The Essential America is a fundamentals version of the Tindall/Shi narrative packaged in an eye-popping, four-color design. The oversized page and double-column layout make the text accessible and highlight the book's impressive art program. The text's outstanding pedagogy keeps the central themes of the narrative in sight throughout. Features of The Essential America include:

• Brevity : The Essential America conveys the essentials of American history with clarity and just the right amount of detail. Core topics are discussed in lively, direct prose that speaks to today's students.

• Full-color Maps and Illustrations : The book's attractive four-color design includes striking illustrations and a new map program with large, full-color maps.

• New Large Format : A generous trim size and double-column format draw students into the text and allow for larger images, maps, and type.

• Chapter Openers : Chapter organizers introduce each chapter by outlining the chapter's major points and making connections to related resources in the On-line Tutor.

• Thematic Threads : Five thematic threads— political, economic, social, cultural, and global— run through the book and give students an analytical tool to use as they read the narrative. The threads are clearly highlighted for students in two ways: Part Openers identify the five themes in each Part with a separate icon and chapter outline for each theme. The part openers also pose a Critical Question for each theme to put that theme in context and guide students' reading. For example, the critical question for the political theme in Part One is "How did the American colonies develop the political bases of independence?" Running Heads on each page-featuring the icons from the part openers-reinforce the thematic threads by identifying the theme or themes that are discussed on that page.