Abridged American Heritage Reader

Many colleges and universities have sadly become places where the focus is on means rather than ends, and where the confused and bewildered of the next generation acquire techniques and tools, but graduate without having gained any real direction or order to their souls. In response to this concerning trend, the Hillsdale College History Faculty has painstakingly assembled a remarkable textbook, "American Heritage: A Reader," in order to provide its own students with a true liberal arts education grounded in the American tradition.

Designed for use at the high school level and beyond, this extraordinary textbook offers readers, both inside and outside the classroom, a traditional educational experience that enlarges and ennobles the mind. As the Preface explains, the primary role of this Reader is to supply a rich sample of documents from the periods examined, providing readers with direct access to the primary sources that historians interpret to make sense of the American past.

By engaging with these primary sources, readers are able to escape the provincialism of their own time and culture, and instead, explore the roots of American order as well as the sources of contemporary disorders. This daunting task of viewing sympathetically ideas that, although part of our heritage, may seem distant and alien, is an important and exhilarating part of a proper education, in which one seeks to make sense of oneself as an American.

The Hillsdale College History Faculty has carefully curated this textbook to ensure that it provides a traditional educational experience that is both challenging and enriching. By immersing readers in the primary sources that have shaped the American experience, the Reader invites them to engage in the same enterprise as historians, fostering a deeper understanding of the past and its enduring influence on the present.

Through this unique and comprehensive approach, "American Heritage: A Reader" offers a refreshing alternative to the often narrow and skills-focused curriculum that has become prevalent in many educational institutions. By prioritizing the exploration of ideas and the development of critical thinking skills, this textbook empowers students to cultivate a more holistic and meaningful understanding of their place within the broader American tradition.

Overall, the Hillsdale College History Faculty's "American Heritage: A Reader" represents a significant contribution to the field of education, providing a much-needed counterpoint to the prevailing trends that have left many students feeling lost and disconnected from the foundational principles and values that have shaped the American experience. By inviting readers to engage directly with the primary sources that have defined our nation's history, this textbook offers a transformative educational experience that has the power to inspire and empower the next generation of citizens.

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