What Every American Should Know About American History: 200 Events that Shaped the Nation

Brief essays describe two hundred pivotal events that shaped the history of the United States, from Leif Ericson's exploration of Vinland to the end of the Cold War and the Rodney King incident

Similar in concept as well as title to John Garraty's 1,001 Things Everyone Should Know About American History ( LJ 4/1/89), this volume continues the present fast-food approach to digesting American history. Here 200 events, arranged chronologically from "Leif Ericson Explores Vinland" to "The Cold War Ends," are described with the hopes of creating a "usable past" rather than a continuous narrative of facts. Some headings, such as "George Washington Carver Invents Peanut Butter," may trivialize the broader sociological discussions that follow. Each entry consists of a brief statement of the event followed by a historical overview of its import and influence on American thought and culture. These range in length from a few paragraphs to a few pages and are cogently written, concisely thorough, and admirably informative. A nine-page select bibliography concludes the volume. Despite its attractive price tag, this book should be viewed merely as a starting point for answers to specific questions on American history. (Index not seen.)-- James Moffet, Baldwin P.L., Birmingham, Mich.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.