Routledge A Concise American History

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. Review "A Concise American History is an impressive achievement. It is wide-ranging in scope, rigorous but accessible, and attentive to complexity and nuance without sacrificing clarity or narrative drive. Each chapter covers a great deal of ground in an insightful way, but the reader benefits from helpful chapter summaries and 'concept boxes' to aid understanding. The book successfully places US economic, social, and political development from colonial times to the present in wider global context." Jonathan Bell, University College London, UK "This book provides an excellent introduction to US history. Its authors, distinguished scholars in their fields, bring to bear a unique global perspective on the subject since they were themselves educated abroad or teach abroad. The text sweeps aside the myths often still taught in American schools, avoids hagiography of national political figures, and provides careful analysis of the major events and developments." Carol Berkin, City University of New York, USA "This authoritative and fast-paced text, admirably attentive to global connections, introduces readers to the turbulent history of the United States from the colonial era to the present day. Highly recommended to anyone seeking a reliable and readable account of the restless American Republic and its formative role in the making of the modern world." Robert Cook, University of Sussex, UK "This textbook accomplishes something highly distinctive in its field – it introduces students to the huge breadth of American History (from 1492 to the present) while directing them toward an appreciation of interdisciplinary and interlinking concepts of the subject. Students will find it a highly accessible text that gives them a firm basis for understanding the USA, both in domestic policy and foreign relations. Indeed, this text should also establish itself as an essential teaching tool in American survey courses." Lee Sartain, University of Portsmouth, UK "A Concise American History offers a compelling account of the highly indeterminate, four-century-long formation of 'what we know today as the United States.' It is compelling precisely because it is indeterminate, steering clear of both progressivist and declensionist narratives to instead provide readers with an account woven of ‘continuity and change…development and destruction.’ It does so through a commitment to multiple historical approaches – including