These subjects were covered using terminology that was timely and clear. I have not found culturally insensitive comments. The explanation of disagreements and legal decisions in particular is objective yet clear what values, tradeoffs, etc were at stake and how the decisions affected government especially. The book does include a chapter on state and local government, which is often not covered in U.S. government textbooks. The text is not overladen with jargon, and when specialized terms are used, there is an effort to provide definitions for terms. The framework of the chapters is internal consistent. Facilitate mastery of complex principles with dynamic digital tools. Some may view this as a benefit, as there is more room for each instructor to add their own "big story" to their courses. The pure number of citations is impressive, however they are shown to the reader throughout a chapter in a separated gray box. Offers coverage of topics that most instructors would cover in such a class, including political behavior, civil rights/liberties, American political culture, and structure. Current and updated; the textbook has a wealth of information ad applicable activities. There is a consistent pattern in terms of the major headings outlined at the beginning of the book. Chapters six and seven are uncharacteristic. Reviewed by Leo Keneally, Associate Professor, Thomas Nelson Community College on 3/29/19, The textbook covers all the essential parts of American government. Of course, where to draw those lines is subjective and not all will see the value. From the origins of the US political system, the constitutional framework, participatory inputs, formal institutions, and public policy, the major points are It covers all the bases of an Introduction to American Government and then some. Voting is one way to participate in our democracy. 33.
PDF The Crisis of - ed In Chapter Four, for example, there are six "Note" sections in the first four pages and for the book as a whole, the average is one to two "Notes" per page. The text is very culturally sensitive and I see no cultural offensiveness. The relevance of content is a real strength of this text. It is a well-written and solid introduction to American Government. The text covers the full range of standard American Government textbooks, from government and civic engagement, to civil liberties and rights to branches of government and foreign policy. Find step-by-step solutions and answers to United States Government: Our Democracy - 9780076634538, as well as thousands of textbooks so you can move forward with confidence. Create assignments for whole class or individual students. 13-23) A. Page 1 Reading text only The United States is a representative democracy. I particularly liked the "Get Connected," "Links to Learning," and "Insider Perspectives." It is pitched at an appropriate level for undergraduates in an introductory class, and is in no way patronizing as some of these books can often be. I think the book could benefit from a more extensive glossary at the end of each chapter, rather than each section. I plan to regularly assign these items to use in discussion and written work. The material could easily be reorganized or covered in a different sequence at the discretion of the instructor without much disruption. line-height: 1.5 !important;
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While the focus on diversity is certainly not as all-encompassing as some commercial books that make racial/ethnic diversity the "thesis of the book" (most notably McClain and Tauber's American Government in Black and White), the book certainly does not limit discussion of racial/ethnic diversity to the chapter on Civil Rights, as many textbooks have done historically. The introduction and the summaries are useful starting and ending points for the reader and the addition of thoughtful critical thinking questions plus the keyword pages are another useful addition to the work. Content is very much up to date. But fundamentally, I often found myself searching for particular lessons, only to find the introduction to those lessons a bit dry or even meandering. The authors also included new terms such as the use of Astroturf movement on page 379 and PIRGS on page 382. I found no appreciable factual errors and appreciate the wealth of source material provided therefor.
