Friday, August 9, 2013

Micklos, John, Jr. Making of the U.S. from Thirteen Colonies.


Micklos, John, Jr.  Making of the U.S. from Thirteen Colonies.    Enslow  2013  48p  $18.00  ISBN 978-0-7660-4133-2      elm/ms  series: American Revolution Through Primary Sources VG   

In this book, upper-elementary and middle-school students are introduced to Great Britain’s thirteen colonies and how they stretched from Massachusetts to Georgia.  Students learn that sometimes these colonies got along, and at other times they did not.  While the thirteen colonies had differences among themselves, they were all a part of the British Empire.  Students discover how early governments worked, as well as what led to the British and American colonists battles, which ultimately led to the American Revolution.  Written in a story format, this book provides students with a better understanding of how the United States won its independence.  Within each individual state, Americans did not initially want any central government, but because they endured hard times, the states knew that they must come up with something central to help fix their problems.  The Constitutional Convention, the Great Compromise, and the Bill of Rights were then in play as the states tried to build a more perfect union.  The Electoral College was created to select the president with each state represented fairly. 

Students gain a great deal of
knowledge through the primary-source documents that are included to help them gain a better understanding of the American Revolution and the creation of the United States.  The author includes colorful graphics, a timeline of events, dates of ratification, maps, proof sheets, portrait reprints, documents, chapter notes, a glossary of terms, a list of books and Internet addresses, and an index.      Each title in this series of six (as of this review) presents personal accounts of American men and women in battle and on the home front.  These titles contain songs, speeches, poetry, newspaper accounts, and photos that reflect the broader culture of the time.

American Revolution                                   --Charleen Forba-Mayer

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