Cover: Exploring American Histories, Value Edition, Volume 1, 4th Edition by Nancy Hewitt; Steven Lawson

Exploring American Histories, Value Edition, Volume 1

Fourth Edition  ©2022 Nancy Hewitt; Steven Lawson Formats: Achieve, E-book, Print

Authors

  • Headshot of Nancy A. Hewitt

    Nancy A. Hewitt

    Nancy A. Hewitt (Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania) is Professor Emerita of History and of Women’s and Gender Studies at Rutgers University. Her publications include Radical Friend: Amy Kirby Post and Her Activist Worlds, for which she won the SHEAR prize in biography; Women’s Activism and Social Change: Rochester, New York, 1822–1872; Southern Discomfort: Women’s Activism in Tampa, Florida, 1880s–1920s, and the second edition of A Companion to American Women’s History, edited with Anne M. Valk.


  • Headshot of Steven F. Lawson

    Steven F. Lawson

    Steven F. Lawson (Ph.D., Columbia University) is Professor Emeritus of History at Rutgers University. His research interests include U.S. politics since 1945 and the history of the civil rights movement, with a particular focus on black politics and the interplay between civil rights and political culture in the mid-twentieth century. He is the author of many works including Running for Freedom: Civil Rights and Black Politics in America since 1941; Debating the Civil Rights Movement; Black Ballots: Voting Rights in the South, 1944–1969; and In Pursuit of Power: Southern Blacks and Electoral Politics, 1965–1982.

Table of Contents

The Combined Volume includes all chapters.
Volume 1 includes Chapters 1-14.
Volume 2 includes Chapters 14-29.

NOTE: Achieve for Exploring American Histories, 4e includes additional activities and assessments for the book content. Along with the interactive e-books for the comprehensive text and the companion source reader, Achieve provides quizzes for the source features in the comprehensive text and the documents in the companion reader, LearningCurve adaptive quizzing, and a variety of autograded exercises that help students develop their historical thinking skills. Many of these resources are set up for quick use in the pre-built courses in Achieve, which can be customized easily, and Achieve also allows instructors to create quiz questions and upload their own documents.

 

Preface
Versions and Supplements
Maps, Figures, and Tables
How to Use This Book

Chapter 1

Mapping Global Frontiers, to 1590

COMPARING AMERICAN HISTORIES

Malintzin and Martin Waldseemüller

Native Peoples in the Americas

Native Peoples Develop Diverse Cultures

The Aztecs, the Maya, and the Incas

Native Cultures to the North

Europe Expands Its Reach

The Mediterranean World

Portugal Pursues Long-Distance Trade

European Encounters with West Africa

Worlds Collide

Europeans Cross the Atlantic

Europeans Explore the Americas

Mapmaking and Printing

The Columbian Exchange

Europeans Make Claims to North America

Spaniards Conquer Indian Empires

Spanish Adventurers Head North

Europeans Compete in North America

Spain Seeks Dominion in Europe and the Americas

Conclusion: A Transformed America

Chapter Review

 

Chapter 2

Colonization and Conflicts, 1580–1680

COMPARING AMERICAN HISTORIES

Powhatan and Anne Hutchinson

Religious, Economic, and Imperial Transformations

The Protestant Reformation

Spain’s Global Empire Declines

France Enters the Race for Empire

The Dutch Expand into North America

The English Seek an Empire

The English Establish Jamestown

Tobacco Fuels Growth in Virginia

Expansion, Rebellion, and the Emergence of Slavery

The English Compete for West Indies Possessions

Pilgrims and Puritans Settle New England

Pilgrims Arrive in Massachusetts

The Puritan Migration

The Puritan Worldview

Anglo-American Ideals, 2001

Dissenters Challenge Puritan Authority

Wars in Old and New England

Conclusion: European Empires in North America

Chapter Review

 

