
Title: All About America: Colonists and Independence
Author: Sally Senzell Isaacs
Publisher: Kingfisher
Related SOLs:
History VS.3- The student will demonstrate knowledge of the first permanent English settlement in America by
a) explaining the reasons for English colonization;
b) describing how geography influenced the decision to settle at Jamestown;
e) identifying the importance of the arrival of Africans and English women to the Jamestown settlement;
f) describing the hardships faced by settlers at Jamestown and the changes that took place to ensure survival;
g) describing the interactions between the English settlers and the native peoples, including the contributions of Powhatan to the survival of the settlers.
History VS.5- The student will demonstrate knowledge of the role of Virginia in the American Revolution by
a) identifying the reasons why the colonies went to war with Great Britain, as expressed in the Declaration of Independence;
b) identifying the various roles played by whites, enslaved African Americans, free African Americans, and American Indians in the Revolutionary War era, including George
Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, and James Lafayette;
History USI.6- The student will demonstrate knowledge of the causes and results of the American Revolution by
a) identifying the issues of dissatisfaction that led to the American Revolution;
b) identifying how political ideas shaped the revolutionary movement in America and led to the Declaration of Independence;
c) describing key events and the roles of key individuals in the American Revolution, with
emphasis on George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and Patrick Henry;
d) explaining reasons why the colonies were able to defeat Great Britain
Amazon Grade Level: 4th- Up
Summary: Colonist and Independence gives an overview of the major events leading up to America’s independence from the 1600s. The book begins with the establishment of Jamestown, tells of the Salem Witch Trials, explains the use of slaves, the events leading up to the Revolutionary War, and the events after the Revolutionary War.
I chose this book because I believe it provides readers with an age appropriate understanding of the events that began and formed our nation. Because of the amount of side notes and small sections of information, I believe this book would be more suitable for individual exploration versus a read aloud. I also like this book because it really allows the reader to dive into and explore our country’s history.