Reviewed by Peter Wielhouwer, Associate Professor of Political Science, Western Michigan University on 12/14/18, This text covers nearly all of the major topics covered in American Government texts. The point-by-point "Summary" section is a great way for students to review the main ideas in the chapter. Log in to your program from these platforms: McGraw Hill Science Interactives (612), .bs3-nav-link-support a{ textbooks Openlibrary_work OL2298885W . No Rating Yet Discover. This has become such an important issue. "in order to" was overused. There are long stretches of well written but long winded paragraphs. Many different races, backgrounds, ethnicities are presented to give the reader a well-rounded picture of how all different groups participate in the American governmental process. read more. This textbook is extremely comprehensive. However, after assigning the questions, I found that the 'full online' version has the review questions INTEGRATED into the text (scattered in the chapter) AND provides ANSWERS to them. Kindergarten Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 PO 4. The language seems accessible. The 'Insider Perspective' sections in each chapter reflect this in their profiles of diverse individuals. Chapter 1. The textbook is written in a way that is easy to understand. read more. Given the nature of an American politics course, I don't frequently see my colleagues, nor do I, order concepts much differently than they are ordered in this book. Overall, this looks like a viable option for an American government 101 course. 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. font-family: ProximaNova,Helvetica Neue,Arial,Noto Sans,Liberation Sans,sans-serif,Apple Color Emoji,Segoe UI Emoji,Segoe UI Symbol,Noto Color Emoji !important; The definitions in the glossary are precise. Only 2 left in stock - order soon. The choice of pictures, and subjects is excellent throughout. presentation. If anything, the text may be a bit on the long side. Democracy in the United States is strong, but showing some cracks. How the Iroquois Great Law of Peace Shaped U.S. Democracy In addition, there are charts, visual aids, and extension activities to expand and complement the text. Pricing for school accounts will display in the cart once you are logged in. As an instructor of pre-college ABE students working towards a GED, I am always looking for relevant, engaging materials to hook my students. In some cases, students are somewhat overwhelmed by the amount of information presented in the text, but I have found that guiding their attention to certain key sections can help to avoid this obstacle. Some texts may cover only one additional chapter other than the Chapter 13: Constitutional Freedoms - Freeman Middle School Overall, the textbook provides accurate information, but there are some places where it comes up short in this regard, and a few statements made in the book are not as clear as they could be. The chapters are well organized and user friendly. Additionally, there are sections within each chapter that can be assigned in other courses. There are numerous ways to define or describe political power, and they should be conveyed in the textbook. Otherwise, I find the content accurate, sufficiently in depth, and excellent. The textbook, American Government, has been written to be a lucid and detailed, book that more than adequately gives context to the terminology used in every chapter. It avoids jargon and does a very good job clearly defining terms. For instance, the many examples of LGBTQ issues like marriage was well documented and current through recent case law like Masterpiece Cakeshop. Great examples, engaging stories, and clever interactive readings; the textbook would be relevant to most community college students today. democracy, literally, rule by the people. For example, what were free people color doing while such issues as Shay Rebellion and debates about military involvement in the Revolutionary War were going on . The material progresses in a way that makes the most sense. read more. read more. In particular, the text's chapters on interest groups and bureaucracy could be kept separated or recombined to provide instruction, as necessary, on the topic of public policy. One of the first things that I check when reviewing any textbook is the organization of the information in the table of contents for its structure. Most of the other chapters are in the 35 to 40 page range. I choose this title because it underlines student political participation. . If anything, as I noted above, breaking chapters into even more sections or sub-dividing those sections would enhance the ability of the instructor to chunk material. Reviewed by Robert Asaadi, Instructor, Portland State University on 3/11/20, updated 4/16/20, Thorough coverage of the main thematic areas generally addressed by introductory American Government textbooks. Key terms are included at the end of each chapter. The presentation of the material lends itself to be easily modified to accommodate changes in the political sphere. The United States is an indirect democracy or a republic. United States Government: Democracy in Action. Would grade this as 4.5 if possible. The text is a fully integrated print-digital solution for students and teachers. It is a good alternative to expensive textbooks. The chapters, at more than thirty pages are relatively long for some students so all of the material within a chapter may not be read. It looks easier to move sections around. The previous comment represents a slight stylistic concern in the area of organization, but not a major one. If you click on a chapter title, say Media, nothing happens, except it opens the subsections of the chapter. Offers many examples and insights to a wide variety of political views and cultures. Some of the information in it is five years old and the writing does not explore clearly the theory of federalism and its evolution. The index is useful. The textbook does not contain grammatical errors. To be clear, it is not culturally insensitive. The sections on Native Americans lose their lands and on the rights revolution are too simplistic historically. 