This highly readable introductory guide provides a lucid and authoritative account of the course of American history, discussing political, social, economic, and cultural developments. Major themes examined include the relationship between territorial expansion and political history, the critical role of ethnic and racial conflict, and the shifting centers of gravity in American geography. For this new edition, Philip Jenkins reviews the events of the last decade--most notably the development of the Internet economy and the course of the Clinton presidency--and brings the story up-to-date with an analysis of 9/11/01 and its aftermath.