The Declaration of Independence is one of the most famous letters in human history. Thomas Jefferson and the other Founding Fathers created this important document to announce their freedom from England. It was one of the driving forces that sparked the Revolutionary War and lead to the formation of the United States. But there’s so much more to learn about this historic document that isn't in typical history books. The age-appropriate text in this book is paired with little-known fun facts, fascinating photographs and illustrations, and helpful graphic organizers to show just how interesting this pivotal document really is.
Thomas Jefferson is known as the writer of the Declaration of Independence and a champion of democracy, but there was much more to his life than just his writing. From his early life in Virginia to his later presidency and the Louisiana Purchase, the story of Jeffersons life is full of fun facts readers will love learning. Whether exploring the details of his time in France or in George Washingtons cabinet as the Founding Fathers created the framework for America, readers will get an in-depth look at Jeffersons role in the creation of their country in this exciting book.
Benjamin Franklin was one of Americas most inventive Founding Fathers. He wrote books, tinkered with machines, and created entire new professions with his work. This book is full of fun facts and tantalizing trivia about his inventions, his ideas, and how he became one of the most influential Founding Fathers involved in the birth of America. The book also explores some of his strange medical beliefs, his printing industry, and some of the friendships he made during his time in America, giving readers a fuller appreciation for one of Americas most famousand cherishedcitizens.
"Fireworks, picnics, flags, and parades should remind Americans young and old of perhaps the most famous national holiday. Independence Day, also called the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday. While most know that the observance is a celebration of the nation, they might not know what happened on July 4 in 1776 and why this is a now famous date. This beautifully designed book, beneficial to any social studies collection, presents the history of this holiday in 20 of the most fun, intriguing facts. Budding historians will appreciate the high-interest format and accessible text"--
Although they didn't know it at the time, while our Founding Fathers were busy making history, they were also busy creating interesting tidbits of fun facts and trivia for people just like you. This book is full of fascinating information that pertains to a very unique period in our nation's history, the making of America! Do you know which of the Founding Fathers was killed in a pistol duel? What, if anything, is written on the back of the Declaration of Independence? Which Founding Father is standing on someone's foot in the famous painting of the Declaration by John Trumbull? Which delegate said, I smelled a rat! and chose not to participate in the Constitutional Convention? The answers to these questions and many more are all inside this new and exciting book, Founding Fathers Fun Facts and Other U.S. Trivia! TAKE IT ON VACATIONS, TRIPS, GET-AWAYS, OR ANY OTHER TIME YOU TRAVEL! THE NEXT TIME YOUR KIDS SAY, I'M BORED! HAND THEM A COPY OF THIS BOOK! A GREAT WAY FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY TO LEARN ABOUT OUR NATION'S HISTORY!
George Washington is unmistakably Americas most famous Founding Father. He led the Continental Army during the American Revolution and later served as Americas first president. But Washingtons life is full of fun facts that many still dont know. From his relationships with other Founding Fathers to his early history as a general, theres much to discuss about one of Americas most famous citizens. This book separates the myths from fact, delving into his famous cherry tree story and other commonly held beliefs about this American icon that many mistake as fact.
This is a comprehensive history of one of the greatest mysteries in American history--did Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, declare independence from Great Britain more than a year before anyone else? According to local legend, on May 20, 1775, in a log court house in the remote backcountry two dozen local militia leaders met to discuss the deteriorating state of affairs in the American colonies. As they met, a horseman arrived bringing news of the battles of Lexington and Concord. Enraged, they unanimously declared Mecklenburg County "free and independent" from Great Britain. It was known as the "Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence" ("MecDec" for short). A local tavern owner named James Jack delivered the MecDec to the Continental Congress, who found it "premature." All of this occurred more than a year before the national Declaration of Independence. But is the story true? The evidence is mixed. John Adams believed the MecDec represented "the genuine sense of America" while Thomas Jefferson believed the story was "spurious." This book sets out all of the evidence, pro and con.
