Tells the story of United States beginning with the earliest Americans and the arrival of strangers on the eastern shore, then moving through colonial society to the fight for independence and the construction of a federal republic. From there, it explains the renegotiations and refinements that took place as a new nation found its footing, and it traces the actions that eventually rippled into the Civil War. This volume goes beyond famous names and battles to incorporate politics, economics, science, arts, and culture. And it shows that issues that resonate today--immigration, race, labor, gender roles, and the power of technology--have been part of the American fabric since the very beginning. --Adapted from publisher description.