A History of US

A History of US #7

by Joy Hakim

Covering a time of great hope and incredible change, Reconstructing America, 1865-1890 is a dramatic look at life after the Civil War in the newly re-United States. Railroad tycoons were roaring across the country. New cities sprang up across the plains, and a new and different American West
came into a land of farmers, ranchers, miners, and city dwellers. Back East, large-scale immigration was also going on, but not all Americans wanted newcomers in the country. Technology moved Thomas Edison lit up the world with his electric light. And social justice was on everyone's
mind with Carry Nation wielding a hatchet in her battle against drunkenness and Booker T. Washington and W. E. B. DuBois counseling newly freed African Americans to behave in very different ways. Through it all, the reunited nation struggles to keep the promises of freedom in this exciting chapter
in the A History of US .

Genres: History, Nonfiction, School, American History, Read For School, Education, Childrens

160 pages, Paperback

First published December 15, 1994

About the author

I've just updated A HISTORY OF US to include some new stories, especially those on people who haven't had their full story told, like Native Americans and African Americans. I've been astounded by some of what I've learned, I think you will be too.


My husband and I live most of the year in Colorado. I grew up in Rutland, Vermont and graduated from Rutland High School. I earned a bachelor's degree in government at Smith College, a master's degree in education from Goucher College, as well as an honorary doctorate from Goucher.

I've been a teacher: in Syracuse, New York; Omaha, Nebraska; and Virginia Beach, Virginia. And I've taught in elementary school, middle school, high school, and in a community college.

I've also been a newspaper woman: a general reporter, a business reporter, and an associate editor and editorial writer at Norfolk's Virginian-Pilot.

We have three children and five grandchildren.

from: http://www.joyhakim.com/biography.html

Reviews

[Scarlett Readz and Runz....Through Novel Time & Distance · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of my favorite volumes in this series. The Reconstruction of America focused on humanitarian efforts and progress including the railroads, coal mining, industrialization, child labor, poets, writers, immigrants, minority rights, progress and peoples ideas of ideals.
As always, a nice overview for middle graders to get interested in history.

[Faye · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think everyone should read this right now. This volume corresponds so perfectly to the struggles and issues of America today- systemic racism, women's rights, immigration, states rights vs. federal control, voter suppression, the growing pains of modernization. It simply couldn't be a more important time to reflect on this period in American history. The series is aimed for middle grade readers, so the chapters are short, and the writing is engaging, with a lot of focus on the lives of important figures. Seriously- check it out. Read it to your kids, or read it to yourself. You will not be sorry.

[Kevin Keating · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joy Hakim is writing for roughly a middle school level or early HS. Nevertheless her approach to history is much more interesting than a typical textbook's. More individual stories and more engaging style. I am now going to read all of the other books in this series. Highly recommend.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I believe every American should read this book. I learned so much. People say America today is awful, but we have come such a long way!

[Hank Pharis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Once again these books are a great and easy way to review U.S. history. And I always learn something new in them. For example, in this one I learned about the Beach Pneumatic Transit subway secretly built in 1869 in NYC. I say secretly because Alfred Beach knew his idea was going to be an almost impossible sell so he spent $350,000 of his own money to prove that his idea would work. It was powered by air (something like the tubes at bank drive in windows). However there was a stock market crash in 1873 and all of the investors bailed out of the project. (cf. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History... for more on this.)

(Note: I'm stingy with stars. For me 2 stars means a good book. 3 = Very good; 4 = Outstanding {only about 5% of the books I read merit this}; 5 = All time favorites {one of these may come along every 400-500 books})

[boaz galil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another important book from Hakim - lots of good information on the period after the civil war in the US (I found it very useful for someone like me, without any previous knowledge about the US history).

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hakim is a fantastic author. These are no boring textbooks--she brings American history alive in simple, lively language, with lots of great illustrations and quotes.

[Amelia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this one. Reminded me a bit.

[Carly Seifert · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite volume in this series so far. I learned so much, and find it fascinating the many ties between current events and political leaders to this time in our not-so-distant past.

[Ian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. Nothing was bad, but nothing was good, either. It was the most 'meh' book I've read in a long time.

