Broad and balanced in perspective-and reader-friendly in format and design-this collection ofauthoritativereadings focuses on the various forces, ideologies, people, and experiences that have forged the distinctive American character. Drawn from an extensive and impressive variety of historical sources-including popular history journals, chapters from key books, and scholarly journals-coverage ranges from traditional fields such as historiography and political, cultural, diplomatic, and religious history, to the new social and women's history.