The Story Behind One Nation Under God: A Book for Little Patriots
by Amelia HamiltonWhen my friend’s son was learning to count, I wanted him to have something special for his birthday, something that would introduce him the basics of The United States. So, I wrote him a book. The result is One Nation Under God: A Book for Little Patriots, just released on August 16th.
One Nation Under God: A Book for Little Patriots is a tool to teach children the fundamentals of The United States. It leads children in counting from one nation under God through ten amendments in the Bill of Rights, with key points on each along the way. Although the ideas are more easily understood by a slightly older child (5-8), I wrote it as a counting book to get younger children familiar with the concepts, allowing the book to grow with a child. Once a child has outgrown the book, my hope is that he or she will use this knowledge as a foundation to learn more. I hope that it will spark an interest in children to discover more about The United States.
With this in mind, it was time to research and see what went with each number. Some were easy, some took a little more digging. From there, I decided what the main points were for each number, the key things that I wanted the child to remember. Then it got interesting. I had to figure out a way to write about those concepts in a fun way to keep a child’s interest. In twelve lines of rhyme.
After giving the book to my friend’s little guy, I shared it with a few other friends. The feedback was great, with many parents telling me that the book was just the kind of teaching tool for which they’d been looking. So, I decided to give publication a try. Although the manuscript was accepted by a traditional publishing house, I decided to go it alone and publish independently. Having full ownership of and responsibility for the book has been wonderful.
Response to the book has been all over the map. Many have been looking for a more meaningful children’s book. One common theme in the feedback is that the simple, basic facts in the book are not being taught in schools. While this book teaches them that which they aren’t getting in schools, it’s also opening the door to questions about The United States. Parents have welcomed this curiosity, excited that their children are excited!
However, there have been plenty of attacks, mostly from people who consider the book to be partisan, and have clearly not read the book. Rather, they’ve made assumptions about what I believe, and then further assumed that these beliefs were being taught in the book. My mission in writing this book was simple: to teach children about the foundation and structure of the United States and spark their interest in learning more. There’s nothing nefarious at work. Telling children that there are two chambers in congress, for example, is hardly controversial and, for this reason, the feedback from readers has been overwhelmingly positive.
I’ve heard many times, from readers on both sides of the political spectrum that there is a dearth of patriotic books for children. We are at a critical crossroads in our country, and people are coming to realize that we need to concentrate on educating our children, it’s as simple as that. For this reason, it’s imperative to create as much interesting educational content as possible. I hope that One Nation Under God: A Book for Little Patriots, as well as the other projects in the works, help to fill that void in a fun and engaging way. It’s also my hope that others create ways to teach children about the foundation of the United States to get kids interested in their country!
One Nation Under God: A Book for Little Patriots is available at www.ameliahamilton.com.
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72 Comments
While names, dates, and places are fine for teaching the history of this country, the philosophy of this country's founding is taboo for many educators, and that's a shame. There is too much Christian spirituality involved, which may lead to feelings of guilt. As a result, they take offense and claim "separation of Church and state" , as if this will absolve them of feelings of discomfort.
"There’s nothing nefarious at work"
Normal people using reason clearly see that, but the lefty kooks look at anything outside of their view as nefarious. If those are the people you are irritating with this book, then it's definitely the right thing for kids to be reading!
Looks nice.
Wonderful, a political propaganda pamphlet for children that teaches exclusion of the other. Just what our society needs!
Feelings of guilt for not being Christian? Why would that be?
Best to go On Probiotics now. Those anti's have befuddled your mind and probably your digestion ain't too good either.
So have you read it, or are you just being an ass?
Thanks for the ad hom comment. You've done a wonderful job persuading me of the righteousness of your ideas.
People can't be persuaded until they've become de-toxified. Come back in a couple of months and we'll talk.
posting for the one and only:
JOEDOAKES101
The Story Behind One Nation Under God: A Book for Little Patriots
by Amelia Hamilton
On BigHollywood . . .
I'm not permitted to comment on that BIG site.
But if you've got children, buy one of these books per child.
JD gives it 10 out of 10 stars.
My first book review.
