In this seminal work of American history and political thought, Woodrow Wilson provides a comprehensive overview of the critical changes and events that have shaped the American people and their government, from the earliest colonial days to the Civil War. With a keen analytical eye and a deep knowledge of the subject matter, Wilson offers a compelling and insightful narrative of the American story. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.