Chronological History

Sometimes we speak of world history as though it belongs to people. It doesn't—it belongs to God, and though people play prominently within the historical narrative, it always remains under God's auspices and control. The problem with losing the right perspective isn't that we'll get the facts wrong, it's that we'll fail to understand what they mean, what the purpose of past events is, and what we can look forward to.

Human history began all at once in the same place: the Garden of Eden, where God made Adam and Eve as the crown of all Creation. He told them to fill the earth and take dominion of it, and He also told them not to eat the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. They ate the fruit anyway, and mankind was removed from paradise and introduced to tension, pain, and resistance.

The story of the world is in many ways simply the story of adversity. For the enemies of God, it's adversity in the form of the failure and futility of purely human endeavor; for God's people, it's the story of fighting for the truth against secular philosophies, fighting for holiness despite the pervasiveness of sin, and fighting for the Gospel in the face of persecution and death.

Jesus Christ is our only hope. He is the Prince of Peace, the defeater of Death, and the King of the Universe, the saver of souls and the punisher of wickedness. His kingdom is the restoration and glorious fulfillment of the paradise from which Adam and Eve were removed, and we work, wait, hope and pray for the quick fulfillment of His will in all things.

This is our framework for history. While it's important to study things like the Renaissance, the Industrial Revolution, and the ancient Near East, it's only important when investigated through the lens of God's ultimate sovereignty and plan. The story of mankind is the story of redemption, and only when we analyze battles, kings, treaties, and catastrophes from God's perspective can we truly make sense of them.

Otherwise, it's all fairly irrelevant and useless. Sure, there's Napoleon's dictum that those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it, but a quick survey of the past will show that each successive generation does repeat the sins of their fathers, and that without Christ's real physical life on Earth as a centering point, there's no real cause for optimism or hope of any kind.

Christ's love not only makes the trajectory of history cause for hope; it reveals the truly great moments of the past, events that to the secular eye seem insignificant or even pernicious. We're speaking of the progress of the true Church, of course, and of each soul that God calls and makes His own through the agency of His Holy Spirit. These are the milestones we look for and celebrate.

