Americans today have great difficulty believing that our nation's westward expansion -- over a span of 241 years, from founding Jamestown, Virginia Colony, in 1607, to the Republic of Texas (1836-1846), to expansion to the Pacific by 1848 - was the hard work and sacrifice of Southern families, often large families. Today's culture minimizes achievements of Southern people and overly exaggerates so-called achievements of Northern people. It was the bravery, hard work and sacrifice of both Southern Whites and Southern Blacks that made America. Ten generations of pioneering moms and dads and sons and daughters.

In 1607, the first settlers arrived at Jamestown, Virginia Colony. Thirteen years later, in 1620, Puritan Separatists, instead of going to Virginia Colony, went northward to settle what would become New England and established controlling, church-state colonial governments.

American's Revolution, fought first in the Northern colonies, was unsuccessful there. So, the British military headed south to put down the American Revolution in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia colonies. Back-country Southern people defended their land with success. Under George Washington's leadership, the War was won at Yorktown, Virginia Colony in 1781. The 1788 treaty in Paris granted Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia control over western land out to the Mississippi River. The fight had been over control of western land, not the price of tea, or taxes on imports, or marine shipping restrictions. George Washington, of Virginia, was America's first 8-year president. Other 8-year presidents from Virginia were Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and James Monroe.

In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson, a Virginian, arranged the Louisiana Purchase, paying France only 3 cents per acre for land stretching from the Mississippi River westward out to the northwest Pacific Ocean.

In 1815, Andrew Jackson, of Tennessee, brilliantly led Tennessee militia and others to defeat a massive British invasion of New Orleans, the last battle of the War of 1812. Great Britain learned to never fight a war with the Nation Builders of the Southern States.

In 1836, Sam Houston, also a Tennessean, led Mexican Texas militia in a well-planned battle to defeat President Santa Anna's Mexican army at the Battle of San Jacinto. Houston captured Santa Anna and forced him to grant independence for the Republic of Texas. Ten years later, in 1846, having confidence in U. S. President James K. Polk, of Tennessee, Texans voted to merge their huge and prosperous Republic with America and become the State of Texas.

President Polk, also a Nation Builder from Tennessee, then led a war of conquest against Mexico to secure the land that remained between Texas and California at the Pacific Ocean.

Today, descendants of the Southern Families that Made America are trying to save our country. The democratic principles that Southern Families gave we Americans 175 years ago are, sadly, disappearing. Please read this amazing book, be proud of our South and help us save it.