An interactive guidebook to the history and inner workings of the legislative branch of the U.S. Government Providing a historical perspective on all that is going on today, "US Congress for Kids" examines the major milestones in congressional history, including the abolition of slavery, extending the vote to African Americans and to women, and investigating misconduct in both government and private institutions. Kids will be engaged by the focus on dramatic stories, personalities, and turning points while also benefitting from the clear discussions of Congressional purpose, structure, history, and ongoing issues. Educational, hands-on activities that illuminate the workings of the U.S. Congress include making a House ceremonial mace, creating congressional money, making a capitol dome, and designing a Congressional Medal of Honor.

An NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People Christopher Columbus is one of the most famous people in world history, yet few know the full story of the amazing, resourceful, and tragic Italian explorer. Christopher Columbus and the Age of Exploration for Kids portrays the “Admiral of the Ocean Seas” neither as hero nor heel but as a flawed and complex man whose significance is undeniably monumental. Kids will gain a fuller picture of the seafarer’s life, his impact, and the dangers and thrills of exploration as they learn about all four of Columbus’s voyages to the New World, not just his first, as well as the year that Columbus spent stranded on the island of Jamaica without hope of rescue. Students, parents, and teachers will appreciate the in-depth discussions of the indigenous peoples of the New World and of the consequences of Columbus’s voyages—the exchange of diseases, ideas, crops, and populations between the New World and the Old. Fun hands-on activities illuminate both the nautical concepts introduced and the times in which Columbus lived. Kids can: Tie nautical knots Conduct a blanket (silent) trade Make a compass Simulate a hurricane Take nautical measurements And much more

Based in Geneva, Switzerland, the World Trade Organization is the successor to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, which was founded following the Second World War. Established in January 1995, the WTO aims to improve the welfare of the people of its member states by lowering trade barriers and providing a platform for negotiation of trade. Specifically, it sets rules for trade on a global level to ensure that trade flows as smoothly, predictably, and freely as possible. With 151 member nations and 32 observers, the WTO serves as a multilateral negotiating forum to set trade rules and settle disputes among nations. "The World Trade Organization" details the history and mission of this international body.

Growing up in small-town, Depression-era Oklahoma, Mickey Mantle heard the same plea day in and day out from his parents: ""Get out of the house and play some baseball!"" Sooner than anyone expected, Mantle was a New York Yankee in 1951. Five years later, the switch-hitting phenomenon was on his way to stardom, completing the season with a Triple Crown for the highest batting average and most home runs and RBIs. Hailed as the successor to the great Joe DiMaggio, Mantle felt the pressure of success, and faced difficulties stemming from physical infirmity and, later, alcohol abuse. In ""Mickey Mantle"", discover how this baseball great came to grips with his addiction, becoming a role model for the clean and sober life, and is now remembered as an American baseball hero.

Easter Island is a true land of mystery. One of the most remotely inhabited places on Earth, this 64-square-mile speck in the South Pacific is more than 1,000 miles from anywhere else, yet Polynesian voyagers managed to settle Easter Island a thousand years ago. No one knows why the Moai, nearly a thousand megalithic volcanic statues, were carved, transported, and erected - or why they were all found facedown by European explorers. In addition, did a Stone Age population of less than 10,000 actually deforest the land, causing environmental devastation? There were as many as 16 million Chilean palms covering 70 percent of the island when the settlers first appeared, but Westerners in the early 18th century were astonished by the total absence of trees. Furthermore, the islanders adopted a new cult based on the worship of birds and in the process, annually elected a ""sacred birdman"" in a competition that may have been the most dangerous of its kind anywhere in the world. Though the island is one of the most studied and probed places on the planet, Easter Island remains one of the most mysterious places on the planet. Read in this new title about this fascinating place.

In 1933, in his first inaugural address, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt declared, ..". the only thing we have to fear is fear itself..." Yet, Roosevelt knew that the fear he spoke of was grounded in reality. With one-third of the nation's workforce unemployed, grown men scrounged in garbage cans for discarded scraps to feed their families. Six thousand street-corner apple vendors sold their product in New York City alone. Fear, indeed, stocked the land of the 1930s during Great Depression a defining event of 20th-century America. With the introduction of Roosevelt's New Deal, many families found relief through public works projects and other government-funded posts. The Great Depression and the New Deal describes how the nation coped and how it overcame a true national calamity.

Though at first shunned when it was made clear that the Civil War was to be a white man's fight, Northern blacks sought to contribute to the war effort from the moment volunteers were called. Initially taken in as contraband, free blacks and ex-slaves eventually donned uniforms and fought in more than 400 battles to reunite the Union and free their brethren from bondage. Incurring blatant prejudice that saw black soldiers underpaid and denied officer commissions, the vast majority endured hardship and deprivation in battle after battle in an attempt to demonstrate bravery and dedication to the cause. With their willingness and ability to fight initially questioned, African Americans repeatedly proved their valor. Discover in ""African Americans and the Civil War"" how, according to President Abraham Lincoln, black soldiers made the difference between victory and defeat.

As a 19-year-old heading east to play for the Boston Red Sox, Ted Williams could be heard muttering over and over again, ""All I want out of life is when I walk down the street, folks will say, 'There goes the greatest hitter who ever lived.'"" Through a tumultuous, boisterous career that touched four decades, Williams worked tirelessly to perfect the science of hitting and accomplish his goal. Two-time winner of the Triple Crown, Williams hit an astonishing.406 in his 1941 season, a record that stands to this day. During his last ballpark appearance at the 1999 All-Star game, 80-year-old ""Teddy Ballgame"" achieved his childhood dream. In ""Ted Williams"", discover how this Red Sox slugger was not only a superb ballplayer, but also a world-class fisherman and a fighter pilot in World War II and the Korean War.

Like a powerful locomotive, Lou Gehrig slugged his way through 14 years as the pride of the Yankees. Never missing a game during his career, the six-time All-Star set the American League record with 184 RBI in 1931, hit a record 23 grand slams, won two Most Valuable Player awards, and won the 1934 Triple Crown. Refusing to see himself as a natural, Gehrig achieved greatness through an unwavering dedication to practice. Then suddenly, the Iron Man began to rust. The home runs ceased. The hits became misses. Gehrig had contracted amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS. Yet harnessing the strength he had displayed on the baseball diamond, Lou Gehrig struggled onward with dignity and purpose. Though the disease that now bears his name ultimately took Lou Gehrig's life, it did not extinguish his spirit or his incredible legacy. ""Lou Gherig"" is an engrossing new biography that celebrates a man who was not only a baseball great but also a true American hero.

The only biography series to include a section on career information. The ""Ferguson Career Biographies"" series tells the stories of some of the world's most influential and admired people, focusing on the subject's early education and training, challenges faced on the job, important mentors, and career achievements. Students follow each person's journey along one or more career paths and get a sense of the person's historical importance. These unique volumes present important information on each subject's career in a way that makes it easy to integrate into classroom and take-home assignments.