Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie
Abbie and her family used natural, capital, and human resources to keep the lights burning in a lighthouse on the coast of Maine in 1856. Her father was paid by the government for this service. One day her father took the little boat and went to town to purchase goods that they couldn’t produce themselves, including medicine for the mother who was ill. While he was gone, the weather turned bad, and he could not get back for three days. So Abbie had to keep the light burning by herself, in order to save the ships.
Economic Concepts
- Taxes
- Role of Government
- Goods and Services Provided by the Government
- Scarcity
- Opportunity Costs
Grade Levels
- Primary (K-3)
- Intermediate (4-6)
Related Subjects
- U.S. History
- Government/Civics
Description of Lesson 15, A Good Job for Government!
from Adventures in Economic and U.S. History, Volume 2
After reading this book students explore some of the roles of government and why taxes are collected to pay for them.