Preface: Antebellum: say Aunty Bell and add um -- The long way West -- Mountain men -- Riding the trail to Santa Fe -- Susan Magoffin's diary. Feature: the new Americans are called immigrants -- Pioneers: taking the trail West. Feature: "Another fine cow died this afternoon" -- Getting there -- Latter-Day Saints -- Coast-to-Coast destiny -- Texas: tempting and beautiful -- Fighting over a border -- There's gold in them hills. Feature: Chinese, know-nothings, and Abraham Lincoln -- Clipper ships and Pony Express -- Flying by stagecoach. Feature: keeping up with the presidents -- Arithmetic at sea -- Thar she blows -- A boy from Japan -- Cities and progress -- A land of movers -- Workin' on the railroad -- "She wishes to ornament their mind". Feature: special teachers -- Do girls have brains? -- Seneca Falls and the rights of women. Feature: climb every mountain -- A woman named Truth -- Life in the mills -- Working women and children. Feature: I am well which is one comfort -- American writers -- Mr. Thoreau -- at home with the world -- Melville and company -- Painter of birds and painter of Indians. Feature: The United States of artists -- Amistad means friendship -- Webster defends the Union -- Big problems and a little giant -- A dreadful decision -- Fleeing to freedom -- Over the river and underground -- Seven decades -- Chronology of events -- More books to read -- Index -- Picture credits -- A note from the author.