Christopher Columbus had a dream-to reach the fabled lands of the East, rich with spices, jewels, silver, and especially gold. Having studied the travels of other explorers, Columbus was convinced he could reach his destination by traveling west across the seas. After convincing Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand to fund his expedition, he set sail in August of 1492. In this account, the voyage Columbus undertook is told in his own voice through his journal entries of that year. He tells of excitement, drama, and terror on the high seas, as well as the doubts he faces from his own crew, as together, they weather the path to victory.
Fourteen-year-old Samantha Byrd is an excellent shot-she's even better than her brother at providing food for her family. Although the winds of war are blowing in Virginia, she knows that she could only ever use her skill for hunting-not for hurting another person. When the Revolutionary War finally begins, her brother is captured, and Samantha sets off to rescue him. But when she comes face to face with the enemy, will she still stand by her principles, or will she pull the trigger?
When Sacagawea's son asks her about her life, she isn't sure where to begin. Does she start with her birth as a Shoshoni? Her kidnapping by an enemy tribe at age eleven? Or her role as the famous guide for the Lewis and Clark expedition? She's seen and experienced more in her young life than most people ever will. Told from Sacagawea's point of view, this historical novel shares the ordeals of her youth along with the memory of her long, arduous journey west with Lewis and Clark. She shares her love of nature and explains how her loyalties have changed over time.
Many kids have heard of the Declaration of Independence, but few know the story behind the people and events that helped forge it. They may know about Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin, but do they know the roles that Patrick Henry and Thomas Gage played in setting fire to a revolution? This is the story of how the men and women of thirteen British colonies came to declare their independence on July 4, 1776. Covering major events such as the Boston Massacre and Paul Revere's midnight ride, The Declaration of Independence brings the rich and exciting history of the Revolutionary War to young readers who want to know more about America's beginnings.
In 1803 President Thomas Jefferson bought the Louisiana territory from the French for $15,000,000. The purchase made President Jefferson's dream of extending the U.S. west of the Mississippi River come true. Now the much larger United States had difficult questions to answer: How would Louisiana be governed? How would it be divided into states? Would those states be free states or slave states? What would happen to the Native Americans? It would take over one hundred years, a war over slavery, and the creation of thirteen new states before these questions could be answered.
'In Revolutionary times, spies sent secret messages in clever ways. In this true story, John Darragh, a teenaged spy from a Quaker family, carries a message to General Washington sewn inside his coat buttons..Young historians will appreciate the accompanying book's simple but evocative watercolor illustrations and the production's background music, including the fifes and drums of a revolutionary band. They'll enjoy the story's plentiful dialogue as gruff soldiers, family members, and even General Washington himself make this story vivid for young history buffs.' -AudioFile
