THE KEYS TO AMERICAN HISTORY

Since “many of the key moments in American history are associated with documents of some kind,” Panchyk pairs those moments to their relevant documents. From the 1606 Great Patent of James I to the 2002 Joint Resolution to Authorize the Use of United States Armed Forces in Iraq, each document is presented in context with a concise introductory comment, appearing both as facsimile reproduction and typescript, and followed by “What They Were Saying” (excerpts from primary sources that provide perspectives on those documents from major players and other contemporaries). Though readers may wonder if all inclusions are of equal importance—the Supreme Court case Bush v. Gore and the Emancipation Proclamation, for instance—the significance of each document is clearly delineated. Archival illustrations help the design keep the dense type from appearing too daunting for all but the most hardcore researchers. A one-of-a-kind, easy-to-use resource. (author’s note, questions to consider) (Nonfiction. 12 & up)