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Become a U.S. history buff, the easy way A lot has happened in the U.S. recently - and throughout its history.
U.S. History For Dummies covers it all, starting with American Indians and Pilgrims, right up to the present day. This book clearly explains the major eras, important figures, and key events you need to know. Plus, you'll get access to online chapter quizzes, so you can practice and boost your score on any U.S. history exam. Learn how this nation came to be what it it today - right inside this one-stop guide to U.S. History.
Inside... - The founding of America
- The Civil War and World Wars
- The Great Depression
- Important cultural eras
- The War on Terror
- COVID-19 and the 2024 election
- Fascinating presidential facts
- Practice resources online
List of contents
Introduction 1
Part 1: America's Birth and Toddler Years 5 Chapter 1: America: A Short Biography 7
Chapter 2: American Indians and Explorers: 21,000 BCE (?) -1607 21
Chapter 3: Pilgrims' Progress: The English Colonies, 1607-1700 37
Chapter 4: You Say You Want a Revolution: 1700-1775 49
Chapter 5: Yankee Doodlin': 1775-1783 65
Chapter 6: Blueprints and Birth Pains: 1783-1800 79
Part 2: Growing Pains 91 Chapter 7: "Long Tom" and One Weird War: 1800-1815 93
Chapter 8: Pulling Together to Keep from Falling Apart: 1815-1844 109
Chapter 9: War, Gold, and a Gathering Storm: 1845-1860 129
Chapter 10: A Most Uncivil War: 1861-1865 143
Chapter 11: Putting the Country Back Together: 1865-1876 157
Part 3: Coming of Age 167 Chapter 12: Growing Up: 1876-1898 169
Chapter 13: Stepping Up as a World Power: 1899-1918 183
Chapter 14: Gin, Jazz, and
Lucky Lindy: 1919-1929 197
Chapter 15: Uncle
Sam's Depressed: 1930-1940 211
Chapter 16: The World at War: 1941-1945 225
Part 4: America in Adulthood 241 Chapter 17: TV,
Elvis, and Reds Under the Bed: 1946-1960 243
Chapter 18: Camelot to Watergate: 1961-1974 259
Chapter 19: Hold the Malaise, or
Ayatollah So: 1975-1992 275
Chapter 20: No Sex, Please, I'm the President: 1993-1999 289
Part 5: Nearing Our Semiquincentennial 301 Chapter 21: Terror Comes Home; America Goes to War(s) 303
Chapter 22: Recessions Can Be Really Depressing 315
Chapter 23: Reforming Healthcare Is No Tea Party 327
Chapter 24: America Disagrees with Itself 341
Chapter 25: Stormy Weather 353
Chapter 26: This New America 371
Part 6: The Part of Tens 389 Chapter 27: Ten Innovations That Made It Easier to Be Lazy 391
Chapter 28: Ten Events That Helped Shape American Culture 397
Part 7: The Appendixes 403 Appendix A: The Bill of Rights: Amendments 1-10 of the Constitution 405
Appendix B: The Declaration of Independence 409
Index 413
About the author
Steve Wiegand is an award-winning political journalist and history writer. Over a 35-year career, he worked as a reporter and columnist at the
San Diego Evening Tribune,
San Francisco Chronicle, and
Sacramento Bee. He is the author or coauthor of 10 books dealing with various aspects of U.S. and world history.
