Upper Saddle River, NJ - November 27, 2006 -Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "there is properly no history, only biography." To Emerson and other notable thinkers, history rests on people - the ideas they hold, the values they embody, the choices they make. United States History, from Pearson Prentice Hall, personalizes the study of U.S. history and teaches students about the important events of the past through the stories of real people, the individuals who have contributed -- in large and small ways - to the building of the nation.

The new program will debut at the National Council for the Social Studies Annual Conference in Washington, D.C., Dec. 1-3.

Bringing their scholarship to life, United States History‘s distinguished authors are Emma J. Lapsansky-Werner, Professor of History and Curator of the Quaker Collection at Haverford College; Peter B. Levy, Professor in the Department of History at York College of Pennsylvania; Randy Roberts, Professor of History at Purdue University; and Alan Taylor, Professor of History at University of California-Davis and winner of the Pulitzer Prize for William Cooper’s Town.

According to Roberts, "American history is the grand story of the actions of men and women, leaders and followers who established a nation committed to the noblest of all ideals and labored over the centuries to make the reality of the nation conform to those lofty ideals."

Innovative features include the American Issues Connector system, which encourages students to explore fundamental themes that have been debated throughout American history and that continue to affect our nation today, such as "America’s Role as Global Peacekeeper," and "Civil Liberties and National Security." Students are introduced to these important issues in full-page features, revisit them in every chapter, and track them over the span of U.S. history.

The StudentEXPRESS CD-ROM features Witness History audio and video clips, integrating primary sources, stories, music, and voices throughout the program; and Geography Interactive helps students understand the impact of geography on history.

"The program is designed to help students develop a deeper understanding of events, learn to think critically about the world around them, and become more effective, informed citizens," said Rick Culp, President, Pearson Prentice Hall. "Through a dynamic mix of print, audio, video, and online components, the program explores the ideas that motivated key characters, inspired pivotal debates, influenced major decisions, and ultimately helped to shape our nation."

United States History offers a comprehensive system that allows all students to master standards-based concepts, and supports teachers by providing differentiated instruction. It is the only program to offer leveled study guides, providing on-level, adapted, and Spanish versions to support all students.

The authors of United States History will be signing copies of the textbook at the National Council for the Social Studies Annual Conference in Washington, D.C., Dec. 1-3, at the Pearson Prentice Hall booth on Friday and Saturday.

A sample chapter is available at www.phschool.com by typing nek-0012 into the webcode box.

About Pearson Prentice Hall
Pearson Prentice Hall is the world's largest publisher of academic and reference textbooks and is committed to providing the most innovative, flexible, and powerful educational materials available today.

About Pearson Education
Educating 100 million people worldwide, Pearson Education (www.pearsoned.com) is the global leader in educational publishing, providing research-based print and digital programs to help students of all ages learn at their own pace, in their own way. Virtually all students in America learn from a Pearson program at some point in their educational career. The company is home to such renowned publishing brands as Pearson Prentice Hall, Pearson Scott Foresman, Pearson Learning Group, Pearson Digital Learning, Pearson Educational Measurement, Pearson Achievement Solutions, Pearson School Systems, and others. Pearson Education is part of Pearson (NYSE: PSO), the international media company. In addition to Pearson Education, Pearson's primary operations include the Financial Times Group and the Penguin Group.

CONTACT:

Rod Granger
Pearson Education
212-782-3486
rod.granger@pearsoned.com