Showing titles in United States

When Thurgood Marshall - the great-grandson of a slave - was born, African Americans were denied equal rights in America. Segregation was legal. Lynching was common. In some places, African Americans were entirely excluded from public life; they were forbidden to enter public parks and museums or use public swimming pools and restrooms. After being denied admission to the University of Maryland Law School because of his race, Marshall enrolled at Howard University. He graduated first in his class and set out as a young lawyer determined to achieve equality for all Americans.

Before Harry Houdini (1874-1926) became the greatest magician in the world, he was just little Ehrich Weisz, a Hungarian-born immigrant who moved to America with his family and performed stage tricks for a little extra cash. He started off with card tricks and then eventually began performing the escape acts that would make him famous. Known for his daring and death-defying illusions, he would do some of the greatest tricks ever: escaping from a milk can, being buried alive, and being locked inside a crate and thrown into a river.

An alphabetical exploration of the people, geography, animals, plants, history, and culture of the United States.

How do Americans know that government papers are real? If you see an eagle holding a shield, and a pyramid with an eye above it, the papers are no fakes. Listen to Benjamin Franklin as he talks about the birth of the Great Seal in 1782 and why it's still so important to our country today.

Which freedoms do Americans hold most dear? The Bill of Rights is a list of important freedoms shared by everyone in the United States. Join President James Madison to find out how the Bill of Rights came to be. Also, discover what it means to people today.

George Washington had fought bravely during the Revolutionary War. The people saw him as a hero. They wanted to make him king. But Washington didn’t want that kind of power. Instead, he became the first president of the United States. Follow this war hero as he leads his troops into battle and shares their losses and success.

Take a trip through the Beaver State! Learn about Oregon's history, geography, weather, people, and more in this book that's all about our 33rd state.

Whaling in the Arctic waters off Alaska’s coast was as dangerous as it was lucrative in 1897. In that particular year, winter came early, bringing with it storms and ice packs that caught eight American whale ships and about three hundred sailors off guard. The ships were imprisoned in ice with no hope of escape. With limited provisions on board the ships that hadn’t been crushed by the ice, there was little hope that these men could survive until warmer temperatures arrived at least 10 months later. Martin Sandler tells the incredible true adventure story of three men who were ordered by President McKinley to carry out an overland rescue in the dead of winter.

Did you know Benjamin Franklin served as America's first postmaster? For Colonial America, Franklin contributioned to the development of a modern and efficient postal service, finding more direct routes and establishing standard mail rates.

Did you know that a woman fought in the Revolutionary War? Learn about Deborah Sampson, the first woman soldier to officially serve and fight in battles for the United States' military. To gain entry she disguised herself as a man which was discovered later during the war. She overcame many obstacles in order to fight in the Continental Army for America's freedom.

In 1863, Abraham Lincoln gave a speech in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Since then, the famous speech has led to many stories about it—but not all of them are true. Listen to discover what’s real and what’s fiction!

On September 11, 2001, an entire country ground to a halt as terrorists attacked the World Trade Center in New York City, the U.S. Pentagon in Washington D.C., and crashed an airliner near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Now listeners can step back in time to learn what led up to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, how the tragic events unfolded, and the ways in which one devastating day changed America forever.

In mid-1860s, two railroad companies had a huge job in front of them: building the transcontinental railroad. The railroad would run from east to west across the United States. As the grueling work began, there were many choices to make. Now, the choices are yours.

If the founding fathers and mothers of the United States had built a time capsule to tell the story of the nation's beginnings, what artifacts would be packed inside? Tea leaves, a lantern, yellowed documents, and more tell a part of the story of the colonists' fight for independence. In this Time Capsule History book, listeners can examine primary sources of the Revolutionary Era to explore this exciting moment in history!

Learn about the roles of soldiers and their training, as well as the advanced equipment, vehicles, and weapons the Army uses. When duty calls, the Army is always ready to defend.

This exciting second book in the Lost series tells the incredible true story of the doomed Apollo 13 moon mission that nearly ended in disaster. On April 11, 1970, the Apollo 13 space shuttle set off for the third intended American moon landing. Two days later and 200,000 miles from Earth, disaster struck when an oxygen tank exploded onboard the spacecraft, leaving three astronauts with only one goal: to make it home alive.

Dive into the history, geography, and culture of Tennessee in this installment of the 50 States series. From major cities to historic events, Where Is Tennessee? introduces you to the state in a whole new way, whether you’re proud to call it home or learning about a distant destination. Visit...

Barack Obama delivers a tender, beautiful letter to his daughters in this powerful picture book illustrated by award-winner Loren Long that's made to be treasured! In this poignant letter to his daughters, Barack Obama has written a moving tribute to thirteen groundbreaking Americans and the...

The Golden Gate Bridge is an important structure in San Francisco, California. Before this bridge was built, people had to take a ferry across the dangerous stretch of water to get to Marin County. Now they simply drive across. Just how long is the Golden Gate Bridge? And how did workers build this orange structure? Listen to this audiobook to find out! Learn about many remarkable sites in the Famous Places series - part of the Lightning Bolt Books™ collection.

In an immersive, exciting narrative nonfiction format, this powerful book follows a selection of people who experienced the events surrounding the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.