This book is an innovative and accessible textbook that provides a comprehensive and engaging overview of American history. Edited by Joseph L. Locke and Ben Wright, the book is an open-access, digital textbook that is available to students and educators free of charge.
One of the most significant features of "The American Yawp" is its use of primary sources. The book incorporates a wide range of primary documents, including letters, speeches, and newspaper articles, to help students understand the context and significance of historical events. The authors also include interactive features such as images, maps, and videos, which bring the past to life and engage students in the learning process.
The book covers American history from the pre-colonial period to the present day, and it is organized thematically rather than chronologically. This approach allows students to explore key themes and ideas in American history, such as power and resistance, the role of religion, and the evolution of political systems.
Another strength of "The American Yawp" is its commitment to diversity and inclusivity. The book includes chapters on the experiences of Native Americans, African Americans, women, and LGBTQ+ individuals, among others. These chapters offer important perspectives and insights into the ways in which different groups have shaped American history.
Overall, "The American Yawp" is an outstanding textbook that provides an engaging and accessible introduction to American history. Its use of primary sources and interactive features make it an excellent resource for students and educators, and its commitment to diversity and inclusivity ensures that it offers a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the American past.
Good free textbook. Some major topics are barely covered while other more insignificant ones receive several paragraphs. Another issue for students is that there is a decent amount of repetition and one event being partially covered in multiple chapters, leading to some confusion. Personally, there is too little coverage of Native American issues and far too little on the colonial period--over half of the textbook focuses on the 19th century.
For the most part, this history book takes an unbiased perspective throughout the early chapters, which I appreciate. As the book approaches contemporary American history, however, it begins to discuss events with a personal standpoint rather than an outsider’s view looking in.