From the fearful crossing of the stormy Atlantic to the growth of the early settlements, from the French and Indian War and the unrest of the 1760s to the inevitable break with England—here is an insightful and fascinating account of the transformation of an unknown land into an extraordinary nation.

In this provocative history of colonial America, William R. Polk explores the key events and individuals that defined this critical epoch by offering vivid descriptions of the societies the Europeans came from and what they believed they were going to, while introducing the native peoples encountered in the New World and the black Africans who were brought across the Atlantic. As John Adams would point out to Thomas Jefferson, the long years that witnessed the formation of our national character and the growth of our spirit of independence were indeed the real revolution. That is the compelling story at the root of The Birth of America.