A deeply informed yet concise and sprightly narrative traces the stories of the people, events, and developments that have shaped the Old Dominion State and also the USA.

As the site of the first permanent English settlement in North America, the birthplace of a presidential dynasty, and the gateway to western growth in the nation's early years, Virginia can rightfully be called the "cradle of America”. Peter Wallenstein traces major themes across four centuries in a brisk narrative that recalls the people and events that have shaped the Old Dominion. This second edition is updated with new material throughout.