Chapter 3

Colonial America amid Global Change, 1680–1754

COMPARING AMERICAN HISTORIES

William Moraley Jr. and Eliza Lucas

Europeans Expand Their Claims

English Colonies Grow and Multiply

The Pueblo Revolt and Spain’s Fragile Empire

France Seeks Land and Control

European Wars and American Consequences

Colonial Conflicts and Indian Alliances

Indians Resist European Encroachment

Conflicts on the Southern Frontier

The Benefits and Costs of Empire

Colonial Traders Join Global Networks

Imperial Policies Focus on Profits

The Atlantic Slave Trade

Seaport Cities and Consumer Cultures

Labor in North America

Finding Work in the Colonies

Coping with Economic Distress

Rural Americans Face Changing Conditions

Slavery Takes Hold in the South

Africans Resist Their Enslavement

Conclusion: Changing Fortunes in British North America

Chapter Review

 

Chapter 4

Religious Strife and Social Upheavals, 1680–1750

COMPARING AMERICAN HISTORIES

Gilbert Tennent and Sarah Grosvenor

An Ungodly Society?

The Rise of Religious Anxieties

Cries of Witchcraft

Family and Household Dynamics

Women’s Changing Status

Working Families

Reproduction and Women’s Roles

The Limits of Patriarchal Order

Diversity and Competition in Colonial Society

Population Growth and Economic Competition

Increasing Diversity

Expansion and Conflict

Religious Awakenings

The Roots of the Great Awakening

An Outburst of Revivals

Religious Dissension

Political Awakenings

Changing Political Relations

Dissent and Protest

Transforming Urban Politics

Conclusion: A Divided Society

Chapter Review

 

Chapter 5

War and Empire, 1754–1774

COMPARING AMERICAN HISTORIES

George Washington and Pontiac

Imperial Conflicts and Indian Wars, 1754–1763

The Opening Battles

A Shift to Global War

The Costs of Victory

Battles and Boundaries on the Frontier

Conflicts over Land and Labor Escalate

Postwar British Policies and Colonial Unity

Common Grievances

Forging Ties across the Colonies

Great Britain Seeks Greater Control

Resistance to Britain Intensifies

The Stamp Act Inspires Coordinated Resistance

The Townshend Act

The Boston Massacre

Continuing Conflicts at Home

Tea and Widening Resistance

The Continental Congress and Colonial Unity

Conclusion: Liberty within Empire

Chapter Review

Chapter 6

The American Revolution, 1775–1783

COMPARING AMERICAN HISTORIES

Thomas Paine and Elizabeth Freeman

The Question of Independence

Armed Conflict Erupts

Building a Continental Army

Reasons for Caution and for Action

Declaring Independence

Choosing Sides

Recruiting Supporters

Choosing Neutrality

Committing to Independence

Fighting for Independence, 1776–1777

British Troops Gain Early Victories

Patriots Prevail in New Jersey

A Critical Year of Warfare

Patriots Gain Critical Assistance

Surviving on the Home Front

Governing in Revolutionary Times

Colonies Become States

Patriots Divide over Slavery

France Allies with the Patriots

Raising Armies and Funds

Indian and Patriots Battle for Land

Conflicts Escalate on the Frontier

Winning the War and the Peace, 1778–1783

War Rages in the South

An Uncertain Peace

A Surprising Victory

Conclusion: Legacies of the Revolution

Chapter Review

 

Chapter 7

Forging a New Nation, 1783–1800

COMPARING AMERICAN HISTORIES

Daniel Shays and Alexander Hamilton

Financial, Frontier, and Foreign Problems

Continental Officers Threaten Confederation

Indians, Land, and the Northwest Ordinance

Depression and Debt

On the Political Margins

Separating Church and State

African Americans Struggle for Rights

Women Seek Wider Roles

Indebted Farmers Fuel Political Crises

Reframing the American Government

The Constitutional Convention of 1787

Americans Battle over Ratification

Organizing the Federal Government

Hamilton Forges an Economic Agenda

Years of Crisis, 1792–1796

Foreign Trade and Foreign Wars

Disease and Dissent

Further Conflicts on the Frontier

The First Party System

The Adams Presidency

The Election of 1800

Conclusion: A Young Nation Comes of Age

Chapter Review

 