Youre disgruntled because it doesnt mention Zoloft or Abilify?
the answer will be found in Hell–
you will be finding out about righteousness when it's too late
I'm impressed–you said something positive.
People who can't or won't live by the moral code this country was founded on often feel guilt that turns to anger and resentment. Its not the Christians who have a problem with the Judeo-Christian ethic this country was founded upon, Its the left whose God is not the God of Abraham, But the God of political correctness.
Who is excluded in the phamplet?
I think writing this book is fine, even if you want to emphasize the "under God" part right in the title. Similarly, I think portraying a Tea Party member in a tv show that a lot of young people watch, or having same-sex relationships in a computer game, is fine. It's all a part of having your worldview honestly reflected in what you write, direct, program, paint or compose.
Have you taken a history class, at all? Did you listen to the $#!T that history professors teach in college or regular, communist public education? Would you not agree that it's one-sided?
It's about time people start standing up to the left that have hijacked history and only teach you what they want you to know!
Ask me, my father-in-law is a recently retired history teacher of nearly 40 years, I can't believe the CRAP that he preaches to the rest of the family. Or history teachings need moderators. Then, maybe, we'd learn how Wilson and FDR stacked the Supreme court to get their way…
I agree. We have to be able to be educated about everything, whether we're comfortable with it or not. The truth is the truth, it's not open for debate.
I too am impressed, and a thumbs up.
Real Christianity never leads to guilt. I understand what you mean though. But for anyone that thinks that Christianity has something to do with your behaviour or your good or bad deeds please watch this.
The Pharisees have been running our churches for too long.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXKT8IPdvzA
Why should we even try? Especially when many of us have taken a shot at it, but have received nothing but attacks and derision from YOU. Your original posts never ask legitimate questions or make statements that would indicate that you were open-minded enough to learn what conservatism and libertarianism are all about. And so your posts are responded to in kind. You want respect, then show respect.
The author actually says that there's nothing partisan about her book. That it's meant to simply teach the STRUCTURE of our government and encourage children's curiousity to "learn more". But you basically proved her statement that there are many who are claiming it's "partisan" and they either haven't read it or their minds are so closed they can't see it for anything else.
You are the poster child for why I abandoned my "moderate liberalism" and none to soon.
That was a great way to put it. He doesn't have an open mind; he's not ready for the answers. You can tell because his posts are always full of anger and accusation. Why should be bother to have a "discussion" with him when he's not ready, willing and able to accept the answers that will be given.
As a "convert" from "moderate liberalism", I can attest to what you said – de-toxify and then you are ready.
Or as the old saying goes – when the student is ready, the teacher will appear.
I thought we already had a few deranged baggers, like Kim Simac, churning out ridiculous faux-patriotic Tea Party homeschooling indoctrination propaganda.
The founders fought for you and me
To save us from such ****** poetry.
ONE black President out of forty-four
Vote Tea Party and you'll see no more.
TWO dollars per gallon guarantees crazy Michele
Price-controlled gas? Sounds like Communist hell.
THREE thousand dead on 9/11
Teavangelicals say only some went to heaven.
FOUR more years, virtual certainty.
Who's gonna beat him? D student Perry?
FIVE more years of President Barack
If you think Romney can beat him, quit smokin' crack.
SIX of one, half dozen of the other
Perry and Bush, same person, different mother.
SEVEN work days a week for you and me
After the baggers abolish the NLRB.
EIGHT lies per article, an ugly sight
But that's the average on the Breitbart sites.
NINE total copies sold of this partisan trash
To dullard home-schoolers, like dropout Dana Loesch.
TEN years of right-wing fear, war, and poverty
Now with a new name, the goddamned Tea Party.
Making bad poetry isn't so hard
Just write with no meter, like this dumbass Teatard!
The hopeful patriotism of "Yes, We Can!"
Drowned out by the hatred of the Tea Klux Klan.
Little patriots, or if you ask a Liberal, little nazis.
This book is such a piece of ****
Even Amazon won't carry it.
Well the red part is the truth at least.
Lets put all of our hopes on something that we can never all agree on. That sounds great. I'm sure that your intentions were good. But its' theme is christianity. Because the resounding message from the "tea party" & "the American right" is christianity. You are making a fatal mistake when you put one religion above all others.
