继哈佛大学著名历史学家钱宁的《美国学生历史》(英汉双语版)出版问市后,受到众多读者欢迎,不少读者期望能买到英文原版关于美国历史的教材,此书正是为满足这部分读者纯英文阅读的需求。
这本全英文版的《美国历史》由美国著名历史学家比尔德编写,以西方人的视角,深入浅出地介绍了从殖民地时期到世界大战期间美国历史上的重大事件与文明发展。本书按不同历史时期,分知识点,一一讲述,便于理解记忆。为使读者更好地理解和掌握各章的重点和难点,每章末尾还附有练习题和思考题。文中还配有相应的插图,便于对不同地域和各个时期人物及事件有更直观感受。通过阅读本书,能理清美国历史发展脉络,获得对美国历史全景式认知,从而能更好地了解美国这个社会和文化多元的国家。
本英文版适合高中以上读者阅读使用,对于备考SAT的学生应该很有帮助。全书提供配套英文朗读下载,在提升阅读水平的同时练习英文听力与口语。对于普通英语学习爱好者,也是一本很好的了解美国历史的学习读本。作者在前言中,对此书的特点作了如下介绍:
Itisnotuponnegativefeatures,however,thatwerestourcase.Itisratheruponconstructivefeatures.
First.Wehavewrittenatopical,notanarrative,history.Wehavetriedtosetforththeimportantaspects,problems,andmovementsofeachperiod,bringinginthenarrativeratherbywayofillustration.
Second.Wehaveemphasizedthosehistoricaltopicswhichhelptoexplainhowournationhascometobewhatitisto-day.
Third.Wehavedweltfullyuponthesocialandeconomicaspectsofourhistory,especiallyinrelationtothepoliticsofeachperiod.
Fourth.Wehavetreatedthecausesandresultsofwars,theproblemsoffinancingandsustainingarmedforces,ratherthanmilitarystrategy.Thesearethesubjects,whichbelongtoahistoryforcivilians.Thesearematterswhichcivilianscanunderstand-matterswhichtheymustunderstand,iftheyaretoplaywelltheirpartinwarandpeace.
Fifth.Byomittingtheperiodofexploration,wehavebeenabletoenlargethetreatmentofourowntime.Wehavegivenspecialattentiontothehistoryofthosecurrentquestionswhichmustformthesubjectmatterofsoundinstructionincitizenship.
Sixth.WehaveborneinmindthatAmerica,withallheruniquecharacteristics,isapartofageneralcivilization.Accordinglywehavegivendiplomacy,foreignaffairs,worldrelations,andthereciprocalinfluencesofnationstheirappropriateplace.
Seventh.Wehavedeliberatelyaimedatstandardsofmaturity.
Thestudyofamerenarrativecallsmainlyfortheuseofthememory.Wehaveaimedtostimulatehabitsofanalysis,comparison,association,reflection,andgeneralization-habitscalculatedtoenlargeaswellasinformthemind.Wehavebeenatgreatpainstomakeourtextclear,simple,anddirect;butwehaveearnestlysoughttostretchtheintellectsofourreaders-toputthemupontheirmettle.Mostofthemwillreceivethelastoftheirformalinstructioninthehighschool.Theworldwillsoonexpectmaturityfromthem.Theirachievementswilldependuponthepossessionofotherpowersthanmemoryalone.Theeffectivenessoftheircitizenshipinourrepublicwillbemeasuredbytheexcellenceoftheirjudgmentaswellasthefullnessoftheirinformation.