Visual culture--art, advertising, architecture, cinema, television, cartography, video, the internet and images of science--has shaped American national identity more than any other country. Covering the period from the late nineteenth century to the present day, the book explores how visual culture has at once transformed and consolidated the image of the United States. American Visual Culture presents both an analysis of the diversity of American visual media and a critical introduction to the study and interpretation of visual culture. Thematic chapters--on American urban and rural landscapes, icons, popular culture, art and photography, as well as on crime, anxiety and sex-- introduce the cultural, intellectual and historical context. Throughout, these themes are discussed in conjunction with clear and concise explanations of key visual theories and methodologies.