"Amid a time of turmoil, the ""afflicted girls"" of 1692 Salem, Massachusetts cried out against scores of accused witches. Smallpox epidemics, drought, and Native American attacks unsettled Puritan society. Witch hysteria arose, then, with charges against a beggar and a slave and later swept up children and respected church members. Within a year, public reaction to the accusations -- and to the deaths of 20 people -- put an end to the witch trials. Court transcripts and contemporary accounts give insight into the events of 1692, from the words of those who lived and died during the trials."

"A fascinating collection of primary and secondary source materials from a variety of perspectives on this period in America's history. Excerpts include the dramatic escape of William and Ellen Craft, David Walker's Appeal, an account of Harriet Tubman, text from the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, oral histories of fugitive slaves, and two passages from Frederick Douglass' narratives. A map of the major underground routes gives readers a broader picture of these times. Historic illustrations and three spirituals round out the text."

"Compelling firsthand accounts from the inventors of the first atomic bomb describe the Manhattan Project. Additional accounts from scientists, reporters, and soldiers, among other primary sources, describe the development of the bomb and the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Selections include those from Einstein, Oppenheimer, Groves, Tibbets, William Laurence, John Hersey, and Enrico and Laura Fermi."

"The Great Depression brought devastation to America's economy and its people. Excerpts from interviews, magazine and news articles, letters, and historic photographs give a vivid picture of the suffering brought on by the economy's massive breakdown. Selections from Maya Angelou and John Steinbeck's works are also included."

"From freedom fighters and spies to volunteer nurses and patriots on the homefront, women of the North and South served critical and largely unexamined roles in the Civil War. Through a collection of original source documents and the words of the women engaged on both sides of the conflict, Women in the Civil War depicts women's key roles and illuminates what life was like during the historic struggle for the future of the United States. This volume includes excerpts from journals, letters, and other writings of women such as Harriet Beecher Stowe, Confederate spy Belle Boyd, Louisa May...

"Women in the American Revolution picks up where usual historical accounts of the Revolutionary War leave off -- with the varied roles and contributions of women in camp, on the homefront, and serving as spies, messengers, and soldiers. This anthology of letters, journals, and eyewitness accounts tells a part of the story of women who helped on both sides of the war, from colonist Molly Pitcher to Hessian Baroness von Riedesel, from messenger Deborah Champion to soldier Deborah Sampson."