Super Short Summary

American Colonies by Alan Taylor is the first volume of the Penguin History of the United States series, offering a pluralistic survey of the history of the Americas from the earliest Paleolithic settlements up to 19th-century Pacific exploration. Taylor examines the multifaceted process of colonization involving Europeans, Indigenous peoples, and Africans, highlighting their interactions and the resulting composite culture. The book’s 19 chapters provide broad overviews of different colonial regions and their development through a chronological narrative, framed by recent historiography and a focus on environmental history, ethnohistory, and an Atlantic perspective. The history is inclusive of various European powers, including the Spanish, French, Dutch, and English, and explores the economic, cultural, and social transformations that shaped early North America. The book addresses themes of colonization, slavery, and cultural exchange.