A history of America's nation-building project told through the voices of its peoples, from the early settlers to its multicultural citizens of the twenty-first century.
America's Promise is a concise, highly readable introduction to American History. Designed to clearly explain major themes and events, it also captures the rich and often amusing character of the American people. The strong narrative emphasizes public life and how individuals constructed public structures in which they lived and worked. Including the latest scholarship in social, cultural, and political history, the work integrates the history and importance of women and minorities. To aid students in learning and reviewing, each chapter begins with a preview of the main ideas that will be discussed and ends with a conclusion that reinforces the key concepts. Rather than being simply declaratory signposts, section headings highlight main ideas and help carry along the narrative. A glossary defines main terms, and a timeline helps students keep track of events. Selected readings are also included to encourage further reading and study. Finally, carefully selected illustrations and maps portray, pinpoint, and illuminate important episodes in American history. The most concise and competitively priced book available, America's Promise is a breath of fresh air in the introductory market.
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.
Using a thematic approach, this concise survey explores the many and varied threads of American history-social, intellectual, cultural, political, diplomatic, economic, and military-from the arrival of the first native American inhabitants thousand of years ago throught the crisis following the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington on September 11, 2001. Irwin Unger, a Pulitzer Prize winning author, wrote this book after discovering from his own experiences teaching American History at the University of California at Davis and at NYU, that a thematic approach was much more interesting to students than a purely descriptive one.
A third edition of this book is now available. Now in a fully updated edition, this knowledgeable and reader-friendly text gives a conceptual and historical overview of American foreign relations from the founding to the present. Providing students with a solid and readily understandable framework for evaluating American foreign policy decisions, Joyce P. Kaufman clearly explains key decisions and why they were made. Compact yet thorough, the book offers instructors a concise introduction that can be easily supplemented with other sources.
From a National Book Award winner: “A Short History of the United States may be brief, but it is wise, eloquent, and authoritative.” —Jon Meacham, Pulitzer Prize winner and New York Times–bestselling author of And There Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle “Readers of all political stripes will appreciate” this concise history of the United States (Publishers Weekly), an accessible and lively volume containing the essential facts about the discovery, settlement, growth, and development of the American nation and its institutions, including the arrival and migration of Native Americans, the founding of a republic under the Constitution, the emergence of the United States as a world power, the outbreak of terrorism here and abroad, the Obama presidency, and everything in between. “Masterful . . . a perfect history for our times.” —Robert Dallek, Pulitzer Prize finalist and author of Nixon and Kissinger “Everything a casual (or bewildered) reader needs to know . . . An objective narrative of this nation’s history.” —Publishers Weekly
Oscar-winning director Oliver Stone and historian Peter Kuznick examine the dark side of American history from the beginning of the twentieth century right up to the Obama administration. Looking at American intervention in foreign conflicts in Latin American, Asia and the Middle East, including taking part in covert operations and interfering to overthrow elected leaders in favour of right-wing dictators, they ask whether US involvement around the globe is about democratic ideals, or political and economic gain. From Hiroshima and Nagasaki to the Watergate scandal and the transformation of America into a national security state, The Concise Untold History lays bare how US presidents have ignored the constitution and international law to influence the course of world events for the interest of the few. Based on the critically acclaimed documentary series of the same name, this book compellingly unmasks the shocking and unforgettable truth behind the American Empire.
This brisk narrative charts the history of the United States Navy from its birth during the American Revolution through its emergence as a global power amid the world wars of the twentieth century and finally to its current role as a superpower in the twenty-first century.
The American Military: A Concise History narrates the American military experience. It focuses on four recurring themes-citizen soldiers vs. the standing armed forces; military professionalism; mechanization and technology; and the limits of power-and illuminates the role of the American military in its past and how it is shaping current and future national security issues.
Except in a few instances, since World War II no American soldier or sailor has been attacked by enemy air power. Conversely, no enemy soldier orsailor has acted in combat without being attacked or at least threatened by American air power. Aviators have brought the air weapon to bear against enemies while denying them the same prerogative. This is the legacy of the U.S. AirForce, purchased at great cost in both human and material resources.More often than not, aerial pioneers had to fight technological ignorance, bureaucratic opposition, public apathy, and disagreement over purpose.Every step in the evolution of air power led into new and untrodden territory, driven by humanitarian impulses; by the search for higher, faster, and farther flight; or by the conviction that the air way was the best way. Warriors have always coveted the high ground. If technology permitted them to reach it, men, women andan air force held and exploited it-from Thomas Selfridge, first among so many who gave that "last full measure of devotion"; to Women's Airforce Service Pilot Ann Baumgartner, who broke social barriers to become the first Americanwoman to pilot a jet; to Benjamin Davis, who broke racial barriers to become the first African American to command a flying group; to Chuck Yeager, a one-time non-commissioned flight officer who was the first to exceed the speed of sound; to John Levitow, who earned the Medal of Honor by throwing himself over a live flare to save his gunship crew; to John Warden, who began a revolution in air power thought and strategy that was put to spectacular use in the Gulf War.Industrialization has brought total war and air power has brought the means to overfly an enemy's defenses and attack its sources of power directly. Americans have perceived air power from the start as a more efficient means of waging war and as a symbol of the nation's commitment to technology to master challenges, minimize casualties, and defeat adversaries.