Portrait of America is an anthology of essays written by some of America s most eminent historians. Suitable for U.S. history survey courses, the collection has a loose biographical focus. The essays in this secondary source reader humanize American history by portraying it as a story of real people with whom students can identify.Each selection is preceded by an introduction that sets the context and a helpful glossary that identifies important individuals, events, and concepts. The Eighth Edition includes an essay in which six major historians reflect on the historical significance of September 11, 2001.