This text covers; African Americans in the western fur trade; The artist as predator: John James Audubon; The discovery of South Pass; How Alexander Mackenzie inspired the Lewis and Clark Expedition; Jack London and the romance of Alaska; Thomas Jefferson's study of North American geography; The transcontinental railroad surveys of the 1850s.

The establishment of a new nation following the American Revolutionary War meant there were many ripe chances for explorers to investigate the new world that comprised the United States.

Opening Up North America, 1497-1800, Revised Edition integrates in a chronological narrative the voyages taken from Florida to Newfoundland, covering the first recorded contact of John Cabot in 1497 through Alexander Mackenzie's journey across the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific in 1793. Through these stories, the geography of northeastern North America is pieced together and the impact European exploration had on Native American society continues to be felt today. Coverage of this title includes: the importance of cod fishing in the North Atlantic; Beaver hats and the role played by the fur trade in exploration of the continent's interior; Spanish, French, and English claims to territory in the southeast in the 16th century; and, exploration by Jacques Cartier, Samuel de Champlain, Henry Hudson, Etienne Brule, Rene-Robert Cavaller, Sieur de La Salle, and others.

Readers navigate this fact-filled book as it takes them through the history of North American discovery and exploration, detailing all of the successes, hardships, dangers, and accomplishments of key figures in exploration history. From the mighty Mississippi to the Rockies, up to Canada and down to Mexico, readers will learn about Columbus, Lewis and Clark, Smith, and many more. Fascinating fact boxes enhance the historical and informative content, while supporting captions and sidebars provide interesting facts about explorers and their voyages. Eye-catching and authentic illustrations give readers a feel for the period, transporting them back in time to the golden age of North American exploration.