We the people

Examines the reasons why many American colonists were unhappy under British rule, discusses the decision to send British troops to Boston, describes the events of the Boston Massacre, a skirmish between British troops and colonists that led to the deaths of five Bostonians, and looks at how the incident added to the growing call for American independence.

Presents a short study of the war of 1812 and discusses the causes of the war with Great Britain, how it divided the American nation, the burning of Washington DC, and the effects of the war on the country.

Discusses the role of the Minutemen, or local militias, in the opening salvos of the American Revolution, looking especially at their actions in the battles of Lexington and Concord.

Provides an account of the Confederacy's attack on Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor in April 1861, which marked the beginning of the American Civil War.

Examines the lives of some of the people involved with the Underground Railroad, a network by which slaves were able to escape to the north; and includes photographs and engravings, a glossary, listings of important dates and people, and an index.

Examines the events surrounding the Memorial Day 1889 Johnstown Flood in Pennsylvania, the human factors that contributed to the destruction and death, and more.

Presents a short history of the May 4, 1886 Haymarket Square tragedy in Chicago where a number of railroad and stockyard workers and police officers were wounded or killed during the nation's most famous strikes.

Discusses the Dust Bowl era of the 1930s when dust storms raged across the heartland of the United States, causing damage that reached from North Dakota to Texas, explains how a combination of bad farming practices and drought caused the deadly conditions, and looks at how people and the government responded to the crisis.

Presents a short history of the Harlem Renaissance in New York during the 1920s and 1930s when literature, art, and music flourished in the African-American community.

Examines the lives of some of the people involved in building the Statue of Liberty and bringing it to the U.S., and discusses the significance of the statue in U.S. history. Includes photographs and engravings, a glossary, listings of important dates and people, and an index.