At its beginning America could have followed four different paths in becoming a nation. Each path would result in a totally different culture. The path it chose, the Enlightenment, gave Americans the most freedom any people had ever enjoyed under a government. It also gave Americans the self-confidence to achieve what no other people had done. This book is a collection of stories about how this vision was established and the people who helped make this country what it is. There was only one place in colonial America where this vision could start--Pennsylvania. Although all the stories have Pennsylvania as the common element, nearly all have a national appeal. Here are some examples: George Washington as a young officer accidentally starts the real First World War; Thomas Jefferson and the backstory behind the writing of the Declaration of Independence; the creation of the first working computer, ENIAC; stories of how commercial radio and cable television began; a real-life Batman who came up with an unusual weapon against Japan during World War II, the rags-to-riches stories of the founders of Hershey Chocolate and Heinz products; the contest at Gettysburg. There are stories of villains as well--Benedict Arnold and his young wife pull off America's first treason and escape; the horrific story of the fight aboard Flight 93 on September 11; the most corrupt man in the Lincoln Administration and how he swindled the nation. These are stories that ran the gamut of time from the earliest of times to recent events. These stories are not presented in the same way as many histories are done by obsessing over dates. Instead, they present the characters as real human beings with their strengths and weaknesses. The characters, whenever possible, tell their own stories in their own words. In understanding why the power of a shared vision transformed America, you may gain a better sense of how and why our national character developed. Empowered is about the empowerment of the individual, the unleashing of a person's talents and abilities and what can be achieved.