The Handbook of the American Frontier seeks to bridge the gap between studies of indigenous Americans and those of settlers of European or African descent. Heard bridges this fissure in scholarship of nearly 5 centuries of history by using Native American-white interaction as a guide. He provides a unique perspective on the implications of American settlement and the interaction of numerous cultures throught the history of North America.

The study has emphasized the careers of prominent frontier participants, and has presented articles on individuals and events that had a significant impact upon the shifting dynamics of frontier settlement and expansion. The Handbook contains hundreds of sources, both primary and secondary, and seeks to foreground the perspective of heretofore largely ignored groups such as women and blacks, and frequently misrepresented cultures of native North Americans.

This fifth and final volume of the Handbook of the American Frontier consists of a detailed chronology beginning in 1513 and running through 1918 of significant meetings between Native Americans and settlers on the frontier, a list of books consulted during preparation of the five volume work, and a complete index of the first four volumes including thousands of names and hundreds of subjects of interest.