Keys to American History: Understanding Our Most Important Historic Documents Book

Unlock and explore American history firsthand though this nation’s most important documents. Much more than a reference book, The Keys to American History tells the story of a growing, vibrant democracy through its laws, Supreme Court rulings, treaties, and presidential speeches, from colonial times to the present. Organized chronologically, each document includes a brief introduction and excerpts, and often an image of the original. Most are followed by interesting and relevant historical quotes from books, newspapers, and speeches of their eras, providing a rich and varied framework to understand each document’s significance.

The more than 60 entries include:

• Mayflower Compact
• Declaration of Independence
• Washington’s Farewell Address
• Missouri Compromise
• Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments
• Emancipation Proclamation
• Homestead Act
• Wilson’s Fourteen Points
• Brown v. Board of Education
• Voting Rights Act
• Resignation Speech of Richard Nixon
• …and more

By reading the essential documents of American government, and theviewpoints of the leaders and citizens who wrote them, you will gain a profound understanding of the United States and the men and women who built it.

School Library Journal

Gr 7 Up

This impressive collection is a valuable resource for gaining a greater appreciation for and understanding of our nation's dynamic history. The 72 entries range chronologically from the foundation of the American colonies with the Great Patent of James I in 1606 to the 2002 Joint Resolution to Authorize the Use of United States Armed Forces in Iraq. The volume documents such monumental episodes as the American Revolution, Civil War, Western Expansion, World War II, and the Civil Rights Movement. It contains all of the documents one would expect, such as the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, and Gettysburg Address as well as the lesser-known Antiquities Act of 1906, which protects historic national sites. Each document is prefaced with a brief introduction that gives students a reasonable degree of historical context. The author also includes a "What They Were Saying" segment that utilizes quotes of the day related to the documents. Each entry is accompanied by a variety of black-and-white portraits, maps, and facsimiles of the originals. While arguments will abound for the many documents left out, one cannot deny the seminal historical importance of those making the cut. Educators and AP students alike will find this volume valuable.-Brian Odom, Pelham Public Library, AL