In the two hundred and fifty years since its foundation, the United States of America has grown to become the world's richest and most powerful union. How did this new nation come to dominate global culture, economics, politics and warfare? Informed by years of close observation, bestselling author Simon Jenkins follows the extraordinary journey of America from before independence through revolution to Civil War, its emergence onto the international stage and the turbulence of the present day. We meet its most notable Presidents and see its most formative moments in a colourful and pacey narrative of a country often in turmoil, yet one that remains to many a land of freedom and a citadel of democracy with a story to inspire. This is an essential read for anyone who seeks to understand the country that continues to shape our world.