This fascinating book follows the travels of the Spanish conquistador Francisco Vasquez de Coronado on his quest to find the fabled Cities of Gold in what is now the Southwestern United States. Historical information and high-interest fact boxes are presented in an appealing tabloid style that guides readers through major voyages, explorations, and discoveries. Topics include why the Spaniards sent Coronado into the Southwest, deadly clashes with the Pueblo peoples, the first European sighting of the Grand Canyon and the Great Plains, and Coronado's eventual disappointment and disgrace.
Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto is known for leading the first European expedition to discover - and cross - the Mississippi River. This intriguing book describes his career beginning with being a leader in the Spanish conquests of Central America and Peru, making first contact with the Inca emperor Atahuallpa, and being made the governor of Cuba. He was also a fierce and controversial explorer, who was involved in many conflicts with the Native Americans who lived in the lands he explored and conquered.
An important addition to any multicultural collection, this title examines the internment of “enemy aliens” in the United States and Canada during the Second World War. With particular emphasis on “yellow peril” and the plight of Japanese-American and Canadian citizens, the book reveals the events, mindsets, and policies leading up to and following the forced removal of thousands of citizens from their homes into internment camps. Using primary sources including real accounts of survivors, the title encourages readers to examine differing perspectives on the events and think critically about the complex relationship between citizenship and diversity in North America. A final chapter considers the lasting effects of internment - and how harmful stereotypes in today’s global climate run the risk of repeating past mistakes.
This fascinating book follows the expeditions in Africa of Scottish missionary David Livingstone, to find the source of the Nile River, and British-American journalist Henry Stanley, to find the lost Livingstone. Historical information and high-interest fact boxes are presented in an appealing tabloid style that guides readers through major journeys, explorations, and discoveries. Topics include why Europeans were eager to explore Africa, how Livingstone lost touch with the outside world, Stanley's mission to find Livingstone, contact with local African peoples and Arab slave traders, and Livingstone's eventual death.
Courageous Malala Yousafzai survived an assassination attempt for advocating for the education of girls in her home country of Pakistan. This book describes her incredible story, including her advocacy work on behalf of women and girls on an international scale following her attack, and how she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize - all while she was still in her teens. Young readers will discover how important her parents' support has been to the young activist and gain an understanding of the culture in which Yousafzai was raised. The world can always use more positive female role models, and Yousafzai's youth and forthrightness make it easy for young readers to relate to her.
An important advocate for people with physical disabilities, Canadian Paralympic athlete Rick Hansen circled the world in his wheelchair, proving that, with perseverance and courage, anything is possible! Hansen's Man in Motion tour took him around the world, raising money for research to improve the lives of those who have disabilities. This inspiring book describes his remarkable story as an athlete, activist, and philanthropist. An example of determination for many people around the world, his commitment to making a difference continues today.
American Temple Grandin is a renowned scientist, champion for animal rights, and an advocate for people with autism. This book highlights the achievements of this inspirational woman who lives with high-functioning autism. Grandin overcame language and social challenges to become one of the world’s most influential minds in animal welfare and in autism education, exposing the incredible, and sometimes unacknowledged, potential of people who have special needs. Primary sources, sidebars, and discussion and writing prompts highlight her remarkable story.
The first African American woman to travel in space, Mae Jemison has broken barriers in science and medicine to become one of the most admired women worldwide. This fascinating book describes how Jemison refused to let anyone stand in the way of her dreams. She became a doctor and worked in the Peace Corps until NASA invited her to join the astronaut program. Today, she is an important advocate for science in education - especially for girls and women. Jemison also continues to push scientific research to improve life in developing countries.
When doctors told her parents that she may never walk again, no one could have imagined that Wilma Rudolph would grow up to become the world’s fastest woman. This awe-inspiring book shows how, with grace, perseverance, and dedication, young Wilma used her inner strength to overcome physical disabilities caused by polio to win three gold medals for the USA in track and field at the 1960 Olympics. A sports superstar and an icon worldwide, her legacy continues to inspire youth and African-American communities today.
Imagine your family had to choose between sending you to school or having enough food to eat. This book tells how William Kamkwamba was forced to drop out of his school in Wimbe, Malawi, when a famine struck his village and his family, who relied on farming, could no longer afford his tuition fee. Instead of giving up on his education, William visited his local library often. It was here that he read a book about wind power. At the age of 14, William used what he learned from the book to build a windmill that brought power to his family’s home. He has since built his village’s first drinking water pump. William’s ingenuity, perseverance, and initiative are an inspiration to many people around the world.
Through a lens of primary sources, this intriguing title looks at the pivotal crisis from the Cold War during which the Soviet Union set up nuclear missiles in Cuba. Well-crafted text and engaging sources introduce readers to the key players, including Castro, Khrushev, and Kennedy and examine the intricacies of the crisis including proxy wars, communication systems, and the outcome. A final chapter examines relations today and explores the idea that a new Cold War with Russia may be looming.
This revealing book examines how First Nations and Native Peoples have been displaced in the United States and Canada through treaties, empty promises, and military force. Through close examination of primary source images, documents, and first-hand accounts, readers will gain an understanding of how thousands were displaced and cultures threatened. Topics covered include government relations and policies, such as the Potlatch Law and the Dawes Act, as well as the creation of residential schools and other acts of forced assimilation. Native and non-Native viewpoints are addressed to help readers develop critical thinking skills and get a sense of the attitudes and opinions of the time. A look at relations today sheds light on the lasting repercussions.
