With the political history of the nation as its organizational framework, American Destiny: Narrative of a Nation describes the development and growth of the United States as the product of the myriad actions, ideas, and forces of the immense variety of individuals and groups who together comprise the American people. In richly detailed prose, the book examines the political, social, economic, and cultural developments that have shaped America. This elegantly written concise text offers a lower-priced alternative to traditional American history survey textbooks, with the benefit of full-color maps and images. Book jacket.