Here is the turbulent and exciting story of the birth and development of a nation-from the discovery of a great new continent and the settlers who fought first for their existence and then political independence-through the growth of the United States into a leading modern nation faced with today's urgent and complex political dilemmas. This concise, comprehensive review offers you the key to understanding the past and the present of a vigorous and often perplexing people and country, who constitute the world's most powerful nation.