We should be trying to restore Americas' founding principals on what our founders believed in, natural law. I get that you are trying to help. But just as we have been trained through media sources & schools that communism is good for us, when we see god coming from the right we think of the intolerance of the right as a whole towards other religions.
Our founders did say god. But they didn't specify. Today the right can't not specify. & that is wrong for America.
Sorry, but without a unifying belief for all in natural law regardless of denomination, you do America no justice.
Liberals call christians nazis? With as many people as christians have massacred, I would think that any nazi would be jealous. Have a nice day. : )
When it comes to mass slaughter we don't hold a CANDLE to you atheists. And that's fact! You've killed more people in one secular century than all other religious centuries combined! lol
Hey there little Communist. What pissed you off? I'm curious. Do you think that christians are intolerant of other religions? They just do that because they are all too stupid to know that it is supposed to be up to the individual in America. But seriously, they'll thumbs down me, I don't care, I am telling the infinite truth. Christians don't do truth. But why are you supporting a communist regime for American instead of traditional freedom of the citizen? Why are you here? Can you tell me? Are you a poor person who believes that welfare is better for Americans than working for what they get? Do you believe that government ownership & control of all aspects of our lives are better than private ownership & control? Or did a christian just make you mad? What's in it for you little red commie? The christian right hates it when I talk to trolls. Can you see them sqirming with their bibles? Kinda funny, huh?
I thought this site was categorically against indoctrination. How is this book any different? Not only in it's aspects of political orientation, but religion. It's offensive to me and I would NOT approve of my kids being privy to this kind of trash. It IS indoctrination. Keep your ideologies so that they remain consistent.
Do you have any idea what liberty is? Do you understand that our rights as American citizens are that we don't have to let government take our belongings for their own needs? We have the right to choose our own religion. We have (not today because of FCC) freedom of the press. We can say what we want, that is a freedom. But the most sacred freedom to Americans is the right to private property. We have the right to own, operate, & profit from business. That's right, as Americans, we have the right to be left alone. & you support the overthrow by government of all of the peoples' rights.
People can regulate themselves. People would do a better job raising their families. We would all be better off if government could just stop helping us. Do you know why? OWNERSHIP! People who own things take care of them. When government takes care of everything, no one cares for anything. Hence America today.
America is the power of the free human will. Bar none.
You are absolutely right. Only christians will buy this book. Its not going to change anything. Now Glenn Beck going to Washington D.C. & telling everyone to "find god", that actually changed things. I bet half of these dumb @sses here we'ren't christians before very recently. What a bunch of lemmings they all are.
But as far as masses of Americans buying christianity as the path to liberty, never happen baby. This is just another book you'll see when they read to their choir.
Exactly! Amazon has standards. Which is why this Amelia Hamilton is shilling this " propaganda " pamphlet on Breitbart.
Nothing turns a libbie into an angry cromag
like a children's book about God and the flag.
Don't worry little commie, no one but christians will buy it. Christians are only great in their own minds. To the rest of us they're just idiots. : ) have a nice day pinko commie pig. The left is communism you know. America is not about that.
And hopefully your last "book review." Keep your day job.
I agree with the left almost completely on religion. As far as anything else, never happen. Christians, especially American christians are the most INTOLERANT people on earth right now. Next, Islam.. That's funny, I hope you laugh onanti-liberty. It must suck to be a troll. Liberalism is death of human freedom worship, so that sucks too. But hey, you gotta have fun sometimes. Want to know something else? Many of us on the right hate christians too. & we get just as mad as you do. Its true, they really are obnoxious. Andrew Breitbart is agnostic. In his book he says that he hates the christian right. They all pretend not to see it, but he says it. : ) have a nice day pinko commie.
Passing your ideology on to your own kids isn't indoctrination. Having the state do it to everyone else's kids, regardless of their parent's wishes, is. If you want to teach your own kids to hate God and the flag so they'll grow up to vote Democrat, that's your right and your choice. Just don't demand that our kids be force-fed the same crap.
That said, the book teaches about the Bill of Rights and the structure of government. That's hardly Howard Zinn. Kids get taught that stuff later on anyway. The book is simply a head start.
