Regional History

Once upon a time, schoolchildren could be expected to know the name of the mountains separating France from Spain, the location of the Nile River, the capitals of all fifty states, and what and where the Pampas could be found. Now, even adults have a hard time naming the most populous city in the U.S. or the countries of Asia. These are, indeed, sad times, and doomed to become sadder if this geographic ignorance is not turned to knowledge.

Without a firm grasp on geography, how can we expect to know anything about history? History is rooted in a sense of place. Why did the Union troops lose the Battle of Cold Harbor? Because they were attacking Confederate fortifications uphill. And if you don't know anything about the Alps, the fact that Hannibal's army crossed them with elephants won't surprise you near as much as it should. Understanding the physical terrain and the demographics of an area are essential to understanding the history of that region.

Which is why studying history by place is such a good idea. There are cultural considerations, of course, and these can be immensely helpful guides in their own right, but simply looking at the lay of the land so to speak will provide a sense of context more abstract boundaries never can. African history, for instance, makes so much more sense if you know what the continent is like.

Even cultures are influenced by geography. Take the United States: some of the most important advances in transportation technology happened within her borders largely due to necessity. The steam engine train was perfected here, automobiles and airplanes were invented here, and in the last few decades we've led the world in space exploration.

It's not that no one traveled before the 19th and 20th century, or outside the North American continent—it's just that because the new nation was so vast, and there were so many natural barriers (the Mississippi River, the Grand Tetons and Great Smokey Mountains, the Mojave Desert), new forms of getting from here to there were not only a good idea, they were a necessity.

There probably isn't one instance in the history of the world in which geography and events weren't directly tied. Certainly this is true for military history, and exploration, and agriculture, but it's also true of ideas and ideologies. Part of the reason slavery was such an important part of Southern culture in the U.S. was that cotton was an immensely growable crop and only armies of slaves could be counted on to get all the work done; in order to justify the use of forced labor, however, a philosophical ethos was developed.

Other instances may be more obscure, but no less true. In France, the mild climate and fertile country led to a series of approaches to thought that emphasized experience and the pursuit of pleasure for its own sake (particularly existentialism); in ancient Greece, the geographical isolation enforced by mountains and seas allowed democratic polity to emerge among the city states.

Geography and history are pretty much Siamese twins, and academic technology has not advanced to the point where they can be separated without risk of life to both. We've organized the subcategories in this section along pretty standard lines (continents, countries, and the like), but standards arise because they work. Explore a region you're unfamiliar with; you're likely to uncover quite a few surprises.

