Social Studies

In 1906, San Francisco endured one of the most devastating earthquakes to strike the United States. Within a matter of seconds, the city was thrown into chaos as the earth split open and buildings toppled over. As the dust settled, people quickly realized that the nightmare was not over. Massive fires had developed throughout San Francisco. The Army, police, and firefighters used creative strategies to put out the raging fires that were ravaging the city. The heroics of these people were all that kept San Francisco from burning to the ground.

The San Francisco Earthquake is a thorough examination of the April 18, 1906, earthquake that is considered one of the first environmental disasters of the modern age. Striking California's Bay Area, the quake and its resulting fires destroyed a rapidly growing, prosperous city and left more than 500 people dead, thousands homeless, and $500 million worth of property damage.

A huge earthquake rocked the West Coast on April 18, 1906. Worst hit was the city of San Francisco, where buildings collapsed and fires raged for days. Thousands of people died, and many more were left homeless. The disaster was just one of a long series of earthquakes triggered by the San Andreas Fault. It taught scientists valuable lessons about preparing for earthquakes.

The building of the Erie Canal was the engineering marvel that unleashed the growth of the young nation that was the United States. Spearheaded by the vision of Gov. Dewitt Clinton, New York State built the waterway that opened the West to settlement and made New York City the center of finance and commerce. Opened in 1825, the canal proved so commercially viable that construction of an enlarged Erie Canal began just eleven years later. The success of the canal spawned the growth of cities, towns, businesses, and industries along its route in upstate New York.

Before the intrusion of the White Man, the people of the five tribes or nations (later, six) which comprised the League of the Iroquois controlled much of the lands in the vicinity of Lake Ontario. Sometime in the sixteenth century, the Mohawks, Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas, and Senecas founded a lasting confederation which later became an example for the federal Constitution and which persists to the present day. In 1722, the five were joined by the Tuscaroras from the south and became then known as the Six Nations.

Describes the history, social structure, and customs of the People of the Longhouse.

Arranged by region, this illustrated collection includes stories, legends, poems, and traditional craft projects of Native American peoples from the Arctic to Mexico. The glossary will help students understand the various peoples and their languages. Winner of the 1995 Book Builder's of Boston Award for Excellence in Graphic Arts.

Native American author and teacher Joseph Bruchac has collected 26 tales from Northeast tribes in this book. Some are gentle and humorous, like "Sunny Wundy's Skipping Stone", about a boy who outwits a stone giant. Others, like "The Origin of Medicine", are darker in tone.

An anthology of contemporary Iroquois writing, edited by Joseph Bruchac.

The ancient Egyptians were skilled in the crafts of painting, pottery, and carving. They knew how to weave cloth and how to work with precious stones to make beautiful jewelry. They built magnificent palaces and elaborate tombs for their rulers and decorated the walls of these structures with paintings of gods, goddesses, and scenes from everyday life. Come along on an archaeological journey and learn amazing facts about the ancient Egyptian culture. You can also create a snake game, fashion a clay pot, and prepare for a fabulous feast!

Teachers and students will benefit from this comprehensive resource about the fascinating culture of Ancient Egypt. This book combines teacher notes, historical information, high quality reproducible activities and detailed drawings to bring this subject to life. Topics covered include geography, agriculture, domestic life, culture and society, religion, hieroglyphics and much more. Many hands-on activities are included, such as making a model of a papyrus skiff with simple materials. The content and reading level in this book is appropriate for students in grades four to seven.