The popular understanding of America's past is in many respects misunderstood and distorted. Even secondary-level and college classrooms are not always capable of correcting the common misconceptions about Columbus and his discovery; about Jamestown, John Smith and Pocahontas; about the Salem Witch Trials; and even about the American Revolution. What is often lacking in texts on these events and people is a narrative, with a solid underpinning of primary sources that clearly explains how misconceptions began, were perpetuated, and made their way into contemporary American popular culture. This book explores ten popular myths about the period, each of which is examined in terms of its origin and how it became ensconced in American memory. It uses primary sources to explain the evolution of the myths and inform readers about what actually happened. This book exposes modern readers to primary source documents that clarify distortions and disprove popular misconceptions of the past.