Helen Plum Library

The first volume of John Jakes's acclaimed and sweeping saga about a friendship threatened by the divisions of the Civil War

In the years leading up to the Civil War, one enduring friendship embodies the tensions of a nation. Orry Main from South Carolina and George Hazard from Pennsylvania forge a lasting bond while training at the United States Military Academy at West Point. Together they fight in the Mexican-American War,...

Brilliantly and searchingly examines the nature of French society in the years before the Revolution. Why did the Revolution break out? Was it inevitable, and if so, why? How was France really changed by the Revolution? Why did the intellectuals become enemies of the old French state and society? Why was the French nobility so estranged from the French people? Why, in short, were Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette doomed to the guillotines of the Revolution?...

A sweeping, provocative new look at the pivotal years leading up to the American Revolution The Revolutionary War did not begin with the Declaration of Independence, but several years earlier in 1773. In this gripping history, Derek W. Beck reveals the full story of the war before American independence-from both sides. Spanning the years 1773-1775 and drawing on new material from meticulous research and previously unpublished documents, letters, and...

"Describes the causes of the War of 1812 and its effects on US history"--Provided by publisher

Discusses this pivotal event in the lead-up to the American colonies' break with Great Britain and the tense atmosphere in Boston due to various new laws and impositions on the colonists by England

"Describes causes and events leading up to the Revolutionary War"--Provided by publisher

"The Civil War began when Confederate troops attacked Fort Sumter. But years of tension led to that battle. And the war would prove to have major consequences for both sides. Explore the causes and effects of the Civil War--a war to determine the future of the United States. Perfect for Common Core studies on cause and effect relationships"--

"Readers learn that New York, Philadelphia, and Charleston each had their own tea party that took place around the same time as Boston's

"Offers readers a captivating look into the Thirteen Colonies' struggle against Great Britain. Learn about how the Boston Tea Party was carried out and why it was a pivotal moment in establishing the United States of America. Additional features include a Fast Facts spread, a timeline, critical-thinking questions, primary source quotes and accompanying source notes, a phonetic glossary, resources for further study, information about the author, and...

For almost three years, President Woodrow Wilson maintained a moral and political neutrality toward World War I, a neutrality that waxed and waned with the flow and consequences of European events. Finally, Wilson had enough. On April 2, 1917, he asked Congress for a declaration of war against Germany and the other Central Powers. Congress obliged. The straw that broke the camel's back was a top secret coded telegram from Germany's foreign minister,...