Table Of ContentTHE MEN WHO CHANGED THE
COURSE OF HISTORY
Jesus, Napoleon, Moses, Julius Cesar, Saint Paul, Alexander the
Great, Gandhi & Muhammad. Lessons from the Great Men that
Forged our Society.
- SECOND EDITION -
By Dominique Atkinson
© Copyright 2015
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in
any form or by any means, electronically or mechanically, including photocopy,
recording, or by and information storage or retrieval system, without the written
permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in
critical articles or reviews.
Trademarks are the property of their respective holders. When used, trademarks
are for the benefit of the trademark owner only.
DISCLAIMER
The information provided herein is stated to be truthful and consistent, in that
any liability, in terms of inattention or otherwise, by any usage or abusage of
any policies, processes, or directions contained within is the solitary and utter
responsibility of the recipient reader. Under no circumstances will any legal
responsibility or blame be held against the publisher for any reparation,
damages, or monetary loss due to the information herein, either directly or
indirectly. Respective authors hold all rights not held by publisher.
Note from the Author:
Destiny is both unpredictable and fickle. Jesus, Napoleon, Moses, Julius Cesar,
Saint Paul, Alexander the Great, Gandhi & Muhammad were men whose lives
changed the course of history. They would have been remarkable in any era in
which they were born. But by living when they did, each defined the times in
which they lived. Their actions transformed the imprint of their countries and the
world.
Caesar in the ancient world and Napoleon in the 19th century had different
challenges, but both men faced them with energy, drive, and a hard-edged
intuition. Jesus and Alexander lived approximately the same number of years,
and each life span brought conquest in different forms, the former by winning
souls from death on a cross, the latter from gaining land at the point of a spear.
St. Paul and Constantine, separated by several centuries, both altered their
landscapes in service to the same God. Moses and Gandhi, in vastly different
ways, brought the power of law, justice and faith to the fore as they liberated
their people. Although Muhammad was tutored by an angel and instructed by the
holy, he never lost sight of his own humble human status.
Join me in learning about these great men! It’s by studying their lives that we
gain a sense, not only of who they were, but of what we have become as a
civilization because of their influence. If any of these men were to be taken out
of history’s record, the ensuing gap would be enormous. As we study the past,
we can look back on their achievements and be glad that we journey upon the
roads that they paved for history to travel.
It’s worthwhile to examine these remarkable men and the lives they lived. In
doing so it’s interesting to ask difficult questions. What would they be like if
they lived today? How would Paul or Muhammad summon believers to follow a
faith when it’s not dangerous to be a believer? For Christians who believe that
Jesus will return, will they recognize him in modern times? Could Alexander
and Napoleon have confined their talents to administrative innovation rather than
military conquest? Would Constantine and Caesar have been able rulers if they
did not also have to lead armies? Would Gandhi, the most recent of the men
studied in these chapters, approve of the way his country has evolved politically
and spiritually? How would Moses look today if he were less majestic in his
stature? Would ordinary life suit the man who talked to God?
All of them raise questions about what it is to live a life so fully, for there can be
no doubt that these men held nothing back. Not for them a half-hearted
existence; they poured everything they had into their endeavors. Let’s get to
know them!
Chapter Index
Introduction
Chapter One: Moses the Lawgiver
Who was Moses?
In the Beginning
Early Influences
Moses’ Life Changes
The Israelites after Moses
Why Moses Matters
Chapter Two: Alexander the Great
Who was Alexander?
In the Beginning
Early Influences
Alexander’s Life Changes
Macedon after Alexander
Why Alexander Matters
Chapter Three: Julius Caesar the Conqueror
Who was Julius Caesar?
In the Beginning
Early Influences
Caesar’s Life Changes
The Empire after Julius Caesar
Why Caesar Matters
Chapter Four: Jesus the Christ
Who was Jesus?
In the Beginning
Early Influences
Jesus’ Life Changes
Christianity after Jesus
Why Jesus Matters
Chapter Five: St. Paul the Evangelist
Who was St. Paul?
In the Beginning
Early Influences
Paul’s Life Changes
Christianity after Paul
Why Paul Matters
Chapter Six: Constantine the Great
Who was Constantine?
In the Beginning
Early Influences
Constantine’s Life Changes
The Empire after Constantine
Why Constantine Matters
Chapter Seven: Muhammad the Prophet
Who was Muhammad?
In the Beginning
Early Influences
Muhammad’s Life Changes
Islam after Muhammad
Why Muhammad Matters
Chapter Eight: Napoleon the Emperor
Who Was Napoleon?
In the Beginning
Early Influences
Napoleon’s Life Changes
France after Napoleon
Why Napoleon Matters
Chapter Nine: Gandhi the Mahatma
Who was Gandhi?
Early Influences
Gandhi’s Life Changes
India after Gandhi
Why Gandhi Matters
**** PREVIEW OTHER BOOKS BY THIS AUTHOR****
Introduction
The 21st century stands witness to the achievements of some of the most
influential men in the world. And yet, no matter how today’s movers and shakers
stand in contemporary rankings, how can we compare them to the giants of the
past, the men who took history in their bare hands and bent it to their will?
Whether they strode upon the stages of military power or at the altars of
religious belief, they have left their marks on civilization.
Accustomed as we are to the rule of law, we risk forgetting that the legend of
Moses the Lawgiver and his acquisition of the Ten Commandments is the
landmark event in Jewish pre-history. Those original stone tablets have been the
midwife to numerous judicial children, blending the obligations of moral law
with the requirements of civil and criminal law in a succinct body.
Bill Gates and Microsoft transformed the way in which data could be collected
and compiled; when Gates retired to leave his desktop empire behind in favor of
philanthropy, was it because he was ready for a new phase in his life or was it
because, as the legend says of Alexander the Great, there were no worlds left to
conquer?
How would Constantine’s predecessor, Julius Caesar, have reacted if he’d
known that over 300 years after his reign, a subsequent emperor would turn his
back on the Roman gods and embrace Christianity, a religion that began with the
ministry of an obscure carpenter from an insignificant region of the empire and
evolved into a faith practiced by billions? And, centuries later, how does the
upstart Corsican Napoleon rank as the military leader who created an empire
with himself as its head, reminiscent of Caesar, and redesigned his nation?
How do the advances made by cell phone technology that have been so integral
to the Apple empire founded by the late Steve Jobs compare to the letters,
journeys, and missionary zeal of Saint Paul, who traveled with that obscure
carpenter’s story across thousands of miles, braving shipwrecks, pirates, prison,
and ultimately, execution?
What was the force in the desert that stirred up the Prophet Mohammed and
inspired the birth of a religion whose believers will make up more than an
estimated 50 percent of the population in 50 countries?
The names of these men have echoed through the halls of history since their
exploits reconfigured the maps, laws, beliefs, and annals of the past. Today we
live in a world shaped by their footprints. But what do we know of these game-
changers? Immersed as we are in social media, headlines, 24-hour news and the
Internet, how can we effectively evaluate the parts that these men played when
they occupied the stage of world events?
