The Story of the Thirteen Colonies

by Hélène A. Guerber

From the first inhabitants of North America through the end of the American War of Independence in 1783, The Story of the Thirteen Colonies retells as an engaging narrative the history of the discovery, exploration, and settlement of North America, the founding and growth of thirteen English colonies along the Atlantic seaboard, the Colonial Wars between the French, English, and Indians; and the causes, events, and conclusion of the American War of Independence. In 84 lessons and 242 pages, we meet the Native Americans; the daring Spanish and French conquistadors, explorers, and missionaries; Dutch colonizers; English Separatists, Puritans, and settlers; and our courageous American heroes and statesmen. We meet the brave and the wise; the foolish and the proud: Christopher Columbus, Sir Francis Drake, Father Hennepin, Captain John Smith, William Bradford, Cotton Mather, William Penn, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, and Benedict Arnold, to name just a few.In her preface, Miss Guerber writes, “The aim has been not only to interest children in the great men of their own country, but to stimulate them to the cultivation of the lofty virtues of which they read, and to instill within their hearts a deep love for their native land. All the main facts in our early history have been given as simply and vividly as possible, and the lessons of patriotism, truthfulness, courage, patience, honesty, and industry taught by the lives of our principal heroes are carefully enforced. Great pains have also been taken to relate all the well-known anecdotes and quote the famous speeches which are so frequently alluded to in our current literature.”

Like the other histories by H. A. Guerber that Nothing New Press has republished, The Story of the Thirteen Colonies includes additional maps, a comprehensive timeline of events and people encountered in the story, as an aid for testing retention, memory work, and to help children in constructing their own history timelines. The Bibliography lists the references used to construct the timeline, as well as the historical information included in the Publisher’s Preface. The Recommended Reading list which follows the timeline coordinates the corresponding chapters in Thirteen Colonies with wonderful “living books”: non-fiction, biographies, literature, and historical fiction.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, American History

Paperback

First published January 1, 1898

About the author

Hélène Adeline Guerber (1859 – 1929), better known as H.A. Guerber, was a British historian most well known for her written histories of Germanic mythology.

Her most well known work is Myths of the Norsemen: From the Eddas and Sagas - George G. Harrap and Co. Ltd., 1908 in London.

Other histories by Guerber include Legends of the Rhine (A.S. Barnes & Co., New York, 1895; new edition 1905), Stories of the Wagner Opera, The Book of the Epic, The Story of the Ancient World, The Story of the Greeks, The Story of the Romans, Legends of the Middle Ages, The Story of the Renaissance and Reformation, The Story of the Thirteen Colonies, and The Story of the Great Republic.

Reviews

[Jordi Polo Carres · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un video para niños sobre la historia de las 13 colonias britanicas en America y la guerra de independencia de estados unidos.

La historia de las colonias es interesante pero la mitad del libro se dedica a la guerra de independencia con muchos nombres de lugares y personas lo que lo hace bastante pesado.

[Darrell Keller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written and it was quite entertaining to see the perspective of those who wrote history over 120 years ago. It was also interesting that most facts from 1898 confirm what we teach in US history classes today. I found myself repeatedly saying, "That's right" as I read through the histories. A good overview of colonial history that reads like a novel. I enjoyed it and you will, too.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read with Ben for school.

[Janelle]

Dnf didn't like all the Librivox narrators