American History Collection (8 vols.)

Published anonymously in 1776, Paine’s Common Sense became an immediate bestseller, with 56 editions printed in that year alone. Using clear, accessible language Paine challenges the authority of the British government, arguing in favor of independence. Paine also reflects on the purpose of government, stating that it should allow all people "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." Paine’s pamphlet, likely more than any other factor, inspired the movement that established the United States’ independence.

In the late 1780s, when a new Constitution, intended to replace the Articles of Confederation, had been completed at the Philadelphia Convention, a nation-wide debate was sparked. Some argued that the Constitution was the best way to maintain unity amongst the states. Others argued that it would lead to a tyrannical government which would encroach on individual liberties.

Among those who weighed in on the issue were celebrated statesmen and nationalists, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay. Together, they wrote a series of letters to newspapers under the pseudonym “Publius,” arguing that the Constitution would preserve the Union and empower the federal government to act decisively in the national interest.

Filled with compelling arguments and elegant rhetoric, these papers were widely read, and played an enormous role in the ratification of the Constitution. Published in book form as The Federalist in 1788, these essays are an excellent reference for anyone who wants to understand the US Constitution.

Since the founding of the United States nearly 250 years ago, its economy has grown and changed in nuanced ways. This work provides an excellent introduction to the dynamic US economy.

Contents

• Introduction
• How the United States Economy Works—An Overview
• A Historical Perspective on the American Economy
• From Small Business to the Corporation—The American Free Enterprise System
• Stocks, Commodities, and Markets
• The Role of Government in the Economy
• Monetary and Fiscal Policy
• The Changing Face of American Agriculture
• Labor in America: The Trade Unions’ Role
• Foreign Trade and Global Economic Policies
• An Afterword
• Brief Reading List on the American Economy

One of the longest-running publications of the United States Information Agency, this work provides a clear introduction to United States history, beginning with pre-colonial America and covering all the way up to the twenty-first century.

Contents

• Acknowledgments
• Early America
• The Colonial Period
• The Road to Independence
• The Formation of a National Government
• Westward Expansion and Regional Differences
• Sectional Conflict
• Growth and Transformation
• Discontent and Reform
• War, Prosperity, and Depression
• The New Deal and World War
• Postwar America
• Decades of Change
• Toward the twenty-first Century
• Brief Reading List in American History

Principally authored by Thomas Jefferson, and adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence announced that the 13 American colonies now considered themselves sovereign states—separate from the power of the British crown—and a new nation, the United States of America.

It was John Adams who was first asked to draft the Declaration of Independence, at which he famously quipped that it should be Thomas Jefferson, not himself, writing the Declaration. Adams provided three reasons: Jefferson was a Virginian, Adams was “obnoxious, suspected, and unpopular” while Jefferson was “very much otherwise,” and “you [Jefferson] can write ten times better than I [Adams] can.” Seventeen days later Jefferson produced the first draft of what would become one of history’s best-known documents on political philosophy and human rights. It has inspired numerous national declarations of independence throughout the world. Particularly its second sentence—“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”—was immensely important to the development of a burgeoning American nation, and remains one of the most well-known statements in the English language.

Dig deeper into American history with the inaugural addresses of US presidents from George Washington to Barack Obama—the texts carefully designed to set the tone for each subsequent administration.

Compiling each of these historical documents, this volume presents a compelling picture of the goals outlined at the beginning of each presidency. Inaugural Addresses of the Presidents of the United States allows you to study a president’s initial objectives, rhetorical style, and values—as well as the challenges he faced. These critical pieces of presidential history not only provide a window into specific administrations, but also into the political, historical, and social climate of the United States throughout history. Each address includes a photo of the president and most offer a brief introduction with historical information, providing context for the speech.

"Governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed." —Declaration of Independence

Since declaring America’s independence from Great Britain on July 4, 1776, the United States’ leaders have worked to establish a government that supports every person’s right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This work provides a thorough introduction to the framework and functions of the United States government.

Contents

• The Constitution: An Enduring Document
• Explaining the Constitution: The Federalist Papers
• The Executive Branch: Powers of the Presidency
• The Legislative Branch: The Reach of Congress
• The Judicial Branch: Interpreting the Constitution
• A Country of Many Governments
• Fundamentals of American Government
• Brief Reading List in American Government

“We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” —The Preamble to the Constitution

Originally conceived with seven Articles on September 17, 1787 in Philadelphia, the Constitution laid the foundation of the United States’ government.

This volume brings together the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and subsequent amendments. This living document is the framework of America’s system of government and defines the rights and freedoms of US citizens.