Great History Reads

Great History Reads.....

U.S. History
	Early America/Revolution The Ordeal of Thomas Hutchinson by Bernard Bailyn sheds light on the inner thoughts of Boston Governor Thomas Hutchinson and the way he viewed the patriots and their cause. Bailyn explains why he and so many other American loyalists viewed the rebellion as a dangerous and rediculous cause. If taken as a case study in the ideals and worldview of English aristocrats and the system in which they lived and worked, the book is very useful in explaining one side of the American Revolution.
	Forced Founders: Indians, Debtors, Slaves, and the Making of the American Revolution in Virginia (Omohundro Institute of Early American History & Culture) by Woody Holton is an eye-opening account of some of the economic factors that helped push the American Revolution forward, and its not all to do with British taxes! Holton's account opens up a world of the new rich in America, their inferiority complex against their British counterparts, and their desires to set themselves apart from the lower classes while keeping themselves out of massive debt to merchants. Holton argues that it was the lower classes that spurred the revolution through their pressure for equality and prosperity and supporting the revoution was the right thing at the right time for the middle classes to protect themselves.
	The Radicalism of the American Revolution by Gordon S. Wood explores the social aspect of the American Revolution and what such an upheaval did to the class structure of the new United States. Addressing topics like deference and gender roles, Wood argues that the real American Revolution was in the assertion of the lower classes in their right to be involved in political decision-making.
	Pauline Maire focuses on the propaganda war that took place from 1765-1775 in her book From Resistance to Revolution: Colonial Radicals and the Development of American Opposition to Britain, 1765-1776 Maire traces the change in tactics from pamphlets to petitions to riots and outlines the goals and reasons for each.
	20th Century Out Of This Furnace: A Novel of Immigrant Labor in America , by Thomas Bell, is about 3 generations of immigrant experience in a steel town, from the 1880s – 1930s. Told in 3rd person, each section is broken up via the individual generational players and weaves a colorful and very real picture of the traditions, struggles, downfalls and triumphs of a “Hunkie” immigrant family. The grandson of a Slovak immigrant, Albert Bell changes only a few key details from his real-life family story to the novel. The book is a powerful journey through very real pain and harsh reality of immigrant life, including arrival to America, the dangers of steel work, attempts at organized labor, prejudice and illiteracy. The book is great for juniors and seniors to experience the humanness and emotion of the Industrial Revolution topic as a whole. The violence and adult themes in the book, however, make it necessary to keep it to an upperclassman assignment. Suggested essay and discussion questions can be found here
TO EVERYTHING A SEASON: Shibe Park and Urban Philadelphia 1909-1976	TO EVERYTHING A SEASON: Shibe Park and Urban Philadelphia 1909-1976 , by Bruce Kuklick chronicles the Philadelphia Athletics and their existence at Shibe Park/Connie Mack Stadium in Philadelphia. A biography about a baseball team, the surrounding history of the city of Philadelphia itself spans the Industrual Revolution, World War I and II, the Civil Rights Movement, and the decline of manufacturing of the 1980's. A good tool for illustrating how a city sports team is integrated into the fabric of the neighborhood in which it resides and how the historical context of every nation affects people on the smallest scale.
	Spreading the American Dream: American Economic & Cultural Expansion 1890-1945 (American Century) by Emily S. Rosenberg chronicles the rise of the United States as a global superpower from the first assertion of power in the Spansh-American war to the beginning of the nuclear age at the end of WWII. This book "...shows how U.S. foreign relationsevolved from a largely private system to an increasingly public one and how...the American dream became global".
Into The Labyrinth: The U.S. and The Middle East 1945-1993	Into The Labyrinth: The U.S. and The Middle East 1945-1993 by H.W. Brands, chronicles the gradually deepening involvement of the U.S. in the Middle East region. As the title suggests, Brands paints the story as an ever entangling involvement in which there is no clear way out and no way to turn back. A good read for upperclassmen who want to know how the U.S. got into the situations it now finds itself and illustrate the complexity of our foreign relations with that region. Top

European History

Nazi Germany/Holocaust

Ordinary Men: Reserve Police Battalion 101 and the Final Solution in Poland by Christopher Browning is an historical study of the demographics and psychological and sociological theories and circumstances that caused the “ordinary men” of German Police Battalion 101 to become systematic killers of Jews. The provocative question that underlies the book, is that if these men were not born Nazis, is it possible that all of us could become killers if the circumstances are right? Furthermore, what is it that makes humans do what they do? This book really does combine a respectable mix of sociology and psychology in the studey of history. If using as a teaching tool, The Chapter entitled One Day in Josephow supplies an adequate overview of the book and combines history, psychology and sociology in the analysis. Parental and teacher discretion advised due to the very adult themes/descriptions in the book.

Germans into Nazis by Peter Frizsche is another sociological history about the German population as a whole and how they ended up condoning such a brutal historical event such as the holocaust. Frizsche begins his exploration of German society on the day the armistice was signed, ending WWI and explores multiple societal and psychological circumstances in explaining why a man like Adolf Hiter was able to seize power and implement so many destructive policies.

Top

Writing and Teaching History
	Social Studies for the 21st Century by Jack Zevin is a great tool for implementing every level of Blooms Taxonomoy in Social Studies classrooms. There are questions to ask, steps to take and ideas and examples galore.
	A Pocket Guide to Writing in History by Mary Lynn Rampolla is exactly what it says it is. From citing and using historical sources to how to conduct research both in the library and online. Great little resource for all writers.
	Past, Present and Personal: Teaching Writing in U.S. History by William C. Kashatus is a fabulous guide to teaching writing and learning history by doing. Whether its community service project ideas or analyzing primary sources, or setting up a role play in your classroom, Past Present and Personal is a one-stop shop for ideas - the title is very well representive of the book.
	Beyond the Textbook: Teaching History Using Documents and Primary Sources by David Kobrin is not just a book advocating and explaining how to use primary documents in your classroom, but at times a touching story about the trials, frustrations, and eventual triumphs of the students struggling with them. The book explains the uncertain nature of letting students create their own histrory, but also the incredible rewards that come when they do.
	Teaching U.S. History as Mystery by David Gerwin and Jack Zevin has given me a whole other level to my passion for teaching history. So full of logical explanations on why we need to get away from the whole "name and date" memorization of history classes and textbooks. This book shows you how to make history dynamic, relevant and most of all, challenging.
	More to come soon... Top

PDE Academic Standards

Share your thoughts, get ideas...
visit the online community at www.wvia.org

history books
history resources
history teacher

teaching history
teachign methods
writing history