From Colonies to Country: 1735-1791

This series is great for homeschool. My kids love it. Lots of pictures for younger readers but written to keep older ones interested. At least thats how my kids rated it. We will be getting the whole series

This is a great source for history and the history of America. The writing style is a little weird in my opinion, but it is a very helpful guide for anybody who wants to know about how America became what it is.

Truly an exceptional book and series. Hakim has an amazing writing style that draws you into events and then seems to pause to let your mind reflect. Comprehensive but quickly paced. Lots of pictures and interestingly obscure facts right along side the major events. Buy this with another of my recommendations; The Elementary Common Sense of Thomas Paine. This is how history is suppose to be; interesting, educational and fun.

"From Colonies to Country: 1735-1791" is the third volume in Joy Hakim's "A History of US." This book begins with the British kicking the French out of North America and ends with the American colonists winning independence from the British. After a first chapter that establishes the principle of Freedom of the Press that would come to play a key part in not just the American Revolution but throughout the entire history of the United States, the rest of the book falls into four main sections. The first (Chapters 2-6) covers the transition as the English essentially kicked the French out of North America as a result of the French & Indian War. The second (Chapters 7-14) traces the growing dissent in the American colonies with British rule that ended in the Boston Massacre and the Battles of Lexington and Concord. The third (Chapters 15-31) details the Revolutionary War, including the writing and signing of the Declaration of Independence. The final section (Chapters 32-42) covers the means by which the thirteen colonies were turned into a country through the writing and adoption of the Constitution. The back of the book contains an extensive look at great documents including not only the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, but also the Virginia Statue for Religious Freedom. Hakim also talks about how to consider great documents (and stay awake while doing so). The Atlas this time around focuses on the question of how the politics of cartography comes into mapmaking. There is a lot of information here presented in a way that will speak to young readers raised on computers and hooked on the Internet. There are features on topics of interest scattered throughout the book and the margins are filled with various definitions, mini-biographies, and various facts. I liked the way she included actual signatures from various signers of the Declaration of Independence. These volumes are richly illustrated with historic prints, paintings, etchings, and maps (as well as contemporary maps that are more historically accurate). Besides paying as much attention to the style of presentation as she does to the information being provided, Hakim plays the role of teacher throughout the volume, anticipating student questions and demanding they take the perspectives of the various parties involved in this history. I can see what those home school their children are enamored of this series, because she saves parents from having to doing the engaging. These books do it for them.

I am a history teacher at a high school in California, and my students craved something "more fun" than "plain old history" before I discovered this excellant book. Joy Hakin speaks to the reader and shows pride for her country while she really is teaching. All my students LOOK FORWARD to U.S. History class now- thanks to this book. My students love the books so much that they bought me the entire 11 volume set- that they often "borrow". I truely love teaching with the assistance of Joy Hakin's books; they really get to the core of the subject while keeping things interesting for the reader. I think this is the reason why teenagers continue to WANT to read them year after year in my class!