United States History

What should we say about the United States of America? So much has already been said, adding our two cents is a bit redundant or presumptuous, depending on your perspective. Certainly, no one needs us to outline the facts, the major events and figures, or to describe our unique written Constitution and democratic-republican system.

We can offer a bit of perspective. It's nothing new, nothing we came up with on our own, but it is different from a lot of the prevailing notions about both history in general and our nation in particular.

For starters, there's no specific reference to the U.S. in the Bible. The principles found in God's Word that apply to all nations certainly apply to the United States as well, but we aren't a Christian nation, we don't hold a special place in biblical prophecy, and Manifest Destiny is the result of Enlightenment rationalist views about the Progress of Mankind rather than being rooted in any kind of Christian attitude.

That said, many of the first settlers of the New World were dedicated Christians seeking the right to worship God without the constraints of political entanglement or government-imposed strictures and doctrine. The Pilgrims came in 1620, just 13 years after the first successful English settlement at Jamestown, and the Puritan settlers followed soon after.

Their arrivals and colonization didn't make America Christian, of course. It was a broad continent, largely unknown, and the initial colonies weren't strictly bound together at first, as they were later to become. By that time, things had become substantially more secular, so that by the 18th century many Americans were just as degenerate as their European counterparts. Fortunately, men like Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield were around to preach the true Gospel, and to initiate a revival known as the Great Awakening.

Secular forces were still at work, though. While there were definitely many Christians involved, the American Revolution was largely the result of Enlightenment philosophizing, and men were convinced that America could produce a virtuous and stable population if education and participatory government were enforced. So they rebelled against England, and the United States republic was formed.

Ever since, groups and individuals have tried to call Americans back to their Christian roots. That's the wrong strategy: we don't need to call anyone back to anything, we need to point the way forward to the pursuit of Christ and the bringing of His Gospel and glory to every corner of the earth no matter what our country of origin. That America has been so materially blessed simply means we have more options at our disposal for proclaiming and bringing the Word to the rest of the world.

Our study of United States history is consequently Christ-centered. Not because we think America is more Christian than other countries, but because it (like all other nations) is under Christ's control as King of Heaven and Lord of Time. Of course, you shouldn't abandon study of the facts, people and events, but they only attain true meaning when viewed through the lens of Christ's ultimate plan of redemption and self-glorification.

