The author describes eleven rival regional "nations" in the United States (Yankeedom, New Netherland, the Midlands, Tidewater, Greater Appalachia, the Deep South, New France, El Norte, the Left Coast, the Far West, and First Nation), and how these deep roots continue to influence our politics today.

An irresistible blend of history, myth, and misadventure, A Voyage Long and Strange captures the wonder and drama of first contact. Vikings, conquistadors, French voyageurs--these and many others roamed an unknown continent in quest of grapes, gold, converts, even a cure for syphilis. Though most failed, their remarkable exploits left an enduring mark on the land and people encountered by late-arriving English settlers.--From publisher description....

The North American fur trade, set in motion by the discovery of the New World in the fifteenth century, was this continent's biggest business for over three hundred years. The fur trade influenced every aspect of life, from how Europeans related to the Indians, how and where settlements were built, to how our nation formed. Drawing on primary sources, including the diaries of Ojibwa, American, and French traders of the period, Birchbark Brigade gives...

Samuel de Champlain was one of the most colorful explorers of the 16th century. A master mariner, he had other occupations, too: spy, soldier, diplomat, writer, and artist. His explorations in the New World, though, made him famous for the ages. This detailed, easy-to-read biography gives readers a look at a man who served as the Geographer to the French king, an expert on Native Americans, a skilled mapmaker, the founder of Quebec City, and the father...

Awakened gently by Sun, Sailor sets off to explore new lands where he meets Fisher, and although they speak and dress differently, they find they have much in common. Includes author's note about the first encounter between a European explorer and a Native North American.