Books with author Jennifer VanVoorst

New France was the French colonial empire in North America. Its first colony, Quebec, was established in 1608 to develop the fur trade along North America’s Atlantic coast. Within 150 years, France had claimed the area from the Gulf of St. Lawrence in the East, westward to the Great Lakes, and south to the Gulf of Mexico. The French colonists continually struggled against both Native Americans and the more numerous English colonists to maintain their foothold in the New World. After losing to the English in the French and Indian War (1754–1763), the French gave up their land in North America, and New France was no more.

After the Revolutionary War ended in 1783, Massachusetts raised taxes to pay for the cost of the war. Many small farmers could not pay their taxes and so faced imprisonment. Farmers known as Regulators organized protests, and in 1787, a large group of Regulators led by farmer Daniel Shays marched on the U.S. arsenal at Springfield. The rebellion was quickly put down, but many government leaders believed that the country needed a stronger national government to deal with future rebellions, as well as the problems that had led to the rebellion in the first place. This led to the writing of the U.S. Constitution, the governing document that is still used today.

From hurricanes to droughts to melting glacial ice, the signs are all around us: Our world is warming up. Global warming results from many factors. Gases in the atmosphere trap rays of heat and light, creating a greenhouse effect. Natural feedback processes, too, create cycles that contribute to global warming. If left unchecked, there could be devastating consequences for our world. Many plants and animals may not survive the change in climate, while diseases are likely to flourish in the warmer conditions. But with many governments and individuals taking steps to fight global warming, there is still hope that future generations will inherit a healthy environment.

From hurricanes to droughts to melting glacial ice, the signs are all around us: Our world is warming up. Global warming results from many factors. Gases in the atmosphere trap rays of heat and light, creating a greenhouse effect. Natural feedback processes, too, create cycles that contribute to global warming. If left unchecked, there could be devastating consequences for our world. Many plants and animals may not survive the change in climate, while diseases are likely to flourish in the warmer conditions. But with many governments and individuals taking steps to fight global warming, there is still hope that future generations will inherit a healthy environment.