The Story of the World: History for the Classical Child, Volume 3: Early Modern Times [Paperback]

Susan Wise Bauer (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 6 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up | Series: Story of the World

This third book in the four-volume narrative history series for elementary students will transform your study of history. The Story of the World has won awards from numerous homeschooling magazines and readers' polls—over 150,000 copies of the series in print!

Now more than ever, other cultures are affecting our everyday lives—and our children need to learn about the other countries of the world and their history. Susan Wise Bauer has provided a captivating guide to the history of other lands. Written in an engaging, straightforward manner, The Story of the World: History for the Classical Child; Volume 3: Early Modern Times weaves world history into a story book format. Who was the Sun King? Why did the Luddites go around England smashing machines? And how did samurai become sumo wrestlers?

The Story of the World covers the sweep of human history from ancient times until the present. Africa, China, Europe, the Americas—find out what happened all around the world in long-ago times. Designed as a read-aloud project for parents and children to share together, The Story of the World includes each continent and major people group. Volume 3: Early Modern Times is the third of a four volume series and covers the major historical events in the years 1600 to 1850, as well as including maps, illustrations, and tales from each culture.

Each Story of the World volume provides a full year of history study when combined with the Activity Book, Audiobook, and Tests—each available separately to accompany each volume of The Story of the World Text Book. Volume 3 Grade Recommendation: Grades 3-8. Illustrated throughout with black-and-white drawings and maps

Editorial Reviews

Review

“This may well be the best multi-age read aloud narrative of world history yet to have been written.” (Homeschooling in Japan )

“This works wonderfully as a family read-aloud... There's plenty of dialogue and enough detail to keep adults interested.” (Cafi Cohen, author of Homeschooling The Teen Years )

About the Author

Susan Wise Bauer is the best-selling author of the Story of the World series for elementary students, author of The Well-Educated Mind, The History of the Ancient World and The History of the Medieval World, and the co-author of The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home. She is a faculty member in English at the College of William & Mary in Virginia, where she teaches writing and literature.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Peace Hill Press (April 12, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0971412995
• ISBN-13: 978-0971412996
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,151 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #2 in Books > Children's Books > History > Modern

More About the Author

Susan was born in 1968, grew up in Virginia, and was educated at home by pioneering parents, back when home education was still unheard of. She worked as a professional musician, wore a costume at Colonial Williamsburg, toured with a travelling drama group, galloped racehorses at a Virginia racetrack, taught horseback riding, worked in radio and newspaper ad sales, learned enough Korean to teach a Korean four-year-old Sunday school, and served as librarian and reading tutor for the Rita Welsh Adult Literacy Center in Williamsburg, Virginia.

In her less haphazard adult life, she earned an M.A., M.Div., and Ph.D. She has taught at the College of William & Mary in Virginia for the last sixteen years. Susan is married and the mother of four.

Susan's most recent book for Norton, The History of the Medieval World: From the Conversion of Constantine to the First Crusade (2010), is the second in a four-volume series providing a narrative world history. Look for the first volume, The History of the Ancient World: From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome, as well!

Her previous book, The Well-Educated Mind: A Guide to the Classical Education You Never Had (2003), is a guide to reading the classic works of fiction, poetry, history, autobiography, and drama. Norton also published The Well-Trained Mind: A Guide to Classical Education at Home (with co-author Jessie Wise); originally published in 1999, this bestselling guide to education in the classical tradition was revised and updated in 2004 and again in 2009.

For Peace Hill Press, Susan has written a four-volume world history series for children, The Story of the World, for Peace Hill Press. Volume 1, Ancient Times, was published in 2002 (revised edition 2006); Volume 2, The Middle Ages, in 2003 (revised edition 2007); and Volume 3, Early Modern Times, in 2004. The final volume, The Modern Age, was published in 2006. She has also written a best-selling elementary writing program, Writing With Ease.

