fairbanks, D. W. Griffith, and Mary Pickford.

American aviator, noted for her flights across the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and her attempt to fly around the world.

Durable Lou Gehrig played in an amazing 2,130 consecutive baseball games. A product of Columbia University, the big first baseman teamed with Babe Ruth to form the greatest one-two punch in Baseball history. The Iron Horse drove in 100 runs 13 seasons in a row, and he topped 150 RBIs on seven occasions, setting an American League mark with 184 in 1931. He died in 1941 of "Lou Gehrig" disease, that was named after him.

Inventor of the Television. What would you be doing without this invention. It would be hard to read this article without your monitor.

Her computer program named FLOW-MATIC became a model for a new program COBOL (COmmon Business Oriented Language), which was developed by a team of programmers while Grace Hopper was one of
the advisors for the team. She was later referred to as Grandmother of COBOL. She would take out a 12" length of copper wire, an say that a nanosecond was the time it took electricity to flow though the wire.  In 1985, Grace Hopper was appointed rear admiral by President Ronald Reagan.

Co-inventor of the Jet engine.

This Australian is regarded by many as the world's greatest cricket batsman, who retired in 1948 with a peerless Test average of 99.94. [more]

Mother Teresa of Calcutta was an Albanian born Roman Catholic nun. Originally named Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, she entered the Order of the Sisters of Our Lady of Loreto in Ireland at the age of 18. In 1952 Mother Teresa opened the Nirmal Hriday ("Pure Heart") Home for Dying Destitutes in Calcutta. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979.

Even thought he was only President of the United States of America for only 3 years, he was involved in many things. The Inaugural Address of President John F. Kennedy on January 20, 1961 set the tone of his administration. From then until the time of his assassination in 1963, Washington was called "Camelot".

He became a black Lawyer in South Africa. He was jail for various offences, and was in jail from 1962-1990. After his release he became the President of the ANC. He and State President F.W. de Klerk accepted the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993. He was inaugurated as the first democratically elected State President of South Africa on 10 May 1994 - June 1999. Nelson Mandela retired from Public life in June 1999. He currently resides in his birth place - Qunu, Transkei.

You say what did Marilyn contribute to the Century. Other than being the 1st centerfold in Playboy No 1, she brought the status of posing nude to new heights. All the young guys at the time loved her and all the girls thought she was a dumb blonde. [more]

Although he did not invent "Rock & Roll", his songs that he sang to the world, changed the sound of music for generations to come. He became know as the "King".

More widely admired by the world as "Pelé", was born on October 23, 1940, in a small village in Brasil called Três Corações. He is known as the world's greatest soccer player.

John Lennon (1940-1980), Paul McCartney (1942-    ), George Harrison (1943-   ), Richard Starkey [Ringo Starr] (1940-    )

The Beatles were a rock group. But they were not just any old band. They changed music around the world as we know it. Revolution No.9 helped create an artistic movement. Helter Skelter spawned heavy metal. They influenced all. Between them they had extraordinary talent. [more]

American boxer born in Louisville, Ky., as Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. He changed (1964) his name when he became a BLACK MUSLIM. After winning (1960) an Olympic gold medal, he defeated (1964) Sonny Liston for the heavyweight crown, but was stripped of the title in 1967 when he refused induction into the U.S. armed forces on religious grounds. In 1971 the U.S. Supreme Court upheld his draft appeal. Ali regained the title in 1974 by defeating George Foreman, lost it to Leon Spinks in 1978, but won it a third time (from Spinks) later that year. Ali lost to Larry Holmes in 1980. In 1999 he was named "Sportsman of the Century". [more]

The greatest hockey player to play hockey. He played from 1977 to 1999, ending his career at the age of 38. When he retired in the spring of 1999, the NHL retired the "Great One"s number '99'. He was inducted to the "Hockey Hall of Fame" on on Monday. Nov. 22, 1999. [more] & [more]

She was born Lady Diana Frances Spencer. In 1981 she married the Prince of Wales, the heir to the British throne.  On 21 June 1982 she gave birth to Prince William Arthur Philip Louis and on 15 September 1984 Prince Henry (Harry) Charles Albert David  was born. Sadly, her marriage to Prince Charles came to an end on 28 August 1996. Diana, Princess of Wales died on Sunday, 31 August 1997 following a car accident in Paris, France along with her companion, Mr. Dodi Fayed. Following her funeral service, she was then was taken by road to the family estate at Althorp for a private interment. The Princess is buried in sanctified ground on an island in the centre of an ornamental lake. She has had an influence on the Royalty in England, and it remains to be seen if it is for the good..