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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193 Items found Print
Active Filters: 5th grade (Ages 10-11), Perfectbound
500 Facts: American History for Kids
from Rockridge Press
for 3rd-6th grade
in American History Reference (Location: HISA-REF)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
Across America
by Jacqueline Morley
from Franklin Watts
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in Lewis & Clark Expedition (1801-1803) (Location: HISA-19L&C)
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Africa Is My Home
by Monica Edinger, illustrated by Robert Byrd
from Scholastic Inc.
for 3rd-6th grade
in Slavery & the Underground Railroad (Location: HISA-19SL)
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African-Americans in the Thirteen Colonies
by Deborah Kent
from Children's Press
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in Cornerstones of Freedom (Location: VIN-CORN)
Alexander Hamilton: The Outsider
by Jean Fritz; illustrated by Ian Schoenherr
from Puffin Books
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in Biographies (Location: BIO)
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Amelia Earhart
by Francene Sabin and Joanne Mattern, illustrated by Karen Milone
from Scholastic Inc.
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in Biographies (Location: BIO)
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America - with CD
from Diana Waring Presents
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in Diana Waring History Revealed (Location: OHIS-DWHR)
America At War: Korean War
by John Perritano
from Scholastic Inc.
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in Korean War (1950-1953) (Location: HISA-20KW)
$4.00 (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)
American Adventures Part 1
by Morrie Greenberg
from Brooke-Richards Press
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in American History Reference (Location: HISA-REF)
$3.50 (5 in stock)
American Adventures Part 2
by Morrie Greenberg
from Brooke-Richards Press
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in American History Reference (Location: HISA-REF)
$6.00 (2 in stock)
American History: Globalization 1977-2008
from Saddleback Educational Publishing
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in Comic Books & Graphic Novels (Location: FIC-COMIC)
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American History: The Civil Rights Movement & Vietnam 1960-1976
from Saddleback Educational Publishing
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$2.80 (1 in stock)
American Indian Prayer Guide
by Danette Maloof, Dean Cozzens
from Sonlight Curriculum, Ltd.
for 4th-7th grade
in Native American History (Location: HISA-19NAT)
$4.50 (3 in stock)
Ancient India
People of the Ancient World
by Virginia Schomp
from Scholastic Inc.
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Ancient Israelites and Their Neighbors
by Marian Broida
from Chicago Review Press
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Anne of Jamestown
by Anne Price-Hardister, illustrated by Ruby Gardner
from Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation
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Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.: April 4, 1968
24 Hour History
by Terry Collins
from Capstone Press
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$3.60 (1 in stock)
Battle of the Little Bighorn
by R. Conrad Stein
from Children's Press
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Before Columbus
by Charles C. Mann
from Scholastic Inc.
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Big Book of the Civil War
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Bill of Rights
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Bill of Rights
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Brooklyn Bridge
by Elizabeth Mann
from Mikaya Press
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in U.S. Monuments & Symbols (Location: HISV-LANUS)
$7.50 (1 in stock)
Building the New York Subway
Cornerstones of Freedom Second Series
by Andrew Santella
from Children's Press
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in Cornerstones of Freedom (Location: VIN-CORN)
Can't You Make Them Behave, King George?
by Jean Fritz
from PaperStar Books
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Canada from A to Z
from Crabtree Publishing
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in Canada (Location: HISMC-CAN)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Central Pacific Railroad
Cornerstones of Freedom Second Series
by Clark J. Evans
from Children's Press
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in Cornerstones of Freedom (Location: VIN-CORN)
Chief Joseph: Leader of Destiny
by Kate Jassem
from Troll Associates
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$2.40 (2 in stock)
Children of Native America Today
by Yvonne Wakim Dennis and Arlene Hirschfelder
from Charlesbridge
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$3.00 (1 in stock)
Chuck Yeager Breaks the Sound Barrier
by R. Conrad Stein
from Children's Press
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Civil Rights Movement in America
Cornerstones of Freedom
by Elaine Landau
Reprint from Children's Press
for 2nd-5th grade
in Cornerstones of Freedom (Location: VIN-CORN)
Civil War: An Interactive History Adventure
You Choose Books
by Matt Doeden
from Capstone Press
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$2.80 (1 in stock)
Colter's Run
by Judith Edwards, illustrated by John Potter
from Falcon Press Publishing
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in Western Expansion (1800-1898) (Location: HISA-19WES)
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Countries Around the World: New Zealand
by Mary Colson
from Heinemann-Raintree
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Cowboys on the Western Trail
by Eric Oatman
from National Geographic
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Creative God Colorful Us
by Trillia Newbell, Paintings by Chase Williamson
from Moody Press
for 3rd-7th grade
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$12.99
Daily Life in a Plains Indian Village 1868
by Michael Bad Hand Terry
from Clarion Books
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Declaration of Independence
History Speaks
by Douglas M. Rife
from Teaching & Learning Company
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Declaration of Independence
Documenting U.S. History
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Don't Know Much About American History
by Kenneth C. Davis
from HarperCollins
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Early American History for Intermediate Grades - Guide
by Rea Berg & Rebecca Manor
3rd edition from Beautiful Feet Books
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$25.95
Early Family Home
Early Settler Life Series
by Bobbie Kalman
from Crabtree Publishing
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Electrical Wizard
by Elizabeth Rusch, illustrated by Oliver Dominguez
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Elizabeth I, the People's Queen
by Kerrie Logan Hollihan
from Chicago Review Press
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Ellis Island
Cornerstones of Freedom
by Melissa McDaniel
from Scholastic Inc.
