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Modern History

There isn't more history in the last five centuries than all the previous millennia, we just have more plentiful records of it. In all honesty, sometimes the plethora of detail isn't only overwhelming, it obscures the whole point of the story. As humans, we're all too susceptible to the lure of obscurity, to the desire for darkness where there ought to be light.

In many ways, this is the chief characteristic of modern history. Mankind seems to have accepted Enlightenment ideals en masse, and the result is the non-stop acquisition of knowledge, as though information could shut us off from the eye of a just and jealous God. Evolutionary theory, psychology, existentialism and postmodernism, public education, Communism—all these ideas are intended to put man at a further remove from God.

During the Renaissance, thinkers and artists decided that if man was going to make himself great, he'd have to replicate the glory of the Classical Era, with its enduring artifacts and intellectual produce. Enlightenment thinkers took this one step further, insisting that man could only know what he could deduce using reason alone, and consequently amassing knowledge in order to have a more thorough basis for such reasonable inquiry.

Since then, philosophers and scientists have devoted themselves to interpreting the facts from a purely human perspective, creating a picture of the universe that is mechanistic and godless. Meaning is dead, God is dead, and hope is dead, but the Enlightenment ideal of human progress (repackaged as Darwinian naturalism) is alive and well, the phantom idol of countless millions.

Even a brief survey of the last century would seem to demolish the possibility of any such idea, but it continues to inform nearly every element of our culture, from pop music to public policy debates. Atrocities like the Holocaust, racism in America, abortion, and totalitarian rule in Asian countries are reinterpreted or explained away to fit the overarching rubrik of sustained forward progress.

Christians understand things a bit differently. We aren't pessimists by any means, but we aren't blind optimists, either. God's plan entails one thing: His ultimate glory, and for those who believe His promises and trust Him for salvation, that's the most hopeful doctrine conceivable. At the same time, we also understand that man's efforts cannot be responsible for whatever good befalls us, that "progress" is only a gift of the Most High, and that only through the Holy Spirit is evil overcome by good.

The modern world is increasingly secular. Even in the Church, men and women stray from biblical truth in favor of appealing arguments on behalf of man, substituting a Christ-centered Gospel with one that is primarily focused on mankind and our individual salvation. We must counter these attitudes with God's truth, but we can only do so with an understanding of where those ideas come from and why they've taken root. A thorough study of modern history can and will provide those answers, and teach us how to stand firm in the truth we hold dear.

