Defining Documents offers a broad range of historical documents on important authors and subjects in American history. Each two-volume title, designed in consultation with an expert in the field, contains approximately 80 primary source documents with an in-depth critical analysis. Articles begin by introducing readers to the historical context, followed by a description of the author’s life and circumstances in which the document is written. A document analysis, written by professional writers and historians, guides readers in understanding key elements of language, rhetoric, and social and political meaning that define the significance of the author and document in American history. Each title is organized by chapter themes, highlighting major ideas in the period. The series begins with a collection of exploration and colonial documents, and continues to cover every time period in American history. This collection will introduce students and educators to a diverse range of genres, including journals, letters, speeches, government legislation, and court opinions. Documents represent the diversity of ideas and contexts that define social, political and cultural subjects throughout American history.