Historians have traditionally approached North America through the lens of the nation-state rather than from a continental perspective. While acknowledging that the geographic vastness and historical complexity of North America make it difficult to study as a whole, authors Michael Brescia and John Super build on the premise that the experiences of each country can be better understood when evaluated as a whole rather than as unique and discrete units. Employing a thematic approach, the authors investigate the North American past to explain the similarities and differences in the political, diplomatic, economic, social, and cultural experiences of Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Five maps provide visual reference to such phenomena as population densities, pre-Columbian civilizations, physical features, and military conflict. A comprehensive bibliography includes general works, monographs, reference matter, and web resources.