The Educated Citizen's Guide to Essential American History

Nothing was foreordained in the development of the United States; it was the actions of many thousands of individuals that drove the formation of a country based on a series of founding ideals. Fulfilling the promise of these ideals is the work of generations and understanding how those ideas have been shaped and tested is critical to understanding the world as it is today. Sadly, so much historical education is a boring compendium of dates and places, a political agenda wrapped in historical propaganda, or a tedious microscopic examination of critical but abstract events. This book is meant to provide the reader with a 30,000-foot perspective of the country and show the development of the nation from the view of the incredible people who lived, loved, and fought to give the world the nation we find today. It is a tale of tragedy, war, and insight. It is the story of humanity at its best and worst. It is the story of economic creation and cultural destruction. This short narrative gets the reader up to speed on US history and sets the stage for further learning. These are the essential facts reduced to easy-to-remember stories about the incredible people and times that shaped the USA.