This study of childhood through the centuries provides a new perspective on the age-old challenge of growing up and thriving in a diverse and complex society. The book consists of a brief introduction followed by eight chapters. Chapter 1, "Crime and Punishment," details crime and punishment of children from the eighteenth century to the present. Chapter 2, "Dying Young," discusses the shocking rate of child mortality in earlier centuries and the reasons for it, and compares that to the current situation. Chapter 3, "Warrior Children," discusses the historical participation of children in wars and military service in this country. Chapter 4, "Sex and Romance," discusses the gradual relaxation of attitudes about, and the increase in, teenage sexual behavior. Chapter 5, "Working Days," details the history of child labor in the United States. Chapter 6, "Hate Thy Neighbor," describes bigotry among children in the United States over the last two centuries. Chapter 7, "The Struggle To Learn," outlines the history of public education in the United States. Chapter 8, "The Rise and Decline of the Family," provides a historical view of the changing American family. (Contains 50 references and an index.) (DR)