In addition to the pbs special on Tesla that I think your 10 yr. old could learn from, you can find good ones on the Titianic (not written about much). Also, in discussing H. Ford, you may or may not currently want to discuss the anti-semitic propaganda that he engaged in; not only did he mass-produce cars, but he mass-produced hate:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/interview/henryford-antisemitism/
It’s great to honor someone for their acheivements, but we mustn’t put them on a pedestal. We need to be willing to see the whole truth-the real history and impact of an individual’s life on his surroundings and in the case of some, the very substantial effects.
There are very few George Washington’s.
Your 8 yr. old would probably enjoy the Cheryl Harness books approprate to the time span:
http://www.cherylharness.com/books2.htm
and the D’Aulaires if not already read.
Civil War:
Lincoln and Douglass: The Years of Decision – Landmark Books
Abraham LIncoln’s War – Foster
The Boy’s War: Confederate and Union Soldiers Talk about the Civil War – Jim Murphy
Frederick Douglass bio (listen on Librivox, I think)
Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass: The Story Behind an American Friendship – Russell Freedman
Lincoln: A Photobiography – Russell Freedman
Henty audio – With Lee in Virginia
Among the Camps and Two Little Confederates – Thomas Nelson Page
Best Little Stories from the Civil War – B. Kelly
Robert E. Lee and the Road of Honor – Hodding Carter (Landmark)
Stonewall Jackson – Jonathan daniels (Landmark)
Post- War Between the States to WW I:
They Called Themselves the KKK – Susan Campbell Bartoletti
Freeland and/or Young Pioneers – Rose Wilder Lane
Wright Brothers: How they Invented the Airplane – Russell Freedman
Indian Chiefs – Russell Freedman
Kids at Work: Lewis HIne and the Crusade against Child LAbor – Russell Freedom
Lerner’s in America Series
Children of the Great Depression – Russell Freedman
Years of Dust – Albert Marrin
Mill – David MacCauley
True Stories of the First World War- Paul Dowswell
World War I: “The War to End Wars” (American War Series) – Zachery Kent
Truce: The Day the Soldiers Stopped Fighting – Jim Murphy
A page with choices:
http://www.redshift.com/~bonajo/history.htm#UCWR
Landmark:
The Monitor and the Merrimac by Pratt, #16 (1862)
Gettysburg by Kantor, #23 (1863)
Lee and Grant at Appomatox by Kantor, #8 (1865)
The First Transatlantic Cable by Nathan, #88 (1865)
Wild Bill Hickok Tames the West by Holbrook, #25 (1860’s – 70’s)
The Golden Age of Railroads by Holbrook, #93 (1830-1920) Hard to place exactly.
The Building of the First Transcontinental Railroad by Nathan, #9 (1863-1869)
Custer’s Last Stand by Reynolds, #20 (1876)
Mr. Bell Invents the Telephone by Shippen, #30 (1876)
The Texas Rangers by Henry, #72 (1880’s)
Wyatt Earp: U.S. Marshall by Holbrook, #67 (1881 OK Corral, death 1929)
Clara Barton, Founder of the American Red Cross by Boyleston, #58 (1882)
Buffalo Bill’s Great Wild West Show by Havighurst, #73 (Began 1883)
The World’s Greatest Showman: P.T. Barnum by Bryan, #64 (1889 – Peak of Fame)
Disaster at Johnstown: The Great Flood by Dolson, 109 (1889)
Up the Trail from Texas by Dobie, #60 (1866-’94)
The Alaska Gold Rush by McNeer, #92 (1897-99)
Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders by Castor, #41 (1898)
Women of Courage by Nathan, #107 (Susan B. Anthony 1820-1906 through Margaret Mead 1901-1978) Don’t know how this treats them as they were pro-life and weren’t necessaritly as they are currently depicted.
The Wright Brothers by Reynolds, #10 (1903)
The Copper Kings of Montana by Place, #95 (1903)
The Story of San Francisco by Jackson, #59 (1906, earthquake)
The Conquest of the North and South Poles by Owen, #27 (North 1909 & South 1929)
The Story of Thomas Alva Edison by Cousins, #110 (1869-1910 greatest achievements)
The Panama Canal by Considine, #18 (1913)
America’s First World War: General Pershing and the Yanks by Castor, #77 (1918)
BLessings,
Rachel
