Understanding the Articles of Confederation. (Documenting Early America). Sally Senzell Isaacs. St. Catharines, ON: Crabtree, 2009. 32 pp., pbk. & hc., $9.95 (pbk.), $20.76 (hc.). ISBN 978-0-7787-4377-4 (pbk.), ISBN 978-0-7787-4372-9 (RLB). Subject Headings: United States. Articles of Confederation-Juvenile literature. Constitutional history-United States-Juvenile literature. United States-Politics and government-1775-1783-Juvenile literature. Grades 4-7 / Ages 9-12. Review by Suzanne Pierson. *** /4

Understanding the Bill of Rights. (Documenting Early America). Sally Senzell Isaacs. St. Catharines, ON: Crabtree, 2009. 32 pp., pbk. & hc., $9.95 (pbk.), $20.76 (hc.). ISBN 978-0-7787-4379-8 (pbk.), ISBN 978-0-7787-4374-3 (RLB). Subject Headings: United States. Constitution. 1st-10th Amendments-Juvenile literature. Constitutional amendments-United States-Juvenile literature. Civil rights-United States-Juvenile literature. Grades 4-7 / Ages 9-12. Review by Suzanne Pierson. *** /4

Understanding the Declaration of Independence. (Documenting Early America). Sally Senzell Isaacs. St. Catharines, ON: Crabtree, 2009. 32 pp., pbk. & hc., $9.95 (pbk.), $20.76 (hc.). ISBN 978-0-7787-4376-7 (pbk.), ISBN 978-0-7787-4371-2 (RLB). Subject Headings: United States. Declaration of Independence-Juvenile literature. United States-Politics and government-1775-1783-Juvenile literature. United States-History-Revolution, 1775-1783-Juvenile literature. United States-History-Colonial period, ca. 1600-1785-Juvenile literature. Grades 4-7 / Ages 9-12. Review by Suzanne Pierson. *** /4

Understanding the U.S. Constitution. (Documenting Early America). Sally Senzell Isaacs. St. Catharines, ON: Crabtree, 2009. 32 pp., pbk. & hc., $9.95 (pbk.), $20.76 (hc.). ISBN 978-0-7787-4378-1 (pbk.), ISBN 978-0-7787-4373-6 (RLB). Subject Headings: United States. Constitution-Juvenile literature. United States-Politics and government-1775-1783-Juvenile literature. United States-Politics and government, 1783-1789-Juvenile literature. Constitutional history-United States-Juvenile literature. Grades 4-7 / Ages 9-12. Review by Suzanne Pierson. *** /4

excerpt:

A New Nation.

In the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson announced that the British colonies would become 13 states. Each state formed its own government. People elected representatives to make laws for their states. Each state had a constitution, or written plan for the government. A constitution says what the government can and cannot do. (From Understanding the Articles of Confederation.)

This series, “Documenting Early America,” provides a simplified overview of four important documents in American history: the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.

     Written in large font size and illustrated with archival art and a few coloured photos, each book clearly explains the importance of each of the four documents in American history. Although the focus of each book is on a different document, because all four books deal with the same time in American history (approximately 1760-1791), there is understandably some overlap of content. Each book includes a Table of Contents, a timeline, related websites, a list of further readings, a brief glossary and an index.

      The major weakness of this series is the simplified information format which may not appeal to intermediate students who will be looking for this information.

      The major strength of this series is the simplified information format which will meet the needs of some intermediate students with lower reading levels (including ESL students).

     Understanding the Articles of Confederation deals with the document that legally brought the United States of America into existence. On July 4, 1776, the leaders of the 13 separate British colonies joined together to form a new country. They wrote the Article of Confederation to describe how the leaders would run the country. These articles are the precursor of the U.S. Constitution.

      Understanding the Bill of Rights focuses on the Bill of Rights which is the 10 amendments to the Constitution. The Constitution was approved by the new national government in 1788. The Bill of Rights became part of the Constitution three years later in 1791. The book deals with each of the first ten amendments and explains how and why further amendments have been added over the years, included the Thirteenth Amendment that ended slavery and the Nineteenth Amendment that gave American women the right to vote. Understanding the Declaration of Independence tells the story behind the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. From the imposition of taxes in the colonies to pay for a war between Britain and France, to the Sons of Liberty, through the Boston Tea Party and the Revolutionary War, the story of the beginning of the United States of America as a country is simply but clearly told in this book.

      Understanding the U.S. Constitution focuses on the months between May 1787 and June 1788. During these few short months, the American Constitution was conceived, written, and accepted by the required nine states. This volume also explains how the original writers of the Constitution included a plan explaining how people can change parts of the Constitution through amendments.

      Although written for a younger audience, these books should serve a need in intermediate and secondary schools for history reference material at a lower reading level. The text is clear, and the illustrations are archival so most reading levels could use the information with success.

      If you need research material on American history for an elementary school or for secondary English as a Second Language, this series would be useful. The four book series focuses on four documents that form the basis of the United States of America.

Recommended.

Suzanne Pierson is a retired teacher-librarian, currently instructing librarianship courses at Queen’s University in Kingston, ON.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.

Published by The Manitoba Library Association ISSN 1201-9364

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