Colonial Times, the first volume in the series, focuses on the years 1600 to 1700, a period when the colonists were struggling just to survive in their new land. The second volume, American Revolution, describes the years 1700 to 1800, when the colonists were struggling to establish their independence from Great Britain. Backmatter elements in each book include "Read More About It" and "Go Online to the Past" sections, plus an index.

This series was created with the assistance of Mary Beth Norton, M. D. Alger Professor of American History at Cornell University, and Robert Stremme, a Nationally Certified Middle Childhood Generalist and College Educator.