"An indispensable contribution to the understanding of our heritage." - Robert A. Caro
"This insightful collection will fascinate, delight, and challenge all who are interested in the progress of the American nation."-Annette Gordon-Reed
Here, in a single volume, are the documents (speeches, letters, tweets, Supreme Court decisions, and more) that have forged American history. This 11th edition is now updated with a new chapter on the COVID-19 pandemic, the January 6, 2021 insurrection, and the Biden presidency.
Accompanied by interpretations of their significance by noted historian Richard D. Heffner and journalist Alexander B. Heffner, the important documents in this book include-
The Declaration of Independence
The Constitution of the United States
Frederick Douglass' "What, to the Slave, is the Fourth of July?"
The Monroe Doctrine
The Emancipation Proclamation
Woodrow Wilson's War Message to Congress
Franklin D. Roosevelt's "Four Freedoms" speech
John F. Kennedy's inaugural address
Martin Luther King, Jr.'s letter from the Birmingham City Jail
The National Organization for Women (NOW) Statement of Purpose
Roe v. Wade Supreme Court Decision
Documents related to September 11 and the Iraq War
Barack Obama's "A More Perfect Union" speech
Articles of Impeachment against Donald J. Trump
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