When Did the Medieval Period End?
As conventional wisdom has it, Europe began to see the light at the end of a dark age sometime around 1500. Four experts try to date the birth of modernity.
Head to Head
How did the Victorians Become a Reference Point for Joyless Prudery?
Four experts debunk the myth of modestly covered piano legs and point the finger of blame at ungrateful modernists.
Was the Cold War the Biggest Change in Russia’s Relationship with the West?
Announced on 12 March 1947 with the intention of containing Soviet expansion, the Truman Doctrine is sometimes seen as the first declaration of the Cold War. Four experts ask whether the conflict’s legacy is a defining one.
Has Literature Ever Changed the Course of History?
On the 100th anniversary of its publication, James Joyce’s Ulysses is widely regarded as a groundbreaking work of fiction, but can literature have any impact outside the confines of culture?
Did Britain Ever Have a Revolutionary Moment?
Four historians consider whether the traditional Whig history of Britain, as one of evolutionary political progress, has ever been challenged by events.
Did the Attack on Pearl Harbor Cost the Axis Powers the War?
Four historians consider the consequences of the ‘Day of Infamy’ on 7 December 1941, and whether it was the ultimate reason for Germany, Italy and Japan’s defeat.
Why has the Gunpowder Plot Been Remembered for Centuries?
Four historians consider the extraordinary longevity of a popular English festival.
How Important Was the Battle of Lepanto?
Fought on 7 October 1571, the great sea battle between Christian Europe and the Ottoman Empire was seen as a pivotal moment in history. Have its consequences been exaggerated?
How did 9/11 change the way the world sees the United States?
On the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, four experts consider the event’s global legacy.
What Makes a Puritan Society?
Are we living in a new age of puritanism? And how would we know if we were?