Christians can't handle critcism. Talking to a christian is like clapping with one hand. You might say that they are tolerance blind. & I only say this because we won't really get anywhere telling the truth. At the end of the day most cfhristians will still be intolerant & we will still be thumbs downed for telling the truth about it. Just between you & me, I think that they are all cowards. Too afraid to stand on their own two feet & leave us the h#ll alone. They believe that the human soul is helpless you know. Without jesus of course. It's their religion, dependence on someone smarter than them. & they're proud, but not when we say it. Hypocrites mostly.
Thanks for your reply.
In fact, I don't have any kids.. Not yet, anyway. But I've put a lot of thought into how I would raise my kids.
It all starts at home. I think it's best to teach our children what it is to be the very best human being(s) they can be. However, I believe one should always respect the "individuality" of their own children. Teach them the principles of virtue and justice. But it should be their choice to decide what religion to practice, and what political ideology to follow.
I have observed most parents shoving their own beliefs into their kids. Forcefully. As if their kids had no minds of their own. And those parents, I have learned, that are the most forceful in attempting to force feed their kids, have had the greatest friction with their own children.
I work with parents and kids and know this first hand.
Please have a great Sunday. SE Holland.
Kill all libs, says Breitbart, what a goof.
Don't believe me? Here's the proof…
http://littlegreenfootballs.com/article/39172_Vid...
I said this before–you sound a whole more like the red badge of STUPID.
"a whole more like" cries this illiterate Teahadist
Learning to read and write not high on the list.
No one is listening to you people anymore. I understand you hate this country and that is your right but I believe that no one will listen you you anymore. There is hardly a reason anymore to listen to you guys since you are not going to count politically after 2012. I hope you have a nice life after that.
Where in the Constitution does it say there MUST be "separation of church and state"????? TELL ME WHERE? I want you to point to the specific LAW that states exactly that.
I bet you can't.
This is kind of off-topic but I always thought this country was founded on the freedom to choose any moral code you want. I know that most people who lived in this country at the time were christians and that shaped the society but ultimately that was a choice they made. I believe that we still have that choice and if this country wants to continue to be a country whose inhabitants share a christian ethos then that is the result of our liberty of conscience. I'm not disagreeing that judeo-christian ethics shaped and still continues to shape this countries culture but I believe the founding idea was the right to choose what religion we want to practice. It is possible that in the future our nation may not believe in the dominant religion that is being practiced at this time. When and if that change occurs it will always be the result of our individual choices we make.
Again, I am not disagreeing with you about the christian roots of our country but more about the political philosophy it was founded on which was the freedom to choose what religion you want to practice. Many people came here so they can escape religious persecution.
That it's meant to simply teach the STRUCTURE of our government and encourage children's curiousity to "learn more".
Antibio's faction depends on people not knowing things like that, so they send out their hypercaffeinated parrots like Antibio to squawk the narrative.
*yawn*
Speaking of indoctrination… here's RedBadgeOfTruth squawking teh Narrative! like a good little parrot.
"Spock, analysis?"
"Very bad poetry, Captain."
"Little Green Footballs" embraced slander and libel years ago.
"I agree with the left almost completely on religion. As far as anything else, never happen. Christians, especially American christians are the most INTOLERANT people on earth right now. Next, Islam"
I'm a non-relgious conservative too, but I seriously think you should reorder that last sentence.
"A HELPFUL analysis, then"
He's absolutely insufferable. Every post just exudes such hate.
"However, there have been plenty of attacks, mostly from people who consider the book to be partisan, and have clearly not read the book."
Case in point.
"Christians, especially American christians are the most INTOLERANT people on earth right now."
I've got to give you credit. It took you only thirteen words to show yourself as one of the most ignorant of people I've ever come across.
You would reorder it to – 'Islam(ists) are the most INTOLERANT people on earth right now, followed by Christians' ?
By the way "Libertyinfinite", "Islam" deserves to be capitalized but, not Christians?
Right.
The order isn't the issue. There are satanic virgin-sacrificing cults that don't hold a candle to Islam when it comes to intolerance.
"I sense great bitterness in Red Badge of Truth."
"Thank you, Counselor."
