American Patriots & Heroes

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When a nation turns its back on virtue and honor, those of its people who still hold those ideals in high regard seem to either voice their rage or lapse into sulky nostalgia for the "good old days." But rage only generates more rage, and the good old days (even if they were as great as everyone remembers) will never return. The only profitable response, then, is to remember and celebrate the heroes of the past as examples to imitate and guides toward the future.

Looking back to see ahead seems counterintuitive until you realize the current lack of genuine heroes in positions of political and legal authority. Not that there are none, but increasingly the leadership of the United States is less wise, less virtuous, and simply less fit to lead than has previously been the case. Whether this is because the American people are more apathetic and given to self-pleasure rather than goodness and stability, or because the quality of its leadership has declined, is unclear.

What is clear is that without a desire for virtue true patriotism is impossible—but without true patriotism a return to virtue is equally impossible. It's a vicious cycle....unless we uphold the honorable men and women of our nation's history as examples of good citizens and base our patriotism on their adherence to goodness and nobility.

Men like John Quincy Adams, who continued to serve as a U.S. Representative after his presidency expired, simply because he wanted to serve. Or Sgt. Alvin York, whose Christian pacificism led him to one of the most impressive examples of military heroism in the trenches of France during the First World War. Or Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, a Frenchman whose belief in American ideals led him to leave France in defiance of the king and enlist his services as a military commander in support of the Revolution.

Women like Mary McLeod Bethune, the daughter of former slaves who began a school for African-American students at a time when their education was considered of little importance. Or Mary Edwards Walker, the only woman to ever win the Medal of Honor (for services rendered in the American Civil War). Or the perennial favorite, Pocahontas, who converted to Christianity and married John Rolfe (and who may or may not have saved the life of the wild child John Smith, a notorious liar).

Of course none of these people were perfect, and not everything they did was good or worthwhile. We don't want to ignore their flaws. But we also don't want to dismiss them because they exhibited human characteristics and flaws. What we do want is to remember and learn from their virtues and self-sacrifice on behalf of their nation. Particularly, we want to pass this knowledge on to our children, who are our best hope for a return to goodness and a rejection of the shallowness and evil that pervades our society. This is the kind of patriotism we want to encourage, and the kind of national spirit such patriotism engenders.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he's a husband and father who loves church, good food, and weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur. Read more of his reviews here.

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American Patriots & Heroes

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3rd grade (Ages 8-9)

