American History, Volume 2: 1877-Present delivers a sweeping, engaging account of the American story from Reconstruction to the complexities of the modern age. Revised and expanded, this second edition weaves vivid episodes--from the rise of industry and the Wright brothers to the civil rights movement, global conflict, COVID-19, and recent presidential elections--into a cohesive narrative. Drawing on his scholarly expertise and classroom experience, Thomas S. Kidd highlights both triumph and tragedy while keeping religion and faith central to the story.
With thoughtful attention to politics, culture, war, and entertainment, this volume equips students to wrestle honestly with the forces shaping contemporary American life.
**Pair with the companion American History Workbook!
"Every teacher knows the frustration of trying to find a good textbook. The annual ritual makes them doubt any textbook exists that engages students, balances coverage with detail, and avoids the dreariness of ideological fashions. American history textbooks are among the worst offenders. Thomas Kidd has taken on the challenge and has written a survey of American history that goes beyond solving the problem. He highlights the experiences of ordinary people whose lives intersected with great events, brings religion back in from the margins of national life, and equips students to understand the often confusing world into which they were born."
--Richard Gamble, professor of history, Anna Margaret Ross Alexander Chair of History and Politics, Hillsdale College, Hillsdale, MI
"This American history textbook sets a new standard for balanced treatment of political and cultural issues. Brisk and readable, it gives coverage of American history all the way through the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the election of Donald Trump, which so many textbooks don't reach. This new narrative is particularly valuable for balancing attention to minority groups and events crucial to the shaping and development of Christian culture and its impact on the main events of American history. It is about time that an American history textbook took notice of figures such as C. S. Lewis and Pope John Paul II and their transformative influence on American religion."
--Susan Hanssen, associate professor of history, history department chair, University of Dallas, Dallas, TX
"Kudos to Thomas Kidd for returning Christianity to the narrative of American history. At the same time, he has conveyed in his measured, balanced, and accessible style the multiethnic and multicultural tapestry that American history is and always has been."
--H. Paul Thompson Jr., dean of humanities, history department chair, North Greenville University, Tigerville, SC
Thomas S. Kidd (PhD, University of Notre Dame) is research professor of church history at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and senior research scholar at the Institute for Studies of Religion at Baylor University.