What you didn't know about history

Examines the reasons why many American colonists were unhappy under British rule, discusses the decision to send British troops to Boston, describes the events of the Boston Massacre, a skirmish between British troops and colonists that led to the deaths of five Bostonians, and looks at how the incident added to the growing call for American independence.

Explains what life was like for citizens living in the American West during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Discusses how these people lived, what they ate, what they wore, and what they did for fun. Includes illustrations, a glossary, and further reading sources.

Explains what life was like for citizens living in the California during the era of the Gold Rush. Discusses how these people lived, what they ate, what they wore, and what they did for fun. Includes illustrations, a glossary, and further reading sources.

Explores life in the Jamestown Colony during the early seventeenth century.

Describes what life was like for the passengers and crew aboard the "Mayflower" while they traveled to the New World in 1620.

Provides a brief history of the Underground Railroad, discussing the treatment of slaves, how the Underground Railroad began, and the routes taken.

The history of the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroad companies' efforts to span the continent.

Explains the California gold rush, including how it started, what kind of equipment prospectors used, and the social changes caused by gold rush.

Readers will learn surprising details about the difficult life on a wagon train and the hardy emigrants who set out on these cross-country adventures, including the many pairs of shoes that the travelers wore through and whether children had to go to school.

Describes what it was like to live in the West during the last half of the nineteenth century, covering outlaws, cowboys and ranch life, Native Americans, and more.