History For Teens

At seventeen, Avaline Hall has already buried her mother, survived a horrific factory fire, and escaped from an insane asylum. Now she's on her way to Blythewood Academy, the elite boarding school in New York's mist-shrouded Hudson Valley that her mother attended - and was expelled from. Though she's afraid her high society classmates won't accept a factory girl in their midst, Ava is desperate to unravel her family's murky past, discover the identity of the father she's never known, and perhaps finally understand her mother's abrupt suicide.

Wrongful intolerance has existed in American society for more than four centuries. Us and Them illuminates the shadowy corners of our national past and traces the country’s continuing efforts to measure up to its lofty ideals. Through 14 dramatic narratives, listeners witness epic struggles that shaped our collective identity. These and eight other forgotten incidents of history come to life in clear and vibrant prose.

Ophelia DeVore boldly overcame tragedy and hardship to become the first Black model in the United States of America. She possessed grace, finesse, intelligence, natural beauty, and courage. Being the first black graduate of the Vogue Modeling School, she eventually became a powerful business mogul, an exuberant entrepreneur, and a respected leader in her field. Her story is unique because she redefined "beauty" in America. Throughout her life, she sought to prove to the world beauty could be found in every shade of color.

Before America Singer's story began, another girl came to the palace to compete for the hand of a different prince…. Don't miss this digital original novella set in the captivating world of Kiera Cass' number one New York Times best-selling Selection series. This prequel story takes place before the events of The Selection and is told from the point of view of Prince Maxon's mother, Amberly.

Here are 50 famous stories of long-ago times, retold in a short form for all young people. These are tales of valor, bravery, and kindness, as well as high adventure. Included are "The Story of William Tell", "Damon and Pythias", "Androclus and the Lion", "The Story of Robin Hood" and many more.

In the mid- to late-19th century, a burgeoning science called electricity promised to shine new light on a rousing nation. Inventive and ambitious minds were hard at work. Soon that spark was fanned, and a war was under way to be the first to light - and run - the world with electricity. Thomas Alva Edison, the inventor of direct current (DC), engaged in a brutal battle with Nikola Tesla and George Westinghouse, the inventors of alternating current (AC). There would be no ties in this race - only a winner and a loser - and the prize was a nationwide monopoly in electric current.

Brie's life ends at sixteen: Her boyfriend tells her he doesn't love her, and the news breaks her heart - literally. But now that she's in heaven, Brie is about to discover that love is way more complicated than she ever imagined. Back in Half Moon Bay, her family has begun to unravel. Her best friend knows a secret about Jacob, the boy she loved and lost - and the truth behind his shattering betrayal. And then there's Patrick, Brie's mysterious new guide and resident Lost Soul...

When missions call for an elite team trained for quick, secret operations, they call in the Marines Special Operations Regiment. Training foreign soldiers, destroying weapons, or gathering enemy information, the men of MARSOC are ready to do whatever it takes.

By February 1945, the United States had been fighting World War II for more than three years. Soldiers were worn down from battle, and civilians were drained by sacrifice. But a photograph of Marines raising an American flag on Japanese soil gave a wearied nation a renewed sense of pride and hope.

It didn't seem possible. Four college students shot dead May 4, 1970, by Ohio National Guardsmen during a protest against the Vietnam War. The shootings at Kent State University would shock the nation and spark a mass student strike across the country, the only one in U.S. history.

What does it take to be a soldier? Strength and intelligence both play a part, but soldiers need extra help to do their job of defending their country. Enter technology such as satellites, robotics, and computers. Learn all about these forms of technology and the scientific principles behind them.

In the 1930s, photographer Dorothea Lange traveled the American West documenting the experiences of those devastated by the Great Depression. She wanted to use the power of the image to effect political change, but even she could hardly have expected the effect that a simple portrait of a worn-looking woman and her children would have on history.

Humans have used weapons to fight their enemies since the dawn of history. Today’s military arsenal is filled with the most accurate and sophisticated tools yet. Learn all about these high tech weapons and the science that went into their development.

It is a bizarrely beautiful image: A man in a spacesuit stands isolated in an alien world. His companion, the photographer, and their landing craft are reflected in his visor. This photograph, taken by Neil Armstrong of fellow astronaut Buzz Aldrin, is the most famous documentation of America’s 1969 moon landing. But to people in every country on Earth, it represented and still does so much more.

World War II was in its early days when brutal German dictator Adolf Hitler paid a visit to Paris, the capital of France. Only days before, on June 14, 1940, German soldiers had overrun the city, shocking the world. Hitler now viewed the city’s cultural treasures as his own. He posed for a photo in front of the Eiffel Tower, the beloved symbol of France and the country’s free, democratic people. The photo, taken by his personal photographer, Heinrich Hoffmann, would show the world that Nazi Germany had triumphed over its bitter enemy.

The tragic events of September 11, 2001 sent shockwaves around the globe that are still felt today. Nearly 3,000 people died in the terrorist attacks and thousands more were injured. On the afternoon of the attacks, three firefighters paused in their rescue work to raise an American flag at Ground Zero in New York City.

Little boys, some as young as 6, spent their long days, not playing or studying, but sorting coal in dusty, loud, and dangerous conditions. Many of these breaker boys worked 10 hours a day, six days a week all for as little as 45 cents a day. Child labor was common in the United States in the 19th century. It took the compelling, heart breaking photographs of Lewis Hine and others to bring the harsh working conditions to light.

An attack at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games would produce one of the defining images of international terrorism. The chilling photo of a hooded man peering from a balcony in the Olympic Village would be viewed worldwide as a horrific symbol of global terrorism.

When a spontaneous time leap sends Nickolas Flux back to the height of the Underground Railroad, what's a teenage history buff to do? Try to help a runaway slave escape, of course! From slave catchers to safe houses, Nick must survive a journey on the secret network that helped runaway slaves gain their freedom.

World War I was a brutal war that left more than nine million dead. Millions more were wounded and lost their homes. The two sides - the Allied Powers and Central Powers - cut secret deals to get countries to join their side. They unleashed secret weapons, employed spies, and relied on the element of surprise itself to wage terrible battles.