Meh.

2 Stars

[Michael Delaware · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good summary of the period and it offers a great blend of events that impacted laws, social views and culture during this era.

[Sunny Kim]

this book was ok it’s kind of boring since I don’t like history I liked the part where they mention the Wyoming tea party

[Colin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is really a pretty good series!

[Benjamin Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy reading these volumes a lot. Together they form a complete history of the US. Meant for children and young adults they, however, do not at all simplify the issues of the time but rather highlight the people who lived through them. For example, in this volume, we read about famous people like Booker T. Washington, Thomas Edison, and Susan B. Anthony but we also get to hear of the experiences of lesser known people who had large impacts on history. But probably most interesting to readers is the chapters where the author delves into what day-to-day life would be like for somebody living in the times...like a Chinese immigrant working on the railroad or a child of a formerly enslaved family now forced to fend for themselves during reconstruction. That truly brings history alive for students (and for middle-aged codgers like me).

Ms Hakim does a wonderful job of distilling all of that history down into coherant pieces of information. She takes major themes of history and makes them relevant to individual people, telling their stories and thus illustrating the theme. There are lots of pictures and sidebar descriptions that serve well to keep up interest and keep readers turning the pages. You just want to keep on reading that next little bit.

[Jenevieve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Middle-School US History. Deals with the time following the Civil War but not just the Reconstruction of the South but also what was happening in the west, the strides in innovation and inventions, woman's rights, the start of the temperance movement, the rising racism against the Chinese as well as the blacks. It was nice to hear more about the country during that time than just what was going on in the South which seems to be the more typical way of presenting that time period.

[Ron · Rating 3 out of 5]

My son and I are continuing reading through this series as part of his history curriculum. This volume covers a time in US history with may viewpoints, actions, and choices being made by a diverse characters. Unfortunately for a book that is supposed to go up to 1890, there is little coverage of the settling of the West and Indian activity. Also, there is bias in relation to amount of coverage of various topics.

[The other John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book seven of A History of US covers the late 19th Century, 1865 through 1890. Ms. Hakim looks at Reconstruction, the Westward Expansion and immigration with her usual attention to discrimination and civil rights. Like the other volumes of the series, its a nice mix of social and political history that's quite engaging to read.

[Suzanne · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh how I hate these books. Verbose, contrived and filled with conjecture and opinion. Ms. Hakim is an arrogant hero worshipper of selective man of history, and quite the revisionist. Disappointing, particularly for anyone who actually studies source documents, deeply researched material, and isn't interested in the author's soapbox.

[Evelynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, I'm enjoying this history book series. The only problem I have is that this is supposed to be a Christian curriculum, right? Why then is there evolution mentioned as if it were fact? The author was not talking about how evolutionists look at something and then comparing that to the Christian side of it; she is clearly teaching evolution. That really bothered me. Otherwise it's fairly good.

[Roseanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the only book I have read in the series however if all of the books are written like this one then I highly recommend them all! This book walks you through history but also provides pictures, maps and short stories to enhance the information. I learned a lot and really enjoyed reading this book.

[Adelani Adedoyin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good history book if you want to learn more about the United States.the book provides deep detail on many muckrakers during the time of Reconstruction. these include Mark Twain and Ida B. Wells. this book elaborates on all needed points and even more.
If you lie history read it, i promise you, you will enjoy it.

[Cws]

JRef3#7

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am still enjoying history in story format. Not having to memorize dates and facts that do not have personal importance makes it interesting.

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

great resource for teachers and students for the history and creation of america... with maps, illustrations, cartoons, and more

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

a good resource for teaching children about american history, many facts and pictures to help explain items, reasons and whys of american colonization and history

[Pamela · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was fun to read aloud as a family.

[Ariel Paiement · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is as good as the one preceding it! It is a clear, informative textbook on America's heritage.

[Andrew Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

good except for the Part where Thaddeus Stevens was in the house of Representatives and couldn't vote to remove Andrew Johnson

[Lucy Buller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this for school.

[Dedra ~ A Book Wanderer]

Thorough and engrossing history curriculum!