A pile of lime-encrusted shackles discovered on the seafloor in the remains of a ship called the Henrietta Marie, lands Michael Cottman, a Washington, D.C.-based journalist and avid scuba diver, in the middle of an amazing journey that stretches across three continents, from foundries and tombs in England, to slave ports on the shores of West Africa, to present-day Caribbean plantations. This is more than just the story of one ship -- it's the untold...

From the mysterious Druids and noble King Alfred to the notorious Henry VIII and the Glorious Revolution of 1688, Charles Dickens traced his country's history for the benefit of young Victorians. Written with the beloved storyteller's customary panache, this series of historical vignettes reads like a fast-paced novel, rich in anecdotes and colorful stories. Dickens' unsparing, witty, and opinionated perspectives on the great pageant of English history...

Ferdinand Magellan, Vasco da Gama, and other fifteenth-century adventurers spring to life in this thrilling tale of the competition between Portugal and the Venetian Republic to discover an all-sea trade route leading to the spices of India. In the Lisbon workshop of banker and navigation enthusiast Abel Zakuto, a group of intrepid explorers gather to discuss the possibility of finding a way around the stormy tip of Africa - the Devil's Cave. Author...

An introduction to the life and accomplishments of the nineteenth-century British naturalist Charles Darwin.

Oliver Carter arrives in Boston in 1773 with the simple plan to work for Dr. Benjamin Church. However, the American colonists had grown tired of British tyranny and Boston was the center of rebellious activity. Oliver joins Dr. Church in the Sons of Liberty, a group of colonists fighting for the rebel cause. But Oliver discovers that his boss is a traitor, giving secrets to the British. What does Oliver do to warn his friends? Follow Oliver Carter

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A Bundle of Letters is a comic short story by Henry James, originally published in The Parisian magazine in 1879, which is also when the story takes place. The story is one of James' few ventures into epistolary fiction. As he did so often, especially in the early stages of his career, James made the tale part of his international theme: his letter-writers represent a number of different countries. Although some of the characters look like well-worn...

The earliest trade between India and other cultures took place through both overland and sea routes. The end of the Silk Road inspired the European "Age of Discovery" in which explorers attempted to find new ways to reach India. India's gems, raw materials, and handmade goods were an alluring prospect to these explorers. Trade Routes to India provides an in-depth look at the politics, economic factors, technology, and people behind what ultimately...

In the late 1400s, Christopher Columbus was sure he could find a trade route from Spain to the Far East by sailing west across the Atlantic Ocean. On his first voyage, he landed on an island in the Caribbean Sea. He soon realizedn that this was not Asia and returned to Spain for more supplies. Even after three more attempts, Columbus never found a westward route to Asia. But his discoveries forever changed European views of the world and led to settlement...

The Liberty Bell cracked the very first time it was rung. However, the cracked Liberty Bell visitors can see on display in Philadelphia today isn't that bell, which means another bell was made and cracked! This and a plethora of other historical facts show readers a fun, surprising, and sometimes-humorous side of history. The main content supports many parts of the social studies curriculum, while conversational language makes it even more engaging...

An oceanographer, conservationist, and inventor, Jacques Cousteau was a pioneering sea explorer. Historic photos and easy-to-read text take readers into the athlete's life. Zoom in even deeper with quick stats, a timeline, and bolded glossary terms. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards.