From Washington to the microchip, Columbus to modern terrorist threats, the Anasazi to the iPhone, The Handy American History Answer Book traces the development of the nation. It takes a walk through the economic, political, social, and technological forces, as well as the military conflicts, turbulent events, powerful leaders, and pivotal moments that created, changed, and built the United States of America.

Table of Contents

• ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
• Photo Credits
• INTRODUCTION
• TIMELINE
• EARLY AMERICANS AND PRE-REVOLUTIONARY HISTORY
• Early Americans
• The First Europeans to Reach America
• Spanish Conquerors and Explorers
• Colonial America
• The Pilgrims and the Puritans
• Dutch and Swedish Colonists
• Other English Colonists
• Movements and Rebellions
• Wars and Conflicts
• Famous American Indian Leaders
• Early Educational Institutions
• THE REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD
• Growing Discontent
• Early Sparks of Rebellion
• George Washington and the First Years of the Revolutionary War
• The War Concludes
• CREATING THE CONSTITUTION
• The Articles of Confederation
• The U.S. Constitution
• Ratifying the Constitution
• The Bill of Rights
• The Early Presidency
• Early Unrest in the Country
• The Supreme Court
• Congress
• PRE-CIVIL WAR AMERICA
• Presidential Elections and Presidents
• War of 1812
• The Mexican–American War
• Texas
• THE U.S. CIVIL WAR ERA
• The Slavery Issue
• Other Issues Preceding the Civil War
• The Civil War Breaks Out
• All-Out War
• The War Turns Sour for the South
• End of the Civil War
• Major Figures in the Civil War
• Reconstruction
• LATE NINETEENTH CENTURY AND THE PROGRESSIVE ERA
• The Grant Administration
• Expansion into the West
• The “Wild” West
• Trains and Communications
• The Progressive Era
• Race Relations
• Two Presidents Murdered
• Teddy Roosevelt
• President William Howard Taft
• Growing Power of Journalism
• Innovations in the Progressive Era
• FROM WORLD WAR I TO THE ROARING TWENTIES
• World War I
• After the Great War
• The Prohibition Era
• Women's Suffrage
• Roaring Twenties
• THE GREAT DEPRESSION, WORLD WAR II, AND ITS AFTERMATH
• The Great Depression
• World War II
• Postwar Period
• The Korean War
• SOCIAL CONFLICT AND CHANGE: 1950s TO 1970s
• The Beat Generation, Hippies, and Flower Power
• Other Struggles in Human Rights
• The Civil Rights Movement
• POLITICAL CONFLICT AND CHANGE: 1950s TO 1970s
• The Red Scare
• The Space Race
• JFK
• LBJ
• The Vietnam War
• Nixon
• Presidents Ford and Carter
• Technology
• TRANSITION TO A NEW CENTURY: 1980s TO THE PRESENT
• The Reagan Era
• The First Persian Gulf War
• President Clinton: A Brief Return to Prosperity
• Controversies, Disaster, and Terror
• President George W. Bush and the Beginning of the War on Terror
• Barack Obama and His Presidency
• Technology and the Rise of Social Media
• SPORTS HISTORY
• Auto Racing
• Baseball
• Basketball
• Professional Basketball
• Football
• Boxing
• Mixed Martial Arts
• Golf
• Hockey
• Olympics
• Horse Racing
• Swimming
• Tennis
• Track and Field
• Soccer
• MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT
• Music
• Movies
• Radio and Television
• Literature
• BIBLIOGRAPHY
• THE AMERICAN STATES
• PRESIDENTS
• U.S. CONSTITUTION