Chapter 8

The Early Republic, 1790–1820

COMPARING AMERICAN HISTORIES

Parker Cleaveland and Sacagawea

The Dilemmas of National Identity

Education for a New Nation

Literary and Cultural Developments

Religious Renewal

The Racial Limits of "American" Culture

A New Capital for a New Nation

Extending Federal Power

A New Administration Faces Challenges

The Louisiana Territory and Indian Societies

The Supreme Court Extends Its Reach

Partisanship, 2012

Democratic-Republicans Expand Federal Powers

Remaking America’s Economic Character

Native Lands and American Migrations

Technology Reshapes Agriculture and Industry

Transforming Domestic Production

Technology, Cotton, and Slaves

Conclusion: New Identities and New Challenges

Chapter Review

 

Chapter 9

Defending and Redefining the Nation, 1809–1832

COMPARING AMERICAN HISTORIES

Dolley Madison and John Ross

Conflicts at Home and Abroad

Tensions at Sea and on the Frontier

War with Britain and their Indian Allies

National Expansion and Regional Economies

Governments Fuel Economic Growth

Americans Expand the Nation’s Borders

Regional Economic Development

Economic and Political Crises

The Panic of 1819

Slavery in Missouri

The Expansion and Limits of American Democracy

Expanding Voting Rights

Racist Restrictions and Racial Violence

Political Realignments

The Presidential Election of 1828

Jacksonian Politics in Action

A Democratic Spirit?

Confrontations over Tariffs and the Bank

Contesting Indian Removal

Conclusion: The Nation Faces New Challenges

Chapter Review

 

Chapter 10

Social and Cultural Ferment in the North, 1820–1850

COMPARING AMERICAN HISTORIES

Charles Grandison Finney and Amy Kirby Post

The Market Revolution

Creating an Urban Landscape

The Lure of Urban Life

Roots of Urban Disorder

The New Middle Class

The Rise of Industry

Factory Towns and Women Workers

The Decline of Craft Work and Workingmen’s Responses

The Panic of 1837

Saving the Nation from Sin

The Second Great Awakening

New Visions of Faith and Reform

Transcendentalism

Organizing for Change

Varieties of Reform

The Problem of Poverty

The Temperance Movement

Utopian Communities

Abolitionism Expands and Divides

The Beginnings of the Antislavery Movement

Abolition Gains Ground and Enemies

Abolitionism and Women’s Rights

The Rise of Antislavery Parties

Conclusion: From the North to the Nation

Chapter Review

 

Chapter 11

Slavery Expands South and West, 1830–1850

COMPARING AMERICAN HISTORIES

José Antonio Menchaca and Solomon Northrup

Planters Expand the Slave System

A Plantation Society Develops in the South

Urban Life in the Slave South

The Consequences of Slavery’s Expansion

Slave Society and Culture

Enslaved Labor Fuels the Economy

Developing an African American Culture

Resistance and Rebellion

Planters Tighten Control

Harsher Treatment for Southern Blacks

White Southerners without Slaves

Planters Seek to Unify Southern Whites

Democrats Face Political and Economic Crises

The Battle for Texas

Indians Resist Removal

Van Buren and the Panic of 1837

The Whigs Win the White House

The National Government Looks to the West

Expanding to Oregon and Texas

Pursuing War with Mexico

Debates over Slavery Intensify

Conclusion: Geographical Expansion and Political Division

Chapter Review

 