Susan is also the author of The Art of the Public Grovel (Princeton University Press) and many articles and reviews. Visit her blog at http://www.susanwisebauer.com/blog.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

94 of 95 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Continuing in the same great tradition, May 13, 2004

By 

Henry Cate III (CA. United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Story of the World: History for the Classical Child, Volume 3: Early Modern Times (Paperback)

Volume three arrived in the mail last week, and I read it in two sittings. It follows the same approach as the first two volumes. The author, Susan Wise Bauer, has targeted this book at young children. It is a great book for thoughtful children. Like the first two books, volume three is written in such a way that it is both entertaining and informative.

Most of the other history books I've read have been very United States focused or European centric. Volume three covers every part of the world. You learn what is happening in Europe, North America, South America, the Middle East, Africa, India, China, the rest of Asia, and down in Australia & New Zealand. The book covers the time period from about 1500 to 1850.

I am surprised by just how much content is in each page. Even though history is presented in an easy flowing story like format, the book is packed with information.

There are 42 chapters, each with a focus. The first chapter starts off with The Holy Roman Empire, and how Spain became so rich with all the gold and silver coming out of Central and South America. The book ends with the California Gold Rush in 1849 and does a brief overview of the current state of the world in 1849. In between the book covers topics like the Protestant Rebellion, Warlords of Japan, the Spread of Slavery, Plague in England, the Ottoman Empire, the colonies in the New World, Chi'en-lung's Library, the French Revolution, and lots of wars. The book also covers how technology was changing the world. After the 42 chapters there is a five page timeline to help the reader understand when key events happened relative to other key events.

The book doesn't pull any punches. For example in the very first chapter, while talking about all the gold and silver Spain was getting from the New World, we're shown the living conditions of young children working down in the mines. The book doesn't go into graphic detail, but it does mention the warts of history, times and places where evil things happened.

To be well rounded and truly educated children need to have a solid understanding of where civilization has been over the last five thousand years. These "Story of the World" books are a good starting point.

This is a great way for young children to learn history. If you enjoyed the first two, you will enjoy volume three.

34 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Story of the World, Volume 3: Early Modern Times, November 29, 2004

By 

CTR Mom "Jean" (OH, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Story of the World: History for the Classical Child, Volume 3: Early Modern Times (Paperback)

We love these books! We couldn't wait till this latest book in the series came out. This book, like the previous ones, is a history written like a story. Each chapter (topic) is connected to the next and covers history as it happened all over the world. (This one, #3, covers from about 1500- 1850). I purchased a book for my 10 year old to help him learn history. When history is told in story format so much more is absorbed and remembered later, as well as being more engaging reading. He loves history now. I ended up buying one for his older brother, as well, because he was always borrowing his brothers book. When my 70 year old father came to town (a lover of history)- he picked up the Story World and read the whole thing! He said it was very well written and he mentioned that he was impressed by how straight forward and unbaised it was. I remember so little about what I studied in history as a child, but I know it will be different for my kids -because of "The story of the World". I catch my son sneaking in a few chapters when he is suppose to be doing other things...but I can't get too mad- he's wanting to read History! My youngest son (3rd grade) just started reading this Story World book for himself and he shows the same enthusiasm. I think this book and others in the series are excellent for all ages to learn and develop a love of history. (I am enjoying them now, myself, and maybe my knowledge will eventually catch up to what my kids have learned!) A great choice. I say, to a fantastic writer and educator... Thanks!!! to Susan Bauer for writing these books and sparking a great love and new hobby in our family. Jean in Ohio

19 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Another good read!!, October 3, 2005

By 

Karen J. Morton (Burnsville, MN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Story of the World: History for the Classical Child, Volume 3: Early Modern Times (Paperback)

Like the previous two volumes, we enjoyed SOTW Vol. 3. It is written in an interesting and engaging style. My younger children enjoyed it as much as my third grader. Susan Wise Bauer does a good job handling some rather difficult and unpleasant parts of History. She did choose to leave out a couple of topics, but explains her reasons at the beginning. My only complaint is the lack of church history that is covered. (There seems to be a decreasing amount of church history covered in each successive volume.)