United States History

Thomas Paine and the Power of "Common Sense"

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British-born Thomas Paine came to Philadelphia in 1774. Inspired by the colonists' cries for liberty, Paine captured his own political philosophy and ideals for freedom in a revolutionary pamphlet called Common Sense. This richly illustrated and beautifully designed interactive eBook features video, timelines, maps, and biographies that enhance the story of how Paine helped set the stage for the writing of the Declaration of Independence and how he profoundly influenced the course of our nation's history and ideology.

Battle of the Dinosaur Bones: Othniel Charles Marsh vs Edward Drinker Cope

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Copies: 7

n the 1880s, science witnessed a major shift: Charles Darwin proposed his theory of evolution. People dug up the first dinosaur fossils. And the field of paleontology--the study of ancient plants and animals--emerged.

Author:

Rebecca L. Johnson

Battle of the Dinosaur Bones: Othniel Charles Marsh vs Edward Drinker Cope

Freedom: A History of US (2003)

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It's long been America's strongest cultural bond and its most perilous fault line. For generations, men and women have lived and died for it. Now, consider what it means to be free with this groundbreaking new series, based on the award-winning books by master storyteller Joy Hakim.

Grade Level:

Middle

High

Length:

07:00

Lyndon Johnson, “The Great Society,” speech made on May 22, 1964

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Johnson describes his domestic agenda and vision for a better America.
May 22, 1964

Transcript of Joint Address to Congress Leading to a Declaration of War Against Japan (1941)

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Transcript of Joint Address to Congress Leading to a Declaration of War Against Japan (1941)

How the States Got Their Shapes

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Copies: 1

Learn about how our state borders were created and what is behind their definitions. This historical novel is an engaging and informative look at the geography of the United States of America.

Find the companion DVD here: How the States Got Their Shapes DVD

Author:

Mark Stein

The Girl from the Tar Paper School

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Copies: 7

Before the Little Rock Nine, before Rosa Parks, before Martin Luther King Jr. and his March on Washington, there was Barbara Rose Johns, a teenager who used nonviolent civil disobedience to draw attention to her cause. In 1951, witnessing the unfair conditions in her racially segregated high school, Barbara Johns led a walkout—the first public protest of its kind demanding racial equality in the U.S.—jumpstarting the American civil rights movement.

Author:

Teri Kanefield

Lexile:

1100L