The America that Alexander Hamilton knew was largely agricultural and built on slave labor. He envisioned something else: a multi-racial, urbanized, capitalistic America with a strong central government. He believed that such an America would be a land of opportunity for the poor and the newcomers. But Hamilton's vision put him at odds with his archrivals who envisioned a pastoral America of small towns, where governments were local, states would...

The third installment of the Making of America series, Abraham Lincoln, tells of one of our most beloved presidents. Born in a cabin deep in the backwoods of Kentucky, growing up in a family considered "the poorest of the poor," Lincoln rose to become the sixteenth president of the United States. As president, he guided the United States through the Civil War, helped end slavery in America, and strengthened the federal government. Unlike other biographies,...

The United States has often been described as a melting pot, and many people who have immigrated to the U.S. from other countries in search of the American dream have contributed not just their cultural histories and traditions, but their artistic spirit as well. This book covers important immigrant artists such as the naturalist painter John James Audubon, Superman co-creator Joe Shuster, multimedia artist Yoko Ono, cartoonist Art Spiegelman, and...

Computers and technology play central roles in our lives for work, entertainment, communication, and information management. It is difficult to imagine a time without these tools and even harder to envision living without them now. How were these wonderful toys of technology created? Who is developing future innovations? Think of some of the most famous and familiar services and platforms: Google, eBay, Yahoo, Facebook. Did you know that immigrants...

The U.S. Constitution was signed by 39 men, all of whom we consider the "founding fathers" of the nation. But did you know that seven of those 39 were immigrants to the United States? Immigrants have served as politicians in the United States since the country's founding, in all branches and all levels of government. Readers learn about the contributions of immigrants who served as senators, congressional representatives, mayors, and governors, such...

In the fourth installment in the Making of America series, Susan B. Anthony, Teri Kanefield examines the life of America's famous suffragette. Anthony was born into a world in which men ruled women: A man could beat his wife, take her earnings, have her committed into an asylum based on his word, and take her children away from her. While the young nation was ablaze with the radical notion that people could govern themselves, "people" were understood...

Unlike other biographies, the Making of America series goes beyond individual narratives linking influential figures to create an overarching story of America's growth that will deepen understanding of the country we live in today. This bundle featuring Susan B. Anthony, Thurgood Marshall, and Franklin D. Roosevelt focuses on some of the most notable names in equality and voting rights in America. Listeners will begin by learning about the life of...