The Constitution of the United States | National Archives The text would be very easy to divide into smaller sections. Do away with elections and democracy itself might be saved, argues Alexander Guerrero. He was our longest-serving president and also our best. The book seemed to use inclusive examples--for example, the racial breakdown of the federal judiciary. I also think the book does a good job bringing in gender concerns throughout the text. The coverage of competing philosophies of Judicial Activism and Judicial Restraint in Chapter 13, Section 5 nicely presents these approaches to novice readers. The text is written in lucid, accessible prose, and provides adequate context for any jargon/technical terminology used. If the candidate fails to achieve 270 votes, then the election is sent to the House of Representatives. It supplements text content with useful links that serve as a great tool for boosting application and comprehension. In each chapter, there are charts, diagrams, pictures from the news media that are appropriate, and informative that connect with the material in the chapter. There seems to be a great emphasis on students and the system, as indicated in Part 1, and civic engagement more generally. Images and charts were appropriate, visually appealing, and supported the text content in a meaningful way. There were a few places where the order within the chapter was slightly distracting (the media chapter comes to mind), but this was not a major issue. Each chapter offers an introduction, 3 to 5 written sections covering the topic, key terms, summary, review questions, critical thinking questions, and suggestions for further study. I do miss a chapter on political culture, but even without it, the text is good. In his haste to laud American democracy as a good, if evolving, system, the author sometimes fails to recognize critical perspectives, or interpret them as straw-men. This could certainly be prepared for the 2020 election. The text is not culturally insensitive or offensive in any way. Though I had trouble accessing the PDF and online versions, it appears to have been an issue with the browser I was using at the time. margin-bottom: 1rem !important;
read more. I do think that some modules could be combined, but for the most part the author accomplishes this well. Develop strong critical thinking, analytical, and compromise skills with. The pros and cons of government regulation of group activity (spending) are both presented accurately, and the student is asked to make their own determination. The president signs bills into law or vetoes them. I wish there were more pictures though to break up the text and to enhance the reading. While there are changes I would like to see, that is true for any book. It seems to be equal to any 'standard' Am Gov text. Sometimes the beginning of the paragraphs are repetitive but this may favor comprehension of the content. There are numerous ways to define or describe political power, and they should be conveyed in the textbook. The text is arranged using logical progression and builds upon itself so that it effectively connects topics, theory, and application for the reader while at the same time being structured in such a way that modules are easily and readily divisible (see modularity comments). It is easy to navigate, the images/charts are relevant and clear, and all other display features serve to enhance the key point, theory, etc. In addition, the reading selections are inconsistentsome are very long lists and others only include five or six books. LearnSmart with SmartBook adaptive ebook helps students learn faster, study more efficiently, and retain more knowledge. Each chapter begins with an introduction, moves into the various sections and concludes with the summary and then supplemental material. I saw no problems and particularity liked the emphasis on voter registration in the Voting and Elections unit. Likewise, the reasoning in Chapter 9 Political Parties as to why we have only two major parties lacks depth. The text interface is good. When you become a U.S. citizen, you also make these promises: give up loyalty to other countries defend the Constitution and laws of the United States obey the laws of the United States serve in the U.S. military (if needed) do important work for the nation (if needed) As clearly noted, I found far more to like about the text than not. The chapters are well organized and user friendly. This is a difficult problem, because our history of oppression and inequality is lengthy and robust, and so where does one start? I look at these minor issues as an opportunity for teachers to clarify in lecture, rather than deal-breaking issues. I really like that a section on state and local government is included.
United States government (2003 edition) | Open Library I dont think its as good as hearing from some of the real experts in the field and their approach, and I dont think it would be a good match for some faculty who like to teach from a given perspective. I am especially impressed by its multi-dimensional approach to topic coverage. United States Government: Our Democracy allows students to master an understanding of the structure, function, and powers of government at all levels.