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Famous Pioneers & Frontiersmen
What a Character! Notable Lives from History
by Marilyn Boyer
from Master Books
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Flags to Color from the American Revolution
by Whitney Smith
from Bellerophon Books
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Geography of Oregon
by John B. Woods and Nelson S. Rogers
from Allyn and Bacon
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George Washington Carver
by Tonya Bolden
from Harry N. Abrams, Inc.
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George Washington Carver: Botanist
Black Americans of Achievement
by Gene Adair, introduction by Coretta Scott King
from Chelsea House Publishing
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George Washington You Never Knew
by James Lincoln Collier
from Scholastic Inc.
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Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami
from kahoku Shimpo Publishing Co
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in Japan (Location: HISMC-JAP)
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Great Fire
by Jim Murphy
from Scholastic Inc.
for 4th-6th grade
1996 NCTE Orbis Pictus Award
in 19th Century America (Location: HISA-19C)
$8.99
Greece: The Land
The Lands, Peoples, and Cultures Series
by Bobbie Kalman, Sierra Adare
from Crabtree Publishing
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Hannibal: A Wicked History
by Philip Brooks
from Franklin Watts
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Hear that Train Whistle Blow!
by Milton Meltzer
from Random House
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Hero Over Here
by Kathleen V. Kudlinski
from Sonlight Curriculum, Ltd.
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How and Why Wonder Book of the Civil War
by Earl Schenck Miers
from Grosset & Dunlap
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I'm In Charge of Celebrations
by Byrd Baylor, illustrated by Peter Parnall
from Aladdin Paperbacks
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in Poetry for Children (Location: POET-CHIL)
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If You Grew Up With George Washington
If You Were There
by Ruth Belov Gross
from Scholastic Inc.
for 2nd-5th grade
in Colonial America (1690-1765) (Location: HISA-17COL)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Incans, Aztecs, Mayans
by John Holzmann
from Sonlight Curriculum, Ltd.
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in Ancient America (Location: HISW-ANAM)
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Incans, Aztecs, Mayans
by John Holzmann
from Sonlight Curriculum, Ltd.
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in Ancient America (Location: HISW-ANAM)
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Indian Winter
by Russell Freedman
from Scholastic Inc.
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J.R.R. Tolkien for Kids OSI
by Simonetta Carr
from Chicago Review Press
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Jackie Robinson Breaks the Color Line
Cornerstones of Freedom series
by Andrew Santella
from Scholastic Inc.
Non-fiction for 4th-6th grade
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Jesse Owens: Gold Medal Hero
Sterling Biographies
by Jim Gigliotti
from Sterling Publishing Co.
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Joan of Arc: Heavenly Warrior
Sterling Biographies
by Tabatha Yeatts
from Sterling Publishing Co.