	America's Paul Revere by Esther Forbes from Sandpiper Books Biography for 2nd-6th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $12.99
	And Long Remember Some Great Americans Who Have Helped Me by Dorothy Canfield Fisher, illustrated by Ezra Jack Keats from E.M. Hale and Company for 3rd-6th grade in Vintage History & Biographies (Location: VIN-HIS) $9.00 (1 in stock)
	And Then What Happened, Paul Revere? by Jean Fritz & Margot Tomes from PaperStar Books Biography for 2nd-4th grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $7.99
	And Then What Happened, Paul Revere? by Jean Fritz & Margot Tomes from Scholastic Inc. Biography for 2nd-4th grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $2.00 (1 in stock)
	Andrew Jackson: Young Patriot Childhood of Famous Americans by George Edward Stanley from Aladdin Paperbacks Biography for 3rd-6th grade in Childhood of Famous Americans (Location: BIO-COFA)
	Ben Franklin See and Read: Beginning to Read Biography by Estelle Friedman, illustrated by James Caraway from G.P. Putnam's Sons for 1st-3rd grade in Vintage History & Biographies (Location: VIN-HIS) $12.00 (1 in stock)
	Benjamin Franklin by Edgar & Ingri D'Aulaire from Beautiful Feet Books Picture Book Biography for 3rd-6th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $17.95
	Benjamin Franklin Inventor, Statesman, and Patriot by R. Conrad Stein from Rand McNally Biography for 3rd-6th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $3.00 (2 in stock)
	Benjamin Franklin Printer and Patriot Makers of America by Ruth Cromer Weir, illustrated by Rus Anderson from Abingdon Press for 2nd-4th grade in Vintage History & Biographies (Location: VIN-HIS) $6.00 (1 in stock)
	Benjamin Franklin: Young Printer by Augusta Stevenson from Aladdin Paperbacks Biography for 3rd-6th grade in Childhood of Famous Americans (Location: BIO-COFA) $7.99 $4.00 (2 in stock)
	Buffalo Bill by Edgar & Ingri D'Aulaire from Beautiful Feet Books Picture Book Biography for 3rd-6th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $17.95
	Captain John Paul Jones America's Fighting Seaman by Ronald Syme from William Morrow & Company for 1st-3rd grade in Vintage History & Biographies (Location: VIN-HIS)
	Courage to Run A Story Based on the Life of Harriet Tubman Daughters of the Faith by Wendy G. Lawton from Moody Press for 3rd-6th grade in Daughters of the Faith (Location: SER-DAU) $8.99
	Crispus Attucks: Black Leader of Colonial Patriots Childhood of Famous Americans by Dharathula H. Millender from Aladdin Paperbacks for 3rd-6th grade in Childhood of Famous Americans (Location: BIO-COFA) $7.99 $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Crispus Attucks: Boy of Valor Childhood of Famous Americans by Dharathula H. Millender from Bobbs-Merril Co for 3rd-6th grade in Childhood of Famous Americans (Location: BIO-COFA)
	D'Aulaire American Biographies Package by Edgar & Ingri D'Aulaire from Beautiful Feet Books Biography for Kindergarten-8th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $106.82
	Daniel Boone The Opening of the Wilderness Sterling Point Books by John Mason Brown from Sterling Publishing Co. Biography for 3rd-7th in Biographies (Location: BIO)
	Daniel Boone by Carol Greene from Children's Press for Preschool-3rd Grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $3.00 (1 in stock)
	Davy Crockett Hero of the Alamo by Sanford Tousey 3rd Printing 1955 from Albert Whitman & Company for 2nd-5th grade in Vintage History & Biographies (Location: VIN-HIS)
	Davy Crockett: Young Rifleman Childhood of Famous Americans by Aileen Wells Parks from Aladdin Paperbacks Biography for 3rd-6th grade in Childhood of Famous Americans (Location: BIO-COFA) $7.99
	George Rogers Clark: War in the West Events of the Revolution by Susan and John Lee, illustrated by Richard Wahl from Children's Press for 3rd-6th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO)
	George vs. George The American Revolution as Seen from Both Sides by Rosalyn Schanzer Reprint from National Geographic for 3rd-6th grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $6.95
	George Washington by Edgar & Ingri D'Aulaire from Beautiful Feet Books Picture Book Biography for 3rd-6th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $17.95
	George Washington by Cheryl Harness from National Geographic for 3rd-6th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $8.99
