Books in UNCOVERING HISTORY series

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 civilization of ancient Egypt flourished along the banks of the Nile for almost 3000 years. Many of their great monuments still stand for later generations to wonder at, but there is also a wealth of evidence about the ordinary lives, work and beliefs of the Egyptian people. This colourfully illustrated book shows children how ancient Egyptian people lived, how they farmed, what they wore and ate each day. The book also describes their religious beliefs, including the underworld, and shows how they built their pyramids, temples and tombs. Acetate overlays allow the reader to incover the secrets of four important Egyptian topics. Lift the lid on a mummy; look inside the secret shrine at the heart of a temple; uncover the hidden treasures of a tomb in the Valley of the Kings; and enter the village home of an ordinary Egyptian family.

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.

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 end of the Civil War brought significant change to the United States. The war had destroyed the South, ushering in an age of rebuilding that created a new South free from slavery and open to progress and industrialization. But much of the promise of the post-war South was lost in the political heat of Reconstruction. At the same time, more people began to migrate to the Old West. But just as Reconstruction and its aftermath ultimately failed to lift newly freed blacks out from under white racism, so the settling of the West left thousands of Indians dispossessed and defeated. The New south and the Old West: 1866-1890 takes readers on a journey through the efforts to reconstruct the ravaged South and the push to create new life in the promising land to the west of the Mississippi. Discovering U.S. History spans the complex and dramatic history of the United States from prehistoric times to the present day. Through a compelling narrative, thought-provoking boxed insets, and lively illustrations, each volume brings to life the people and events that have shaped the nation.

"This collection of primary source documents covers the exodus of rural dwellers for the cramped, smoke-filled, but affluent cities of the late 19th century due to an increasing number of factory jobs. Such jobs came about because of a radical shift in technology and society called the Industrial Revolution. From steam power to electrical grids, innovations transformed the United States into a country that would later dominate the world in business, culture, and invention"--

"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.

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.

"This collection of primary source documents covers the exodus of rural dwellers for the cramped, smoke-filled, but affluent cities of the late 19th century due to an increasing number of factory jobs. Such jobs came about because of a radical shift in technology and society called the Industrial Revolution. From steam power to electrical grids, innovations transformed the United States into a country that would later dominate the world in business, culture, and invention"--