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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80 Items found Print
Active Filters: 3rd grade (Ages 8-9), Mass market paperback, Used Books & Materials
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)
Arrow Over the Door
by Joseph Bruchac
from Puffin Books
for 3rd-6th grade
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Ballad of Lucy Whipple
by Karen Cushman
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Ben and Me
by Robert Lawson
from Little, Brown & Company
Humor/historical fiction for 2nd-5th grade
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Benjamin Franklin: Young Printer
by Augusta Stevenson
from Aladdin Paperbacks
Biography for 3rd-6th grade
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Big Wave
by Pearl S. Buck
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Blazing West: The Journal of Augustus Pelletier
by Kathryn Lasky
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Bravest Dog Ever
Step Into Reading Level 3
by Natalie Standiford
from Random House
Animal Stories for 1st-3rd grade
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Buffalo Bill: Frontier Daredevil
Childhood of Famous Americans
by Meryl Stevenson
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By the Great Horn Spoon!
by Sid Fleischman
from Little, Brown & Company
Realistic Fiction for 3rd-6th grade
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Caleb's Story
by Patricia MacLachlan
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Family Stories for 2nd-6th grade
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Canada Geese Quilt
by Natalie Kinsey-Warnock
from Cobblehill Books
Realistic Fiction for 1st-3rd grade
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Columbus and the Renaissance Explorers
from Scholastic Inc.
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Concise Illustrated History of the American Revolution
from Eastern Acorn Press
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Courage of Sarah Noble
by Alice Dalgliesh
Reissue from Aladdin Paperbacks
Realistic Fiction for Kindergarten-6th grade
1955 Newbery Honor Book
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Crispus Attucks: Black Leader of Colonial Patriots
Childhood of Famous Americans
by Dharathula H. Millender
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Daniel Boone: Young Hunter and Tracker
Childhood of Famous Americans
by Augusta Stevenson
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Defenders, The
by Ann McGovern
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Fireflies in the Dark
by Susan Goldman Rubin
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George Washington's Breakfast
by Jean Fritz
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Biography for 1st-4th grade
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George Washington's Breakfast
by Jean Fritz
from Coward McCann
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George Washington, Spymaster
by Thomas B. Allen
from National Geographic
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Gonna Sing My Head Off
by Kathleen Krull
from Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
for Preschool- 3rd Grade
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Grain of Rice
by Helena Clare Pittman
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Fairy Tales, Fables, and Legends for 2nd-4th grade
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Guide to Australia
by Michael March
from Highlights for Children
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Harry Houdini: Master of Magic
by Robert Kraske
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Hill of Fire
An I Can Read Book Level 3
by Thomas Lewis & Joan Sandin
from HarperCollins
Historical Fiction for 2nd-4th grade
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History of Mexico: An Introduction
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House on Walenska Street
by Charlotte Herman
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Hundred Penny Box
by Sharon Bell Mathis
from Scholastic Inc.
Realistic Fiction for 1st-3rd grade
Newbery Honor
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I Survived the Bombing of Pearl Harbor, 1941
by Lauren Tarshis
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In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson
by Bette Bao Lord
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Immigration for 2nd-6th grade
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In Their Own Words: Abraham Lincoln
In Their Own Words
by George Sullivan
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Biography for 3rd-4th grade
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Jimmy Spoon and the Pony Express
by Kristiana Gregory
from Scholastic Inc.
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Josefina Story Quilt
An I Can Read Book Level 3
by Eleanor Coerr
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Historical Fiction for 2nd-4th grade
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Journey to America
Journey to America Saga #1
by Sonia Levitin
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Kidnapped Prince
by Olaudah Equiano
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Les Miserables (adapted)
Stepping Stones: A Chapter Book
by Victor Hugo, Adapted by Monica Kulling
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Historical Fiction for 1st-4th grade
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Letters from Rifka
by Karen Hesse
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Realistic Fiction for 3rd-6th grade
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Lights In Lisuland
CF4Kids Trail Blazers
by Irene Howat
from Christian Focus Publications
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Little Farm in the Ozarks
Rocky Ridge Years Book 2
by Roger Lea MacBride
from HarperCollins
Realistic Fiction/Pioneers for 3rd-6th grade
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Long Way to a New Land
An I Can Read Book Level 3
by Joan Sandin
from HarperCollins
Historical Fiction for 2nd-4th grade
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Long Way Westward
An I Can Read Book Level 3
by Joan Sandin
from HarperCollins
Historical Fiction for 2nd-4th grade
