The Making of America: A History of the United States from 1492 to the Present FROM THE PUBLISHER
In The Making of America, historian Robert Johnston takes us on a wonderful journey from the time just before Europeans arrived in this land to the most recent events of the 21st century. Along the way, we meet people from all walks of life who have helped shape our nation, and we take part in some of the great debates of the eras. We discover that we are just as much a part of America's ongoing story as the people of the past.
FROM THE CRITICS
School Library Journal
Gr 5-8-This book stands in stark and wonderful contrast to the dry textbook approach to learning about history, and is exactly the type of book an informed teacher would want. Divided into eight 20- to 25-page chapters, the beautifully illustrated and fluidly written narrative manages to encapsulate the seminal events in American history from Columbus through the attack on the World Trade Center, including not only accurate facts but also evenhanded debates on major issues. Each chapter begins with a spread showing eight pictures representing major events during the period covered, an introductory paragraph raising framing questions, and a reproduction of the American flag as it looked in the epoch under consideration. The text itself takes issues and events in greater detail, is refreshingly devoid of sidebars, and is enhanced with full-color photographs and reproductions. Each chapter contains two profiles-and they alone are invaluable and brilliantly chosen to throw issues of the time period into high relief. For example, "War, Prosperity, and Social Change: 1941-1968" profiles Joseph McCarthy and Martin Luther King, Jr.; "The Age of Conservatism: 1969 to the Present" features Sandra Day O'Connor and C sar Ch vez. Especially notable is the presentation of the debate surrounding the last presidential election and the mixed response to the loss of civil liberties resulting from the War on Terror. The closest competitor to this exemplary presentation is John A. Scott's The Story of America (National Geographic, 1992). The Making of America supersedes it, not only in currency but also in intellectual scope.-Ann Welton, Grant Elementary School, Tacoma, WA Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.
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