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He grew up around the mills of England, and worked in them from the age of fourteen to twenty-one. That is when he finished an apprenticeship and wanted to open his own mill. But coming up with the money was a problem. He’d heard the United States awarded about $500 to the designer of a cloth-making machine and was sure there were opportunites for him there. However, the English, being protective of their healthy profits, made it illegal to send textile machinery, or plans for it, out of England. In Samuel Slater’s Mill: And the Industrial Revolution
you’ll learn how young Slater played the part of a farmer to get out of England with all those machinery designs safely tucked away—in his head.The book goes on to describe Slater’s partnerships, machines, workers (lots of children), and his growing business. It grew so much, in fact, that he was worth the amazing sum of $1,200,000 when he died! The effects of this sixty-year revolution are also discussed from the population’s shift from country to city and from farmer to wage earner as well as the pressure put on the south to produce more cotton with slave labor.
Ages 9-12
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Acivity: Watch this video and then weave your own textile creation.
was like finding a little jewel. First and foremost, with no draggy parts nor dull characters, it was a pleasure to read. Then I was impressed with how it sprinkled in just a snippet of the Glorious Revolution, the Royal Society and other English history. But of course, the main course here is the plague...
, was Salisbury Cathedral. This amazing structure was built between 1220 and 1258. In trying to find a related book for children, the closest I could come was 
will leave you in complete awe of human achievement.
, a lot. As the book jacket states, her “strong will, shrewd diplomacy, religious tolerance, and love for her subjects won the hearts of her people and the admiration of her enemies.”
, is a fabulous book published by none other than National Geographic. It follows an archeologist as he tries to understand what possessed ancient Brits to place massive stones in a circle. After studying a predecessors notes he decides to look at it with fresh eyes and invites a Madagascar archeologist, who is unfamiliar with the site, to Stonehenge. This is a must own book for any child interested in archeology. They will learn how people are able to make contrasting interruptions and see how the ground contains hints of the past, if only you’ll look properly. As the author himself states, “This is a book about questioning what others believe to be true, not accepting ideas just because famous people say they are right.” You’ll have to read the book to see what secrets were unlocked :-)
, Eva, real name Milada, makes the effort to always remember who she really is. And that someone is from Lidice, Czechoslovakia, where she was the fastest runner in school, loved to star gaze and ride bikes with her best friend, had a big brother, a baby sister, and a beloved grandmother, mother and father. She also had Aryan features, which is why the Germans snagged her.
takes you on a fascinating look at the man who was determined to invent mass–produced printing and persevered. It’s a wonderful lesson in persistence and a very interesting glimpse into 15th Century Germany.
