Our Shared History

When the first European settlers arrived in what would become the United States and Canada, the lives of the native peoples of North America changed forever. As the two nations grew, native peoples were pushed off the land they called home and onto tightly controlled reservations. To better understand what life on the reservation is like today, learn about the dramatic transformation these native peoples were forced to undertake.

Before World War II, Japanese Americans worked hard to adapt to American life while creating tight-knit communities. But after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, everything changed. The U.S. government sent 120,000 Americans of Japanese descent into internment camps. Learn the sad history of the camps, the reasons behind their creation, how the internees made the best of their deplorable situation, and how they finally received an official apology from the US government.

The fight for civil rights is stronger today than ever before, particularly for the largest minority population in the United States, which are Latinos. Readers learn about Latino history in the United States, from the missionary Father Junípero Serra to the activist Cesar Chavez to Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, and the continuing struggle for equality and justice.

After the Spanish-American War brought Puerto Rico under the control of the United States, the island transformed from an agricultural colony to a densely populated American commonwealth. Explore the island's rich history, from the early clash between Spanish colonists and the Taino people to the vibrant, yet uncertain, future of this growing nation.

The Underground Railroad was a complex network of secret routes, safe houses, and courageous men and women, both black and white, who helped slaves escape to free states and to Canada. "Conductors," such as Harriet Tubman, risked recapture in the South guiding slaves to freedom. Readers explore the formation of this extremely effective anti-slavery escape network and the people who made it work.