ABSTRACT

Expertly steering readers through the often tumultuous and exhilarating history of the United States, from its early modern Native American roots to twenty-first-century neoliberalism and the shifting political climate of the past decade, this highly readable textbook provides a compelling overview of American development over the last five centuries.

This book avoids either celebratory or condemnatory rhetoric to present a critical examination of domestic America and its interaction with the rest of the world. Balancing coverage of political, social, cultural, and economic history, each chapter also includes a wealth of features to facilitate learning:

  • Timelines situating key events in their wider chronology
  • Lists of topics covered within each chapter for easy reference
  • Concept boxes discussing selected issues in more detail
  • Historiography boxes exploring key debates
  • Chapter summaries offering condensed outlines of the main themes of each chapter
  • Further reading lists guiding readers to additional resources
  • Maps and images bringing to life important events and figures from America’s history

Clearly and engagingly written and positioning America’s narrative within the wider global context, this textbook is particularly accessible for non-US students and is the perfect introduction for those new to US history.

This textbook is also supported by a companion website offering interactive content including a timeline, multiple-choice quizzes, and links to selected web resources.

chapter |2 pages

Introduction

chapter 1|30 pages

In Indian Country

chapter 2|28 pages

A provincial society in an Atlantic World

chapter 3|29 pages

The revolution that made a republic

chapter 4|28 pages

A union and a nation

chapter 5|31 pages

The growth of the white republic

chapter 7|33 pages

Civil War and the wars of Reconstruction

chapter 9|34 pages

The rise of imperial America

chapter 10|33 pages

State building in the United States

chapter 11|31 pages

Depression and New Deal America

chapter 12|34 pages

From neutrality to war

chapter 13|25 pages

Cold war America, 1945–1954

chapter 14|27 pages

Prosperity and crisis in the 1950s

chapter 15|29 pages

The turbulent sixties

chapter 17|29 pages

The age of neoliberalism, 1989–2016