We carry a lot of world history products. Because it's the story of God's work in the world and our human responses, we believe it's important to know and understand. Not everything we carry is Christian; there are plenty of secular resources here. We encourage you to use whichever ones work best for your situation, but that you do so with a view to understanding the will and work of the One who made history in the first place.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he is a husband and father, teaches adult Sunday school in his Presbyterian congregation, and likes 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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178 Items found Print
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Aaron and the Green Mountain Boys
by Patricia Lee Gauch, illustrated by Margot Tomes
from Betterway Books
Historical Fiction for 3rd-6th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
Adventures of Munford: The American Revolution
by Jamie Aramini
1st edition from Geography Matters
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Adventures of Munford: The Klondike Gold Rush
by Jamie Aramini
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AIO Imagination Station Book #14
by Marianne Hering, Nancy I. Sanders
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AIO Imagination Station Book #19
by Marianne Hering
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in Imagination Station (Location: SER-AIO)
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by Marianne Hering & Sheila Seifert
from Focus on the Family
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Akiak: A Tale From the Iditarod
by Robert J. Blake
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Alia's Mission
by Mark Alan Stamaty
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All-of-a-Kind Family Downtown
All-of-a-Kind Family Series #2
by Sydney Taylor, illustrated by Beth & Joe Krush
from Lizzie Skurnick Books
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All-of-a-Kind Family Series #4
by Sydney Taylor, illustrated by Mary Stevens
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Family Stories for 2nd-6th grade
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Allen Jay and the Underground Railroad
On My Own History
by Marlene Targ Brill
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Almost Home
Daughters of the Faith
by Wendy G. Lawton
from Moody Press
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American Army of Two
On My Own History
by Janet Greeson
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American Twins of the Revolution
by Lucy Fitch Perkins
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Andie's Moon
Historical House: 1969
by Linda Newbery
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Angel Knew Papa and the Dog
by Douglas Kaine McKelvey
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Apprentice
by Pilar Molina Llorente
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Arctic Son
by Jean Craighead George, illustrated by Wendell Minor
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Totally True Adventures
by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel
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Baseball Saved Us
by Ken Mochizuki
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Benjamin West and His Cat Grimalkin
by Marguerite Henry & Wesley Dennis
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by Maud Hart Lovelace
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Big-Enough Anna
by Pam Flowers
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Book About Christopher Columbus
by Ruth Belov Gross, Illustrated by Syd Hoff
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Boy of Old Prague
by S. Ish-Kishor
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Boy of Old Prague
by Shulamith Ish-Kishor
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Boy of the Pyramids
by Ruth Fosdick Jones
from Purple House Press
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Bracelet, The
by Yoshika Uchida
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By the Shores of Silver Lake
Little House Series #5
by Laura Ingalls Wilder
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Realistic Fiction/Pioneers for 3rd-6th grade
1940 Newbery Honor Book
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Captive Treasure
by Milly Howard
from Bob Jones University Press
Realistic Fiction for 2nd-5th grade
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Carolina's Courage
by Elizabeth Yates
from Bob Jones University Press
Historical Fiction for 3rd-6th grade
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Cecily's Portrait
Historical House: 1895
by Adele Geras
from Educational Development Corporation
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Children of Odin
by Padraic Colum
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Norse Mythology for 3rd-8th grade
$10.99
Children of the Covered Wagon
by Mary Jane Carr
2nd edition from Christian Liberty Press
Historical Fiction for 3rd-5th grade
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by Padraic Colum & Willy Pogany
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Greek Mythology for 3rd-8th grade
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Children's Homer
by Padraic Colum
from Simon and Schuster
Greek Mythology for 3rd-8th grade
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Children's Homer
by Padraic Colum
from Simon and Brown
Greek Mythology for 3rd-8th grade
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Clearing Weather
by Cornelia Meigs
Repint from Dover Publications
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1929 Newbery Honor Book
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Cleopatra
by Diane Stanley & Peter Vennema
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Copper-Toed Boots
by Marguerite de Angeli
from Wayne State University
Realistic Fiction for 3rd-6th grade
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Daria Solves a Mystery
by Norma Jean Lutz
from Barbour Publishing
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Down the Big River
Purple House Living History Library
by Stephen W. Meader, illustrated by Edward Shenton
from Purple House Press
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Earthquake!
by Kathleen V. Kudlinski
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Echo Mountain
by Lauren Wolk
from Dutton Children's Books
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Egyptian Cinderella
by Shirley Climo & Ruth Heller
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Erie Canal
by Peter Spier
from Doubleday & Company
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F is for Freedom
by Roni Schotter
from Scholastic Press
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in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$1.50 (1 in stock)
Farmer Boy
Little House Series #3
by Laura Ingalls Wilder
from HarperCollins
Realistic Fiction/Pioneers for 3rd-6th grade
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$8.99
Farmer Boy
Little House Series #3
by Laura Ingalls Wilder
from HarperCollins
Realistic Fiction/Pioneers for 3rd-6th grade
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$9.99
Favorite Greek Myths
by Mary Pope Osborne
from Scholastic Inc.
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
