In this revised, expanded, and updated second edition, Paul Swendson – in a series of comprehensive essays – puts into written form what he has spent more than thirteen years doing as a community college history instructor: making American history “manageable, meaningful, and relevant” for everyday people. In addition to breaking down the fundamental topics of American history in a concise, easy to read fashion, this is a work of political and social commentary, relating the experiences, struggles, and decisions of past Americans to life in the United States today. The goal of this book, like all good history teaching and writing, is to help its readers become a little wiser, and raising the essential questions is often more important than providing the “right” answers.
