Inventing America - A History of the United States (Paperback)

W. W. Norton presents Inventing America, a balanced new survey of American history by four outstanding historians. The text uses the theme of innovation–the impulse in American history to "make it new"–to integrate the political, economic, social, and cultural dimensions of the American story. From the creation of a new nation and the invention of the corporation in the eighteenth century, through the vast changes wrought by early industry and the rise of cities in the nineteenth century, to the culture of jazz and the new nation-state of the twentieth century, the text draws together the many ways in which innovation–and its limits–have marked American history.

Inventing America Webcast
Watch the authors discuss Inventing America's many themes and innovations.

• Segment One
  Pauline Maier talks about why she joined the Inventing America author team and explains how the innovation theme creates intersections between topics in American history.

• Segment Two
  Pauline Maier describes the impact of the political innovations of the first state constitutions and their impact on the federal Constitution and the early national economy.

• Segment Three
  Roe Smith demonstrates Inventing America's Digital History CD, which is packaged free with every copy of the book, and explains how it is a valuable tool in the classroom.

• Segment Four
  Alex Keyssar talks about the impact of electricity on everyday life as an example of how the innovation theme in Inventing America creates fresh connections between social history, politics, and science and technology.

• Segment Five
  Dan Kevles explains how the authors integrate science and technology into the book.

• Segment Six
  The authors talk about the innovation theme in Inventing America and how it does not take a triumphalist view of American history.