This is a major survey of the American past from the earliest colonial settlements to the present day. Maldwyn A. Jones assesses not only the epic achievements of the nation, but also the tensions and limitations of the society behind the 'American dream'. In this second edition Professor Jones has continued his study to the present, with a new chapter examining the conservative revival of the 1980s and the presidential elections of 1992. He has included anadditional map, incorporated the most recently available statistics into the population tables, and completely revised and updated the Bibliography.