The United States was founded on a set of "self-evident" truths: political equality, natural rights, and the sovereignty of the people. But how well has the nation--from its revolutionary birth to our fractious present--lived up to these founding ideals? In an absorbing, character-driven narrative, acclaimed historian Jill Lepore engages this urgent question. Now expanded into a two-volume textbook, the Inquiry Edition is a new kind of history text--one that highlights the importance of analyzing evidence and practicing historical inquiry to help students develop civic skills relevant to their lives far beyond the course.