The Holocaust was the deliberate extermination of Jews and other people deemed undesirable by Germany's Nazi party during World War II. This thoughtful book examines evidence from the early 1900s of racism, intolerance, and nationalism in Germany that historians believe led up to this genocide and ethnic cleansing. Readers will learn how prejudice and circumstances at the time of an event can influence people's interpretation of evidence and how that perspective can change over time. They will also learn how to use critical thinking in their own examinations of evidence. Present-day examples show how history repeats itself when evidence is denied or interpreted to one side's benefit.
Pivotal battles waged before, during, and after the War of 1812 are detailed in this fascinating book. Battles between the United States and the British and Canadians saw gains and losses of territory for both sides, all of which proved to be only temporary. For the Native Indians who fought on each side, the result was the loss of their land and autonomy. Famous battles highlighted include those at sea: the USS Constitution vs the Guerriere, the USS Lawrence in the Battle of Lake Erie, and the capture of the USS Chesapeake; and on landthe Battle of Tippecanoe before the war, the Battle of Queenston Heights, and the Battle of New Orleans which took place after the Treaty of Ghent had already been signed ending the war.
The War of 1812 resulted in a surging sense of nationalism for both the United States and Canada. This fascinating book looks at the achievements of the military leaders and other key figures involved in the conflict during this time of nation-building. Brief biographies give details of their lives and describe the actions of such long-remembered heroes of the war as American President James Madison, Commodore Oliver Perry, General Andrew Jackson, Lieutenant Colonel Charles de Salaberry, Major General Isaac Brock, Shawnee Chief Tecumseh, and Laura Secord.
Fought during a period of nation-building in North America, the War of 1812 helped cement America's sovereignty as a nation and Canada's sense of national pride at having successfuly repelled an invasion. This intriguing book helps readers understand the significance and long-term effects of the War of 1812 after the signing of the Treaty of Ghent ended hostilities in 1815. In the United States, these included the creation of heroes, the birth of a national anthemThe Star-Spangled Banner, and the reneging on treaties which destroyed Shawnee Chief Tecumseh's dream of an Indian confederacy; in Canada, it was prosperity through British war chests and a bonding of the provinces through a common foe.
In 1812, the Napoleonic Wars in far-off Europe began a chain of actions that would lead the United States into war against Britain and its colonies in Canada in the New World. This fascinating book reveals how U.S. president James Madison declared war on Britain for harming U.S. trade with Europe by naval blockade, for impressing U.S. citizens into the service of the British Royal Navy, for siding with Native Americans against the U.S., and for standing in the way of American expansion to the north into Canada.
Sally Ride soared into outer space on the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1983, the youngest astronaut and the first U.S. woman in space. Just 32 years old that year, this California girl was already an accomplished astrophysicist when NASA chose her. Since then, she has written several books introducing young readers to the subject of space exploration and encouraging them to study the sciences.
From the earliest times humans have shaped and changed the landscape. Historical and modern-day examples in this interesting book show how natural habitats and wilderness areas are destroyed as people need more land for farming and to build towns and cities, and how increasing urbanization of populations is adding to the problem of carbon emissions that cause climate change.
Culture gives humans a sense of identity. This title examines how cultures around the world mix and change in response to migration and settlement. This fascinating book examines examples from history including: the slave trade and the impact of African culture on North America and then the world; the forcing of Native Americans to adopt European culture; and the cultural interchange between the British Empire and India.
This intriguing book explores the reasons why people migrate: pushesinvoluntary migrationsand pullsvoluntary migrations. Historical migrations examined include: the slave trade; the relocation of Native Americans; migrations due to famine in Africa; migrations linked to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq; the Irish potato famine; the migrations of Jews around the world; and the Great Migration of African Americans from the south to the north.
Sonia Sotomayor became a household name when President Barack Obama nominated her to the United States Supreme Court in 2009. Her confirmation made her the country's first Hispanic Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. But even before that, Sonia was an inspiration to others. Sonia Sotomayor has built a life as a jurist, activist, and mother, committed to the rights and advancement of people of all backgrounds and ethnicities.
