What do you do when you see injustice unfolding? Do you stand and fight?
People who do are often called traitors, agitators or rabble-rousers.
These are the people who are often the driving force toward change.
Throughout American history, people who worked to radically change
society have been criticized, arrested, and even killed. Rebels and
Revolutions: Real tales of Radical Change in America for ages 9 to 12
explores the lives of five firebrands who used muskets and marches,
boycotts and lawsuits in their struggle for justice. When he was only 15
years old, Joseph Plumb Martin committed treason when he joined the
Continental Army to fight for American independence. What did this
teenager feel so strongly about that he was willing to break the law?
Sengbe Pieh's fight for freedom took him from the bowels of a slave ship
to the nation's highest court. In 1944, the U.S. government began
drafting people being held in military camps to fight in World War II. A
group called the Fair Play Committee refused until their families were
allowed to return to their homes. In the days of the segregated south,
Claudette Colvin was denied the most basic rights because of her black
skin. One day, this teenager refused to relinquish her seat on the bus
to a white woman. After a childhood of toiling in California's fruit and
vegetable fields, Cesar Chavez challenged the power of the agricultural
industry. He became a voice of hope for thousands of poor migrant
workers. Young readers will be inspired by these five rebels who refused
to accept the status quo. They acted boldly, provoked change, and
fundamentally changed American history. Rebels and Revolutions: Real
tales of Radical Change in America is the fifth book in a series called
Mystery & Mayhem, which features true tales that whet kids' appetites
for history by engaging them in genres with proven track
records--mystery and adventure. History is made of near misses,
unexplained disappearances, unsolved mysteries, and bizarre events that
are almost too weird to be true--almost! The Mystery and Mayhem series
delves into these tidbits of history to provide kids with a jumping off
point into a lifelong habit of appreciating history. Each of the five
true tales told within Rebels and Revolutions are paired with further
fun facts about the setting, industry, and time period. A glossary and
resources page provide the opportunity to practice using essential
academic tools. These nonfiction narratives use clear, concise language
with compelling plots that both avid and reluctant readers will be drawn
to.
