Carole P. Roman's new series on different historical periods throughout the world also includes a book on Colonial America. As usual, there are tons of facts and details, including the clothing, foods, and housing used by the early colonists. Carole describes a typical family, explaining the home they would have lived in, the social customs, and the education the children would receive. She compares the conditions the family has left behind in England to what the new colony had to offer (not much - no stores, no existing houses, etc.). She includes information about how the colonists interacted with the Wampanoag tribe, the signing of the Mayflower Compact to govern the colony, and the first Thanksgiving.
Carole explains the disagreements over religion and how the national religious practices changed depending on the ruling monarch. With a simple description of the major changes brought about by Henry VIII and the later migration of Protestants to the Dutch Netherlands, she leads up to the reasons why many families were willing to take the chance of moving to the North American wilderness. The hardships of that first winter with minimal shelter, then the struggle to grow food and learn to hunt and fish in this new land are included in the narrative.
At the back of the book there is a section with brief descriptions of famous people such as Pocahontas, Myles Standish, and Peter Minuit. And there is a glossary of terms to help out readers who may not be familiar with jerkins, petticoats, or poppets.
A nice introduction to young readers who are curious about the past and important time periods and people. This series gives a broad overview of each period and location, and enough specifics to answer basic questions while also giving facts that can lead to further research. This will fit in well with elementary school social studies lessons on early North American colonists.
I received a copy of the book from the author for review purposes.
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