American Ways: A History of American Cultures, 1500 to 1865 Volume I
Rader is the most useful volume I have found for an introductory course in American Studies. It provides a structured, informative core text around which a variety of ancillary texts from variety of disciplines can comfortably orbit."Its (American Ways) greatest strength-among many strengths - is its interpretive clarity. It draws a clear and compelling theme out of a massive amount of historical material. It will help show students how history affects their lives and how we arrived at the historical point we occupy today.