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Matchlock Gun
by Walter Edmonds
from PaperStar Books
Historical Fiction for 2nd-4th grade
1942 Newbery Medal winner
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Meet Christopher Columbus
Second Series Landmark / Step Up reprints
by James de Kay
from Random House
Biography for 3rd-6th grade
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Meet George Washington
Second Series Landmark / Step Up reprints
by Joan Heilbroner
from Random House
Biography for 3rd-6th grade
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Meet George Washington
by Joan Heilbroner
First Scholastic Printing 2001 from Scholastic Inc.
Biography for 3rd-6th grade
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Molly Pitcher: Young Patriot
Childhood of Famous Americans
by Augusta Stevenson
from Aladdin Paperbacks
Biography for 3rd-6th grade
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Molly's Pilgrim
A Bantam First Skylark
by Barbara Cohen, illustrated by Daniel Mark Duffy
from HarperTrophy
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
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$2.00 (5 in stock)
One Thousand Paper Cranes
by Takayuki Ishii
2001 Printing from Laurel-Leaf Books
for 3rd-6th grade
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Planet of Junior Brown
by Virginia Hamilton
from Aladdin Paperbacks
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Pocahontas and the Strangers
by Clyde Robert Bulla
from Scholastic Inc.
Biographies for 3rd-5th grade
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Pompeii
Step Into Reading Level 4
by Edith Kunhardt & Michael Eagle
from Random House
Non-Fiction for 2nd-3rd grade
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Road to Agra
by Aimee Sommerfelt, illustrated by Ulf Aas
from Scholastic Book Services
for 3rd-6th grade
in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Sam the Minuteman
An I Can Read Book Level 3
by Nathaniel Benchley & Arnold Lobel
from HarperCollins
Historical Fiction for 2nd-4th grade
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$2.50 (1 in stock)
Sarah Morton's Day
by Kate Waters
from Scholastic Inc.
Non-fiction for Nursery-3rd grade
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Sarah, Plain and Tall
by Patricia MacLachlan
30th Anniversary from HarperCollins
Family Stories for 2nd-6th grade
1986 Newbery Medal winner
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Serpent Never Sleeps
by Scott O'Dell
from Fawcett Books
for 3rd-6th grade
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Shark Lady
by Ann McGovern
from Scholastic Inc.
for 2nd-4th grade
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$2.50 (1 in stock)
Sounder
by William H. Armstrong
from HarperCollins
Realistic Fiction for 3rd-8th grade
1970 Newbery Medal winner
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Squanto
by Clyde Robert Bulla
from Scholastic Inc.
Biography for 3rd-5th grade
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Story of Harriet Tubman
Dell Yearling Biography
by Kate McMullan
from Yearling
Biography for 3rd-6th grade
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Three-Minute Speech
by Jennifer Armstrong, Illustrated by Albert Lorenz
from Aladdin Paperbacks
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Toliver's Secret
by Esther Brady
from Yearling
Historical Fiction for 3rd-6th grade
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Turn Homeward, Hannalee
by Patricia Beatty
from Beech Tree Books
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Understanding the U.S. Constitution
by Sally Senzell Isaacs
from Crabtree Publishing
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in New Nation (1783-1800) (Location: HISA-18NN)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Wagon Wheels
An I Can Read Book Level 3
by Barbara Brenner
from HarperCollins
Historical Fiction for 2nd-4th grade
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What Was the March on Washington?
What Was?
by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Tim Tomkinson
from Scholastic Inc.
for 3rd-6th grade
in Civil Rights Movement (1955-1968) (Location: HISA-20CIV)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Where is the Amazon?
by Sarah Fabiny, illustrated by Daniel Colon
from Scholastic Inc.
for 3rd-6th grade
in International Landmarks & Symbols (Location: HISV-LANINT)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Where is the Grand Canyon?
by Jim O'Connor, illustrated by Daniel Colon
from Scholastic Inc.
for 3rd-6th grade
in Landmarks & Symbols of the United States (Location: HISV-LANUS)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Where is the Great Barrier Reef?
by Nico Medina, illustrated by John Hinderliter
from Penguin Workshop
for 3rd-6th grade
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Where is the White House?
by Megan Stine, illustrated by David Groff
from Grosset & Dunlap
for 3rd-6th grade
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$3.50 (1 in stock)
Who Is Malala Yousafzai?
Who Was?...Series
by Dinah Brown, illustrated by Andrew Thomson
from Grosset & Dunlap
Biography for 3rd-4th grade
in Who Was? biographies (Location: BIO-WHO)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Who Was Christopher Columbus?
Who Was?...Series
by Barbara Bader, illustrated by Nancy Harrison
from Scholastic Inc.
Biography for 3rd-5th grade
in Who Was? biographies (Location: BIO-WHO)
$3.00 (1 in stock)
Why the Sun and the Moon Live in the Sky
by Elphinstone Dayrell
Reprint from Scholastic Inc.
for 1st-3rd grade
1969 Caldecott Honor Book
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Wilbur and Orville Wright: Young Fliers
by Augusta Stevenson
from Aladdin Paperbacks
Biography for 3rd-6th grade
in Childhood of Famous Americans (Location: BIO-COFA)
$7.99 $4.00 (1 in stock)
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)
Wright Brothers At Kitty Hawk
by Donald J. Sobol
from Scholastic Inc.
Biography for 3rd-6th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$2.00 (1 in stock)
Yo, Millard Fillmore
by Will Cleveland & Mark Alvarez
from Scholastic Inc.
for 1st-5th grade
in American Presidency (Location: HISV-PRE)
$1.50 (1 in stock)
Yo, Millard Fillmore
by Will Cleveland & Mark Alvarez
from Goodwood Press
for 1st-5th grade
in American Presidency (Location: HISV-PRE)
$4.00 (1 in stock)