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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85 Items found Print
Active Filters: 2nd grade (Ages 7-8), Trade Paperback, Used Books & Materials
Adventures of Munford: Munford Meets Lewis & Clark
by Jamie Aramini
from Geography Matters
for 2nd-4th grade
in Lewis & Clark (Location: HISA-19L&C)
$5.00 (1 in stock)
America in the Time of Abraham Lincoln
by Sally Senzell Isaacs
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Angel Child, Dragon Child
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Anne Frank's Story
by Carol Ann Lee
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Around the World in a Hundred Years
by Jean Fritz
from Penguin Putnam
Biography for 2nd-5th grade
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Book About Christopher Columbus
by Ruth Belov Gross, Illustrated by Syd Hoff
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Children of Mount Vernon
by Miriam Anne Bourne, illustrated by Gloria Kamen
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Children of the Earth and Sky
by Stephen Krensky, Illustrated by James Watling
from Scholastic Inc.
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$1.50 (2 in stock)
Children's Color Book of Jamestown in Virginia
by Priscilla Hunt
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Civil War Artist
by Taylor Morrison
from HMH Books for Young Readers
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Colonial America
by Donald M. Silver, Patricia J. Wynne
from Scholastic Inc.
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Colonial Times 1600-1700
by Joy Masoff
from Scholastic Inc.
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Colonial Town: Williamsburg
by Bobbie Kalman
Revised from Crabtree Publishing
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in Colonial America (1690-1765) (Location: HISA-17COL)
$4.50 (2 in stock)
Columbus Discovers America - Coloring Book
by Peter F. Copeland
from Dover Publications
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Coming On Home Soon
by Jacqueline Woodson
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Coming to America
by Betsy Maestro
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Daniel Boone
by Carol Greene
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F is for Freedom
by Roni Schotter
from Scholastic Press
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Famous Figures of the American Revolution
from Figures in Motion
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First Book of America
by L. Somerville
from Usborne
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$2.25 (1 in stock)
Glorious Flight
by Martin & Alice Provensen
from Puffin Books
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1984 Caldecott Medal winner
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Going West!
Kalideoscope Kids Book
by Carol A. Johmann, Elizabeth J. Rieth
from Williamson Publishing Company
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Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King
by Jean Marzollo, illustrated by J. Brian Pinkney
from Scholastic Inc.
Picture Book Biography for Kindergarten-3rd grade
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Henry Ford
by Dina El Nabli
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Hiawatha
by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
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How Many Days to America?
by Eve Bunting
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If You Grew Up With Abraham Lincoln
If You Were There
by Ann McGovern
from Scholastic Inc.
Historical Non-fiction for 2nd-5th grade
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If You Lived at the Time of Martin Luther King
by Ellen Levine
Updated from Scholastic Inc.
Historical Non-Fiction for 2nd-5th grade
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If You Lived at the Time of the American Revolution
If You Were There
by Kay Moore
from Scholastic Inc.
Non-Fiction for 2nd-5th grade
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If You Lived at the Time of the Civil War
If You Were There
by Kay Moore
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Historical Non-fiction for 2nd-5th grade
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If You Lived At The Time Of The Great San Francisco Earthquake
by Ellen Levine
from Scholastic Inc.
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If You Lived in Colonial Times
If You Were There
by Ann McGovern
from Scholastic Inc.
Non-Fiction for 2nd-5th grade
in Colonial America (1690-1765) (Location: HISA-17COL)
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If You Lived in Williamsburg in Colonial Days
If You Were There
by Barbara Brenner, Jenny Williams (Ilustrator)
from Scholastic Inc.
Historical non-fiction for 2nd-5th grade
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If You Lived With the Iroquois
by Ellen Levine
from Scholastic Inc.
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If You Lived With the Sioux Indians
If You Were There
by Ann McGovern
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If You Traveled West in a Covered Wagon
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Historical Non-fiction for 2nd-5th grade
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If You Were There When They Signed the Constitution
If You Were There
by Elizabeth Levy
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If Your Name Was Changed at Ellis Island
If You Were There
by Ellen Levine & Wayne Parmenter
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In 1492
by Jean Marzollo
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Picture Book Biography for Kindergarten-3rd grade
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In Search of the Lost Colony
Outer Banks Animals Adventure Series
by Mary Maden
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Industrial Revolution
by Carla Mooney
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Jamestown
Adventures in Colonial America
by James Knight
from Beautiful Feet Books
Non-fiction for Kindergarten-3rd grade
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Journey West on the Oregon Trail
by Cecile Alyce Nolan
from Rain Dance Publishing
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Just a Few Words, Mr. Lincoln
An All Aboard Reading Reader Level 4
by Jean Fritz
from Grosset & Dunlap
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$3.00 (1 in stock)
