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Story of the Thirteen Colonies & the Great Republic Text
We have looked, and we cannot find an American history study on a grammar-school level that we think rivals H. A. Guerber’s two-volume American history set from the turn of the 20th century. So, rather than settle for lesser quality, we have combined Guerber’s The Story of the Thirteen Colonies and the Great Republic into one edited volume that makes it a perfect one-year survey of American history for the middle school years.
- GenresHistoryNonfiction
211 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2015
About the author
Hélène A. Guerber
97 books47 followersHélène Adeline Guerber (1859 – 1929), better known as H.A. Guerber, was a British historian most well known for her written histories of Germanic mythology.
Her most well known work is Myths of the Norsemen: From the Eddas and Sagas - George G. Harrap and Co. Ltd., 1908 in London.
Other histories by Guerber include Legends of the Rhine (A.S. Barnes & Co., New York, 1895; new edition 1905), Stories of the Wagner Opera, The Book of the Epic, The Story of the Ancient World, The Story of the Greeks, The Story of the Romans, Legends of the Middle Ages, The Story of the Renaissance and Reformation, The Story of the Thirteen Colonies, and The Story of the Great Republic.
Her most well known work is Myths of the Norsemen: From the Eddas and Sagas - George G. Harrap and Co. Ltd., 1908 in London.
Other histories by Guerber include Legends of the Rhine (A.S. Barnes & Co., New York, 1895; new edition 1905), Stories of the Wagner Opera, The Book of the Epic, The Story of the Ancient World, The Story of the Greeks, The Story of the Romans, Legends of the Middle Ages, The Story of the Renaissance and Reformation, The Story of the Thirteen Colonies, and The Story of the Great Republic.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 18, 2017
[Edit to original review, 1/18/2017] Regarding my point 3, critiquing the book for being "summary history," I retain my original criticism. Yet, I will say that, as I have been teaching out of it for a semester, this is an absolutely excellent history book for 8th grade (ages 13-14) and under. It is just at their level of understanding, and does a great job of getting in "the important stuff" and then I supplement in class with primary sources and lecture that I have gleaned from more complicated sources. For that reason, I'm changing my original rating from a "2" to a "3.5." It still has the problems of Anglocentricity and emotional manipulation, but its nothing a teacher can't work around.
The original texts of The Story of the Thirteen Colonies and The Great Republic were published in 1899. H.A. Guerber was a British historian who is best known for her work on German mythology. This book is, according to the publisher Memoria Press, intended to be "a historical reader, an elementary textbook...or an introduction or supplement..." to U.S. history textbooks.
There are a few problems with this text that have convinced me this book cannot stand alone as a history textbook. It needs to be read as a primer and heavily supplemented with primary sources and more detailed instruction.
1. This book is heavily Anglocentric in regards to Native-White relations. Any mention of the Native Americans completely glosses over the terrible things that happened, from the earliest beginnings of exploration to the Trail of Tears to the Sioux uprising after the Civil War. The conquests by the Spaniards of the Aztecs and Incans are also glossed over. While I understand that this is a children's book, it is irresponsible to teach children that the Natives did not suffer at the hands of the explorers, colonists, Europeans, and Americans. This book perpetuates the stereotypes of the quiet and peaceful First Thanksgiving, for starters. And even worse, puts up General Custer as a hero and the Sioux as evil and violent murderers.
2. This book ignores a basic of historical writing: don't attempt to manipulate the emotions of your reader by inserting too many adverbs or adjectives. It is part of writing history to do your best to keep what you have written clear of bias and clear of any assumption into what your subject was or wasn't feeling or thinking. For example, when Custer's Last Stand is mentioned, the Sioux yell "fiendishly" and Sitting Bull and Rain-in-the-Face are portrayed as obstinate and unruly. and Custer and his men are "brave and gallant."
It is quoted in the introduction "the writer's main object has been to make good men and women of the rising generation, as well as loyal Americans." I suppose this means not speaking ill of any of our nations white, male heroes.
3. My third issue with this text is more general: it is summary history. It's just the surface facts and most important events sprinkled with plenty of hero-hailing and too-gentle analyses of historical figures. No great white, American male can do any wrong in this book. It's a soft look at history. A history book with elbow and wrist guards on.