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Joseph, Chief of the Nez Perce
by Dean Pollock
from Binford & Mort Publishing
Picture Book Biography for 5th-7th grade
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Last River
by Stuart Waldman, illustrated by Gregory Manchess
from Mikaya Press
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Life in Ancient Rome
by Joseph Farrell
from Running Press
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Life in the Far North
Native Nations of North America
by Bobbie Kalman and Rebecca Sjonger
from Crabtree Publishing
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in Native American History (Location: HISA-19NAT)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Life on a Plantation
Historic Communities
by Bobbie Kalman
from Crabtree Publishing
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in Everyday Life in History (Location: HISV-EVERY)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
Louis Armstrong and the Jazz Age
Cornerstones of Freedom
by Dan Elish
Reprint from Children's Press
for 2nd-5th grade
in Cornerstones of Freedom (Location: VIN-CORN)
Magellan and the Exploration of South America
by Colin Hynson
from Barron's
Non-fiction for 4th-8th grade
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$4.00 (2 in stock)
Man & Yosemite
by Ted Orland
from Image Continuum Press
for 4th-Adult
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$11.00 (1 in stock)
Maps Activity Book
by Aleksandra Mizielinska, Daniel Mizielinski
from Big Picture Press
for 3rd-5th grade
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$10.00 (1 in stock)
Marco Polo
by Struan Reid
from Heinemann Library
for 3rd-6th grade
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Marian Anderson
History Maker Bios
by Jane Sutcliffe
from Lerner Publishing Group
for 3rd-5th grade
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$3.20 (1 in stock)
Marvelous Mammals From Down Under
by Heather Horn
from The Good and the Beautiful
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in GATB Science & Health (Location: CUR-GABSc)
Musical Memories of Laura Ingalls Wilder - with CD
Experience History Through Music
by Diana Waring
from Diana Waring Presents
for 1st-6th grade
in Diana Waring History Revealed (Location: OHIS-DWHR)
Mystery of the Maya
by Peter Lourie
from Boyds Mill Press
for 2nd-5th grade
in Ancient America (Location: HISW-ANAM)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
N.C. Wyeth's Pilgrims
by Robert San Souci, illustrated by N.C. Wyeth
from Chronicle Books
for Kindergarten-5th grade
in Pilgrims at Plymouth (Location: HISA-17PIL)
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)
$3.20 (1 in stock)
National Parks Coloring Book
by Sophie Tivona
from Harper Design
for 2nd-Adult
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$6.00 (1 in stock)
National Parks of the USA - Activity Book
by Claire Grace; inspired by the book by Kate Siber, illustrated by Chris Turnham
from Quarto Publishing
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in U.S. Monuments & Symbols (Location: HISV-LANUS)
$10.99
Nations of the Northwest Coast
by Kathryn Smithyman and Bobbie Kalman
from Crabtree Publishing
for 3rd-6th grade
in Native American History (Location: HISA-19NAT)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
New England Indians
by C. Keith Wilbur
2nd edition from The Globe Pequot Press
for 3rd-12th grade
in Native American History (Location: HISA-19NAT)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
Nystrom Atlas of United States History
from Nystrom
for 5th-12th grade
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$6.00 (1 in stock)
Oregon History - Student Workbook
by Georgia Sligar
Revised Edition from Oregon History Book
for 4th-8th grade
in Pacific States (Location: HISV-PNW)
Our 50 States
by Lynne Cheney
from Simon and Schuster
for 4th-6th grade
in United States Geography (Location: GEO-REFUS)
$9.99
People Could Fly
by Virginia Hamilton, illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon
from Scholastic Inc.
for 4th-8th grade
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Pioneer Children of Appalachia
by Joan Anderson, photography by George Ancona
from Clarion Books
for 2nd-5th grade
in Pioneer & Frontier Life (Location: HISA-19PIO)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Plymouth Thanksgiving
by Leonard Weisgard
Reprint from Doubleday Book For Young Readers
for Kindergarten-5th grade
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$5.00 (1 in stock)
Polycarp of Smyrna
Heroes of the Faith
by Sinclair B. Ferguson
from Banner of Truth Trust
for 3rd-6th grade
in Church History for Kids (Location: XCH-KID)
$10.00
Portraits of African-American Heroes
by Tonya Bolden, illustrated by Ansel Pitcairn
from Scholastic Inc.
for 3rd-6th grade
in Biography Anthologies (Location: BIO-ANTH)
$5.60 (2 in stock)
Prairie Primer
by Margie Gray
2nd edition from Cadron Creek Christian Curriculum
for 3rd-6th grade
in Cadron Creek Literature Guides (Location: LITCUR-CAD)
Prairie Schooners
by Glen Rounds
from Holiday House
for 3rd-6th grade
in Oregon Trail (Location: HISA-19OR)
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)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Reconstruction and the Aftermath of the Civil War
Understanding the Civil War
by Lisa Colozza Cocca
from Crabtree Publishing
for 3rd-6th grade
in Gilded Age & Progressive Era (1877-1918) (Location: HISA-19GI)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
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