The States Of America: The Mid-Atlantic: Volume Two

New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia & West Virginia

In One Volume, The Histories Of New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia & West Virginia

Four states. One revolutionary story.

The Mid-Atlantic region is where America was born, tested, and continually remade. From the signing of the Declaration of Independence to the bloodiest battles of the Civil War, from the rise of industrial titans to the struggles of coal miners fighting for dignity, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia have stood at the center of the American experience.

This volume explores the common threads binding these four diverse states: the revolutionary fervor that sparked independence, the industrial transformation that built a superpower, and the internal conflicts—including the Civil War that nearly tore the nation apart and gave birth to West Virginia itself—that forced Americans to confront the contradictions in their founding ideals.

Here you'll discover how the Erie Canal made New York City a global colossus, how Pennsylvania's coal and steel forged modern America, how Virginia evolved from colonial powerhouse to Confederate capital to diverse modern commonwealth, and how West Virginia emerged from rebellion within rebellion to carve its own identity from the Appalachian Mountains.

Combining rigorous historical research with compelling narrative, this book reveals how these four states became the crucible of American democracy, diversity, and industry. Their stories of immigration, labor struggles, innovation, and reinvention continue to shape the nation today.

Whether you're a history enthusiast, a traveler exploring America's heritage, or simply curious about the forces that made the United States, this essential volume illuminates the Mid-Atlantic's outsized role in creating the America we know.