Cause & Effect in History

An exemplary series, the analysis of milieu and the causes of essential global movements introduces young readers to a more thorough understanding of history than simple regurgitation of people and dates. Cleverly supported with paintings, focus questions, sidebars, and splendid maps, the text looks beyond the moment to enduring attitudes toward democracy and human rights that influenced Joan of Arc, the Arab Spring, the Napoleonic code, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the downfall of tyranny in Libya. Back matter includes notes and books and websites from the past four years. Primary and secondary indexing focuses on entries with the importance of ethnic wars, Hessian mercenaries, Nicholas II, Kazakhstan, minutemen, enlightenment, and guillotine.

The authors use varied editorial facets as instructional tools, notably, challenging diction, e.g., foppish, despots, regimes, opulent, and rhetoric. Curiously, Marcovitz failed to identify the rowdiness of the Sons of Liberty and Green missed an opportunity to feature a portrait of Marie Antoinette or Marianne. Presentation of Russian history makes excellent use of pictures featuring the privations of women and children. This set raises the standard for young adult history texts by challenging student thinking toward a holistic world view.
—Mary Ellen Snodgrass

Gr 9 Up Outstanding analysis of factors responsible for some of history’s most significant events distinguishes this well-written set. Books open with a brief description of a pivotal moment and topic overview, followed by four chapters that ask and answer a key question. Chapter topics vary but generally include an underlying cause (e.g., the Treaty of Versailles in World War II), the effects of important decisions or events (such as how French support of the Americans affected the American and French Revolutions), and the aftermath (for instance, the continuing legacy of Roman civilization) of each subject. Authors include contemporary scholarship and provide plenty of background. Occasional sidebars and illustrations add to the text. These selections offer readable, thought-provoking content that will help students gain the deeper comprehension of causality in history required by contemporary learning standards. VERDICT Valuable additions to any collection serving high school students.

Each volume begins with a timeline and an introduction. The first chapter gives a historical overview, and following chapters discuss cause and effect questions. Each chapter lists three focus questions which could be essay questions for a final exam, and goes on to discuss those issues. The questions are thought-provoking, and not usually covered in textbooks. They often draw parallels with contemporary issues and events. There are occasional minor inaccuracies and some of the images’ relevance can be puzzling. Quotations are often from secondary or tertiary sources. These are attractive books that are easy to read and should engage students. Bibliography. Index.
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