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Early American History Reading List

1630 - 1700

Do your students really know what it means to be "puritanical"? Let them learn more about the Puritans in New England by reading good historical fiction stories. The Scarlet Letter and The Witch of Blackbird Pond are two books based in the 1680's that are hard to put down.

For the 1690's, Madeleine Takes Command is another amazing story based on real events involving the Iriquois in French Canada.

Reading List Grade Levels

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American History: 1630s

Dream Seekers (The American Adventure #3) by Loree Lough. UE-JH
Christian historical fiction.

Fire by Night (The American Adventure #4) by Colleen L. Reece. UE-JH
Christian historical fiction.

The Walls of Cartagena by Julia Durango, illu. Tom Pohrt. Simon & Schuster, 2008. UE-JH
A young slave is fortunate to be well-treated, while others suffer the evils of slavery in the islands of the Carribean. He uses his privileges to help others. Difficult topic, but with a happy ending. Caution: After a difficult childbirth, a woman is described as being "naked and covered in blood." Boy calls an adult an a**, although it is considered humorous.

American History: 1680s

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. HS
The story of Puritan society and their less-than-kind treatment of an adulterous woman. A classic.

The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare. UE+
Orphaned Kit moves to New England to live with her Puritan aunt and uncle, and finds it difficult to adjust to their stern ways. Befriending a woman who is rejected by the community as a witch results in more trouble than she could have imagined.

American History: 1690s

Hostage on the Nighthawk: Governor William Penn (Trailblazer Books) by Dave & Neta Jackson. E-JH
Christian historical fiction. William Penn.

If You Lived in Colonial Times by Ann McGovern, illus. June Otani. E-UE

Madeleine Takes Command by Ethel C. Brill, illus. Bruce Adams. Bethlehem Books. UE+
Set in French Canada, Madeleine and her 2 younger brothers are part of a small group left at the fort when the Iroquois attack. Based on a true story.