This text takes a unique approach—each chapter is split into two distinct parts. In the first part of each chapter, the authors tell the story of a very specific and concrete episode: witchcraft hysteria in Salem Village in 1692, for example. The second part of the chapter is a discussion of the historical setting of the chapters episode, placing it in its historical context. This incident-narrative approach allows the student to examine a subject in depth and then understand how it relates to the larger fabric of American history.