History is not marked by a ticking off of days on a calendar. It is fashioned by important transformations that alter the world in which people live, that introduce and circulate new ideas and abandon others, that build and destroy familial and governmental relations, and that shape the course of future generations. 10 Days That Changed America, Volume 1: The Colonial Years looks at era-defining events that foreshadowed the creation of the United States. In a fast-paced, gripping narrative that includes dramatic stories of intrigue, cultural and personal clashes, irony, and conflict and resolution, 10 Days That Changed America describes the formation of the American mind and spirit, and offers insights about why Americans think and behave as they do today. The arrangement of the text makes it possible for students to conceptualize America's complex past by assessing the causes and consequences of a small set of momentous moments. Based on the premise that the purpose of survey history courses is not only to cover the waterfront but also to train historians, 10 Days That Changed America provides supplements to its narrative with "Probing the Sources," "What Others Say," and "problem-based learning" features that introduce students to the nature of history and historiography. Every page is designed to help students understand that the past can be interpreted from multiple perspectives, and to discover that "creating history" for themselves and engaging with other critical thinkers in historiographical debates can be entertaining as well as enlightening.