Irena Sendler was born into a Catholic family in Poland in 1910. Throughout the German occupation in World War II, Irena worked tirelessly to help save Polands Jews from the Nazi horror. Irena saved at least 2,500 Jewish children from certain death during the Holocaust. By the time of her death in 2008, Irena had been honored by the governments of Poland and Israel, Pope John Paul II, and many of those she had rescued.
With the founding of his own newspaper, Garrison used the paper and his association with other abolitionists to advocate for the immediate and complete freeing of all slaves. Through his editorials, he became a symbol of the abolitionist movement by pointing out the hypocrisy of the countrys actions versus the ideals set out by the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
Harriet Tubman served as an abolitionist, emancipator of slaves, military spy, and advocate for womens rights. Tubman helped lead more than seventy slaves out of captivity and guide them to freedom along the Underground Railroad. When Civil War broke out, Tubman guided an expedition of Union soldiers on a raid in South Carolina that freed over seven hundred slaves.
John Brown joined the side of free-staters in the conflict in the Kansas Territory, fighting to have Kansas enter the Union as an anti-slavery state. History has shown that his actions and the reactions to them were among the most potent precursors of the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861.
Sojourner Truth lived a truly remarkable life. She had the ear of President Abraham Lincoln and fellow abolitionists Frederick Douglass, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and William Lloyd Garrison. One of the most persuasive and influential activists of her day, Truth was also an effective recruiter of African Americans into the Union army during the Civil War.
Born into slavery, Douglass became an eloquent spokesperson for both blacks and womens rights. During and after the Civil War, Douglass became a confidant of presidents Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson. Douglass also argued for African Americans to be allowed to join the Union army in the fight for their own freedom.
Following the passage of a law that made it a crime to aid in the escape of slaves, Stowe lent her actions and her words to the effort to help slaves and put an end to slavery. She actively aided fugitive slaves and, with the publication of the anti-slavery novel Uncle Toms Cabin, focused the nations consciousness on the inhumanity of slavery.
In 1912, German meteorologist Alfred Wegener proposed that the continents were once a single land mass but had slowly moved apart over millions of years. This fascinating book examines the scientific process behind Wegener's theory and how it challenged prevailing views of the time. Learn how years after Wegener's death his theory was embraced by scientists and is now the basis for modern earth science.
Learn how John Dalton developed his influential theory that explains the shape, structure, and behavior of atoms. This title also explores how Dalton's major breakthrough made later discoveries, such as atomic fission, possible.
In this colorful book, students will learn about the roles and relationships of the heroes and gods in ancient Roman myths and legends. Several ancient Roman myths are retold, describing how these stories helped ancient people interpret their world.
In this colorful book, students will learn about the roles and relationships of the heroes and gods in ancient Chinese myths and legends. Several ancient Chinese myths are retold, describing how these stories helped ancient people interpret their world.
In this colorful book, students will learn about the roles and relationships of the heroes and gods in ancient Greek myths and legends. Several ancient Greek myths are retold, describing how these stories helped ancient people interpret their world.
This amazing book provides a snapshot of the arts and cultures across various ancient civilizations. Read about: Egypt's pyramids, temples, royal tombs, and palaces; Chinese games and pastimes; Rome's sports arenas-the Colosseum and Circus Maximus.
The scientific contributions of the early Islamic empires to science, medicine, and mathematics is considerable. This revealing book explores: their public hospitals, libraries, and universities; their achievements in mathematics and astronomy, and the pursuit of alchemy; Arabic numbers; optics; music and musical instruments; poetry; and education.
This informative book describes how the Muslim religion started, including the life of the Prophet Muhammad; the Hegira and Kaaba; caliphs; the split of the Sunni and Shi'a and the beliefs of both; Sufism; the Muslim calendar; key events that are remembered in Islam today; and the Hajj, or pilgrimage to Makkah.
