History

Western civilization begins with the two greatest books of the ancient world, the Iliad and the Odyssey by the Greek poet Homer. Traditionally dated to the 8th century B.C., these epics were the most important influences in the formation of Greek culture. The Iliad was the principal textbook in the schools of ancient Greece and Rome, and the primary authority in matters of ethics and morals, civic behavior, and military tactics. The Odyssey was the original great adventure story and character study. The Iliad and the Odyssey have been enormously influential in Western literature and art, and are the perfect place to begin your study of Western culture and the Great Books. These Memoria Press editions feature the translations of Samuel Butler, which are both scholarly and easily accessible to younger students. See also 8895 and 8896 Learn More

Western civilization begins with the two greatest books of the ancient world, the Iliad and the Odyssey by the Greek poet Homer. Traditionally dated to the 8th century B.C., these epics were the most important influences in the formation of Greek culture. The Iliad was the principal textbook in the schools of ancient Greece and Rome, and the primary authority in matters of ethics and morals, civic behavior, and military tactics. The Odyssey was the original great adventure story and character study. The Iliad and the Odyssey have been enormously influential in Western literature and art, and are the perfect place to begin your study of Western culture and the Great Books. These Memoria Press editions feature the translations of Samuel Butler, which are both scholarly and easily accessible to younger students.

The Teacher Guide contains the answers to the Student Guide (sold separately#8895) and the quizzes and tests. Novel #8894.

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Western civilization begins with the two greatest books of the ancient world, the Iliad and the Odyssey by the Greek poet Homer. Traditionally dated to the 8th century B.C., these epics were the most important influences in the formation of Greek culture. The Iliad was the principal textbook in the schools of ancient Greece and Rome, and the primary authority in matters of ethics and morals, civic behavior, and military tactics. The Odyssey was the original great adventure story and character study. The Iliad and the Odyssey have been enormously influential in Western literature and art, and are the perfect place to begin your study of Western culture and the Great Books. These Memoria Press editions feature the translations of Samuel Butler, which are both scholarly and easily accessible to younger students.

The Iliad Student Guide contains Reading Notes, Reading Comprehension Questions, Discussion Questions, and more. The answers are contained in the Teacher Guide (sold separately#8896) Novel #8894.

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J.M. Roberts's renowned History of the World is widely considered the finest available one-volume survey of the major events, developments, and personalities of the known past, offering generations of readers a tour of the vast landscape of human history from the evolution of Homo sapiens to the exploration of space. < Hardbound.

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A lively and fascinating narrative history about the birth of the modern world. Beginning in the heady days just after the First Crusade, this volume—the third in the series that began with The History of the Ancient World and The History of the Medieval World—chronicles the contradictions of a world in transition. Popes continue to preach crusade, but the hope of a Christian empire comes to a bloody end on the walls of Constantinople. Aristotelian logic and Greek rationality blossom while the Inquisition gathers strength. Kings and emperors continue to insist on their divine rights, but ordinary people all over the world seize power. New currencies are created, new weapons invented, and world-changing catastrophes alter the landscape: the Little Ice Age and the Great Famine kill millions, the Black Death millions more. In the chaos of these events, our own world begins to take shape. Follow the story back; check out the History of the Medieval World and the History of the Ancient World! Hardbound. 816 pages. Companion Study Guide available (Sold separately, Item #12624) Learn More

The History of the Medieval World: From the Conversion of Constantine to the First, by Susan Wise Bauer. The History of the Medieval World is a true world history, linking the great conflicts of Europe to the titanic struggles for power in India and Asia. In its pages, El Cid and Guanggaeto, Julian the Apostate and the Brilliant Emperor, Charles the Hammer and Krum the Bulgarian stand side by side. From the schism between Rome and Constantinople to the rise of the Song Dynasty, from the mission of Muhammad to the crowning of Charlemagne, from the sacred wars of India to the establishment of the Knights Templar, this erudite book tells the fascinating, often violent story of kings, generals, and the peoples they ruled. 768 pages. High School to adult. Companion Study Guide also available (Sold Separately, Item #12622) Learn More

The History of the Ancient World: From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome, Susan Wise Bauer. Using the narrative approach to history so popular in The Story of the World series, Susan Wise Bauer introduces readers to the people, places, and events of the ancient world. This lively and engaging narrative history shows the common threads in the cultures that gave birth to our own. This is the first volume in a bold new series that tells the stories of all peoples, connecting historical events from Europe to the Middle East to the far coast of China, while still giving weight to the characteristics of each country. Susan Wise Bauer provides both sweeping scope and vivid attention to the individual lives that give flesh to abstract assertions about human history. Hardbound 868 pages. From Well-Trained Mind Press. Companion Study Guide available (Sold Separately, Item #7619) Learn More

