Because of its rapid growth, ubiquitous popular culture, and global power, almost everyone knows something about the United States. But oftentimes these many facts float about rather freely. For those who need a chronology and orientation mixed with scholarly insight, this is the book. The American Century is for research, for trivia, and for setting events in the right order. This book is a timeline that organizes the U.S. political, social, literary, and cultural events of each year in the 20th century - plus the beginning of the 21st century. The book also includes short essays suggesting how these many events fit into larger patterns.