territorial expansion

The Creek War is one of the most tragic episodes in American history, leading to the greatest loss of Native American life on what is now U.S. soil. What began as a vicious internal conflict among the Creek Indians metastasized like a cancer. The ensuing Creek War of 1813-1814 shattered Native American control of the Deep South and led to the infamous Trail of Tears, in which the government forcibly removed the southeastern Indians from their homeland. The war also gave Andrew Jackson his first combat leadership role, and his newfound popularity after defeating the Creeks would set him on the path to the White House. In A Brutal Reckoning, Peter Cozzens vividly captures the young Jackson, describing a brilliant but harsh military commander with unbridled ambition, a taste for cruelty, and a fraught sense of honor and duty. Jackson would not have won the war without the help of Native American allies, yet he denied their role and even insisted on their displacement, together with all the Indians of the American South in the Trail of Tears. A conflict involving not only white Americans and Native Americans, but also the British and the Spanish, the Creek War opened the Deep South to the Cotton Kingdom, setting the stage for the American Civil War yet to come. No other single Indian conflict had such significant impact on the fate of America--and A Brutal Reckoning is the definitive book on this forgotten chapter in our history.

In mid-1860s, two railroad companies had a huge job in front of them: building the transcontinental railroad. The railroad would run from east to west across the United States. As the grueling work began, there were many choices to make. Now the choices are yours. Would you rather blast rock to lay track in the Sierra Nevada mountain range or build bridges across raging rivers in the Great Plains? Would you rather sleep in a cold mountain tunnel or in a camp infested with bedbugs and rats? It's your turn to pick this or that!.

"The idea of the American frontier means a lot to many Americans' images of themselves and their country. Everyone has heard stories or watched movies showing tough, brave settlers crossing the continent, daring harsh weather, hostile natives, and rough terrain to nobly 'tame' the frontier and expand the United States"--Provided by publisher.

"Patterns of empire comprehensively examines the two most powerful empires in modern history: the United States and Britain. Challenging the popular theory that the American empire is unique, Patterns of empire shows how the policies, practices, forms, and historical dynamics of the American empire repeat those of the British, leading up to the present climate of economic decline, treacherous intervention in the Middle East, and overextended imperial confidence. A critical exercise in revisionist history and comparative social science, this book also offers a challenging theory of empire that recognizes the agency of non-Western peoples, the impact of global fields, and the limits of power"--Provided by publisher.

Provides insights to actions taken after the explosion of the USS "Maine" in 1898 in Havana Harbor, focusing on the key players at the time, Theodore Roosevelt, Henry Cabot Lodge, William Randolph Hearst, Thomas Reed, and William James.

Examines what life was like during the Westward Expansion, exploring the clothing, schooling, family life, and more. Includes fact boxes, visuals, glossary, and index.

"Stephen Kinzer transports us to the dawn of the twentieth century, when the United States first found itself with the chance to dominate faraway lands. That prospect thrilled some Americans. It horrified others. Their debate gripped the nation"--Amazon.com.

". . . [Examines] the push by European settlers and the federal government . . . westward, and its effects on indigenous peoples. Through primary source historical images and the . . . narrative of broken treaties, relocations, and armed conflict, it brings the inspiring resistance and fight for self-determination of Native Americans into the hands of your readers. . . . Also contextualizes these struggles with modern ones, including the American Indian Movement and ongoing tribal anti-pipeline protests"--Amazon.

The Louisiana Purchase tells one of the fascinating stories in the history of the United States.