n this captivating look back at the last two centuries, readers are treated to an oftenneglected perspective of American history. A child's eye-view of what life was really like for young Americans. Spanning the late 18th to the early 20th centuries and covering everything from frontier and immigrant life and child labor to school and leisure activities-like riding shafting belts on cotton looms and creating ice skates from pieces of wood-this book documents childrens' hardships as well as their happier times. Elegantly designed with the flavor of a turn-of-the-century photo album, sidebars, and personal narratives, To Be Young in America is a virtual time capsule that can be shared by parents and children today and cherished by generations to come.