Chapter 1 - Busting Sod: Settlement, Indian Wars, statehood, railroads and other transportation, farm equipment, lumber towns, the Peshtigo Fire, profiles of Laura Ingalls Wilder and Increase Lapham
Chapter 2 - Brave New World: Frontier life, mining, logging, women's work, social life, religion, "King" Strang, Holy Hill, family traditions, profiles of Christopher Latham Sholes and Dr. Kate Pelham Newcomb
Chapter 3 - In Pursuit of Truth: Politics and government, public education, the birth of free schools, colleges and universities, profiles of Magarethe Meyer Schurz and Carl Schurz
Chapter 4 - Making It Work: Earning a living, industry, lawmaking, public servants, profiles of Robert La Follette and Belle Case La Follette
Chapter 5 - A Time For Play: The birth of leisure time, games, sports, camping, music, natatoriums, cultural traditions, entertainment, birth of the circus, profiles of authors George W. Peck and Zona Gale
Chapter 6 - Growing Up Fast: Automobiles, electrification, heating and cooling, development of major cities, communication, transportation evolves, Harley Davidson, aviation, the Great Depression, Prohibition, bootlegging, gangster hideaways, Civilian Conservation Corps, profiles of Edna Ferber and H.H. Bennett
Chapter 7 - Pulling Together: Civil War, "Old Abe" the eagle, World War I, World War II, rationing, Rosie the Riveter, wartime shifts in manufacturing, submarines built in Manitowoc, profiles of Frank Lloyd Wright and Jessie Jack Hooper