PDF REVIEWING THE CHAPTER CHAPTER FOCUS - Cengage While there are a few points where the text could be more concise, overall the text is well written and accessible. The foundational material in each chapter/section is relevant and the examples used to explain/apply such material is more up to date than many for profit books I have read. It also does a great job bringing in marginalized or minority voices. The textbook includes many illustrations, photographs, and examples that are recent enough for students to be able to relate to without much difficulty. In 1988, the U.S. Senate paid tribute with a resolution 3 that said . I didnt find any interface issues in this textbook. This textbook provides a comprehensive framework for introductory American government. Faculty are used to getting free copies of texts. have even added very impressive policy chapters (domestic and foreign) that you only see on occasion. Key words repeated throughout so students would be exposed them at various points in the text. I didn't notice any serious grammar problems. Reviewing the text, I did not experience any significant interface issues. The question-and-an-swer format covers a broad range of topics dealing with the legisla- And the Fall of the Patronage system in Section 1 of Chapter 15 also stood out to me as excellent. The chapter on Congress should also be updated and with data from 2016 and 2018. The book clearly defines all the terms and theories and in plain language for non-majors to understand. The text is highly relevant for students studying American government and politics today and will serve students well in subsequent years without seeming obsolete. I can definitely see the advantage of having them all in one place. Reviewed by Colin Glennon, Associate Professor, East Tennessee State University on 4/11/19, The book certainly has all of the topics expected of an Introduction to American Government text. I hasten to add that I teach at the community college level where I often have to address certain shortcomings and misunderstandings regarding the students high school knowledge in this topic area, so perhaps this preference only applies because of my specific student audience. The "glossaries" are very good as well. I assume the work has been, and will continue to be, updated with each election. While it is rare for any textbook to be completely full of errors, there are a few more errors in this book than in my preferred American Government textbook and other leading textbooks on the topic. Unit II Assignments. I didnt have any difficulty navigating the book. read more. read more. Overall, it is solid and accurate. See the License and About pages for more details, as linked below. Accuracy is overall quite good. The text was clear and devoid of any unnecessary jargon. Overall, this is a solid choice in terms of comprehensiveness. This matters very much for American government texts, and the author has done a very good job here mixing long-standing historical examples with contemporaneous material. No obvious grammatical errors that I noticed. I do not think this book is at all culturally insensitive. The fact that it is free is even more impressive. The clearer organization is a benefit to undergraduate students who may be taking the course as a required course. Was: $150.00 Now: $120.00. For students looking to identify key terms, this bolding does feel mightily inconsistent. Perhaps its status as an open textbook is one reason why it is so easy to avoid a chapter on Trumps tweets, as this is stuff that publishers vaunt as the need for new editions. By: Donald A. Ritchie and Richard C. Remy and M. Ed. Reviewed by Rolfe Peterson, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Susquehanna University on 2/11/20, This textbook is extremely comprehensive. References are balanced--not exclusively conservative or liberal--and include non-partisan resources.This text appears to be carefully edited and reviewed. Although in the last decade I have opted for brief editions of American government, in an electronic format a longer text is useful for students who want to know more about topics that are difficult to cover in a fifteen week semester, including state and local government, public policy and foreign policy. The new survey of the public's views of democracy and the political system by Pew Research Center was conducted online Jan. 29-Feb. 13 among 4,656 adults. For example, Plato and Aristotle are not included in the further readings of the introductory chapter on government. Reviewed by Leslie Caughell, Assistant Professor, Virginia Wesleyan College on 2/8/17, This book is very comprehensive. The book was very internally consistent in terms of terminology. A Constitutional Democracy Interactive Notebook, which works for both print and Google Drive, investigates and helps gain an understanding of how the federal, state, and local governments in the United States work under the Constitution and the responsibilities of citizenship. Has good index. I found no problem with navigating the text. It would be easier if the chapters would focus on the 2016 and 2018 elections. The textbook is well-written and clear. It means "rule by the people" or "sovereignty of the people". Though as I said before, more recent in time statistics, graphs, charts, and pictures would help, the use of the visuals organizationally as far as charts, maps, and graphs is very good. Most of the other chapters are in the 35 to 40 page range. Most textbooks for undergraduates in this topic area American Government 2e offers a comprehensive survey of the core aspects of the US political system. It is a well planned and logical progression of chapters and topics. It is certainly a viable option for my course. Similar to other Introduction to American Government textbooks this book covers the typical material and then some. The chapters contain accurate information. Those items in chapter 8 are among my favorites. Also, each chapter sticks to an identical structure. Overall it is a bit smaller in word count than a traditional hard copy textbook and some of the chapters are smaller than I would like. The information is up-to-date through the 2016 presidential election and makes reference to the race between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. Instead the chapters information jumps around and the data needs organizing. Key Terms are highlighted within a chapter and then are defined again in the at the end of the chapter which should help student recall for those who want to check along. This book is very comprehensive. I would have preferred more of this, but the book was adequate in this regard. Below are the modified excerpts that are assigned to you. If practical, it would be helpful if there were a hyperlink to OYEZ or Cornell LII for each case. I found the language clear. The book covers all the main topics that good introductory American Government textbooks typically cover and also includes chapters on topics that are not covered in detail in many textbooks. The material is not overly self-referential. Although there is an internet link to the Articles in Chapter 2, I find it more useful for students to have access to the Articles within the textbook so they see they are important. text-decoration: underline;
Please read our Terms of Use and Privacy Notice before you explore our Web site. Well written with solid organization, the chapters flow nicely together. This is evident throughout the text. 9. .nav-contain-highered p{
You can use that resource if you would . I read the "theme" as being about civic engagement, and the theme appears consistently throughout the text.