Finding Providence
An I Can Read Chapter Book
by Avi
from HarperCollins
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First Farm in the Valley
by Anne Pellowski
from Bethlehem Books
for 3rd-6th grade
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$9.50
First Four Years
Little House Series #9
by Laura Ingalls Wilder
from HarperCollins
Realistic Fiction/Pioneers for 3rd-8th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$8.99
Flower Fables
by Louisa May Alcott
from Dover Publications
for 3rd-6th grade
$5.99
Forty-Acre Swindle
TrailBlazer Books
by Dave & Neta Jackson
from Bethany House
for 3rd-7th grade
in Trailblazer Books (Location: SER-TRAIL)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Forty-Acre Swindle
TrailBlazer Books
by Dave & Neta Jackson
from Castle Rock Creative
for 3rd-7th grade
in Trailblazer Books (Location: SER-TRAIL)
$8.99
Gilgamesh the King
by Ludmila Zeman
from Tundra Books (NY)
for 1st-4th grade
$8.95 $6.00 (1 in stock)
Gods and Goddesses of Olympus
by Aliki
from HarperCollins
for 1st-3rd grade
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$7.99
Gold Cadillac
by Mildred D. Taylor
from Scholastic Inc.
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Gold Cadillac
by Mildred D. Taylor
Reprint from Puffin Books
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Golden Fleece
by Padraic Colum & Willy Pogany
from Aladdin Paperbacks
Greek Mythology for 3rd-8th grade
1922 Newbery Honor Book
$10.99 $6.00 (2 in stock)
Grandfather's Dance
by Patricia MacLachlan
from HarperCollins
Realistic Fiction for 3rd-6th grade
in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA)
$6.99
Greek Myths
by Marcia Williams
from Walker Books
for 1st-3rd grade
in Oversized History Books (Location: HISW-OVER)
$8.99
Guests
by Michael Dorris
from Hyperion/Madison Press
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$3.49 (1 in stock)
Hiroshima
by Laurence Yep
from Scholastic Inc.
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Holling Clancy Holling's Stories from Many Lands
by Holling Clancy Holling
from Dover Publications
for 2nd-6th grade
$14.99
House Divided
Young Founders 1863
by Elizabeth Massie
from Tor Classic
for 3rd-6th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
I Am David
by Anne Holm
from Harcourt
Realistic Fiction for 3rd-8th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$7.99
Ivan and the American Journey
by Myrna Grant
from Christian Focus Publications
for 3rd-6th grade
in Morality Tales (Location: FIC-WH05)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Ivan and the Hidden Bible
by Myrna Grant
from Christian Focus Publications
for 3rd-6th grade
in Morality Tales (Location: FIC-WH05)
Ivan and the Moscow Circus
by Myrna Grant
from Christian Focus Publications
for 3rd-6th grade
in Morality Tales (Location: FIC-WH05)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Jazz Man
by Mary Hays Weik
2nd edition from Aladdin Paperbacks
for 3rd-6th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$6.99 $4.00 (1 in stock)
Journey West on the Oregon Trail
by Cecile Alyce Nolan
from Rain Dance Publishing
for 2nd-7th grade
in Oregon Trail (Location: HISA-19OR)
$7.50 (1 in stock)
Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie
by Peter & Connie Roop
from Carolrhoda Books, Inc.
Historical Fiction for 1st-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$7.99
Kirsten's Cook Book
American Girl
by Jodi Evert
from Scholastic Inc.
for 2nd-5th grade
in Cooking for Kids (Location: COOK-KID)
$2.40 (1 in stock)
Kitchen Knight
by Margaret Hodges; illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman
from Holiday House
Fairy Tales, Fables, and Legends for
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$8.99
Kitchen Knight
by Margaret Hodges
from Holiday House
Fairy Tales, Fables, and Legends for
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
Lacemaker and the Princess
by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
from Margaret K. McElderry Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$8.99
Lantern in the Window
by Aileen Fisher
from Country Library & Variety
for 3rd-6th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
Last Quest of Gilgamesh
by Ludmila Zeman
from Tundra Books (NY)
for 1st-4th grade
$8.95 $6.00 (2 in stock)
Letters from Rifka
by Karen Hesse
from Square Fish Publishing
Realistic Fiction for 3rd-6th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$7.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
Listen for the Whippoorwill
Trailblazer Books
by Dave & Neta Jackson
from Bethany House
for 3rd-7th grade
in Trailblazer Books (Location: SER-TRAIL)
Listen for the Whippoorwill
Trailblazer Books
by Dave & Neta Jackson
from Castle Rock Creative
for 3rd-7th grade
in Trailblazer Books (Location: SER-TRAIL)
$8.99
Little House - Full Color Trade Paper Set
by Laura Ingalls Wilder
from HarperCollins
for 3rd-8th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$75.11
Little House in the Big Woods
Little House Series #1
by Laura Ingalls Wilder
from HarperCollins
Realistic Fiction/Pioneers for 3rd-6th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$8.99 $5.00 (2 in stock)
Little House on Rocky Ridge
Rocky Ridge Years Book 1
by Roger Lea MacBride
from HarperCollins
for 3rd-6th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Little House on the Prairie
Little House Series #2
by Laura Ingalls Wilder
from HarperCollins
Realistic Fiction/Pioneers for 3rd-6th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$8.99
Little Town on the Prairie
Little House Series #7
by Laura Ingalls Wilder
from HarperCollins
Realistic Fiction/Pioneers for 3rd-8th grade
1942 Newbery Honor Book
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$8.99
Little Town on the Prairie
Little House Series #7
by Laura Ingalls Wilder
from HarperCollins
Realistic Fiction/Pioneers for 3rd-8th grade
1942 Newbery Honor Book
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$9.99
Long Winter
Little House Series #6
by Laura Ingalls Wilder
from HarperCollins
Realistic Fiction/Pioneers for 3rd-8th grade
1941 Newbery Honor Book
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$9.99
Long Winter
Little House Series #6
by Laura Ingalls Wilder
from HarperCollins
Realistic Fiction/Pioneers for 3rd-8th grade
1941 Newbery Honor Book
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$10.99
Lotus Seed
by Sherry Garland
from HMH Books for Young Readers
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$7.99
Making of a Knight
by Patrick O'Brien
from Charlesbridge
Picture Books/Historical Fiction for 2nd-6th grade
in Middle Ages (Location: HISW-MID)
$7.95 $5.00 (1 in stock)
Mary and the Trail of Tears
from Stone Arch Books
for 3rd-6th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$7.95
Medieval Feast
by Aliki
from HarperCollins
for 2nd-5th grade
in Middle Ages (Location: HISW-MID)
$7.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
Meet Rebecca
American Girl
by Jacqueline Dembar Greene
from American Girl
for 2nd-5th grade
in American Girl (Location: SER-AMGIRL)
Meet Samantha
American Girl
by Susan S. Adler
from American Girl
for 2nd-5th grade
in American Girl (Location: SER-AMGIRL)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Mieko and the Fifth Treasure
by Eleanor Coerr
from Puffin Books
for 2nd-4th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$5.99
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