The text's strong social emphasis underscores the ?humanness? of America's history as it is revealed in the everyday lives of ordinary Americans. Reading the private human stories of ordinary individuals encourages students to reflect on the shared complex past?filled with notable achievements and thorny problems?that they have inhe... more »rited.
?Recovering the Past? essays acquaint students with the work that historians do by introducing them to the fascinating variety of materials that historians use to understand and interpret the past. Novels, political cartoons, paintings, diaries, clothing, popular music, congressional speeches and hearings, advertisements, and movies are just a few of the types of evidence examined. ?Reflecting on the Past? critical thinking questions in each essay offer students an opportunity to consider what can be learned from each type of evidence.
Each chapter ends with Questions for Review and Reflection, which provide opportunity for classroom discussion and test preparation.