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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Active Filters: 5th grade (Ages 10-11), Perfectbound, In-Stock Books & Materials
Across America
by Jacqueline Morley
from Franklin Watts
for 4th-6th grade
in Lewis & Clark (Location: HISA-19L&C)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Alamo!
by George Sullivan
from Scholastic Inc.
for 4th-6th grade
in Mexican-American War (Location: HISA-19TEX)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
America At War: Korean War
by John Perritano
from Scholastic Inc.
for 3rd-6th grade
in Korean War (1950-1953) (Location: HISA-20KW)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
America in the Time of Franklin Delano Roosevelt
by Sally Senzel Isaacs
from Heinemann-Raintree
for 2nd-5th grade
in World War II (1939-1945) (Location: HISA-20WW2)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
America in the Time of Lewis and Clark
by Sally Senzel Isaacs
from Heinemann-Raintree
for 2nd-5th grade
in 19th Century America (Location: HISA-19C)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
Anne of Jamestown
by Anne Price-Hardister, illustrated by Ruby Gardner
from Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation
for 2nd-6th grade
in Jamestown Colony (Location: HISA-17JA)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Battle of the Little Bighorn
by R. Conrad Stein
from Children's Press
for 4th-6th grade
in Cornerstones of Freedom (Location: VIN-CORN)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Big Book of the Civil War
by Joanne Mattern
from Courage Books
for 4th-7th grade
in Oversized History Books (Location: HISW-OVER)
$7.00 (1 in stock)
Bill of Rights
by Lucia Raatma
from Scholastic Inc.
for 3rd-6th grade
in New Nation (1783-1800) (Location: HISA-18NN)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Boys' War
by Jim Murphy
from Scholastic Inc.
for 4th-8th grade
in American Civil War (1860-1865) (Location: HISA-19CW)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Can't You Make Them Behave, King George?
by Jean Fritz
from PaperStar Books
for 4th-6th grade
in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV)
$6.99
Colter's Run
by Judith Edwards, illustrated by John Potter
from Falcon Press Publishing
for 5th-8th grade
in Western Expansion (1800-1898) (Location: HISA-19WES)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Declaration of Independence
History Speaks
by Douglas M. Rife
from Teaching & Learning Company
for 4th - 8th Grade
in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Declaration of Independence
Documenting U.S. History
by Elizabeth Raum
from Heinemann-Raintree
for 2nd-5th grade
in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Desert Storm
by John Perritano
from Q2A Media
for 3rd-6th grade
in 20th Century: 1976-1999 (Location: HISW-20C4)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Discovering Mars
by Melvin Berger, revised and updated by Mary Kay Carson
from Scholastic Inc.
for 2nd-5th grade
in Astronomy (Space) (Location: SCI-AST)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
DK Smithsonian Space!
from DK Publishing
for 3rd-6th grade
in Oversized Science Books (Location: SCI-OVER)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
Draw the Titanic
by Andrew Staiano, illustrated by Jason Pederson
from Scholastic Inc.
for All ages
in Drawing for Beginners (Location: ELE-ARTDRAW)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Dreaming of America
by Eve Bunting, Illustrated by Ben Stahl
from Scholastic Inc.
for 3rd-6th grade
in Immigration & Emigration (Location: HISA-20IM)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Drums
by James Boyd
from Atheneum
for 5th-10th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Early American History for Intermediate Grades - Guide
by Rea Berg & Rebecca Manor
3rd edition from Beautiful Feet Books
for 4th-6th grade
in Beautiful Feet Books (Location: HISCUR-BFB)
$29.95 $18.00 (1 in stock)
Electrical Wizard
by Elizabeth Rusch, illustrated by Oliver Dominguez
from Candlewick Press
for 3rd-6th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Eyes on Adventure: Exploring Space
Eyes on Adventure
by Leigh Hope Wood
from KidsBooks, Inc.
for 3rd-6th grade
