The study of American history has become so complex in recent years that readers now often face a choice between a broad survey simplified to the point of distortion and daunting array of specialized studies. The need remains for a lucid overview of the principal events of each period of the nation s history, together with a balanced interpretation of their significance. Benjamin W. Labaree s America s Nation-Time provides such an overview and interpretation for the colonial period."

" A brilliant and scholarly demonstration of the way a single act of violence can affect the course of history. ... The reasons for the resort to war ... have never been brought into such clear focus as through the lens of this remarkable study." - Julian P. Boyd, editor, The Papers of Thomas Jefferson

"One of the most important books ever written about the origins of the American Revolution." - Journal of American History