Prior to becoming a "melting pot" of many languages, the continents of North and South America were already home to a variety of Native American tribes, each with its own language. What's more, subsets of tribes often had their own dialects, sometimes making communication between two people nearly impossible, even if they lived near each other. This book discusses the major Native American languages used by tribes in various regions and how some of their words have been incorporated into the English language today.
Contrary to popular belief, Native Americans did not always have horses to assist them in their daily lives. For thousands of years they carried items themselves or even used dogs. The arrival of the horse in the Americas during the 16th century dramatically changed the lifestyles of many Native American tribes. This was particularly true of the people living on the Great Plains. This book discusses the introduction of the horse to the Native Americans by the Spanish and explains the impact this had on various Native American tribes.
After Christopher Columbus and other European adventurers landed in the Americas during the 15th and 16th centuries, the lands they explored were often called the "New World." However, North, South, and Central America were new only to the people of Europe. Native Americans had lived on the land for millions of years.In some cases, the natives and Europeans were able to live in peace and even learned from each other. Most of the time, however, the European invaders brought with them disease and violence, which spelled the end of the Native Americans' way of life.
For thousands of years, humans have lived and worked in the land that today is known as Mexico. This book provides an overview of Mexican history, from the origins of its ancient civilizations, such as the Olmec and Maya, to the arrival and impact of Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century, to the struggles for Mexico to become a stable, modern, independent state during the 19th and 20th centuries. This book also examines the present-day issues that affect Mexico, including widespread poverty and economic inequality, as well as a brutal internal conflict between government forces and powerful drug cartels.
The more than 3,800-year-old history of the land known as Mexico is populated with great military and political leaders, inspirational artists and writers, and extraordinary women. This book provides biographical information about some of the most important figures in Mexico's history, including the Aztec emperors Itzcoatl, Montezuma, and Montezuma II; the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés; the 19th century political leaders Agustín de Iturbide, Antonio López de Santa Anna, Benito Juárez, and Porfirio Díaz; the revolutionaries Emiliano Zapata and Pancho Villa; and artists like Diego Rivera, Octavio Paz, Carlos Fuentes, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, and Frida Kahlo. Their biographies show how the contributions of these famous people, and others, made Mexico the nation it is today.
The land that today is known as Mexico has been inhabited for thousands of years. This book provides a historical survey of the major pre-Columbian civilizations, such as the Olmec, Maya, Toltec, and Aztecs. It examines how the population of Mexico was changed by the arrival of Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century, and their subsequent three centuries of rule over the country. And it provides demographic and cultural information about the more than 118 million people who live in Mexico today.
The St. Louis Gateway Arch is a tribute to Thomas Jefferson and the explorers and pioneers who shaped the American West. It stands 630 feet high, making it the tallest monument in the United States.
The Statue of Liberty, a gift to the United States from France, is one of our most important symbols of freedom. Standing tall in New York Harbor, it has been a welcoming sight to immigrants of long ago and the people today who see it for the first time.
The Alamo first started as a mission to convert Native Americans to Christianity and then was occupied by Spanish soldiers. It became a place of turmoil and battle between Mexico and Texas and is now one of our nation's most valued symbols.
This book outlines the reasons the Constitution was first written in 1787 and how it has changed to fit our world today.
Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is a quote from the U.S. Constitution most Americans know by heart. The right to have a healthy peacetime life-- to be free from want, hunger, disease -- is one of the rights that defines happiness. Read why this right is important for young people today. Learn how societies around the world fare in providing freedom from want to all people. And discover ways to help deliver critical basic needs to others.
What is the same and what is different about life long ago and today? Read this book to find out.
Just like you, people long ago used transportation to get around. See how transportation has changed over time.
When World War II broke out in Europe, it was the beginning of a race to build bombs and war machines. Following the war, a new "arms race" began between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. Today, nations continue to build dangerous weapons. Read why the freedom from fear is still important more than 70 years after President Franklin Roosevelt spoke of it. And learn about ways people are working to eliminate the arms of war and ensure freedom from fear around the world.
Protected by the Bill of Rights, the freedom of speech and expression is one of the most cherished rights possessed by citizens of the United States. Explore why this right is important to young people today. Read about ways the freedom of speech protects the media. And learn how this critical freedom is challenged around the world.
The North American colonies were a safe haven for Pilgrims seeking the freedom to worship in their own way. The freedom to worship, or not, is a sacred right protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Explore why this right is still debated today. And learn how the freedom to express one's religious beliefs continue to be a source of conflict around the world.
Learn how John Dalton developed his influential theory that explains the shape, structure, and behavior of atoms. This title also explores how Dalton's major breakthrough made later discoveries, such as atomic fission, possible.
Famous for her books on settlers and historic communities, Bobbie Kalman shows children how past communities were different from those of today by pairing modern photographs with beautiful illustrations of life in pioneer times. Topics include malls and general stores, family homes, today's classroom and a one-room school, food, clothes, travel, and much more.
Amazing illustrations of dinosaurs help give children the basic facts of these giant reptiles - body parts, how they moved, and what they ate. An entertaining game asks children to pair up modern animals with dinosaurs that share the same body characteristics.
This important book shows how trade and commerce spread with the conquests made by the early Islamic empires. Key topics explored include: transportion by caravans, ships, and boats; monetary systems; famous explorers and traders; interactions with the East and West; economical principles; and coinage.
This amazing book provides a snapshot of the arts and cultures across various ancient civilizations. Read about: Egypt's pyramids, temples, royal tombs, and palaces; Chinese games and pastimes; Rome's sports arenas-the Colosseum and Circus Maximus.
The scientific contributions of the early Islamic empires to science, medicine, and mathematics is considerable. This revealing book explores: their public hospitals, libraries, and universities; their achievements in mathematics and astronomy, and the pursuit of alchemy; Arabic numbers; optics; music and musical instruments; poetry; and education.
This informative book describes how the Muslim religion started, including the life of the Prophet Muhammad; the Hegira and Kaaba; caliphs; the split of the Sunni and Shi'a and the beliefs of both; Sufism; the Muslim calendar; key events that are remembered in Islam today; and the Hajj, or pilgrimage to Makkah.
This title looks at offshore fishing. Around the coast of much of North America, fishing stocks have greatly declined as a result of overfishing, pollution, and global warming. Nova Scotia, in the northeast of Canada, once had a huge fishing industry. In 1753, people from Germany, Switzerland, and France came from Europe to set up colony at Lunenburg on the coast. They soon set up a fishing and shipbuilding industry. The community grew until about 1980, when the fishing industry largely stopped. Since then, the community has had to reinvent itself. It is still largely based on the old industries, but tourism is as important. Lunenburg has a population of about 3500 people.
People first domesticated wild animals and plants more than 10,000 years ago. The first peoples of North America quickly learned to farm using hand- and animal-power. As technology developed, farming machines were invented. These helped develop farming in many regions of North America previously too difficult to cultivate. From 1840 to 1880, Wisconsin USA became the breadbasket of America, and crop- and livestock-farming developed quickly. The village of Monticello is famous for its dairy farming and cheese. The community is still largely based on this. It has a population of about 1,200 people and is the focus of this book about life in a farming community.