in Space Race & Exploration (Location: HISA-20SPR)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Frank Lloyd Wright for Kids
by Kathleen Thorne-Thomsen
2nd edition from Chicago Review Press
for 4th-7th grade
in Architecture and Sculpture (Location: ELE-ARC)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
George Washington You Never Knew
by James Lincoln Collier
from Scholastic Inc.
for 3rd-6th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Gettysburg Address
History Speaks
by Douglas M. Rife
from Teaching & Learning Company
for 4th-8th grade
in American Civil War (1860-1865) (Location: HISA-19CW)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami
from kahoku Shimpo Publishing Co
for 1st-Adult
in Japan (Location: HISMC-JAP)
$10.00 (1 in stock)
Great Explorers
by Jim Pipe
from Scholastic Inc.
for 3rd-6th grade
in Age of Exploration (1450-1700) (Location: HISA-16EXP)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Hero Over Here
by Kathleen V. Kudlinski
from Sonlight Curriculum, Ltd.
for 2nd-5th grade
in Historical Fiction (Location: FIC-HIF)
$4.00 (2 in stock)
Jedediah Smith
by Sharlene and Ted Nelson
from Franklin Watts
for 3rd-6th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Last River
by Stuart Waldman, illustrated by Gregory Manchess
from Mikaya Press
for 3rd-6th grade
in Western Expansion (1800-1898) (Location: HISA-19WES)
$15.99
Magellan and the Exploration of South America
by Colin Hynson
from Barron's
Non-fiction for 4th-8th grade
in Age of Exploration (1450-1700) (Location: HISA-16EXP)
$4.00 (2 in stock)
Marco Polo
by Struan Reid
from Heinemann Library
for 3rd-6th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
N.C. Wyeth's Pilgrims
by Robert D. San Souci
from Scholastic Inc.
for Kindergarten-5th grade
in Pilgrims at Plymouth (Location: HISA-17PIL)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Nathan Hale
Hidden History: Spies
by Aaron Derr, Illustrated by Tami Wicinas
from Red Chair Press
for 2nd-5th grade
in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Preamble to the U.S. Constitution
History Speaks
by Douglas M. Rife
from Teaching & Learning Company
for 4th-8th grade
in New Nation (1783-1800) (Location: HISA-18NN)
$1.50 (1 in stock)
Primary Source History of the American Revolution
Fact Finders
by Sarah Powers Webb
from Capstone Press
for 3rd-5th grade
in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Robert Fulton
by Marguerite Henry; illustrated by Robert Patterson
from Sonlight Curriculum, Ltd.
for 3rd-5th grade
in Childhood of Famous Americans (Location: BIO-COFA)
$5.00 (4 in stock)
Seaman's Journal
by Patricia Reeder Eubank
from Ideals Children's Books
Historical Fiction for 5th-8th grade
in Lewis & Clark (Location: HISA-19L&C)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
September 11, 2001
Cornerstones of Freedom Second Series
by Andrew Santella
from Children's Press
for 3rd-5th grade
in Cornerstones of Freedom (Location: VIN-CORN)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Smokestacks and Spinning Jennys
American History Through Primary Sources
by Sean Price
from Capstone Press
for 2nd-5th grade
in Industrialization & Organized Labor (Location: HISA-19IND)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Sourcebook on Colonial America: Battles in a New Land
by Carter Smith (editor)
from Millbrook Press
for 4th-6th grade
in Colonial America (1690-1765) (Location: HISA-17COL)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Sourcebook on Colonial America: Governing and Teaching
by Carter Smith (editor)
from Millbrook Press
for 4th-6th grade
in Colonial America (1690-1765) (Location: HISA-17COL)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Sourcebook on Colonial America: The Arts and Sciences
by Carter Smith (editor)
from Millbrook Press
for 4th-6th grade
in Colonial America (1690-1765) (Location: HISA-17COL)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Story of Ellis Island
Cornerstones of Freedom
by R. Conrad Stein
from Children's Press
for 4th-6th Grade
in Cornerstones of Freedom (Location: VIN-CORN)
$2.50 (1 in stock)
Story of Harriet Beecher Stowe
Cornerstones of Freedom
by Maureen Ash
from Children's Press
for 4th-6th Grade
in Cornerstones of Freedom (Location: VIN-CORN)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Story of the Declaration of Independence
