An excellent text book that I use as a T.A. in an Early U.S. History Class, Eric Foner's Give Me Liberty! begins by exploring the concept of liberty (and freedom) through American history and among different groups of people. Foner presents U.S. history in a manner that is both inviting to those with little experience in the discipline and informative enough to hold the attention of students more well-read in the field. His frequent use of primary sources, both documents and images, allows the past to speak for itself while he provides context about larger issues in the U.S. and abroad. ( )