The American Frontier

School Library Journal

Gr 10 Up-Collections of primary-source material by experts, policy makers, and concerned citizens that present a balanced view of respective historical periods. Puritanism voices the opinions of this group in terms of what they believed constituted an ideal community and the individual's role in relation to it, how they dealt with members of other faiths, and how much they felt the church should regulate the state. The American Frontier includes articles by journalists and politicians, natives and immigrants, expansionists and conservationists. Chapter prefaces and introductions to each piece place the issue in historical context. The selections are fascinating, but the reading is challenging, due to changes in language patterns over the years. A few well-chosen photos, textual inserts, and boxed quotations add appeal. Questions for discussion are provided for each chapter. Valuable resources for serious students of American history.-Sandra L. Doggett, Linganore High School, Frederick, MD