An alphabetical introduction to Christmas traditions in the nineteenth century, such as "Christmas Carols," "Ghost Stories and Games," "Ornaments," and "Toys Under the Tree."

Discusses the foods, methods, equipment, and places used by cooks in colonial America.

Introduces the tools, activities, and importance of the blacksmith in colonial communities.

Examines various types of dwellings in western Northern America during the nineteenth century, discussing their construction and design as well as the lives of the settlers who lived in them.

Describes how pioneers set out across the United States and Canada in the nineteenth century looking for a better life in the West--the routes they took, the covered wagons they used, what they ate, the dangers they faced, and more.

Describes mission life during the Spanish colonial period in the southwestern United States, the plight of Native Americans and Roman Catholic missionaries, and Spanish missions today.

Discusses the reasons people migrated West, the routes they took, some of the difficulties faced by pioneers, the different ethnic and cultural backgrounds of the settlers and the building of homes and towns.