The Public, the Political System and American Democracy This text could very easily replace the book I have used Comprehensive in terms of concepts and how they related to current ideas. - A good set of basic references at the end of each chapter. Its review of Civil Rights and the groups fighting for their rights is one of the strongest parts of the text. So if you wanted to teach the presidency before Congress, there is enough information about Congress in the presidency chapter that students would be able to understand it without having first read the chapter on Congress. by Richard C. Remy. I have used it in my classes and value its comprehensive nature and the ease of access and affordability it provides for my students. Students can read individual sections or chapters online (in a way vaguely reminiscent of Wikipedia), they can download a free PDF of the entire book, or more traditional students can order a hard copy of the book from Amazon (at a price that's still less than half of what students might pay for a book from a commercial press). It would also be helpful if the text came with bookmarks to the main chapters and subsections. This book would be easy to update as changes occur. The material offered more than meets the appropriate standard for a textbook used in a first or second year course in American Government and Politics. Thorough coverage of the main thematic areas generally addressed by introductory American Government textbooks. The content delivers plenty of perspective for students to learn about American government. The textbook's content is accurate, free from errors, and unbiased. It also includes a chapter on Student Edition: Focus on the big ideas with an accessible print student text built around Essential Questions and Inquiry. Maximize comprehension with the Reading Help Desk in each lesson to assist students with building vocabulary, cultivating reading strategies, and strengthening note-taking skills. Analyze a variety of primary and secondary sources including text excerpts, political cartoons, photographs, graphs, maps, and more. Develop strong critical thinking, analytical, and compromise skills with Debate and Deliberation features. Challenge students to "be the judge" in Supreme Court Case Studies; students will classify arguments, assign unmarked opinions and decide cases, apply precedents to recent cases, and conduct in-class moot courts. Customize the learning experience for differentiated instruction using leveled reading, customizable assessments and worksheets, and flexible online learning tools. Facilitate mastery of complex principles with dynamic digital tools. The content is presented in a way that scaffolds the reader's knowledge from basic understanding of the historical context and key concepts toward analysis, synthesis, and finally enables critical assessment of ideas. These hyperlinks will distract the reader. 1. Instructors will have no difficulty omitting certain topics/chapters. While I am echoing this notion from a previous review, I did find it to be true that Kurtz et al. Prior to reviewing this text, I was not very familiar with open source textbooks. It would be useful to have the endnotes at the end of the chapters. In reviewing the table of contents, I found the book has a logical flow that begins with defining what government is and then proceeds to provide information on the critical subjects of our democracy including but not limited to: The Constitution, federalism, civil liberties, civil rights, voting, Congress, the presidency, our court system, and the federal bureaucracy. First President of the United States. 1st - 10th Amendments: The Bill of Rights, 1791. Elsewhere in the same chapter, the descriptions of Shays's Rebellion and the Boston Tea Party leave out important details that would help students relate the events to the broader topics under discussion. 5. Pricing for school accounts will display in the cart once you are logged in. Publication date 2003 . I found no appreciable errors in the textbook. In other words, most of the world's countries are parliamentary, not presidential. Very logical and clear organization. The US is dominated by a rich and powerful elite. I also like the presence of key terms at the end of every chapter as in the textbooks one can pay ($) for. I suppose that in this case the decision was made to put individual action next as a way to show students how they can participate in government and how government affects them. The importance of this issue reflects so much for students about the goals of those at the convention and the individuals who ratified the document, coupled with the impact this very high hurdle for change has had on governing in America, leads me to believe that students need more time with this material and a further discussion of the impact that Article V has had. The links for figures seem to be useful in quickly navigating them. The continuing calls for student engagement is also a nice addition in that it allows the student to see more of how they can be active participants in governing beyond just paying taxes or voting.