Human activity often leaves a trail of harmful carbon behind that directly impacts our planet. This informative book describes how every individual produces a “carbon footprint” by using energy made by burning fossil fuels and by creating waste from packaging that gets thrown away. Find out how to measure your own carbon footprint and see what effect you are having on Earth. Learn about new developments being made to reduce the amount of carbon we create and what steps you can take to make your own "footprint" smaller.
This inspiring book describes how people are becoming more aware of the effect of their daily activities on the planet. Find out how more and more people are eating and living "green" by buying food grown locally, eating food that is organic, and even growing their own food. Many people are also building eco-friendly homes and choosing to live “off the grid,” which means they are creating their own, sustainable forms of energy instead of getting electricity from a power station. Discover how eating and living green is becoming more and more possible, and why this way of living could help build a sustainable future for the next generation.
Go west to see how people in the towns lived, selling goods to the settlers, miners, and prospectors. Some became hugely successful, such as Levi Strauss, who began selling overalls and tents to prospectors in the California gold rush. Others scraped out a living by selling essential goods in the local general store, or by running stables, saloons, hotels, or newspapers. Some merchants made their money by shipping goods west or east across the continent. In some places, groups of settlers from different countries formed townships, such as the Chinese in San Francisco and the Mormons in Salt Lake City.
Go west seeking your fortune with those who came because of the land's rich natural resources. "News stories" reveal the hard lives of miners in the Rockies and the desperation of prospectors searching for riches in the gold rushes in California, Alaska, and on the Klondike River in the Yukon. Find out which was the wealthiest occupation - trapping for furs, logging in the forests of the northwest, or mining borax in Death Valley.
Heed the government's urging and "Go West" with the many people who accepted the challenge. Motivated by the ideal of Manifest Destiny - the right of the United States to expand across the continent - the U.S. government created laws that encouraged settlers to move west by offering free land. "News stories" describe significant events, including the independence of Texas and the Mexican–American War. Travel with settlers on the great migration routes, such as the Oregon Trail, and find out how the farmers who made up the bulk of the settlers lived in their new communities.
As settlers came west, they discovered there were already people living on this "new" land. Discover how this mass invasion of settlers impacted the indigenous peoples of the West: their first contacts with explorers such as Lewis and Clark; the gradual encroachment of white settlers on their traditional lands; the enforced removal of native peoples to the West; the clashes with native peoples after the Civil War; resistance by native leaders such as Sitting Bull; and the end of Native American resistance in the 1890s.
When the cattle trade moved west, herds took over vast expanses of land. Go west with the cowboys that rode the range and herded cattle along the trails from the southwest to the railheads. Discover how many of the cowboys were African Americans or Latin American vaqueros. Find out what life was like for the ranchers who owned the herds and how ranching practices sometimes led to armed conflict with neighboring farmers, such as in the Johnson County War.
True or false? In October 1871, a cow kicked a lantern over and sparked a fire that would destroy much of the city of Chicago. The cow tale is likely not the true story, but the damage and death toll of the Great Chicago Fire were very real. This engrossing book explores the causes of the fire, how it spread, and the aftermath of the blaze. It also explains how the mighty city was rebuilt to become one of the most architecturally diverse and original cities in the world.
For nearly two decades, Dian Fossey immersed herself in the study of mountain gorillas in Africa. She became known as a highly respected primatologist - a scientist who studies apes and other primates - and a fiercely devoted champion of their safety and preservation. Fossey had made powerful enemies because of her opposition to the gorilla-related tourism industry and her knowledge of animal trafficking among members of the government. In 1985, she was found murdered in her cabin in Rwanda. The case remains unsolved to this day, but her intense love for this endangered species helped create a legacy that survives in the work of others to this day.
The snarls of beasts, the clash of steel, the cries of the victims, and the roar of the crowd - these are the gladiator games of ancient Rome. The heroes of these spectacles were the gladiators, who were idolized like today’s pop stars. This exciting book reveals the sometimes surprising facts about how these fierce combatants lived - and if they could not - how they tried to "die well."
Wild animals are facing huge challenges in the natural world today. Many are endangered - some critically. This eye-opening book shows how animals are being threatened by habitat loss, climate change, non-native species taking over their habitats, pollution, over-fishing, poaching, collisions with cars and boats, and human diseases. Many recovery efforts are in progress to bring back the populations of some nearly extinct animals and to reintroduce some captive ones to their natural habitats. Readers will learn how scientists are working to save blue iguanas in the Cayman Islands, black-footed ferrets in the Canadian prairies, penguins and albatross in Patagonia, and great apes in Africa. This engaging book also encourages students to compare their life challenges to those of animals in the wild.
Foxes, rabbits, mongooses, rats, starlings, turtles, Burmese pythons, and Asian carp are just a few of the invasive animals introduced by people into countries and ecosystems to which they do not belong. This important book describes how these animals are destroying habitats and endangering the lives of native animals, some of which have been brought close to extinction. Students will learn how some arrived accidentally on boats, while others were brought in by people, to be used either as a form of pest control on farms, for hunting or hobbies, or as pets that sometimes get abandoned in the wild by owners. Many native animals, such as raccoons, squirrels, and coyotes have also become invaders in cities, back yards, and homes. Students can research invasive species in their areas and help find ways to stop these wild invaders from taking over the natural habitat.
Black Tuesday and the Great Depression explores the causes of the stock market crash in 1929 and the resulting Great Depression. For more than ten years the effects of October 29, 1929, known as Black Tuesday, were felt not only in North America, but worldwide. Source material, including posters, political cartoons, books, interviews, and articles show the devastation of the resulting mass unemployment, epidemic real estate foreclosures, and crushing poverty of those years.