	George Washington's Breakfast by Jean Fritz from PaperStar Books Biography for 1st-4th grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $6.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
	George Washington: America's Patriot Heroes of History for Young Readers by Renee Meloche from Emerald Books for Preschool-3rd grade in Heroes for Young Readers (Location: BIO-HERO)
	Harriet Tubman: Freedom's Trailblazer Childhood of Famous Americans by Kathleen V. Kudlinski from Aladdin Paperbacks Biography for 3rd-6th grade in Childhood of Famous Americans (Location: BIO-COFA) $7.99
	Helen Keller by Margaret Davidson from Scholastic Inc. Biography for 2nd-5th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $5.99 $4.00 (1 in stock)
	How Ben Franklin Stole the Lightning by Rosalyn Schanzer from HarperCollins for 2nd-4th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $5.00 (1 in stock)
	If You Lived at the Time of Martin Luther King by Ellen Levine Updated from Scholastic Inc. Historical Non-Fiction for 2nd-5th grade in Civil Rights Movement (1955-1968) (Location: HISA-20CIV) $4.50 (2 in stock)
	In Their Own Words: Abraham Lincoln In Their Own Words by George Sullivan from Scholastic Inc. Biography for 3rd-4th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $3.00 (2 in stock)
	John Alden Young Puritan by Olive W. Burt from Bobbs-Merril Co Biography for 2nd-4th grade in Vintage History & Biographies (Location: VIN-HIS)
	John Muir: Young Naturalist Childhood of Famous Americans by Montrew Dunham from Aladdin Paperbacks for 3rd-6th grade in Childhood of Famous Americans (Location: BIO-COFA) $10.95
	John Paul Jones A Discovery Book by Stewart Graff, illustrated by William Hutchinson from Garrard Publishing Company for 2nd-5th grade in Vintage History & Biographies (Location: VIN-HIS)
	John Paul Jones Heroes of the Revolution by Susan & John Lee, illustrated by Tom Dunnington from Children's Press for 2nd-6th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO)
	John Paul Jones: Salt-Water Boy Childhood of Famous Americans by Dorothea J. Snow from Bobbs-Merril Co for 3rd-6th grade in Vintage History & Biographies (Location: VIN-HIS)
	John, Paul, George & Ben by Lane Smith 1^st edition from Hyperion/Madison Press for Preschool-3rd grade in Biography Anthologies (Location: BIO-ANTH) $9.00 (1 in stock)
	Kit Carson Trailblazer and Scout by Shannon Garst from Julian Messner Biography for 1st-3rd grade in Vintage History & Biographies (Location: VIN-HIS)
	Lafayette, Friend of America Makers of America by Alberta Powell Graham 1^st edition from Abingdon Press for 2nd-5th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO)
	Liberty Letters: The Story of Pocahontas, 1613 The Personal Correspondence of Elizabeth Walton & Abigail Matthews Liberty Letters by Nancy LeSourd 1^st edition from Zondervan Historical Fiction for 3rd-6th grade in Series Books (Location: SER-MISC) $6.00 (1 in stock)
	Life of Washington In Words of One Syllable by Josephine Pollard from Beautiful Feet Books Biography for 3rd-8th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $10.95 $7.50 (1 in stock)
	Martin Luther King, Jr.: Young Man with a Dream Childhood of Famous Americans by Dharathula H. Millender from Aladdin Paperbacks for 3rd-6th grade in Childhood of Famous Americans (Location: BIO-COFA) $7.99
	Meet George Washington Second Series Landmark / Step Up reprints by Joan Heilbroner from Random House Biography for 3rd-6th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $6.99 $3.00 (3 in stock)
	Meet George Washington Step Up Books by Joan Heilbroner from Random House Biography for 1st-4th grade in Step Up Books (Location: VIN-STEP)
	Meet George Washington by Joan Heilbroner First Scholastic Printing 2001 from Scholastic Inc. Biography for 3rd-6th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $2.50 (1 in stock)
	Meet Martin Luther King, Jr. Second Series Landmark / Step Up reprints by James T. de Kay from Random House Books for Young Readers for 1st-3rd grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $4.99
	Meet Thomas Jefferson by Marvin Barrett from Random House for Preschool-3rd grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $1.50 (3 in stock)
	Molly Pitcher: Young Patriot Childhood of Famous Americans by Augusta Stevenson from Aladdin Paperbacks Biography for 3rd-6th grade in Childhood of Famous Americans (Location: BIO-COFA) $8.99 $5.00 (2 in stock)
	Neil Armstrong: Young Flyer Childhood of Famous Americans by Montrew Dunham from Aladdin Paperbacks Biography for 3rd-6th grade in Childhood of Famous Americans (Location: BIO-COFA) $7.99
