American Pageant: A History of the Republic

As strange as this might sound, this textbook will keep you entertained because of the weird, snappy comments scattered throughout the book (if you don't believe me, check facebook - there are at least three tribute groups to the textbook). I managed to do pretty well on the AP exam and very well on the SAT II, which I attribute mostly to having this as a textbook.

From: An AP student. For my APUSH (AP U.S History) class, our homework usually consists of reading and outlining ten pages of this masterpiece. From the first ten pages, I was hooked. The descriptions of pre-Columbian America are very beautiful. And that is why it is criticized. Many feel that it is too much opinion than fact, it's too flowery, too fanciful, too novel-esque. But that is why I enjoy it so much. For example, when we completed the section on the American Revolution, I felt a sense of happiness and resolve that has never happened in previous history classes. What other text book can do that? The author decided to sacrifice a collegian tone to one that brings history to life, therefore allowing the audience to enjoy it and appreciate history. For that, he must be respected. This is a really enjoyable read, if you don't mind Columbus being the "World's greatest successful failure" or the North and South being compared to "Siamese twins, bound inseparably together", then you'll see why this book is such a wonderful read!

Bailey's American Pagaent is engaging and informative, and is an absolute must-have for any AP US student. In addition to earning me a 5 on the exam, this book frankly helped shape my opinion on American society past and present. It enabled me to understand the key themes of our past: compromise, expasion, free enterprise vs. government regulation, social movements, and much more. The book is, generally speaking, organized around the chronological presidencies. There are a few exceptions in which several chapters are dedicated wholly to the industrial revolution or antebellum reform disregarding the presidencies during the time. Each chapter is around 20 pages in length. When read thoroughly, these chapters do warrant some time, but however much time I invested into it, I got as much out of it by being able to understand and apply the material. The only exception to this concerns the fact that some of the book is not on the test: the first and last sections. This isn't really a bad thing since these sections are fascinating to read anyway, but they may take more time to read than what's really necessary to succeed on the exam. The first few chapters detail the history of American geography- glacial movements, etc. This is not relevant to the AP US test, but is interesting nonetheless. Also, the chapters detailing history post-World War II and all the presidencies (from roughly Nixon to now George W. Bush) may take too long to read given that the test consists of only several questions about history in this era. Nevertheless, this is an excellent book. If I hadn't read it in a classroom context, it would have been valuable to read anyway.

Though, like any history textbook, Bailey's wades through a sea of dates and names, he also has a wry sense of humor which makes the text often fun to read. From quips about prostitution and presidential inadequacies we see that this author is more than just a noted historian, he is a burgeoning comedian, too.

I read this book first in high school several years ago as part of an advanced placement U.S. History course. I hated it then - but love it now. Bailey captures the depth of the issues the nation faced in each step of its development. His accuracy and profound insight keep the subject matter from becoming too dry. What I loved most about the text is that it never over-simplifies the significant historical events such as the political struggles of the 1st and 2nd continental congresses, secession issues and America's position in both World Wars. He digs deep beneath the surface to paint a thorough understanding of what the root causes were of historic events. The 10th addition adds interesting subsections that profile the various immigrant cultures that influenced American history. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand the nation's history and the people who made it.