Documents in each chapter focus on themes and events related to the parent textbook. Each chapter of Reading the American Past contains five to six primary source documents focused on themes and events related to the corresponding chapter in The American Promise. Delving into unique perspectives, each source will connect the specific experiences of Americans throughout the past to the broader context of U.S. history.

A brief introduction provides just the right amount of context for each chapter. Every chapter in the reader begins with an introduction that provides context and primes students to engage productively with the sources that follow.

A headnote introduces students to each document and encourages them to draw their own conclusions. Brief introductions to each source provide the provenance of the document, orient the student to the historical context, and provide a starting place for their own interpretations. Plentiful gloss notes help students with unfamiliar vocabulary.

Questions for Reading and Discussion follow each document and encourage students to return to the source. The Questions for Reading and Discussion that follow each source are useful as in-class, essay, or study questions. They prompt students to enhance their own understanding by engaging critically with each document.

Comparative Questions concluding each chapter place documents in conversation. The Comparative Questions at the end of each chapter prompt students to consider the broader implications of individual sources on U.S. history.