Historian Alf J. Mapp, Jr., delves into the economic, social, and artistic characteristics of three of the most intensely creative periods in Western history to explore the qualities that enabled these societies to make staggering jumps in scientific knowledge, develop new political structures, and create timeless works of art.

With his insight into Renaissance Florence, Elizabethan England, and Revolutionary War-era America and his discussion of the key leaders and thinkers who helped shape each period, Mapp heightens our understanding of the elements that nurture sparks of progress and innovation in every civilization.