"It's not my fault the script writers have no idea how to deal with an empath."
Good Stuff mate. Keep it up!
Godammit,don't use too many words for baggers.Keep it simple
Baggers are violent terrorists
ALL the politcally-motivated vilence in htis country comes from the LEFT and you know it, asswipe.
You're right. We do have choice, and Christianity recognizes the freedom of will. I also know the the framers frequently referred to God in their letters and public statements which led to the codification of the ethos you mentioned. While the influence Christianity is still a force at the local level in the country, I would contend that it is not in mass popular culture which leans strongly toward the secular, and this is the free will we both agree upon.
My problem stems from a belief that is something slightly rotten in pop culture, a certain normalizing of that which was considered deviant at one time. I no longer see religion which persecutes, (except Islam) but religion (especially Christianity) which is undergoing persecution.
If there is a time when all judeo-Christian ethos are replaced with something else, I can't for the life of me think what it would be that would be more beneficial than what we have now.
PS thanks for the thought provoking post. Its a rarity.
Good Lord, but the trolls are out in force here. Never have I seen a more vivid demonstration of the old saying, "If you're not getting flak, you're not over the target."
So what is your proof? I do see allot of proof that the Left is very violent.
Welcome.
I agree that pop culture seems to promote a anti-moral agenda and presents it as the new morality that we are also suppose to except. Of course, when you say something is morally correct few people question it and accept it as the new morality. I don't think there is much anyone can do to stop this since any attempt to censor would bring people on the side of pop culture. What I think is the best solution, in my libertarian way of thinking, is to remember an old liberty that we have forgotten which is known as liberty of conscience. Each individuals had the power to use their own reasoning to establish what they think is right or wrong. Christians have the right say that homosexuality is wrong while pop culture has the right to say otherwise. It may seem difficult for us to imagine a society where we have two or more moral codes held separately by different individuals but the liberty of conscience was established by Locke and was used as an argument to rid the moral justifications behind slavery. An individual could possess the moral thinking shared by society but since they had the liberty to establish what they think is right and wrong they could also reject. Slavery was probably justified by some moral standard but individuals were free to reject that and simply say no to it. This paved the way for fixing some things.
In case you do not believe me look in the Arizona constitution. It refers to liberty of conscience.
I also agree that christianity seems to free people a lot. I think being non-judgemental seems to free other people up. It denies the right for people to judge others and for other people to fall under the moral authority of them. It seems like a freeing philosophy because it allows us to function freely around others because you have no fear of your actions being judged. I think Jesus's idea was a freedom idea since it dissolved the moral authority of the pharisees which probably allowed them to have a lot of power over the people. That is my own opinion on the subject.
Ms Hamilton-
I just sent for a copy of your book for the son of my oldest nephew. I have a 16 year old niece (adopted from a communist country) who will attend collage real soon, and I'm worried. I want her to be prepared in a way I was not. I now think of collage as my biggest life mistake. My second biggest mistake was reading Ayn Rand. While in a way, I'm glad I did, because it alerted me to so much, the pain that resulted makes me question if it was worth it.
Still not being the devout type, I none the less will give the boy your book without reservation. I know all about hell on earth.
Mr. Holland-
You should know, Andrew Breitbart has stated publicly, that his mission is to 'take down the institutional left.' Since the left has a specific ideology, such a mission would require a different ideology in order to succeed. That requires indoctrination at some level. One of the big complaints conservatives have about liberals, in the media, and in the schools, is they will not admit they have an indoctrination agenda. Conservatives just want liberals to be honest. Conservatives say they are. Christians say they are. Libertarians say the are. Objectivists say they are. Liberals won't say. Not in a consistent way. Or if they do, they obscure what that means. Especially in practice.
President Obama says he's a progressive. That is blatantly unconstitutional. This is not a matter of opinion; it's unconstitutional. Some say that's good then, some say that's bad. But unconstitutional it is. I've reached the painful conclusion, that's bad, and so did not vote for him. Unfortunately, most republican politicians do not, or can not, effectively oppose his polices, or undo the damage. And yes, plenty of republicans have violated the Constitution. That's what the tea party is for. To clean up this mess we have all created together.
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