A romp through the songs, poems, and documents that shaped America's history. Discover the true meaning of the name "Yankee Doodle"; the racism inherent in the third verse of our national anthem; how "America the Beautiful" can be sung to the tune of "Auld Lang Syne"; the context of Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address"; the identity of Walt Whitman's "O Captain! My Captain!"; the origin of the phrase "Bury my heart at Wounded Knee"; and many more facts, trivial and not-so. These 35 Passages should be familiar to every American--or to anyone who wants to better understand the American spirit.