This book is basically a collection of legal documents collected from the arrival in America in 1492 up until 1898, showing the growth and evolution of our country through those people who lived through it.

This book is definately not to be read through, but instead used as a reference source. No one is going to sit down and read this thing cover to cover, but it's a GOD when you need primary sources for a term paper.

The documents, while not always listed in absolutely chronological order, are, nevertheless put forth in a very logical manner. Also, preceding each one is a little bit of background on the circumstances under which it was written and the author of the piece.

This is the best book I've ever used for writing history reports. It has documents about every major event in the history of the United States, and many letters and speeches on topics you can't find in any other books at the local library. It contains 633 entries, starting with "Privileges and Perogatives Granted to Columbus. April 30, 1492," and ending with the "Civil Rights Act of 1957. August 30, 1957." Again, it's a must-have for history students.

For the armchair history buff, as well as students from high school through college, this anthology of documents includes major and minor thoughts that have in one way or another contributed to the evolution of the United States. Arranged in 15 broad areas, these selections begin with the "Just and Equal Laws" section of the Mayflower Compact (1620), and end with "I have done it the hard way," by Senator Bob Dole (1996). A chronology and full author/subject index make the work a useful home reference tool, and one that is likely to be found in many, many libraries.