Includes bibliographical references (pages 289-300) and index.

The road to Tuktoyaktuk -- Pyramids on the Mississippi -- Women (and a few men) who led the way -- Firestorm -- The tree in American history -- Hunting -- How the fur trade shaped the American economy -- Beads and buildings -- Corn, cotton, and tobacco -- The trade in Indian slaves -- Fishing for food and profit -- Guerrillas and warriors -- America's patron saint -- Americanization of the English language -- The naming of North America -- North America's Inca historian -- Intellectual mining -- Mixed-blood nation -- The white roots of peace. A study of the Indians of North America and their essential role in the making of the United States.