This two-volume work offers an unusual perspective on American history. First published in 1902, it was aimed at Irish readers both in Ireland and in the United States and provides a uniquely Irish perspective on American history. Two-thirds of all Irish emigrants went to the United States, and John O'Hanlon's intention was to record the contribution these emigrants made to the growth of the United States. The history begins with the first exploration by the Irish into the North Atlantic and this concentration on the participation of Irish people in American history continues throughout the work. A description of the aboriginal peoples of America, the development of slavery and the growth of the American colonies into a nation form the early part of the work. As O'Hanlon was writing in the aftermath of the American Civil War, this conflict looms large in the history, but the earlier struggle for independence is also discussed in detail. Copious footnotes provide a wealth of biographical information about politicians, military men and others, whether they were Irish themselves or had Irish forebears. Such biographical material is provided not just for the famous but for many lesser-known individuals. The appendices provide a collection of original sources and statistical material such as the US Constitution and the Twelfth US Census. An annotated index to the volumes is also included.