Shaped by the West, Volume 1: A History of North America to 1877
Shaped by the West, Volume 2: A History of North America from 1850
by William Deverell & Anne F. Hyde
View the table of contents for Volume 1 and the table of contents for Volume 2.
Shaped by the West is a two-volume primary source reader that rewrites the history of the United States through a western lens as America’s expansion west was the driving force for issues of democracy, politics, race, freedom, and property. William Deverell and Anne F. Hyde provide a nuanced look at the past, balancing topics in society and politics and representing all kinds of westerners—black and white, native and immigrant, male and female, powerful and powerless—from more than twenty states across the West and the shifting frontier.
“There is simply no other document reader like Shaped by the West. It is an essential learning tool in courses that teach not only the content of western history but also the methods and practices of history as a discipline.”
—Susan Lee Johnson, Professor of History, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Key Features & Benefits:
- Expertly curated personal letters, government documents, editorials, photos, and never before published materials offer lively, vivid introductions to the tools of history.
- Annotations, captions, and brief essays provide accessible entry points to an extraordinarily wide range of themes—adding context and perspective from leaders in the field.
- Highlight connections between western and national histories to foster critical thinking about America’s diverse past and today’s challenging issues.
“Shaped by the West is the most complete and up-to-date primary source reader on the U.S. West. Deverell and Hyde introduce students to cutting-edge debates in the field and challenge them to connect regional and national histories. Thought-provoking reading questions, stunning images, and diverse primary sources make it an essential text for U.S. survey and western history courses.”
—Stacey L. Smith, Associate Professor of History, Oregon State University
Together, these volumes cover first encounters, conquests and revolts, indigenous land removal, slavery and labor, race, ethnicity and gender, trade and diplomacy, industrialization, migration and immigration, and changing landscapes and environments. Read more instructor reviews and request your exam copies today.
Request an exam copy of Shaped by the West, Volume 1.
Request an exam copy of Shaped by the West, Volume 2.
