Alaska—America's forty-ninth state—has a long and rich history. Beginning with the Native people who first made their homes there, the inhabitants have benefited from Alaska's bountiful resources. Alaska's gold, fish, and lumber have all contributed to America's economy. Some people wonder, however, if Alaska's greatest natural resource might be her untouched wilderness areas. Our National Parks are another one of our great resources. How should land be used? To whom does it belong? Who should decide? Questions like these have played a major role in shaping the United States—and they continue to do so today. America's National Parks are just one answer to these questions.

History is full of many stories. Each group of people has its own stories. No two stories are exactly the same. The Monroe Doctrine—America's policy of intervention in other nations' affairs—has played a major role in the stories the United States has told about itself. This book will tell you another chapter in America's story—and it will also tell you the stories of Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Cuba, and the Philippines.

The United States' boundaries have expanded over the centuries—and at the same time, Americans' ideas about their country have grown as well. The nation the world knows today was shaped by centuries of thinkers and events. The Civil War brought an end to the terrible practice of slavery—but it also left deep wounds across the United States. As you learn more about this war's conflicts, you will gain a better understanding of what makes America the nation it is today.

The United States' boundaries have expanded over the centuries—and at the same time, Americans' ideas about their country have grown as well. The nation the world knows today was shaped by centuries of thinkers and events. People like Thomas Paine, George Washington, James Madison, and Thomas Jefferson built the foundation of values and ideals on which America still stands. Learning about America's birth will help you understand the country it is today.

The United States’ boundaries have expanded over the centuries—and at the same time, Americans’ ideas about their country have grown as well. The nation the world knows today was shaped by centuries of thinkers and events. In the 1830s, over fifty years after the United States had won its independence from Britain, Americans were still delighted with their young country. That sense of hope and freedom are still a part of the United States today. As you learn about the settlers who rode the Oregon Trail to new land in the West, you will gain a better understanding of how America became America

The United States' boundaries have expanded over the centuries—and at the same time, Americans' ideas about their country have grown as well. The nation the world knows today was shaped by centuries of thinkers and events. But some things have not changed. The basic framework of the American nation was laid out by the Founding Fathers in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. Over the years, these have remained basically the same. The U.S. economic system has grown—but it too is much the same. So is America's system of voting and elections. As you learn about how these important parts of the United States work in the twenty-first century, you will come to better understand what makes America the nation that it is.

The United States' boundaries have expanded over the centuries—and at the same time, Americans' ideas about their country have grown as well. The nation the world knows today was shaped by centuries of thinkers and events. Today, the United States of America is the lone super power in the world. The United States is very strong. Power, however, is not the only thing that comes with being a world leader. As a world leader, America also has a lot of responsibility to the rest of the world. In the twentieth century, the United States struggled to balance its power with its responsibility in new ways.