	One Giant Leap The Story of Neil Armstrong by Don Brown from Houghton Mifflin Biography for 1st-3rd grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $6.95
	Patrick Henry The Founding Fathers by Stuart A. Kallen from ABDO Publishing Co. for 2nd-5th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $4.50 (1 in stock)
	Paul Revere First Biographies by Jan Gleiter and Kathleen Thompson, Illustrated by Francis Balistreri from Steck-Vaughn Company for 1st-3rd grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $8.00 (1 in stock)
	Paul Revere: Boston Patriot Childhood of Famous Americans by Augusta Stevenson from Aladdin Paperbacks for 3rd-6th grade in Childhood of Famous Americans (Location: BIO-COFA) $7.99
	Picture Book of Davy Crockett by David Adler from Holiday House Picture Book Biography for 2nd-4th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $7.99
	Picture Book of Davy Crockett by David Adler from Holiday House Picture Book Biography for 2nd-4th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO)
	Picture Book of George Washington by David A. Adler 1^st edition from Holiday House for Preschool-3rd grade in Biographies (Location: BIO)
	Picture Book of Paul Revere by Alexandra Wallner, David A. Adler, John Wallner 1^st edition from Holiday House for Preschool-3rd grade in Clearance: Biographies (Location: ZCLE-BIO)
	Pocahontas by Edgar & Ingri D'Aulaire from Beautiful Feet Books Picture Book Biography for 3rd-6th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $17.95
	Pocahontas and the Strangers by Clyde Robert Bulla from Scholastic Inc. Biographies for 3rd-5th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO)
	Pocahontas and the Strangers by Clyde Robert Bulla from Scholastic Inc. Biographies for 3rd-5th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO)
	Pocahontas and the Strangers by Clyde Robert Bulla from Sonlight Curriculum, Ltd. Biographies for 3rd-5th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO)
	Pocahontas: Young Peacemaker Childhood of Famous Americans by Leslie Gourse from Aladdin Paperbacks for 3rd-6th grade in Childhood of Famous Americans (Location: BIO-COFA) $7.99
	Poor Richard in France by F. N. Monjo from Henry Holt and Company for 2nd-5th grade in Vintage History & Biographies (Location: VIN-HIS) $7.50 (1 in stock)
	Profiles from History Volume 1 by Ashley M. Wiggers from Geography Matters for 3rd-5th grade in Trail Guide to Learning (Location: CUR-TGL) $16.95
	Profiles from History Volume 2 by Ashley M. Wiggers from Geography Matters for 3rd-6th grade in Trail Guide to Learning (Location: CUR-TGL) $16.95
	Profiles from History Volume 3 by Ashley M. Wiggers from Geography Matters for 3rd-6th grade in Geography Matters products (Location: GEO-GEOM)
	Quit Pulling My Leg! A Story of David Crockett by Robert Quackenbush from Aladdin Paperbacks for 2nd-6th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO)
	Remember the Ladies 100 Great American Women by Cheryl Harness from HarperCollins Biography for 3rd-6th grade in Biography Anthologies (Location: BIO-ANTH)
	Road to Seneca Falls A Story about Elizabeth Cady Stanton Creative Minds Biography by Gwenyth Swain from Lerner Publishing Group Biography for 3rd-5th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO)
	Rosa Parks: Young Rebel Childhood of Famous Americans by Kathleen V. Kudlinski from Aladdin Paperbacks for 3rd-6th grade in Childhood of Famous Americans (Location: BIO-COFA) $7.99
	Sam and John Adams Heroes of the Revolution by Susan and John Lee from Children's Press for 2nd-6th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Sam Houston: Boy Chieftain Childhood of Famous Americans by Augusta Stevenson from Bobbs-Merril Co for 3rd-6th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO)
	Samuel Adams: Father of the Revolution Spirit of America: Our People by Ann Heinrichs from Child's World for 3rd-6th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Sojourner Truth: Voice for Freedom Childhood of Famous Americans by Kathleen V. Kudlinski from Aladdin Paperbacks for 3rd-6th grade in Childhood of Famous Americans (Location: BIO-COFA) $7.99
	Squanto Friend of the Pilgrims by Clyde Robert Bulla from Scholastic Inc. Biography for 3rd-5th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Stories of Great Americans for Little Americans by Edward Eggleston from Yesterday's Classics Narrative History for 1st-4th grade in Biography Anthologies (Location: BIO-ANTH) $11.95