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). Of course since a key feature of this book is to present a considerable amount of material that combines theory and application and stimulate critical thinking, covering the volume of materials given the way it is divided may present a challenge over one semester. I have not noticed any internal tensions or inconsistencies within the text. The text would be easily divisible by chapter. I am glad to have discovered this book. The text is internally consistent with respect terminology and framework. From the origins of the US political system, the constitutional framework, participatory inputs, formal institutions, and public policy, the major points are By the standards of Introduction to American Politics textbooks, this is a comprehensive offering. I did not identify any grammatical issues with the textbook content. I do not think this book is at all culturally insensitive. The fact that it is free is even more impressive. Overall, the textbook is written in a traditional format. Issues related to race, ethnicity, gender, and class are addressed in appropriate ways. The more niche chapters like Public Opinion could use a freshen up on the theoretical concepts. The content is up-to-date including most of the Trump presidency, which is helpful for students' understanding and familiarity. Overall, it is solid and accurate. I did not see any issues in terms uneven discussions or those filled with mistakes. As for "flow," here again I suggest that there are too many "Note" interruptions to the readings. The book includes internal links to all notes and figures within the text, and also external web links where relevant. The text's interface is similar to any American Government textbook and has clear charts, tables, and numerous features that are clear and unobtrusive. Chapter Tests and Lesson Quizzes:Printed blackline master booklet of Lesson Quizzes and Chapter Tests includes all the editable tests available online. The text is not overladen with jargon, and when specialized terms are used, there is an effort to provide definitions for terms. We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.--Preamble to the United States Constitution The text's prose is written in a clear and concise fashion. } You have a solid editing staff doing well to ensure a good syntax throughout the book. Recent elections and the up to date makeup of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches are provided, along with the most recent as possible statistical aspects of our bureaucracy. Overall the book is extremely well edited. Go Go. The book is available in multiple formats. It also does a great job bringing in marginalized or minority voices. The text uses the 2016 election, in particular, to help the reader better understand the varying voting methods within the Electoral College by stating: "In 2016, Republican Donald Trump won one congressional district in Maine, even though Hillary Clinton won the state overall. The book also does not always allow the reader to skip pages or go straight to a section to read. I did not see any grammatical errors. For every chapter a special effort could be made to fully integrate the experiences and writings of people of color. This article lists forms of government and political systems, according to a series of different ways of categorizing them.The systems listed are not mutually exclusive, and often have overlapping definitions. I was quite impressed with this textbook, and have made plans to adopt it next year. For example in the discussion on the writers influencing the colonies toward revolution, Locke, no doubt an important writer, is presented while many others could have been highlighted. This is a hard aspect of any textbook. Students first learn what constitutes a government. For example, Plato and Aristotle are not included in the further readings of the introductory chapter on government. This text can definitely be broken down not only by chapter but by sections. The text is easily divisible into smaller sections that can be reordered within the course. Additionally, there is a strong foundation of accurate historical background presented, especially in the Constitution chapter that provides the background necessary for understanding. Zip. I really like that a section on state and local government is included. Consistently uses contemporary examples. Here, the author does provide a chapter on our crappy treatment of some groups, but it is not as inclusive as it could be, and sidesteps coverage of some important groups. And I would rather see the civil rights and liberties grouped with discussion of the constitutional framework and courts, while voting and elections are groups with parties and media. United States makes some of the nation's most important decisions. It is as accurate as any standard, mainstream textbook on American government. I liked this feature very much. This is a plus of this text. The text would be very easy to divide into smaller sections. The book's content is accurate. I haven't found inconsistencies throughout the text as to terminology and framework. have taken care to discuss the impact of this issues on minority populations across the many chapters, and not solely in the chapter on Civil Rights as previous texts on the subject tended to do. 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 American Government by Glenn Krutz covers a lot of ground. Was: $150.00 Now: $120.00. Our sense of legitimacy is tied to the desire for democratic government D. What is democracy? The chapters contain accurate information. There is a standard form to intro Am Gov textbooks, and this one is pretty typical. I like the "Feature Boxes" with the "Get Connected!" The figure icon needs to be fixed or dropped. My concern about the text are the hyperlinks and how they are integrated within the content. Welcome to our textbook for the year. Learning objectives are clearly identified for each unit, and each unit concludes with a concise summary of main points followed by multiple-choice and short answer questions. Likewise, the reasoning in Chapter 9 Political Parties as to why we have only two major parties lacks depth. These subjects were covered using terminology that was timely and clear. Also, each chapter sticks to an identical structure. Greek Influence on U.S. Democracy - National Geographic Society The index is thorough and easily navigable with direct links to the relevant section of the text in which the key term is discussed. The chapters are well organized and reader friendly. The interface is well done. I had no problems with navigation and saw no distortion of images and charts. To learn more about how the presi-dent makes important decisions and leads our nation, view the Democracy in The "finding a middle ground" boxes are a neat idea, particularly in the context of an increasingly polarized country. The writing is clear and accessible to an introductory-level undergraduate reader. I did not notice any grammatical errors, though I admit I was not closely proofreading for this purpose. I think that's important to show that most of the world's nations do operate with a democratic framework. I assign a chapter every week, so the modularity has not been vital to me. Students may find it annoying. V of the Constitution. They examine these conflicts in our democracy by reading primary sources, summarizing based on textual evidence, and beginning analysis of multiple perspectives for text. This is another useful function to organize student assignments around. The framework of the text is consistent and simple to understand. This immediately gives an indication of how the material will flow. Reviewed by Leo Keneally, Associate Professor, Thomas Nelson Community College on 3/29/19, The textbook covers all the essential parts of American government. 