This Country of Ours

This book tells the history of the United States, starting with European explorers rather than the Native Americans who had been inhabiting the region we now name North America for generations. The book describes the achievements of the brave, clever, and powerful men (and a few women) who founded the colonies that later developed into the states that eventually gave rise to the current nation.In general, it paints the Native Americans as barbaric, uncivilized, and vicious. As you read, consider why it could be crucial for a white lady of European ancestry to write for children in England or the US to view Native Americans in this manner. What does it reveal about the people, the country, and the terrain at the time? H.E. Marshall, the author, wrote from a Protestant point of view. Nothing in her writing implies that she intentionally set to be anti-Catholic, but it is clear that her Protestant background and her sense of the truth had an impact on her writing. The advantages of adopting this book exceed any drawbacks, which can be quickly resolved by debate and careful editing.