Synopses & Reviews
Born in Connecticut in 1811, Harriet Beecher Stowe was an abolitionist, author, and playwright. Slavery was a major industry in the American South, and Stowe worked with the Underground Railroad to help escaped slaves head north towards freedom. The publication of her book, Uncle Toms Cabin, a scathing anti-slavery novel, fanned the flames that started the Civil War. The books emotional portrayal of the impact of slavery captured the nations attention. A best-seller in its time, Uncle Toms Cabin sealed Harriet Beecher Stowes reputations as one of the most influential anti-slavery voices in US history.
Synopsis
Born to a family of farmers, Lincoln stood out from an early ageliterally! (He was six feet four inches tall.) As sixteenth President of the United States, he guided the nation through the Civil War and saw the abolition of slavery. But Lincoln was tragically shot one night at Fords Theaterthe first President to be assassinated. Over 100 black-and-white illustrations and maps are included.
Synopsis
As the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln guided the nation through the Civil War and saw the abolition of slavery. But Lincoln was tragically the first President to be assassinated. This biography contains more than 100 illustrations and a map.
Synopsis
No one knows where the term Underground Railroad came from--there were no trains or tracks, only "conductors" who helped escaping slaves to freedom. Including real stories about "passengers" on the "Railroad," this book chronicles slaves' close calls with bounty hunters, exhausting struggles on the road, and what they sacrificed for freedom. With 80 black-and-white illustrations throughout and a sixteen-page black-and-white photo insert, the Underground Railroad comes alive!
Synopsis
Abigail Adams was a strong woman far ahead of her time. She urged her husband, President John Adams, to "remember the ladies" and despite having no formal education herself, she later advocated for equal education in public schools for both boys and girls. She was also the first First Lady to live in the White House! This biography tells the story of Abigail Adams and her role in America's Revolutionary War period.
Synopsis
As a child he dreamt of changing South Africa; as a man he changed the world. Nelson Mandela spent his life battling apartheid and championing a peaceful revolution. He spent twenty-seven years in prison and emerged as the inspiring leader of the new South Africa. He became the countrys first black president and went on to live his dream of change. This is an important and exciting addition to the Who Was...? series.
Synopsis
It was world-famous sculptor Gutzon Borglum's dream to carve sixty-foot-high likenesses of four presidents on a granite cliff in South Dakota. Does that sound like a wacky idea? Many at the time thought so. Borglum faced a lot of opposition and problems at every turn; the blasting and carving carried out through the years of the Great Depression when funding for anything was hard to come by. Yet Mount Rushmore now draws almost three million visitors to the Black Hills every year. This is an entertaining chronicle of one man's magnificent obsession, which even today sparks controversy.
Synopsis
Born the eighth of seventeen children in Philadelphia, Betsy Ross lived in a time when the American colonies were yearning for independence from British rule. Ross worked as a seamstress and was eager to contribute to the cause, making tents and repairing uniforms when the colonies declared war. By 1779 she was filling cartridges for the Continental Army. Did she sew the first flag? Thats up for debate, but Who Was Betsy Ross? tells the story of a fierce patriot who certainly helped create the flag of a new nation.
Synopsis
Born into slavery in Maryland in 1818, Frederick Douglass was determined to gain freedom--and once he realized that knowledge was power, he secretly learned to read and write to give himself an advantage. After escaping to the North in 1838, as a free man he gave powerful speeches about his experience as a slave. He was so impressive that he became a friend of President Abraham Lincoln, as well as one of the most famous abolitionists of the nineteenth century.
Synopsis
The iconic Mount Rushmore displays the faces of four important US presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. Each man made his mark, carving his place in history. Now, the presidents unite once again with the four Who Was...? biographies included in this boxed set, each with eighty black-and-white illustrations, to reveal the stories of these monumental leaders.
Synopsis
Born to a family of farmers, Lincoln stood out from an early ageliterally! (He was six feet four inches tall.) As sixteenth President of the United States, he guided the nation through the Civil War and saw the abolition of slavery. But Lincoln was tragically shot one night at Fords Theaterthe first President to be assassinated. Over 100 black-and-white illustrations and maps are included.
Synopsis
No one knows where the term Underground Railroad came from--there were no trains or tracks, only "conductors" who helped escaping slaves to freedom. Including real stories about "passengers" on the "Railroad," this book chronicles slaves' close calls with bounty hunters, exhausting struggles on the road, and what they sacrificed for freedom. With 80 black-and-white illustrations throughout and a sixteen-page black-and-white photo insert, the Underground Railroad comes alive!
About the Author
Janet Pascal, author of many YA biographies and Vikings senior copyeditor, lives in New York, New York. John OBrien lives in Delaran, New Jersey. Nancy Harrison lives in Allentown, Pennsylvania.