Recommended Reading

This book is a popular introduction to American history for very young readers. It contains dozens of simply told stories of warriors, statesmen, explorers, scientists, inventors, men and women of letters, and other famous Americans. Featured are Marquette in Iowa, Penn and the Indians, Thomas Smith and the beginning of rice culture in South Carolina, Franklin and the ants, Putnam and the wolf, and dozens of other stories. The collection of sketches features inspirational stories as well as short histories.

This delightful collection of stories from America's past recounts one hundred interesting and romantic incidents from America's history, and provides character sketches of dozens of early American heroes and heroines. It makes no attempt to relate or explain complicated government issues, and does not provide a chronological or comprehensive account, but instead focuses on stories of great human interest, and reads like a book of fairy tales.

This four volume series is a very simple history of the United States from its colonial age to the end of the civil war. It was written for grammar school children and relates American history through short stories, character sketches, poems and songs. The first volume covers the landing of Columbus through the French and Indian Wars. The second relates the Revolutionary War period in detail. The third covers the time from the end of the Revolutionary War to the middle of the 19th century, and the fourth focuses on the years before, during, and after the civil war.

Richard of Jamestown is only one in a twelve volume series. Each book in James Otis's Colonial Children series features the story of a young American pioneer who is among the first settlers of an American colony or territory. About half of the books feature settlers of early coastal colonies who migrated from Europe, but the other have tell stories about girls and boys who settle in the American west. Each story is told in the first person and focuses on daily life and local incidents. It is a delightful series and is an excellent introduction to American regional history.

This easy-to-read biography of Abraham Lincoln is accessible to grammar school students, but detailed enough to give inspiring insights into his character so that his heroism during the terrible years of the civil war can be fully appreciated. It covers and many important and informative events from his childhood and recounts the long political career that eventually led to the White house. The final chapters deal with his leadership during the country's greatest trial.

These two books together provide an easy-to-read, comprehensive account of American history from the native societies of pre-historical times, to the turn of the twentieth century. Most major characters and incidents in American history up to the first world war are covered briefly and with appropriate interest for middle school students.

Charles Morris provides fascinating sketches of the first twenty-three presidents. The life stories of some, such as Washington and Lincoln, are already well known, but many of our lesser known Presidents had fascinating lives prior to becoming president, and these are told with great interest in this volume. The book does not focus on issues or political achievements of the presidents while they were in office, but rather, on their character and career before being elected to the highest office in the land.

This biography of Thomas Edison was written by a close associate and contains many autobiographical anecdotes. Much attention is given to Edison's early life and the author paints a picture of a young man whose resourcefulness and entrepreneurial tendencies were apparent from a young age. The range of Edison's contributions to American industry is simply astounding, and his entire life is rich in relevance, but is also rich in anecdote and humor since Edison's ceaseless activities led to innumerable conflicts and adventures.

This book, written from the point of view of the American Indians who tried to defend their land from the white men, highlights the lives and deeds of some of the most important Indian chiefs from the earliest Iroquois and Algonquins in 17th century New England, to the flight of the Nez Perces under Chief Joseph. Piskaret, King Philip, Pontiac, Logan and Cornstalk, Little Turtle, Tecumseh, Black-hawk, Red Cloud, and Sitting Bull are some of the Chiefs whose stories are told here. It is an excellent introduction to American Indian history.

This middle school biography tells the story of the Civil war from the vantage point of its two most famous antagonists, Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant. Both characters are treated sympathetically, and the most interesting incidents of each of their lives are touchingly retold. By presenting the best sentiments, aims, and heroics of both sides, the full tragedy of the Civil war is fully recounted.

Morris's classic series of historical tales contains two volumes of American history that cover the colonial period through the closing of the 19th century. This is not a comprehensive history, but rather a selection of highly interesting stories, often emphasizing adventure or romance rather than political significance. Volume I contains stories of some lesser known, but entertaining characters such as Sir William Phips, Israel Putnam, Elizabeth Zane, Lydia Darrah, and Francis Marion. Volume II contains Short accounts of some of the earliest explorers, including Ponce de Leon, de Soto, John Smith, and Lasalle. It also includes stories about American Indian Wars, colonization of the South, the Mexican-American War, and the Civil War.

This book covers the settlement of white men in New England from the Indian point of view. King Philip was the leader of the Wampanoag Indians. His father had been friendly to the early American colonists in New England. After a long period of peace he saw that as the colony thrived, his lands were ever diminished. He realized the Indians were doomed unless they drove the white men from their soil, and so turned against the settlers in what became the most ferocious uprising of Indians in New England history. His story is told with great insight using original sources.

This book was considered the standard narrative of the history of the American Indians from the time its first version was published in the 1880's to the mid twentieth century. It was written for the general reader and is both thorough and well balanced. It gives fair treatment to the point of view of the Indians and early white settler, and dozens of anecdotes illustrate both the treachery and misdealing as well as faithful friendships between the two civilizations.

Autobiography of Booker T. Washington, a man who was born into slavery, but overcame hardships through hard work and diligence. At 25, he became the first principle of Tuskagee college, founded to teach newly freed slaves the skills to gain employment. In this position he rose to become a nationally known figure, and advocate for American freedmen. His story provides great insight into the condition of the former slaves of the south in the years following the civil war.