Cornerstones of Freedom series
by R. Conrad Stein
from Scholastic Inc.
American History Reference for 4th-6th grade
in Cornerstones of Freedom (Location: VIN-CORN)
$5.95
Story of the Erie Canal
from Sonlight Curriculum, Ltd.
for 4th-6th Grade
in Western Expansion (1800-1898) (Location: HISA-19WES)
$2.00 (2 in stock)
Story of the Gettysburg Address
Cornerstones of Freedom
by Kenneth Richards
from Children's Press
for 4th-6th Grade
in Cornerstones of Freedom (Location: VIN-CORN)
$2.50 (1 in stock)
Story of the Lone Star Republic
Cornerstones of Freedom
by R. Conrad Stein
from Sonlight Curriculum, Ltd.
for 4th-6th Grade
in Cornerstones of Freedom (Location: VIN-CORN)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Story of The Monitor and the Merrimac
by R. Conrad Stein
from Sonlight Curriculum, Ltd.
for 4th-6th Grade
in American Civil War (1860-1865) (Location: HISA-19CW)
$2.00 (2 in stock)
Story of the Reconstruction
Cornerstones of Freedom series
by Brendan January
from Scholastic Inc.
for 4th-6th grade
in Cornerstones of Freedom (Location: VIN-CORN)
$2.50 (1 in stock)
Story of the Roaring Twenties
Cornerstones of Freedom series
by R. Conrad Stein
from Scholastic Inc.
Non-fiction for 4th-6th grade
in Cornerstones of Freedom (Location: VIN-CORN)
$2.50 (1 in stock)
Story of the Spirit of St. Louis
Cornerstones of Freedom
by R. Conrad Stein
from Children's Press
for 2nd-5th grade
in Cornerstones of Freedom (Location: VIN-CORN)
$2.50 (2 in stock)
Story of the Trail of Tears
by R. Conrad Stein
from Children's Press
for 4th-6th Grade
in Cornerstones of Freedom (Location: VIN-CORN)
$2.50 (1 in stock)
Top of the World
by Steve Jenkins
from Houghton Mifflin
for 4th-6th grade
2000 NCTE Orbis Pictus Honor Book
in 20th Century Exploration (Location: HISW-20EXP)
$6.95
True Book: Antarctica
A True Book: Geography
by Mel Friedman
from Children's Press
for 3rd-5th grade
in Geography Reference (Location: GEO-REF)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
True Book: The Constitution of the United States
by Patricia Ryon Quiri
from Children's Press
for 3rd-5th grade
in Government & Civics Resources (Location: GOV-REF)
$3.50 (2 in stock)
Usborne Book of Explorers
by Anne Millard, Felicity Everett & Struan Reid
from Usborne
for 4th-6th grade
in Age of Exploration (1450-1700) (Location: HISA-16EXP)
$7.00
Usborne History of the Twentieth Century
by Christina Hopkinson
from Usborne
Reference for 4th-8th grade
in 20th Century (Location: HISW-20)
$4.00 (5 in stock)
Vietnam War
20th Century Perspectives
by Douglas Willoughby
from Heinemann
for 3rd-6th grade
in Vietnam War (1957-1975) (Location: HISA-20VIE)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Voice That Challenged a Nation
by Russell Freedman
from Clarion Books
for 5th-9th grade
2005 Newbery Honor Book, NCTE Orbis Pictus Honor Book, 2005 Robert F. Sibert Medal winner
in Civil Rights Movement (1955-1968) (Location: HISA-20CIV)
$11.99
War in Iraq
from Franklin Watts
for 3rd-5th grade
in War on Terror (Location: HISA-21WT)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
We’ve Got a Job
by Cynthia Levinson
from Peachtree Publishers, Ltd.
for 5th-8th grade
in Civil Rights Movement (1955-1968) (Location: HISA-20CIV)
$13.95
What Was the Holocaust?
What Was?
by Gail Herman
1st edition from Grosset & Dunlap
for 3rd-7th grade
in Holocaust (Location: HISW-20WW2H)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
What's the Big Idea, Ben Franklin?
by Jean Fritz
from PaperStar Books
for 4th-6th grade
in New Nation (1783-1800) (Location: HISA-18NN)
$6.99 $3.50 (3 in stock)
What's the Big Idea, Ben Franklin?
by Jean Fritz
from PaperStar Books
for 2nd-6th grade
in New Nation (1783-1800) (Location: HISA-18NN)
$3.50 (2 in stock)
You Are There! London 1666
by Dona Herweck Rice
from Teacher Created Materials, Inc.
for 3rd-6th grade
in Natural Disasters: Fires and Floods (Location: SCI-EARFI)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
You Wouldn't Want to Be an American Colonist!
by Written by Peter Cook, Peter Hicks, Fiona Macdonald, and Jacqueline Morley, and Illustrated by David Antram
from Scholastic Press
for 2nd-5th grade
in Colonial America (1690-1765) (Location: HISA-17COL)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
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