This book is the first volume in a projected cultural history of the United States, from the earliest English settlements to our own time. It is a history of American folkways as they have changed through time, and it argues a thesis about the importance for the United States of having been British in its cultural origins. While most people in the United States today have no British ancestors, they have assimilated regional cultures which were created...

"A museum in a book, this collection of treasures from the past brings history to life, from Stone-Age tools to smartphones. Children will love to explore galleries of intriguing objects from ancient civilizations, bygone eras, and breakthrough moments, to understand how the modern world has been influenced by the past"--Provided by publisher.

One of the most important public figures in antebellum America, Winfield Scott is known today more for his swagger than his sword. "Old Fuss and Feathers" was a brilliant military commander whose tactics and strategy were innovative adaptations from European military theory; yet he was often underappreciated by his contemporaries and, until recently, overlooked by historians. Johnson dramatically relates the key features of Scott's career: how he...