La historia oculta (Hidden History)

Who were the earliest Americans? When, how, and from where did they enter and spread across the continent? What is their relationship to modern Native Americans? Anthropologists develop theories to answer these questions based on the evidence they discover. Their theories, and the discoveries that prove and disprove them, are highlighted in this fascinating volume. It is full of awe-inspiring facts and incredible breakthroughs. Readers will feel like anthropologists and archaeologists themselves as they read about bones and artifacts, and what they reveal about the ancient cultures that roamed North America, more than 13,000 years ago.

Mount Vernon, which was George Washington's residence, holds a special place in American history and in the hearts of many Americans. Its history of slavery has remained largely hidden until recently. That's because it's difficult to accept the contradiction of a Founding Father who fought for liberty, but engaged in the practice of slavery. This thought-provoking volume uses the discoveries of archaeologists as well as the writings of Washington himself to shed light on the lives of the slaves who dwelled on this land. Readers will especially appreciate the illustrative photographs and enlightening sidebars and fact boxes.

Jamestown is celebrated as the first permanent English settlement in North America, but underneath the well-known history is a darker past. In its beginning years, Jamestown was far from successful. In fact, most colonists who came to Jamestown never left; they died shortly after arriving. This fascinating book delves into the challenges of the colony, revealing its successes, tragedies, and even horrors such as cannibalism. Readers will be surprised to learn about the real-life Pocahontas and John Smith, and eager to find out more about what really happened in this Virginia colony's early days.

The Underground Railroad was the massive effort by slaves and free people to secretly bring thousands of blacks to freedom in the North during the 19th century. This thought-provoking book will capture readers' imaginations and fill them with awe for the brave "conductors" and "passengers" on the Railroad. They'll learn about the many safe havens, called "depots," that housed fugitives and the secret passages within them that hid slaves from their pursuers. Information about the American Civil War and the Fugitive Slave Act, biographies of figures vital to the Underground Railroad, and stunning photographs and artwork are included in this important work about a terrible time in American history.