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. PDF DEMOCRACY: ITS PRINCIPLES AND ACHIEVEMENT - Inter-Parliamentary Union So concludes a recent study by Princeton University Prof Martin Gilens and Northwestern University Prof Benjamin I Page. This book is very impressive, as is. By breaking each chapter into sections, the modularity of the textbook itself is enhanced and should allow the instructor to break apart and/or chunk particular sections of interest. Each chapter starts with basic concepts and moves discussion toward topics which need more critical thinking. In summary, this is a high-quality book that has most everything anybody would want. This is a well put together textbook and with periodic revisions should be useful for students of American government for many years and decades to come. Reviewed by Amanda Sink , Senior Lecturer , UNCG on 12/5/16, It covers all the areas that may be taught in an American Government intro class. This New Deal-era publication was published initially as a loose-leaf notebook, its pages held in place by three metal rings. The work provides a comprehensive overview of both the formal and informal political institutions that one would expect to find in an introductory-level American Government text. The textbook is ideologically neutral throughout, with one exception. United States Government - Adventist Education Democratic backsliding in the United States is no longer a matter of speculative concern. In the balance, I would say that the textbook does not do as good a job of providing multiple viewpointsor being honest about its own orientationsas those that are professionally published. A democracy, consequently, must be confined to a small . The book addresses difficult issues in an appropriate way. by Richard C. Remy. The best way to protect these rights was by limiting the power of government and allowing people to govern themselves. Those items in chapter 8 are among my favorites. The invitation to re-introduce discussion of governors, state legislatures, city councils, and other forms of sub-national government is much appreciated. Of course the book's "longevity" is not likely to be long just because of the nature of the subject matter. The book is up to date and has most of the usual citations one would expect of an Introduction to American Government text. The canonical terms of introductory American Government are present and defined adequately. 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. My kudos to the author. Using a free text ensures that all students will HAVE the book, which has been a problem for me in recent years with 'standard' texts. 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 academic, yet accessible. I spent a significant amount of time reviewing and reading this textbook. Overall, I found the text to be clear and readable. There is no unifying logic, but the lack of this epistemological perspective is one strength of the book. You'll learn how the men who created the U.S. Constitution set up a structure of government intended to stand the test of time, and how the compromises they made left some questions unresolved that continue to be debated today. The highlighting of key terms and the examples that are provided are helpful. The textbook contents are organized in an insightful way, beginning with core foundational elements of the Constitution, federalism, civil liberties and civil rights. In updates to this text, it may be useful to search for more contemporary illustrations of key concepts, and this would be a relatively easy fix to implement. font-weight: 400; The content is presented clearly and appropriately. Whenever the next update does occur, I would strongly suggest change the order of the paragraphs so Part 4 comes after Part 1. I did not identify any issues with the accuracy of the textbook content. Reviewed by Donald Travis, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Gettysburg College on 4/17/20, I like the additional chapter on State and Local Government (Chap 14). The book is comprehensive, covering the major topics one would expect to find in a U.S. government textbook. Important terms are underlined throughout the text making it easier for students to see the terms they should know for testing. This includes a host of the Critical Thinking questions that I found to be on point and thought provoking. First, on page 15, in Figure 1.6, is a map illustrating different forms of government throughout the world. Overall, I like the text very much. The cited political science literature is excellent. The analysis of Presidents attending Ivy League institutions is a bit misleading as evidence of elitism, for example. There is an additional chapter on State & Local government aside from the chapter on federalism - which offers It is divided into five sections, which makes it easily approachable to both instructor and student. read more. Reviewed by Charles Young, Associate Professor, Umpqua Community College on 2/8/17, I am impressed with the comprehensiveness of the textbook. 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 fully integrated print and digital content of United States Government: Our Democracy is grounded in solid pedagogy, strong authorship, and includes a full suite of thoughtfully designed teaching and learning tools. I would consider using this textbook in my American Government 101. A menu to the left of the online textbook allows readers to quickly and efficiently navigate to another topic of the textbook. PDF Democracy in the United States - USCIS read more, The chapters in the Kurtz et al e-book covers all relevant chapters of American Government and even offers chapters on Foreign policy, Domestic policy and State and Local government. Not every one covers Civil Rights and Liberties or Foreign and Domestic Policy, but this text does offer a chapter on each of those. The supplemental materials (graphs, charts, figures, etc.) This text could very easily replace the book I have used ("We the People") for the past 3 years. According to I believe the language used in the text is entirely appropriate for an introductory college course on the subject. These hyperlinks will distract the reader. Each chapter culminates in a Taking Action activity designed to translate learning into informed action. It covers necessary topics clearly and comprehensively.