	Stories of Great Americans for Little Americans by Edward Eggleston from Lost Classics Book Co. Narrative History for 1st-4th grade in Biography Anthologies (Location: BIO-ANTH) $10.00 (1 in stock)
	Stories of Great Americans for Little Americans by Edward Eggleston 2015 Reprint from Martino Fine Books Narrative History for 1st-4th grade in Biography Anthologies (Location: BIO-ANTH) $5.00 (1 in stock)
	Stories of Great Americans for Little Americans by Edward Eggleston 2^nd edition from Memoria Press Narrative History for 1st-4th grade in Biography Anthologies (Location: BIO-ANTH) $14.65
	Story of Amelia Earhart Signature Books #33 by Adele de Leeuw, illustrated by Harry Beckhoff from Grosset & Dunlap Biography for 3rd-8th grade in Grosset & Dunlap Signature Books (Location: VIN-SIG)
	Story of Dwight D. Eisenhower Signature Books #38 by Arthur J. Beckhard, illustrated by Charles H. Geer from Grosset & Dunlap Biography for 3rd-8th grade in Grosset & Dunlap Signature Books (Location: VIN-SIG)
	Story of Harriet Tubman Conductor of the Underground Railroad Dell Yearling Biography by Kate McMullan from Yearling Biography for 3rd-6th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $3.00 (1 in stock)
	Story of Stephen Decatur Grosset & Dunlap Signature #29 by Iris Vinton, illustrated by Graham Kaye from Grosset & Dunlap Biography for 3rd-8th grade in Grosset & Dunlap Signature Books (Location: VIN-SIG)
	Story of Thomas A. Edison by Frances M. Perry from Simply Charlotte Mason for 3rd-6th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO)
	Susan B. Anthony: Champion of Women's Rights Childhood of Famous Americans by Helen Albee Monsell from Aladdin Paperbacks for 3rd-6th grade in Childhood of Famous Americans (Location: BIO-COFA) $7.99
	Thomas Jefferson A Picture Book Biography by James Cross Giblin from Scholastic Inc. for Preschool-3rd grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $6.00 (1 in stock)
	Thurgood Marshall: Young Justice Childhood of Famous Americans by Montrew Dunham from Aladdin Paperbacks Biography for 3rd-6th grade in Childhood of Famous Americans (Location: BIO-COFA) $7.99
	We'll Race You, Henry A Story about Herny Ford by Barbara Mitchell from Carolrhoda Books, Inc. for 3rd-5th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $4.00 (2 in stock)
	We'll Race You, Henry A Story about Herny Ford by Barbara Mitchell from Carolrhoda Books, Inc. for 3rd-5th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	What Makes the Light Bright, Thomas Edison by Melvin Berger from Scholastic Inc. for 2nd-3rd grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $4.99
	What's So Great About Francis Scott Key by Marylou Morano Kjelle from Mitchell Lane Publishers for 2nd-5th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $3.00 (1 in stock)
	Where Was Patrick Henry on the 29th of May? by Jean Fritz & Margot Tomes from PaperStar Books Biography for 2nd-4th grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $7.99
	Who Was Thomas Jefferson? Who Was?...Series by Dennis Brindell Fradin from Grosset & Dunlap Biography for 3rd-6th grade in Who Was? biographies (Location: BIO-WHO)
	Why Don't You Get a Horse, Sam Adams? by Jean Fritz from PaperStar Books Biography for 2nd-4th grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $6.99
	Why Don't You Get a Horse, Sam Adams? by Jean Fritz from Scholastic Inc. Biography for 2nd-4th grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV)
	Wilderness Trail The Story of Daniel Boone Our Changing World by Allen Chaffee, illustrated by Earl B. Winslow from Thomas Nelson Publishers for 3rd-5th grade in Vintage History & Biographies (Location: VIN-HIS) $30.00 (1 in stock)
	Will You Sign Here, John Hancock? by Jean Fritz from PaperStar Books Biography for 2nd-4th grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $6.99
	Will You Sign Here, John Hancock? by Jean Fritz from Scholastic Inc. Biography for 2nd-4th grade in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV) $2.00 (1 in stock)
	William Bradford, Pilgrim Boy by Bradford Smith from Beautiful Feet Books Biography for 3rd-5th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO) $10.95 $6.00 (1 in stock)
	William Penn, Founder and Friend by Virginia Haviland from Abingdon Press for 3rd-6th grade in Biographies (Location: BIO)

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