Aspects of American History examines major themes, personalities and issues across American history, using topic focused essays. Each chapter focuses on key events and time periods within a broad framework looking at liberty and equality, the role of government and national identity. The volume engages with its central themes through a broad ranging examination of aspects of the American past, including discussions of political history, foreign policy, presidential leadership and the construction of national memory. In each essay, Simon Henderson:

• introduces fresh angles to traditional topics
• consolidates recent research in themed essays
• analyzes views of different historians
• offers an interpretive rather than narrative approach
• gives concise treatment to complex issues.

Including an introduction which places key themes in context, this book enables readers to make comparisons and trace major thematic developments across American history.