Book excerpt: Early civilizations, Native Americans, the English colonies, slavery, the American Revolution, the Declaration of Independence, and the Bill of Rights begin the journey and lay the foundation for the United States of today. The Handy American History Answer Book takes a walk through the economic, political, and social forces, as well as the military conflicts that created, changed, and built the United States. It explains the impact of the biggest events, the wars, the presidents, lesser-known personalities and figures, sports, music, and much more. This handy primer is a captivating, concise, and convenient history of America and Americans. From Washington to the microchip, Columbus to modern terrorist threats, the Anasazi to the iPhone, The Handy American History Answer Book traces the development of the nation, including the impact of the Civil War, the discovery of gold in California, the inventions, the political and economic crises, and the technology transforming modern culture today. It answers nearly 900 commonly asked questions and offers fun facts about American, its history, and people, including What was the Lost Colony? Who were the robber barons? Was the U.S. mainland attacked during World War II? What was Reaganomics? How many states recognize same-sex marriages?