To summarize all of American history over the course of a 1,000 page textbook is extremely difficult - nigh impossible.
American Pageant begins just like many other American History textbooks do: 225 Million Years ago as Pangea started to break apart. From there, it quickly moves into the 1500s when the United States as we know them was a brand-new area filled with Native Americans and a few European colonists - first in Roanoke and later in Jamestown, which was the first permanent settlement.
Shortly thereafter, American Pageant discusses how Europeans formally settled the new land during the 16 and early 1700s.
The authors then discuss the most significant event in American history: the American Revolution and America's eventual independence from British rule. The book also discusses why colonists decided to rebel (things like the Intolerable Acts and "No Taxation Without Representation") and how they reacted to the rebellion - both good and bad.
The book subsequently discusses everything since the Revolution, including the War of 1812, the Spanish-American War, World Wars I and II, the Louisiana Purchase, the history of American labor, the Vietnam War, 9/11, and American culture.
