Presenting accessibly written information for general audiences as well as students and researchers, this three-volume work examines the evolution of American society and thought from the nation's beginnings to the 21st century. It covers the seminal ideas and social movements that define who we are as Americans-from the ideas that underpin the Bill of Rights to slavery, the Civil Rights movement, and the idea of gay rights-even if U.S. citizens often strongly disagree on these topics. Organized topically rather than chronologically, this encyclopedia combines primary sources and secondar
