America’s beginnings stretch further back than the signing of the Declaration of Independence, further still than the pilgrims landing at Plymouth Rock, and even further beyond the first native inhabitants of her land.

America’s formation began, arguably, billions of years ago. 

With Earth’s very chaotic and, quite literally, rocky beginning, the land masses that would eventually become America began to form, and with them the abundant minerals that would much, much later further the rapid expansion of America’s Industrial Revolution. 

Geology Made America Great is a fascinating look at how geology and innovation were combined to create the America we know today, from the gold rushes of the West to the coal-mining powerhouses of the East, and current scientific advancement by the remaining resources below our very feet. 

About the Author

Rick Miller, PhD. received a PhD from UCLA way back in 1975. His field of study involves microfossils called conodonts that are found in rocks exposed in the desert mountains of southeastern California and southern Nevada. His teaching and research career began even earlier in 1970 when he was offered a part-time position at what was then San Fernando Valley State College. From there, he progressed to San Diego State University and then moved to St. George, Utah, in 2001. Miller has continued to teach for various community education programs at the Utah Tech University and explored the amazing geology exposed in that region. This community teaching and exploration of the region were the two main factors behind writing this book.