This book surveys the history of the United States from the point of view of children. The book explores children's role in building the new nation as full participants in farm life in the early national period, as industrial workers in northeastern cities in the 19th century, and as pioneer and settlers of the West. It also examines the effects on children's lives of several national crises. It traces the evolution of attitudes toward children and childhood. Following an Introduction, the book is divided into thirteen chapters: (1) "The Youth of a New Nation: 1790-1850"; (2) "Schooling the Children: 1777-1867"; (3) "Slave Young, Slave Long: 1619-1861"; (4) "A National Crisis: The Civil War: 1861-1865"; (5) "An Age of Contrasts: 1860-1905"; (6) "Growing Up on the Western Frontier: 1840-1918"; (7) "Child Saving: 1817-1922"; (8) "The Era of the Adolescent: 1900-1928"; (9) "The Depression Alters Children's Lives: 1929-1943"; (10) "World War II: Children on the American Home Front: 1939-1945"; (11) "The Baby-Boom Generation: 1946-1970"; (12) "Hearts and Minds: African-American Children Face Challenges: 1865-1990"; and (13) "An America Inhospitable to Children: 1971-2000." Appendixes contain documents and biographies of major personalities. The book offers firsthand accounts of the periods-from daily entries, letters, speeches, and newspaper articles that illustrate how historical events appeared to those who lived through them. Each chapter also provides an introductory essay and a chronology of events. Contains an extensive bibliography. (BT)