In summation, I am required to teach out of this text for my 7th and 8th graders this coming year. This is fine for introductory history, but I will be consulting more advanced textbooks and primary sources to prepare for my lectures, as well to aid in a more complete understanding of American history, especially in regards to the Native Americans.
The original texts of The Story of the Thirteen Colonies and The Great Republic were published in 1899. H.A. Guerber was a British historian who is best known for her work on German mythology. This book is, according to the publisher Memoria Press, intended to be "a historical reader, an elementary textbook...or an introduction or supplement..." to U.S. history textbooks.
There are a few problems with this text that have convinced me this book cannot stand alone as a history textbook. It needs to be read as a primer and heavily supplemented with primary sources and more detailed instruction.
1. This book is heavily Anglocentric in regards to Native-White relations. Any mention of the Native Americans completely glosses over the terrible things that happened, from the earliest beginnings of exploration to the Trail of Tears to the Sioux uprising after the Civil War. The conquests by the Spaniards of the Aztecs and Incans are also glossed over. While I understand that this is a children's book, it is irresponsible to teach children that the Natives did not suffer at the hands of the explorers, colonists, Europeans, and Americans. This book perpetuates the stereotypes of the quiet and peaceful First Thanksgiving, for starters. And even worse, puts up General Custer as a hero and the Sioux as evil and violent murderers.
2. This book ignores a basic of historical writing: don't attempt to manipulate the emotions of your reader by inserting too many adverbs or adjectives. It is part of writing history to do your best to keep what you have written clear of bias and clear of any assumption into what your subject was or wasn't feeling or thinking. For example, when Custer's Last Stand is mentioned, the Sioux yell "fiendishly" and Sitting Bull and Rain-in-the-Face are portrayed as obstinate and unruly. and Custer and his men are "brave and gallant."
It is quoted in the introduction "the writer's main object has been to make good men and women of the rising generation, as well as loyal Americans." I suppose this means not speaking ill of any of our nations white, male heroes.
3. My third issue with this text is more general: it is summary history. It's just the surface facts and most important events sprinkled with plenty of hero-hailing and too-gentle analyses of historical figures. No great white, American male can do any wrong in this book. It's a soft look at history. A history book with elbow and wrist guards on.
In summation, I am required to teach out of this text for my 7th and 8th graders this coming year. This is fine for introductory history, but I will be consulting more advanced textbooks and primary sources to prepare for my lectures, as well to aid in a more complete understanding of American history, especially in regards to the Native Americans.
February 19, 2019
I liked the style of this, packing a lot of information into story-like chapters, keeping a continuum going from the Revolutionary War through the Spanish-American War. I got a lot out of it, reading aloud, but much of it went over the heads of my elementary-aged kids. My son in middle school who loves history was able to remember more, but still not all.
Unfortunately, this book does contain some bias (I am pretty sure most history books do). While it didn't seem to take a political side, it did focus mainly on strengths when discussing presidents, orators, and founding fathers. The discussion of the Civil War acknowledged the evil of slavery, but made much of the heroism (?) of southern soldiers. Treaties with Native Americans were said to be broken without any mention of the native perspective.
While I do appreciate much of what was accomplished in the history of my country, I believe my children need to learn the egregious mistakes made and founding problems as well. I will keep looking for an American history book that shows that the ideal of liberty and equality for all has not been lived up to.
Unfortunately, this book does contain some bias (I am pretty sure most history books do). While it didn't seem to take a political side, it did focus mainly on strengths when discussing presidents, orators, and founding fathers. The discussion of the Civil War acknowledged the evil of slavery, but made much of the heroism (?) of southern soldiers. Treaties with Native Americans were said to be broken without any mention of the native perspective.
While I do appreciate much of what was accomplished in the history of my country, I believe my children need to learn the egregious mistakes made and founding problems as well. I will keep looking for an American history book that shows that the ideal of liberty and equality for all has not been lived up to.
October 20, 2019
U.S. history that reads like a thriller, this was a very pleasant read. It starts with the Vikings and ends with William McKinley, the 25th president of the United States the freedom of Cuba from the dominion of the Spanish.
December 11, 2019
I read this book with my 7th grade daughter for school. It is a wonderful historical overview of early America through the Spanish-American War.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews