The past has left behind only scattered clues, providing little insight into how the people of early America lived. Ranging from New York City to the small farms of the South, and from coastal fishing towns to the Western frontier of Indiana and Kentucky, this multifaceted survey is richly illustrated with photographs of historic houses from the Library of Congress collection as well as period art, and the text makes use of diaries, journals, and letters to round out this intriguing view of America's first few decades.