John Adams (October 30 1735 - July 4, 1826) was the second president of the United States (1797-1801), having earlier served as the first vice president of the United States (1789-1797). An American Founding Father, Adams was a statesman, diplomat, and a leading advocate of American independence from Great Britain. Well educated, he was an Enlightenment political theorist who promoted republicanism, as well as a strong central government, and wrote prolifically about his often seminal ideas-both in published works and in letters to his wife and key adviser Abigail Adams. Adams was a lifelong opponent of slavery, having never bought a slave. In 1770 he provided a principled, controversial, and successful legal defense to the British soldiers accused in the Boston Massacre, because he believed in the right to counsel and the "protect[ion] of innocence." Adams came to prominence in the early stages of the American Revolution. A lawyer and public figure in Boston, as a delegate from Massachusetts to the Continental Congress, he played a leading role in persuading Congress to declare independence. He assisted Thomas Jefferson in drafting the Declaration of Independence in 1776, and was its primary advocate in the Congress. Later, as a diplomat in Europe, he helped negotiate the eventual peace treaty with Great Britain, and was responsible for obtaining vital governmental loans from Amsterdam bankers. A political theorist and historian, Adams largely wrote the Massachusetts Constitution in 1780, which together with his earlier Thoughts on Government, influenced American political thought. One of his greatest roles was as a judge of character: in 1775, he nominated George Washington to be commander-in-chief, and 25 years later nominated John Marshall to be Chief Justice of the United States. Adams' revolutionary credentials secured him two terms as George Washington's vice president and his own election in 1796 as the second president. During his one term as president, he encountered ferocious attacks by the Jeffersonian Republicans, as well as the dominant faction in his own Federalist Party led by his bitter enemy Alexander Hamilton. Adams signed the controversial Alien and Sedition Acts, and built up the army and navy especially in the face of an undeclared naval war (called the "Quasi-War") with France, 1798-1800. The major accomplishment of his presidency was his peaceful resolution of the conflict in the face of Hamilton's opposition. In 1800, Adams was defeated for re-election by Thomas Jefferson and retired to Massachusetts. He later resumed his friendship with Jefferson. He and his wife founded an accomplished family line of politicians, diplomats, and historians now referred to as the Adams political family. Adams was the father of John Quincy Adams, the sixth President of the United States. His achievements have received greater recognition in modern times, though his contributions were not initially as celebrated as those of other Founders. Adams was the first U.S. president to reside in the executive mansion that eventually became known as the White House.
Discover the fascinating history and meaning behind the documents of freedom that founded our country -- The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and The Bill of Rights -- in a fun, engaging book that puts only the most exciting tidbits front and center! This fun and colorful presentation of the most significant documents that founded our country sheds new light on THE PATRIOT PAPERS. With call-outs and bursts that highlight and explore the key words and statements that make up the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights, as well as stories about the American rebels who drafted them, this new book makes American history come alive in "kid speak" like never before.
In this provocative reinterpretation of one of the best-known events in American history, Woody Holton shows that when Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and other elite Virginians joined their peers from other colonies in declaring independence from Britain, they acted partly in response to grassroots rebellions against their own rule. The Virginia gentry's efforts to shape London's imperial policy were thwarted by British merchants and by a coalition of Indian nations. In 1774, elite Virginians suspended trade with Britain in order to pressure Parliament and, at the same time, to save restive Virginia debtors from a terrible recession. The boycott and the growing imperial conflict led to rebellions by enslaved Virginians, Indians, and tobacco farmers. By the spring of 1776 the gentry believed the only way to regain control of the common people was to take Virginia out of the British Empire. Forced Founders uses the new social history to shed light on a classic political question: why did the owners of vast plantations, viewed by many of their contemporaries as aristocrats, start a revolution? As Holton's fast-paced narrative unfolds, the old story of patriot versus loyalist becomes decidedly more complex.
