by Eric Foner
First published 1991
This encyclopedia presents American history from indigenous origins through the 1990s under the guidance of historians John A. Garraty and Eric Foner. Nearly four hundred scholars, biographers, and journalists contribute entries that span political, economic, cultural, and social developments. The work combines brief descriptive entries with extensive thematic articles that connect individual facts to broader historical patterns. Immigration receives both chronological treatment and conceptual analysis of ethnicity. Political movements like the Bull Moose party and Know-Nothings appear in individual entries and within larger discussions of third parties. Religious groups and leaders connect to overarching examinations of faith in America. The volume reflects the shift from traditional political history to social history, incorporating everyday American life including family structures, women's workforce participation, race relations, and community development. The Society of American Historians sponsors this reference work, which weaves together conventional political and economic topics with cultural legacies spanning marriage, medicine, crime, baseball, fashion, and literature.
Genres: reference, 20th-century, 21st-century, american-history
Vibes: thought-provoking
Tropes: academic
Setting: America, United States
Period: Indigenous Origins, 1990s
1248 pages · Hardcover · Houghton Mifflin Harcourt