This Is America 2026: A Short History of the United States

Description

The 2026 edition of This Is America: A Short History of the United States is a unique  introduction to the United States of America, designed for international readers as well as for Americans. It has been updated to the semiquincentennial of 2026 by Professor Duncan Campbell. His new chapter emphasizes the role technology has played in political and cultural life, and covers developments during this latest turbulent period in US history.

In seven earlier chapters, the reader will learn the essentials about the nation usually referred to as “America,” beginning with prehistory and early settlement, followed by an overview of the key concepts and debates that continue to shape the United States. Together, these chapters, as well as a timeline, bibliography, and popular culture recommendations, will help US citizens see their homeland more clearly.

Students and general readers will find this concise presentation an important aid to better understanding of the United States and its evolving position in world affairs. Most importantly, This Is America will help readers understand the ongoing challenges that the US has grappled with since its earliest days.

From the book:

While defending the new constitution in 1787, James Madison noted that factionalism – which he defined as “a number of citizens, whether amounting to a majority or a minority of the whole, who are united and actuated by some common impulse of passion, or of interest, adversed [opposed]  to the rights of other citizens, or to the permanent and aggregate interests of the community” – is an inevitable byproduct of liberty. Or, to put it more simply, division is the price Americans pay for freedom. The story of America is of a people and a nation facing and overcoming serious challenges, often doing so while bitterly divided.

Duncan A. Campbell is a professor of history at National University in San Diego. He is the author of The Civil War in the Age of Nationalism (LSU Press, 2024). David Levinson is a cultural anthropologist. He was vice president for the Human Relations Area Files at Yale University and editor-in-chief of the 10-volume Encyclopedia of World Cultures and the Encyclopedia of American Immigrant Cultures.