A collection of primary sources documenting the early clash of cultures in the Americas, Encounters in the New World spans the years from Columbus's voyage in 1492 to the publication of the autobiography of Olaudah Equiano, a former slave, in 1789. Emotional eyewitness accounts--memoirs, petitions, diaries, captivity narratives, private correspondence--as well as formal documents, official reports, and journalistic reportage give body and texture to the historical events described. A special 16-page color cartographic section, including maps from both Europe and North America, is fascinating not only for the maps' telltale imperfections, but also because they convey information about how their creators saw themselves and the world around them. A Jesuit priest's chronicle of life among his Iroquois captors, Aztec records of forbidding omens, excerpts from Columbus's ship's log, John Smith's account of cannibalism among the British residents of Jamestown, slave auction advertisements, memoirs by several members of Cortes's expedition, the reminiscences of an escaped slave-these are just a few examples of the wealth of primary sources collected here. Jill Lepore, winner of the distinguished Bancroft Prize for history in 1999, provides informed, expert commentary linking the documents into a fascinating and seamless narrative.

Textbooks may interpret history, but the books in the Pages from History series are history. Each title, compiled and edited by a prominent historian, is a collection of primary sources relating to a particular topic of historical significance. Documentary evidence including news articles, government documents, memoirs, letters, diaries, fiction, photographs, and facsimiles allows history to speak for itself and turns every reader into a historian. Headnotes, extended captions, sidebars, and introductory essays provide the essential context that frames the documents. All the books are amply illustrated and each spans the years froincludes a documentary picture essay, chronology, further reading, source notes, and index.

"Students of American history will find plenty to chew on in this meaty, heavily illustrated entry in the new Pages from History series....Beginning with a full-color section, the pictures are...heavy on maps that chart the world's expansion in the European consciousness and including often fanciful scenes that in many cases are all that is left of vanished Native American cultures.... [Lepore] draws from a host of hard-to-find sources, and creates a ghastly, compelling picture of one of human history's pivotal moments."--Kirkus Reviews

"A wealth of primary source materials...an eye-opening look at the 'discovery' of the New World....Nearly every page features a black-and-white period reproduction, most with captions giving additional information...full-color reproductions of historical maps. In addition to offering valuable perspectives, this book will introduce readers to the challenges involved in understanding the past."--School Library Journal

"Presents primary source material--diaries, letters, maps, illustrations--and combines it with solid, in-depth examinations. Lepore provides essential background information and helps readers understand the context surrounding each document."--Horn Book

"The author does an excellent job of introducing these documents, filling in their historical context, and pointing out their salient features....This volume provides a balance to traditional texts by presenting the voices of people not often heard, who suffered from European colonization of the new world. Classroom discussions and individual reports will be enriched....Recommended."--Book Report

"Promises to be both useful and capable of holding student interest....Contains many clear, large, and easy-to-use charts, diagrams, and pictures. The sixteen-page map section is a delight that students will find fascinating....Well-edited and beautifully illustrated."--OAH Magazine of History

From Columbus's voyage in 1492 to the publication of the autobiography of Olaudah Equiano, a former slave, in 1789, Jill Lepore, winner of the distinguished Bancroft Prize for history, brings to life in exciting, first-person detail some of the earliest events in American history in Encounters in the New World.

Providing fascinating commentary along the way, Lepore seamlessly links together primary sources that illustrate the powerful clash of cultures in the Americas. Through emotional eyewitness accounts — memoirs, petitions, diaries, captivity narratives, private correspondence — formal documents, official reports, and journalistic reportage, dramatic stories of the New World are revealed, including:

* A Jesuit priest's chronicle of life among his Iroquois captors

* Aztec records of forbidding omens

he earliest events in American

* John Smith's account of cannibalism among the British residents of Jamestown

* Memoirs by members of Cortes's expedition

* Reminiscences of an escaped slave

A special 16-page color cartographic section, including maps from both Europe and North America, provides a fascinating look at how the maps' creators saw themselves and the world around them.