Chapter 12

Imperial Ambitions and Sectional Crises, 1842–1861

COMPARING AMERICAN HISTORIES

John C. Frémont and Dred Scott

Claiming the West

Traveling the Overland Trail

The Gold Rush

A Crowded Land

Expansion and the Politics of Slavery

California and the Compromise of 1850

The Fugitive Slave Act Inspires Northern Protest

Pierce Encourages U.S. Expansion

Sectional Crises Intensify

Popularizing Antislavery Sentiment

The Kansas-Nebraska Act Stirs Dissent

Bleeding Kansas and the Election of 1856

The Dred Scott Decision

From Sectional Crisis to Southern Secession

Cortina’s War and John Brown’s Raid

The Election of 1860

From Secession to War

Conclusion: A Nation Divided

Chapter Review

 

Chapter 13

Civil War, 1861–1865

COMPARING AMERICAN HISTORIES

Frederick Douglass and Rose O’Neal Greenhow

The Nation at War, 1861-1862

Both Sides Prepare for War

Wartime Roles of African Americans, Indians, and Mexican Americans

Union Politicians Consider Emancipation

War Transforms the North and the South

Life and Death on the Battlefield

The Northern Economy Expands

Urbanization and Industrialization in the South

Women Aid the War Effort

Dissent and Protest in the Midst of War

The Tide of War Turns, 1863–1865

Key Victories for the Union

African Americans Contribute to Victory

The Final Battles of a Hard War

The War Comes to an End

Conclusion: An Uncertain Future

Chapter Review

 

Chapter 14

Emancipation and Reconstruction, 1863–1877

COMPARING AMERICAN HISTORIES

Jefferson Long and Andrew Johnson

Emancipation

African Americans Embrace Freedom

Reuniting Families Torn Apart by Slavery

Freedom to Learn

Freedom to Worship and the Leadership Role of Black Churches

National Reconstruction

Abraham Lincoln Plans for Reunification

Andrew Johnson and Presidential Reconstruction

Johnson and Congressional Resistance

Congressional Reconstruction

The Struggle for Universal Suffrage

Remaking the South

Whites Reconstruct the South

Black Political Participation and Economic Opportunities

White Resistance to Congressional Reconstruction

The Unraveling of Reconstruction

The Republican Retreat

Congressional and Judicial Retreat

The Presidential Compromise of 1876

Conclusion: The Legacies of Reconstruction

Chapter Review

Product Updates

New biographies in the chapter-opening Comparing American Histories reflect continued attention to racial and ethnic diversity. Among the new profiles are Powhatan, leader of the largest native confederacy in the mid-Atlantic region (chapter 2); Elizabeth (Mum Bett) Freeman whose freedom suit contributed to Massachusetts ending slavery during the American Revolution (chapter 6); José Antonio Menchaca a Tejano military leader who fought for Texas independence (chapter 11); Pauli Murray, the African American civil rights activist and feminist (chapter 27); and Alicia Garza, the African American community organizer and co-founder of Black Lives Matter (chapter 29).

Expanded coverage of diversity provides even greater representation of diverse peoples. For example, in chapter 3, coverage of Native Americans has been amplified and more names of specific tribes are included to highlight the variety and number of Native American nations. Chapter 6 has been reorganized in order to expand coverage of multi-ethnic, multiracial forces fighting on both sides in the Revolution. Chapter 21 includes new coverage of the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921. And, chapter 26 includes coverage of Mexican American activist, Rejes Tijerna, and also the 1968 Bilingual Education Act. In addition to attention to regional, racial, and ethnic diversity, coverage of other historical developments has been updated such as systemic racism, pandemics, and the development of capitalist systems in various periods.

Adjustments to chapter organization specifically in Chapters 12 and 13 allow for extended discussions on American Indians, Mexican Americans, African Americans and women during the Civil War and of black refugees who used the chaos of war to claim their independence.

Updates to the narrative include material on the divisive 2020 presidential election, the COVID-19 pandemic; the police killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and the nationwide protests they inspired; the collapse of the U.S. economy caused by the pandemic; and the January 6, 2021 insurrection at the Capitol; and the subsequent second impeachment of Trump.

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Exploring American Histories brings a variety of perspectives to life. This two-color Value Edition includes the unabridged narrative and all maps and select images from the comprehensive text. 

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