As the turmoil in the Middle East continued two days after the murder of the American ambassador to Libya and three other members of the U.S. mission, I became curious about the history of America’s evolving role in the world. Fortunately, the State Department maintains an excellent website.

I found just what I was looking for here, an easy-to-navigate list of key foreign affairs milestones going all the way back to 1750. From the roots of the French and Indian War through the rise of the Nazis and the fall of the Soviet Union, it’s a complex and compelling tale told in concise chapters. What it offers, besides a good read, is some much-needed perspective.