Kirsten's Cook Book
American Girl
by Jodi Evert
from Scholastic Inc.
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$2.40 (1 in stock)
Martin Luther King, Jr.: A Man of Peace
by Garnet Jackson, Illustrations by George Ford
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$3.00 (4 in stock)
Mary Geddy's Day
by Kate Waters
from Scholastic Inc.
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in Colonial America (1690-1765) (Location: HISA-17COL)
$3.00 (3 in stock)
Meet Samantha
American Girl
by Susan S. Adler
from American Girl
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Meet Thomas Jefferson
by Marvin Barrett
from Random House
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More Than Moccasins
by Laurie Carlson
from Chicago Review Press
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Mysterious Journey
by Martha Wickham
from Soundprints
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Native Homes
by Bobbie Kalman
from Crabtree Publishing
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New England Soldiers of the American Revolution
by Marko Zlatich, Illustrations by Donna Neary
from Bellerophon Books
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$1.50 (1 in stock)
Old Ironsides
by David L. Weitzman
from Sandpiper Books
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On the Mayflower
by Kate Waters
from Scholastic Inc.
Non-fiction for 1st-3rd grade
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Patchwork Quilt
by Valerie Flournoy
from Scholastic Inc.
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Paul Bunyan
by Steven Kellogg
from William Morrow & Company
Fairy Tales, Fables, and Legends for
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Pledge of Allegiance
by Scholastic, Scholastic Inc.
Cmv from Scholastic Inc.
for Preschool- 3rd Grade
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$2.00 (1 in stock)
Powwow
by George Ancona
from HMH Books for Young Readers
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$5.00 (1 in stock)
Presidency From A to Z
by Kathryn Leventis-Molesa & Helen L. Hess
from Univ Editions
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$3.00 (3 in stock)
Presidents Sticker Book
by John P. Holms
from Learning Horizons
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Samantha Learns a Lesson
American Girls
by Susan S. Adler
from American Girl
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Samuel Eaton's Day
by Kate Waters
from Scholastic Inc.
Non-fiction for Nursery-2nd grade
in Pilgrims at Plymouth (Location: HISA-17PIL)
$4.50 (2 in stock)
Sarah Morton's Day
by Kate Waters
from Scholastic Inc.
Non-fiction for Nursery-2nd grade
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$3.00 (1 in stock)
Smart About the Presidents
by Jill Weber, Jon Buller, Susan Schade
from Grosset & Dunlap
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$2.00 (1 in stock)
So You Want To Be President?
by Judith St. George
Reprint from Philomel Books
for 2nd-5th grade
2001 Caldecott Medal winner
in American Presidency (Location: HISV-PRE)
$4.00 (1 in stock)
Spanish-American War
by Alden R. Carter
from Franklin Watts
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$5.00 (1 in stock)
Squanto's Journey
by Joseph Bruchac
Reprint from HMH Books for Young Readers
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Pilgrims at Plymouth (Location: HISA-17PIL)
$7.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
Start Exploring the American West
by Emmanuel M. Kramer, illustrated by Helen I. Driggs
from Running Press
for 1st-5th grade
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$4.00 (1 in stock)
Stories of the Pilgrims
by Margaret Pumphrey
2nd edition from Christian Liberty Press
for 2nd-4th grade
in CLP Phonics & Reading (Location: REA-CLP)
$14.50 $8.00 (2 in stock)
Stories of the Pilgrims (old)
by Margaret Pumphrey
Revised Edition from Christian Liberty Press
for 2nd-5th grade
in Old Edition Reading (Location: OREAD)
$3.50 (2 in stock)
Story of Ruby Bridges
by Robert Coles, Illustrated by George Ford
Rep Anv Sp from Scholastic Inc.
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
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$6.99 $4.50 (1 in stock)
Story of Ruby Bridges
by Robert Coles, Illustrated by George Ford
from Scholastic Inc.
for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$4.50 (2 in stock)
Thanksgiving Story
by Alice Dalgliesh
from Simon and Schuster
Historical Fiction for 1st-3rd grade
1955 Caldecott Honor Book
in Pilgrims at Plymouth (Location: HISA-17PIL)
$8.99 $5.50 (2 in stock)
Three Young Pilgrims
by Cheryl Harness
from Aladdin Paperbacks
Biography for 1st-4th grade
in Pilgrims at Plymouth (Location: HISA-17PIL)
$7.99 $4.00 (1 in stock)
Thunder at Gettysburg
by Patricia Lee Gauch, Stephen Gammell
from Boyds Mill Press
for 1st-4th grade
in American Civil War (1860-1865) (Location: HISA-19CW)
$7.50 (1 in stock)
Tools and Gadgets (Historic Communities)
by Bobbie Kalman
from Crabtree Publishing
for 1st-8th grade
in Colonial America (1690-1765) (Location: HISA-17COL)
$4.50 (1 in stock)
Traveling Man
by James Rumford
Reprint from HMH Books for Young Readers
for 1st-3rd grade
in Age of Exploration (1450-1700) (Location: HISA-16EXP)
$8.00 (1 in stock)
Uncle Jed's Barbershop
by Margaree King Mitchell
from Aladdin Paperbacks
for 1st-3rd grade
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$8.99 $5.00 (1 in stock)
Walking for Freedom
by Richard Kelso
from Steck-Vaughn Company
for 2nd-4th grade
in Civil Rights Movement (1955-1968) (Location: HISA-20CIV)
$3.50 (1 in stock)
Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park
by Emilie U. Lepthien
from Children's Press
for 2nd-5th grade
in Landmarks & Symbols of the United States (Location: HISV-LANUS)
$2.50 (1 in stock)
Winter at Valley Forge
Adventures in Colonial America
by James Knight
from Beautiful Feet Books
Non-fiction for Kindergarten-3rd grade
in American Revolution (1765-1783) (Location: HISA-18REV)
$6.95 $4.00 (1 in stock)
Woodworkers
by Bobbie Kalman, Deanna Brady
from Crabtree Publishing
for 2nd-3rd grade
in Colonial America (1690-1765) (Location: HISA-17COL)
$6.00 (1 in stock)
World War I for Kids
by R. Kent Rasmussen
1st edition from Chicago Review Press
for 1st-6th grade
in World War I (1914-1919) (Location: HISA-20WW1)
$9.50 (1 in stock)
World War II for Kids
by Richard Panchyk
1st edition from Chicago Review Press
for 1st-6th grade
in World War II (1939-1945) (Location: HISA-20WW2)
$9.50 (1 in stock)