Spanning more than 200 years - from the struggles of the earliest days of colonization in the sixteenth century to the eve of the American Revolution - the Colonial era is the longest recognized period in American history. The Colonial Era tells the compelling story of early America and its unprecedented accomplishments. Detailed narrative text - enhanced with chronologies, excerpts from primary source documents, and biographies of those who lived through the period - examines the quest for colonial dominance among the European powers and their resistance to the claims of the Native Americans who inhabited the continent. The book also looks at the differences that existed among the European colonies and within the settlements themselves. Political, social, and cultural developments are highlighted throughout, as are the experiences of Africans who were involuntarily brought to the colonies to serve as slaves. What emerges is a fascinating narrative of the growing conflict between one's history and homeland and the present and future in an unfamiliar territory.