This Study and Teaching Guide, designed for use with "History of the Ancient World Text" (Sold Separately, Item #4171) provides a full curriculum with study questions and answers, critical thinking assignments, essay topics, instructor rubrics, and test forms. Explanations for answers and teaching tips are also included. Contains Instructor Section (the first half of the book) and perforated Student Pages (in the second half). The Study and Teaching Guide, written by historian and teacher Julia Kaziewicz in cooperation with Susan Wise Bauer, makes The History of the Ancient World even more accessible to educators and parents alike. From Well-Trained Mind Press. Paperback. 537 Pages. Learn More

Ever wonder how biblical history and ancient Egyptian history fit together? Why was God so angry with Pharaoh, anyway? These were questions we asked when we began our study of Ancient Egypt. We wanted to start our study of Western history by beginning at the beginning. After reading through the Old Testament (which is history, after all) we study ancient Egypt. The Greenleaf Guide to Ancient Egypt presents ten lesson plans, using the six books listed below. Included are vocabulary lists and discussion questions drawn from the reading. Also included are directions for playing a checkers-like game found in Tut’s tomb, directions for building a model shaduf (irrigate like the Egyptians!), as well as suggestions for how to adapt your study to fit grades 2-7. Home school tested. Excellent for Konos or Unit studies. Average duration is about 15 weeks. Learn More

"The Greeks" (1000 B.C.—300 B.C.) provides an overview of Greek civilization from its origins in ancient Minoan and Mycenaean culture through the Golden Age of Athens and the rise of Alexander the Great. Special emphasis is given to the sociology of life in Ancient Greece—the lives of ordinary women, children, families, and soldiers—as well as to the great political, cultural, and intellectual achievements which shaped the course of the Western world. The birth of democracy, science, philosophy, poetry, and drama are among the events vividly depicted in this richly illustrated text. Challenging map exercises and provocative review questions encourage meaningful reflection and historical analysis. Tests and answer keys are included. Grades 7-12. 32 pages. Learn More

The Great Depression from the "Spotlight on America" series by Teacher Created Resources. This series encourages students to take an in-depth view of the people and events of specific eras of American history. Nonfiction reading comprehension is emphasized along with research, writing, critical thinking, working with maps, and more. Topics include: Causes of the Depression; Effects of the Depression; The Dust Bowl; Education during the Depression; The New Deal; Depression Stories; Working with Statistics. 48 pages. Grades 5 and up.

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A Newbery Honor Book Winner of a Newbery Honor, an exciting ancient Egyptian mystery! Ranofer wants only one thing in the world: to be a master goldsmith like his beloved father was. But how can he when he is all but imprisoned by his evil half brother, Gebu? Ranofer knows the only way he can escape Gebu’s abuse is by changing his destiny. But can a poor boy with no skills survive on the cutthroat streets of ancient Thebes? Then Ranofer finds a priceless golden goblet in Gebu’s room and he knows his luck−and his destiny−are about to change. 256 pages. Ages 10+ Learn More

"Still unequaled as an introduction to the classic myths." — Publishers Weekly Written for young readers by a great Irish folklorist, this Newbery Award–winning anthology centers on the legend of the quest for the Golden Fleece. Generations of readers have thrilled to these classic retellings of ancient myths, which trace Jason and the Argonauts' voyages and their encounters with the foreseer Prometheus, Medea the sorceress, and other legendary characters. Stories of the heroes who accompanied Jason include "The Life and Labors of Heracles," "Theseus and the Minotaur," "How Orpheus the Minstrel Went Down to the World of the Dead," and other stirring tales.

Author Padraic Colum, who was active in the Irish literary renaissance and a founder of Dublin's Abbey Theatre, was also a popular children's writer. Skilled at recounting tales in a manner that attracts and holds kids' attention, Colum possessed a poetic style that continues to enchant audiences of all ages. His captivating tales are complemented by forty evocative illustrations by Willy Pogány.

Reprint of the Macmillan Company, New York, 1921 edition.

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A picture book that illustrates the Gettysburg Address. This powerful, somber book gloriously introduces the most famous speech in American history to a new generation and gives fresh meaning to those who have read and heard it before. Read Aloud to younger readers, softcover 30 pages. Learn More

The Federalists Papers-Penguin. Written at a time when furious arguments were raging about the best way to govern America, The Federalist Papers had the immediate practical aim of persuading New Yorkers to accept the newly drafted Constitution in 1787. In this they were supremely successful, but their influence also transcended contemporary debate to win them a lasting place in discussions of American political theory. Acclaimed by Thomas Jefferson as "the best commentary on the principles of government which ever was written", The Federalist Papers make a powerful case for power-sharing between State and Federal authorities and for a Constitution that has endured largely unchanged for two hundred years. In a brilliantly detailed introduction Isaac Kramnick sets the Papers in their historical and political context. This edition also contains the American Constitution as an appendix. Penguin Classics. 528 pages. Paperback.

