Colonial America: An Interactive History Adventure

by Allison Lassieur

Overview

Europeans came to the American colonies in the 1600s and 1700s in search of a better life. They worked hard and built farms, homes, and towns. But they were still under Great Britain's rule. Many wanted to make their own laws, but that meant going to war against a rich and powerful country. Will you: Travel to Virginia as an indentured servant? Choose between careers as a sailor or a soldier in Massachusetts? Decide which side you'll take as the country marches closer to revolution?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781620650318
Publisher:	Capstone Press
Publication date:	03/01/2012
Series:	You Choose: Historical Eras Series
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	112
Sales rank:	256,424
File size:	25 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Allison Lassieur has written more than 100 books on many topics, including history, biography, science, and current events. She has also written fiction novels and short stories, puzzles, and activities. When she isn't busy writing, Allison enjoys knitting, spinning, and reading good novels. Allison lives in Trenton, Tennessee with her husband, daughter, and a houseful of pets.

Editorial Reviews

The text begins with a very brief review of the growth of the American colonies from the first settlers in Virginia in 1607 to the growth of the northern colonies in New England and Philadelphia. The author then describes the colonists' concerns about the British taxation. With this introduction, the reader is presented with three roles: indentured servant in Virginia in 1645, youngest son of a farmer in Massachusetts in 1759, or the child of a tavern owner who is loyal to the King in 1774. Once the reader chooses a role, they can follow it through, making additional smaller decisions to learn their fate, deciding, for example, whether to stay loyal to the King or join the revolutionaries. Both male and female roles are available. The text is age-appropriate, but realistic. The author doesn't shy away from presenting the harsh realities of garbage and human waste in the streets, and children drowning or bleeding to death. Readers will learn very few actual facts about this historical period, but they will get a sense of the lifestyle. With so many decisions to make throughout the story, the reader is constantly turning pages and some of the continuity is lost. As there are many interactive electronic resources available for this topic, students may find this approach cumbersome and outdated. The author concludes with a discussion of how the system of indentured servants developed and was later replaced by slavery. She also provides some additional historical perspectives which teachers may use to kick off a discussion about how this period was viewed by Native Americans or the British soldiers. The text includes only a few illustrations from this period, and a map of the 13 colonies. There is also a limited glossary index and suggested reading, including Internet sites. Part of the "You Choose—Historical Eras" series. Reviewer: Leigh Geiger, Ph.D.

Children's Literature - Leigh Geiger