This introductory guide provides an account of the course of American history, discussing political, social, economic and cultural developments. Major themes examined include the relationship between territorial expansion and political history, the critical role of ethnic and racial conflict, and the shifting centres of gravity in American geography. For this new edition, Philip Jenkins reviews events from the 1990s, most notably the development of the Internet economy and the course of the Clinton presidency and brings the story up to date with an analysis of September 11, 2002 and its aftermath.