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Series: Extraordinary Lives

A bold new series of biographies for young readers focusing on the lives of inspirational historical and modern figures.

Paperback ‏ : ‎ 128 pages

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As a lawyer and political activist, he led the fight for equality for all in his homeland, and despite being imprisoned unfairly for many years, he became the first black president of South Africa.

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A world-famous pilot, women’s rights activist, and author, she was the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean and the first person ever to fly over both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.

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ABOUT THE DIARY OF A YOUNG GIRL

Discovered in the attic in which she spent the last years of her life, Anne Frank’s remarkable diary has since become a world classic—a powerful reminder of the horrors of war and an eloquent testament to the human spirit. In 1942, with Nazis occupying Holland, a thirteen-year-old Jewish girl and her family fled their home in Amsterdam and went into hiding. For the next two years, until their whereabouts were betrayed to the Gestapo, they and another family lived cloistered in the “Secret Annex” of an old office building. Cut off from the outside world, they faced hunger, boredom, the constant cruelties of living in confined quarters, and the ever-present threat of discovery and death. In her diary Anne Frank recorded vivid impressions of her experiences during this period. By turns thoughtful, moving, and amusing, her account offers a fascinating commentary on human courage and frailty and a compelling self-portrait of a sensitive and spirited young woman whose promise was tragically cut short.

Praise for The Diary of a Young Girl “A truly remarkable book.”—The New York Times

“One of the most moving personal documents to come out of World War II.”—The Philadelphia Inquirer

“There may be no better way to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the end of World War II than to reread The Diary of a Young Girl, a testament to an indestructible nobility of spirit in the face of pure evil.”—Chicago Tribune

“The single most compelling personal account of the Holocaust . . . remains astonishing and excruciating.”—The New York Times Book Review

“How brilliantly Anne Frank captures the self-conscious alienation and naïve self-absorption of adolescence.”—Newsday

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The Devil's Arithmetic (Puffin Modern Classics) By JANE YOLEN.

Hannah is tired of holiday gatherings−all her family ever talks about is the past. In fact, it seems to her that’s what they do every Jewish holiday. But this year’s Passover Seder will be different−Hannah will be mysteriously transported into the past . . . and only she knows the unspeakable horrors that await.

Paperback | Published by Puffin Books Apr 12, 2004 | 208 Pages | 5 x 7 | Middle Grade (10 and up)

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The Declaration of Independence was the promise of a representative government; the Constitution was the fulfillment of that promise. On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress issued a unanimous declaration: the thirteen North American colonies would be the thirteen United States of America, free and independent of Great Britain. Drafted by Thomas Jefferson, the Declaration set forth the terms of a new form of government with the following words: "We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness." Framed in 1787 and in effect since March 1789, the Constitution of the United States of America fulfilled the promise of the Declaration by establishing a republican form of government with separate executive, legislative, and judicial branches. The first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, became part of the Constitution on December 15, 1791. Among the rights guaranteed by these amendments are freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, and the right to trial by jury. Written so that it could be adapted to endure for years to come, the Constitution has been amended only seventeen times since 1791 and has lasted longer than any other written form of government. 100 pages. Softcover. Learn More

Return to the era of Mesozoic monsters with this fascinating coloring book collection of ancient reptiles. For this unique volume, the former staff artist of the American Museum of Natural History has rendered in accurate detail 37 different prehistoric creatures in their natural habitats — stalking prey along the shores of a tropical lake, circling the skies high above lush forests of exotic vegetation and grazing in primeval marshlands. Twenty dramatic double-page and five single-page illustrations arranged in chronological order vividly display the evolution of the dinosaurs from the early reptilian Euparkeria to such giants of the dinosaurs' last days as Tyrannosaurus and Triceratops.

Young and old alike can share in the excitement of bringing color to such formidable specimens as Tyrannosaurus; the equally aggressive Allosaurus; the spike-thumbed Iguanodon, a large, plant-eating biped; the bony-plated Ankylosaurus; and, of course, the familiar Brontosaurus, also known as Apatosaurus, a plant-eating "lizard" that weighed up to 30 tons and grew to a length of 70 feet.

An excellent educational tool for teachers, this coloring book offers hours of absorbing entertainment to students, dinosaur buffs, natural-history enthusiasts and colorists of all ages. Informative captions for each illustration provide intriguing details about the ancient animals depicted in this reptilian review.

Dover Original.

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The Constitution from the "Spotlight on America" series by Teacher Created Resources. This series encourages students to take an in-depth view of the people and events of specific eras of American history. Nonfiction reading comprehension is emphasized along with research, writing, critical thinking, working with maps, and more. Topics include: The Constitution of the United States; The Articles of Confederation; The Constitutional Convention; The Convention Leaders; Ratifying the Constitution; The Bill of Rights; The Later Amendments. 64 pages. Grades 4-8.

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The Civilization of the Middle Ages, by Norman Cantor. 624 pages.

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