Books in Spotlight on Explorers and Colonization series

Explorer Sir Francis Drake is renowned for being the first Englishman to sail completely around the world. His adventures set England on a course for successfully sailing the seas, but like most explorers, his adventures were full of successes and failures alike. In this engrossing book, readers will become completely captivated by the secrecy and intrigue associated with Drakes agreements with Englands Queen Elizabeth. The drama of his defeat of King Philips daunting Armada in the Enterprise of England attack will keep every reader turning pages to learn more about this fascinating foray.

Since the development of the World Wide Web in the 1990s, humans have been living in the Information Age. Thats why one important job in the growing field of information technology is that of database administrator (DBA). A DBA is responsible for storing, backing up, and making information easy to access, as well as ensuring its security. This title uses an easy-to-understand, straightforward approach to explore the tasks DBAs perform and the education, certification, and experience required for it. It also outlines steps high school students can take to prepare for fulfilling employment requirements and tips for finding job openings in the field.

Pedro lvares Cabral sailed around the world for Portugal in the early sixteenth century. His efforts led to a treaty opening the spice trade with India, but also years of war between his men and the kingdom of Calicut. Along the way he also discovered Brazil, perhaps by accident, opening the door for centuries of Portuguese colonization there. This biography dives into Cabrals background, his exploration assignments, and the impact, both positive and negative, of his voyages to India and Brazil.

While he is now primarily associated with the quest for the legendary Fountain of Youth, Ponce de Len was not merely involved in this fruitless search. A powerful figure in the Caribbean, he became the first governor of Puerto Rico. He led the first European expedition to Florida and was responsible for giving the state its name. The title discusses Ponce de Lens treatment of Native Americans and the issues with crediting him with the discovery of Florida despite the Native Americans already living there and the possibility of earlier visits by Spanish slave-taking expeditions.

The legacy of Hernn Corts, who famously conquered the formidable Aztec Empire, lives on to this day. This title traces his eventful life, introducing readers to an array of intriguing figures, such as Moctezuma, La Malinche, Cuautemoc, and Diego Velzquez de Cullar. Learn how important the alliances that Corts made with the Aztecs native enemies proved and how the initially cordial relationship between the Spanish and the Aztecs deteriorated. The title explains how Corts, like many conquistadors, became a polarizing figure in the centuries after his deeds and death and explores the reasons for the controversy surrounding him.

The conquistador Balboa is best known for having led the first party of explorers of European descent to reach the Pacific by traveling overland from the Atlantic. An ambitious man from a noble but relatively impoverished family, Balboa was eager to make a name and fortune for himself in the New World. His initiative and take-charge attitude helped him rise to power but also made him powerful enemies who, in the long run, orchestrated his trial and execution for usurping power. An assessment of Balboas legacy and lasting impact conclude the book.

Samuel de Champlain was one of the most colorful explorers of the 16th century. A master mariner, he had other occupations, too: spy, soldier, diplomat, writer, and artist. His explorations in the New World, though, made him famous for the ages. This detailed, easy-to-read biography gives readers a look at a man who served as the Geographer to the French king, an expert on Native Americans, a skilled mapmaker, the founder of Quebec City, and the father of New France.

The well-educated son of an Italian family, Verrazzano settled in Dieppe, France, as a young man. This explains why his historic explorations of the coast of eastern North America were undertaken in the name of the French king. During his 1524 journey, Verrazzano recorded a detailed account of the places he visited, one that would prove a key source of information about North America. Readers will also learn about Verrazzano's later journey to Brazil and his final journey, in 1528, which ended tragically when he was killed and eaten by cannibals in the Caribbean.

Amerigo Vespucci, the presumed namesake of the continents of North America and South America, is a controversial figure in the history of European exploration. The number of voyages he took to the New World is in dispute, but among his accomplishments, he found a rough method of calculating longitude, made notes on the indigenous peoples he encountered, and published theories proving that Columbus had not landed in India. This volume separates the fact from fiction, the man from the myth, and sets about to responsibly examine the remaining open questions at the heart of this history of New World exploration.

The world of IT is ever changing, with new operating systems, software packages, and hardware equipment introduced at a breakneck speed. Technical analysts provide the computer database support for organizations and their users. They implement upgrades, perform computing system maintenance and testing, develop IT solutions to improve quality, and design interfaces that help users access information in a timely, efficient manner. This title explores the technical analyst career path, an exciting position with a leading role in coordination and management of all IT design and development systems for an organization.

Pedro lvares Cabral sailed around the world for Portugal in the early sixteenth century. His efforts led to a treaty opening the spice trade with India, but also years of war between his men and the kingdom of Calicut. Along the way he also discovered Brazil, perhaps by accident, opening the door for centuries of Portuguese colonization there. This biography dives into Cabrals background, his exploration assignments, and the impact, both positive and negative, of his voyages to India and Brazil.