The Pilgrims braved stormy seas on the Mayflower to make a life in a new land, America. Primary sources help teach the truth about the difficulties that drove them to a promised land to practice their religion freely. Though peril plagued the ship's voyage, the danger on land from disease and starvation was just as great. Without the assistance of American Indians, the colonists would have perished that first year. Instead they survived to leave behind the Thanksgiving tradition for future generations. Readers delve into the dramatic tale of a band of stalwart Pilgrims in this compelling, vividly illustrated narrative.

America's greatest shame has been its enslavement of millions of African Americans prior to their emancipation at the end of the Civil War in 1865. The experience of these individuals included backbreaking labor, cruel punishments, poverty, lack of education, and the separation of family members. From the beginning of their bondage in Africa, the lives of enslaved Africans is chronicled through books, drawings, advertisements, political cartoons, song lyrics, and more in this thought-provoking guide to a difficult time in the nation's past.

The era of Reconstruction followed the long, bloody Civil War, and became one of the most important in the nation's history. It set guidelines for race relations and the federal government's involvement in them. From black codes to voting rights for black men, Reconstruction was an active, but contentious period. Documents such as amendments to the Constitution and speeches from the nation's leaders are examined along with text that provides the necessary context to fully understand the volatile issues debated. This fully illustrated volume highlights the people and their works with a clear and authoritative voice.

Westward Ho! was the call of many a pioneer heading into the western United States from the country's beginning. The insatiable desire for land that drove settlement westward is conveyed vividly by this collection of primary source documents. From the Monroe Doctrine to the end of the Spanish-American War with the Treaty of Paris, the documents and accompanying text provide rich context for a lively time in American history. Documents that detail the struggle of Native Americans provide a counterbalance to the ambitions of those who were convinced that the West was theirs by divine right.

Although America's original thirteen colonies lived in peace with England for many years after their founding at Jamestown, that changed in the late eighteenth century. When England began to pass taxes and restrictions without allowing Americans a say in the matter, a rallying cry for independence called colonial lawmakers such as John Adams and Thomas Jefferson to draft a more fair and free government. The challenges faced by the Founders of the United States to create a prosperous democracy the likes of which had never been attempted before are explained in this clear, comprehensive, and stimulating guide.

Before the merging of the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroads, traveling West was a perilous, time-consuming endeavor. Native Americans hunted vast herds of buffalo across the plains and a few hardy pioneers lived in scattered, isolated settlements. The construction of the transcontinental railroad would change all that, opening up the means for coast-to-coast travel, boosting private enterprise, and nearly destroying Native Americans for good. A feat of engineering genius and human endeavor, this timely volume illuminates the hardships, accomplishments, greed, and racial conflicts of one of America's greatest achievements.

The exodus of rural dwellers for the cramped, smoke-filled, but affluent cities of the late nineteenth century took place because of an increasing number of factory jobs. And such jobs came about because of a radical shift in technology and society called the Industrial Revolution. From steam power to electrical grids, the innovations that fueled this revolution transformed the United States into a country that would later dominate the world in business, culture, and invention. Extensive focus on documents, period photographs, and artwork combined with context-setting text makes this an authoritative guide to one of the most important eras of American history.

President Thomas Jefferson's Louisiana Purchase added about 828,000 square miles of unmapped, unknown land to the young United States. To explore and map this great swath of land, Jefferson sent Meriwether Lewis, William Clark, and their Corps of Discovery to brave rivers, plains, and mountains. They met American Indians both friendly and hostile, discovered dozens of previously unknown species, and carved for themselves an enduring place in American history. Complete with maps, excerpts from Lewis and Clark's journals, and images of artifacts, this volume tells a timeless tale of adventure, hardship, and triumph.

Use technology to bring history to life for students in grades 6–8 with Using Primary Sources in the Social Studies and Language Arts Classroom. The lessons in this 64-page book use online technology to access and examine historical primary documents. Each topic features national standards correlations, activities that promote inquiry-based learning, a list of bookshelf resources, and suggestions for related Web sites. The book supports NCSS and NCTE standards.

This detailed volume tells the dark story of the Salem witchcraft trials with a lively narrative and primary source documents, such as transcripts and letters, that highlight the tales and voices of both the victims and the perpetrators. Readers will learn about the harsh living conditions as well as the religious and social views of the day and how they influenced society's reactions to the unknown and difficult (or impossible) to explain. This text also meets the Common Core standards for history and social studies, such as evaluating various explanations for actions or events and determining which explanation best accords with textual evidence.