Voices of the American Past, Volume II

A mixture of social and political sources speaks to many aspects of Americans’ lives in the past.

A “Guide to Reading and Interpreting Documents” defines “primary sources” and explains how and why historians use written and other evidence to tell the story of the past. It outlines in a clear and practical manner five points to help students learn to analyze sources.

Brief chapter introductions set the stage for the documents which are numbered consecutively throughout the two-volume set for ease in assigning and locating specific sources.

Document headnotes introduce the “speaker” or author and provide brief notes on context.

Between two and four “Questions to Consider” precede each document, focusing students on major points, prompting critical thinking, and encouraging reflection on the significance of individual sources as well as general themes.

New documents provide a greater diversity of voices while also offering readable selections that speak to larger issues. These include a woman’s description of farm life in Illinois at the turn of the twentieth century, Eleanor Roosevelt’s commentary on New Deal policies, an editorial on the 1955 Emmitt Till murder trial, a description of illegal immigrants crossing into Arizona in 2000, and an economist’s commentary on the looming financial crisis in 2007.

More photos and drawings, especially political cartoons, have been added to the traditional written documents. The result is a number of images that provide a unique approach to interpreting and understanding the key issues of U.S. history. These include perspectives on American overseas expansion, advertisements in the 1920s, political cartoons on the New Deal, and viewpoints on the war in Vietnam.