Summary:
SHP Advanced History Core Texts are the Schools History Project's acclaimed new books for A level History. These books apply SHP's two decades of curriculum development experience to the challenge of helping students make the leap from GCSE to A level.

They offer:
- clear and penetrating narrative - comprehensively explaining the content required for examination success
- thought provoking and relevant activities that explore the content and help students think analytically about the subject
- thorough exam preparation through carefully designed tasks that address the distinctive requirements of A Level history
- a wide range of revision strategies including structured content summaries

Additional features include:
- A focus route pathway for independent learners
- Learning Trouble Spots - which address common misunderstandings
- diagrammatic summaries of key areas of content and historical issues
- accessible summaries of recent historical debates.

Modern America is a comprehensive core text from the Schools History Project covering the history of the USA from the end of the Civil War in 1865 to 1990.



It examines three major themes througout this period:



Civil Rights, tracing the story of the black population from emancipation through to the 1960s. It asks of these and other minorities how far have different social groups in the USA achieved equality and freedom



Foreign policy, examining the reasons for and the results of the USAs transition from isolationism to worldwide involvement in many arenas.



Industrial growth and change, investigating the USA's development as an economic superpower and the problems and opportunities this has created at home and in the wider world.



Modern America is written and edited by leading A Level practitioners who have applied SHP's two decades of experience in history curriculum development to the challenge of helping students make the leap from GCSE to AS and A level. It combines clear explanation with SHP's characteristic source-based, enquiry-led approach. It offers:



a clear and penetrating narrative which gives students a deep insight into the issues required for understanding the development of the contemporary USA



thorough exam preparation through carefully designed tasks that address the distinctive requirements of AS and A2 examinations questions, and a wide range of revision strategies including structured content summaries.

• 'Focus route' pathway designed specifically for independent learning
• A comprehensive coverage of the key content, the key concepts and the key exam skills
• Features such as Learning Trouble Spots and large diagrams to summarises important or difficult concepts
• A wealth of stimulating source material - visual and written
• Accessible analysis of recent historical debates
• Carefully constructed tasks to encourage active learning

Table of Contents:
Section 1 The nation expands 1865-1919
1 Were black Americans really made free and equal by the abolition of slavery, 1865-1915?
2 How significant was the settlement of the West, 1865-1900?
3 Was industrialisation a blessing or a blight for the USA 1880-1917?
4 From jellyfish to eagle? Why did the USA change its foreign policy 1890-1919?
Section 2 Prosperity, collapse, destruction and victory, 1920-45
5 Internationalism or isolationism - did the USA pursue an inconsistent foreign policy, 1920-39?
6 The Twenties - Jazz Age or Depression Blues?
7 America in the 1930s - did the New Deal end the Depression?
8 From neutrality to the bomb - was this America's 'good war'?
Section 3 The most powerful nation, 1945-92
9 Why did the Cold War begin, 1945-49?
10 Fighting the Cold War - how successful was the USA, 1950-68?
11 Did Americans live 'happily ever after' , 1945-60?
12 'We shall overcome': how did the challenges of the sixties era change America?
13 The triumphant superpower: were the 1970s and 1980s really a success for the USA?

About the Author(s):
Joanne de Pennington formerly taught at Trinity and All Saints College, Leeds, home of the Schools History Project.

Ian Dawson (Series Editor) is Publications Director of the Schools History Project

Readership:
A level students