U.S. History For Dummies

Description

Ace your next history test with this concise, easy-to-read guide U.S. History for Dummies, 3 rd Edition fills the need to improve high school proficiency in history by providing a complete history of the United States, presented in an accessible, reader-friendly format designed to engage students while reinforcing lessons learned in class. The National Assessment of Educational Progress 2011 report showed that only 12% of high school seniors in the U.S. perform at a "proficient" level in history. This, coupled with the fact that U.S. History courses and AP exams have been redesigned to remedy the situation, means that many students and parents are in need of a supplemental study guide. Award-winning political journalist and history writer Steve Wiegand guides you through the events that shaped our nation, from pre-Columbian civilizations to the 21 st century. The explorers, the wars, the leaders, and the eras are all fully explored and explained, demonstrating how the past influences the future. From the Boston Tea Party to the current Tea Party, the updated 3 rd edition includes information about events that have occurred since the previous edition's 2009 release.
New coverage includes: Recession recovery, including federal efforts, unemployment, and the widening class divide The rise of the extreme right and the bitter divisions between political parties and geographic regions Seeking the balance between superpower and domestic caretaker The impact of social media, government surveillance, and cyber crime Not all history is old news, and what happened yesterday affects us all today. It is vitally important that all U.S. citizens are well-versed in the building of our nation, and remain aware of current events. For students and parents wondering what they've missed, U.S. History for Dummies, 3 rd Edition unlocks the door to the past-and the future.

Author description

Steve Wiegand, an award-winning political journalist and history writer for more than three decades, has been a reporter and columnist for the San Diego Evening Tribune, San Francisco Chronicle, and Sacramento Bee. He has authored or coauthored a half-dozen books on world and U.S. history.

Table of contents

Introduction 1 Part I: Getting Started with US History 5 Chapter 1: America: A Short Biography 7 Chapter 2: Native Americans and Explorers: 14,000 BC (?)--1607 21 Chapter 3: Pilgrims' Progress: The English Colonies, 1607--1700 39 Chapter 4: You Say You Want a Revolution: 1700 --1775 53 Chapter 5: Yankee Doodlin': 1775 --1783 69 Chapter 6: Blueprints and Birth Pains: 1783--1800 83 Part II: Growing Pains 95 Chapter 7: "Long Tom" and One Weird War: 1800--1815 97 Chapter 8: Pulling Together to Keep from Falling Apart: 1815--1844 115 Chapter 9: War, Gold, and a Gathering Storm: 1845--1860 137 Chapter 10: A Most Uncivil War: 1861--1865 151 Chapter 11: Putting the Country Back Together: 1865--1876 167 Part III: Coming of Age 179 Chapter 12: Growing Up: 1876--1898 181 Chapter 13: Growing into the 20th Century: 1899 --1918 199 Chapter 14: Gin, Jazz, and Lucky Lindy: 1919--1929 215 Chapter 15: Uncle Sam's Depressed: 1930--1940 231 Chapter 16: The World at War: 1941--1945 247 Part IV: America in Adulthood 265 Chapter 17: TV, Elvis, and Reds under the Bed: 1946--1960 267 Chapter 18: Camelot to Watergate: 1961--1974 283 Chapter 19: Hold the Malaise, or, Ayatollah So: 1975 --1992 299 Chapter 20: No Sex, Please, I'm the President: 1993 --1999 313 Part V: Facing the New Millennium 325 Chapter 21: Terror Comes Home; America Goes to War(s) 327 Chapter 22: Recessions Can Be Really Depressing 341 Chapter 23: Reforming Healthcare Is No Tea Party 353 Chapter 24: This New America 367 Part VI: The Part of Tens 379 Chapter 25: Ten Events That Defined American Culture 381 Chapter 26: Ten Unfor tunate Statements by US Presidents 385 Part VII: The Appendixes 389 Appendix A: The Bill of Rights: Amendments 1--10 of the Constitution 391 Appendix B: The Declaration of Independence 393 Index 397