A moving picture book about the history of Emancipation Park in Houston, Texas--and the origins of Juneteenth.
When people visit me, they are free--to run, play, gather, and rejoice.
They built me to remember.
On June 19, 1865, the 250,000 enslaved people of Texas learned they were free, ending slavery in the United States. This day was soon to be memorialized with the dedication of a park in Houston. The park was called Emancipation Park, and the day it honored would come to be known as Juneteenth.
In the voice and memory of the park itself--its fields and pools, its protests and cookouts, and, most of all, its people--the 150-year story of Emancipation Park is brought to life. Through lyrical text and vibrant artwork, Tonya Duncan Ellis and Jenin Mohammed have crafted an ode to the struggle, triumph, courage, and joy of Black America--and the promise of a people to remember.
An engaging account of American history told through twenty-five biographies, representing the most important builders of our country from the year 1000 to the beginnings of the American Revolution, with each hero receiving attention in proportion to the reach of his influence or that of the group of which he is the central figure. The order of presentation is very nearly chronological, except where there is a greater advantage in grouping locally. In returning to any region, the reader is reminded of events previously occurring in the same locale, so as to strengthen his sense of both time and place.
A wonderfully written, sweeping narrative history of the United States that will help Americans discover the land they call home.
American History for Middle School -- Grades 6-8
The SECOND book in a two-volume narrative for Young Readers studying Land of Hope
VOLUME TWO: THE MAKING OF MODERN AMERICA, From 1877 to 2020
The Founders of the American nation would have had trouble recognizing the America that emerged after the Civil War. By century's end we had rapidly evolved into the world's greatest industrial power. It was a nation of large new cities populated by immigrants from all over the world. And it was a nation that was taking an increasingly active role on the world stage, even to the point of acquiring an empire of its own. Many Americans began to wonder whether this modern nation had outgrown its original Constitution. That document had been written back in the eighteenth century, after all, and one of its main goals was limiting the size and scope of government. But did that goal make sense in the dynamic new America of the twentieth century?
That became a central question. The Progressive movement and its successors believed it was time to replace the Constitution with laws permitting a larger and more powerful government. Others firmly rejected such changes and insisted on the permanent validity of the Constitution's ideal of limited government. In addition, with the two great world wars of the twentieth century, and the Cold War that came after them, America found itself thrust into a position of overwhelming world leadership--something else that the Founders never imagined or wanted. Such leadership required the development of a large and permanent military establishment whose very existence ran up against the nation's founding traditions. With the end of the Cold War, America faced a decision. Should it shed the world responsibilities it had taken on during the twentieth century? Or should it treat those responsibilities as a permanent obligation? That debate, which has deep roots in American history, continues to this day.
A wonderfully written, sweeping narrative history of the United States that will help Americans discover the land they call home.
High School and College Age Students
The Original Land of Hope Narrative in Hardback Edition
We have a glut of text and trade books on American history. But what we don't have is a compact, inexpensive, authoritative, and compulsively readable book that will offer to intelligent young Americans a coherent, persuasive, and inspiring narrative of their own country. Such an account will shape and deepen their sense of the land they inhabit, and by making them understand that land's roots, will equip them for the privileges and responsibilities of citizenship in American society, and provide them with a vivid and enduring sense of membership in one of the greatest enterprises in human history: the exciting, perilous, and immensely consequential story of their own country.The existing texts simply fail to tell that story with energy and conviction. They are more likely to reflect the skeptical outlook of specialized professional academic historians, an outlook that supports a fragmented and fractured view of modern American society, and that fails to convey to young people the greater arc of that history. Or they reflect the outlook of radical critics of American society, who seek to debunk the standard American narrative, and has an enormous, and largely negative, effect upon the teaching of American history in American high schools and colleges.
This state of affairs cannot continue for long without producing serious consequences. A great nation needs and deserves a great and coherent narrative, as an expression of its own self-understanding: and it needs to convey that narrative to its young effectively. It perhaps goes without saying that such a narrative cannot be a fairy tale or a whitewash of the past; it will not be convincing if it is not truthful. But there is no necessary contradiction between an honest account and an inspiring one. This account seeks to provide both.
Inspiring stories of American heroes throughout history--for kids ages 8 to 12
George Washington's life illustrates the very first values that American politicians shared. The story of Tecumseh teaches us about the power of being true to yourself and defending your community. Lucretia Mott shows us how to stand up against what is wrong and speak out for what is right.
Leaders and Thinkers in American History is a colorful children's history book that explores the lives of influential American figures and their incredible accomplishments. Kids will discover the stories of men and women across hundreds of years, from all different backgrounds, and how they used their passion and talent to impact the world.
Go beyond other American history books with:
Get kids excited about history with a children's history book featuring extraordinary Americans from all walks of life.
A Kid's Guide to U.S. Presidents contains a concise and interesting summary of each president's background and accomplishments from George Washington to Joe Biden.
The role of the president has been an important one throughout the history of the United States. This engaging look at each president and their impact on the country is the perfect introduction to get kids interested and excited about learning about history and politics.
Each entry includes important biographical facts such as years in office, party affiliation, vice presidents, first ladies, as well as major accomplishments while in office. Fun and little-known facts, quotes, and full-color illustrations make each president come alive.
This edition had been updated through the 2020 presidential election to include President Biden.