Hallmark explanatory power. The clear and compelling narrative toggles adroitly between the political, the social, the military, the cultural, and the economic. Hard-hitting statistics and illustrative first-person quotes are woven in with equal grace.
America helps students to understand not only what happened, but
why — so they’re never left wondering what’s important.
A narrative structure that organizes information in a clear, logical way. America’s seven-part organization highlights the crucial turning points in American history and explores the dynamic forces that shaped each period. An introductory essay and thematic timeline open each part, and end-of-chapter "Connections" sections draw vital connections across the chapters in the part. By organizing history into distinct eras,
America helps students to home in on important themes, and to better understand continuity and change.
A narrative that, while brief, retains its comprehensiveness and balance. The authors take responsibility for abridging
America themselves, thereby assuring that while the text is succinct and free of unnecessary detail, it remains
balanced — providing students with a clear overview of political, social, economic, and cultural developments, and retaining the analytical power for which
America is known.
Two primary-source features in every chapter. Every chapter of
America now includes one "American Voices"
and one "Voices from Abroad" feature, ensuring that students will understand historical events as they were viewed nationally and internationally. Selections from letters, diaries, autobiographies, and public testimony are combined with document introductions and brief headnotes, building a valuable primary-source reader directly into the textbook.
Visuals that work.
America does not sacrifice the valuable visual elements — vibrant four-color art, carefully crafted maps — that support student comprehension.
Thoughtfully chosen and vividly presented,
America’s art and maps are invaluable tools for today’s students — so many of whom are visual learners.