'America Past and Present' integrates the social and political dimensions of American history into one chronological narrative, providing students with a full picture of the scope and complexity of the American past. The book tells the story of all Americans - elite and ordinary, women and men, rich and poor, white majority and minorities. In the 8th edition of 'America Past and Present,' the authors have streamlined the coverage in the contemporary chapters and added a new feature that explores the connections between the past and the present.