Britannica Educational Publishing imprint: 818 books

Between their verdant canopies and shaded floors, forests contain a multi-tiered ecosystem that supports an abundance of flora and fauna. Together with the grasses and vegetation in the grasslands to which they are frequently adjacent, forests make up 70 percent of the Earth’s land area and sustain...

The Renaissance was a fantastic period of rebirth in terms of art and culture. This book recounts the struggles and victories of the most celebrated artists who lived and worked at this time. The masterpieces of Leonardo da Vinci, Pieter Bruegel, Sandro Botticelli, and others are highlighted.

With the advent of European colonization, the North American landscape and the indigenous cultures that inhabited it changed irrevocably. While a large part of Native Americans’ past has been marked by struggles for equality and sovereignty, a survey of the early history of various tribes reveals...

In Shakespeare’s time, the term “comedy” did not necessarily denote something funny or amusing. Rather, through such plays such as A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Merchant of Venice, the playwright examines other defining characteristics of comedic drama—the social interactions of common...

More than 15,000 species of reptiles and amphibians roam planet Earth today. Believed to be descendents of the dinosaurs, reptiles are scaly and cold-blooded. Amphibians lead something of a double-life, since they are capable of living in terrestrial and aquatic habitats. This colorful volume details...

The diversity of the various states of matter—solids, liquids, and gases—belies their essential similarities. All matter is composed of atoms that combine in different ways, giving us the multitude of shapes and structures we observe on a daily basis. Readers examine the different states and properties...

Even a quick look at the surface of human skin reveals its many complexities. Much more than a simple shell for the human body, the skin helps protect internal organs and, working in conjunction with connective tissue, allows the human body to function as a unit. This comprehensive volume examines...

From Romanticism to Realism, the 19th century saw a flourishing of literary movements, as well as the arrival of several now-revered luminaries on the literary scene. Authors experimented with new styles that elevated the novel as a significant literary form, while new techniques and themes were also...

For many of us, plants herald the change of seasons, represent the promise of nourishment, or serve as stunning visual reminders of Earth’s natural beauty. As vital components of nearly every ecosystem on the planet, plants play a fundamental ecological role in the lives of most organisms for their...

Ice hockey—which has been evolving for thousands of years—is not now, nor has it ever been, a sport for the timid. Armed with pounds of padding, wooden sticks, and goal-driven intensity, the players of this sport are indeed a force—a fast and often fierce force. Readers of this book will learn...

With their potential to wreak massive or total devastation, nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons have dramatically escalated the stakes of war. As stockpiles of such weapons continue to grow around the world, especially in the years since the Second World War, countries have recognized the need...

The system of courts in the United States serves to enforce the laws of the nation as well as act as a check to make sure the other branches of government obey the powers set forth by the Constitution. Through a series of landmark court cases, chronicled in this book with an explanation of their lasting...

An essential guide for all readers interested in high seas combat, this book covers the history of navies from the time of ancient Greek galleys to the development of battleships in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to the present day. Various types of combat vessels are explained in detail with...

The planet’s natural dips and elevations, slopes and structures, stud the world’s landscapes and enrich its panoramas. However, the Earth’s landforms should not be viewed as anomalies in its topography; rather, they are often invaluable components of ecosystems and hold significant clues to...