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9781538124192

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"The Historical Dictionary of the United States is the essential starting point for those seeking to understand America's past. At once both authoritative and lively, the Panton's work provides baseline information on everything from the founding of the states, to political leaders great and small, to the critical events that shaped America's past and present. A massive achievement, this collection is the place to start any research into what America was and is. This is a superb reference work, by any measure. The timeline is the most thorough I have ever seen, and the bibliography is a solid guide to the literature on American history. The entries themselves are far more complete than those found in the usual ""dictionary."" In fact, they are actually well-conceived miniessays. In short, if a library has only one reference book on American history, this is the one you want on the shelf. This resource contains more than 400 entries spanning 1783--the year Britain recognized American independence--to 2022. Panton concentrates mainly on political and economic topics. Entries include all 50 states, branches of government, economic panics, every US president, major cities, noteworthy entrepreneurs, important treaties, political parties, and various wars. The entries also provide helpful cross-references and/or ""see also"" recommendations in bold. The bibliography demonstrates the author's extensive research, including fascinating subjects such as the interstate highway system and the implementation of time zones. The dictionary also offers interesting facts, such as that Woodrow Wilson was the only president to earn a PhD... The text includes a chronology, a map, an introduction, and various appendixes of supplemental information. It will be most useful for libraries that support individuals seeking ready reference or starting points in their study of US history. Recommended. General readers, lower-division undergraduates, and two-year students."

This is a superb reference work, by any measure. The timeline is the most thorough I have ever seen, and the bibliography is a solid guide to the literature on American history. The entries themselves are far more complete than those found in the usual dictionary. In fact, they are actually well-conceived miniessays. In short, if a library has only one reference book on American history, this is the one you want on the shelf.--Jerold Waltman, Emeritus Professor of Political Science at Baylor University

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Kenneth J. Panton is emeritus professor of geography at the University of Southern Mississippi. He taught at London Guildhall University before moving to the United States to lead Southern Mississippi’s British Studies Program. He spent his academic life working on multidisciplinary research projects with geographers, economists, historians, political scientists, and sociologists and has made five previous contributions to the Historical Dictionary.

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