However, the text provides a strong historical perspective on the issues that it addresses, so much of the texts discussion will continue to be relevant and applicable even with the passage of time. The current book I use fully integrates free people of color into each chapter. 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. 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. I didnt notice obvious grammatical errors in this textbook. This is probably a sensitive issue. It also does a great job bringing in marginalized or minority voices. Answer Key Chapter 2 - American Government 3e | OpenStax This progression is evident, for example, in the learning objectives that begin each section of the text. And, as an instructor, I particularly appreciate the supplemental resources provided for teachers and the study aides in each chapter for students. read more. 13-23) A. Changes like these are expected and I do not think that this would be too difficult to do. The text was clear and devoid of any unnecessary jargon. Most of the chapters are accurate but I found two main problems: the map on different types of government (Chapter 1) and the chronology of the Bill of Rights (Chapter 2). I did not notice a significant number of grammatical errors. To report a technical problem with this Web site, please contact the Web Producer.Web . The content is up-to-date including most of the Trump presidency, which is helpful for students' understanding and familiarity. It is very comprehensive and covers all the necessary information. The textbook content is clearly organized into sensible modules. Well-regarded global democracy indexessuch as Freedom House, 2 Varieties of Democracy, 3 and the Economist Intelligence Unit 4all show an erosion of American democracy since 2016. I noticed no issues of the kind. However, each chapter is organized with clear and explicit learning goals and achieves everything you need from an American Government textbook. Uses contemporary examples, but not in depth cases that may be needed in higher level courses. Others may view this as a downside, because students will have less guidance in identifying the major themes or "thesis" of the course. This Electoral College voting method is referred to as the district system." Offers many examples and insights to a wide variety of political views and cultures. The text moves cleanly through concepts and important sections of each chapter. It is a good alternative to expensive textbooks. Rousseau more clearly articulated the concept of Social Contract, borrowed from Locke. AP United States Government and Politics - College Board Particularly well written is the "Approach to Foreign Policy, p. 650, especially, the "Classic Approach" and the more recent history of U.S. foreign policy. The book's layout is consistent. The subchapters themselves are internal divided with separate headers, though this third level organization is not numbered. And sections on the actually branches of government come near the end. read more. Modularity is clearly possible in this text, although I do not think this criteria should be rated high in importance as to determining whether this is a solid textbook. I made significant checks throughout the textbook and found it to accurate in the information provided. Only 2 left in stock - order soon. Some texts may cover only one additional chapter other than the The links that I checked were still functioning. For example, I may not get the chance to dedicate a whole class to elections but I can use sections of the chapter on elections in relation to civil rights, to Congress and to the Executive. Here, citizens vote for their government officials. line-height: 1.5 !important; Very logical and clear organization. Sections open with learning objectives that tell students the 2-5 most important things to take away from that reading, and quiz questions populate the text at the end of sections to help students self assess their understanding of the reading. The book addresses difficult issues in an appropriate way. Im not sure, for instance, that 6.2 and 6.3 need to be different chapters, and have concerns about the modularity of chapter 5 in particular. I did not read the text cover to cover, but it seems largely to be free of grammatical errors. This is disappointing but not fatal as I can update in class using the overhead. Democratic backsliding in the United States is no longer a matter of speculative concern. By the standards of Introduction to American Politics textbooks, this is a comprehensive offering. One area it could be more inclusive is by including more primary sources and perspectives from underrepresented groups both as parts of chapters and suggested readings/bibliography citations. Digital Student Learning Center:Includes the full student edition and inquiry journal, plus engaging resources that provide context and bring the narrative to life such as maps, timelines, infographics, primary sources, images, and videos. My own opinion is that the biggest shortcoming is a lack of current events coverage. In order to help students understand the ways that government, society, and individuals interconnect, the revision includes more examples and details regarding the lived experiences of diverse groups and communities within the United States. Some paragraphs are quite long in word count as are some sections that continue for pages without a break such as a graphic, figure, table or photograph which may inhibit overall comprehension of the material within. There are also some advantages to this textbook, including clarity of the writing and various appendixes that include the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Federalist 10 and 51 right in the book. I can definitely see the advantage of having them all in one place. The historical approaches This coverage emphasizes and links back to the section of the text on Civic Engagement. This is the first time that I have thoroughly reviewed an open source textbook for potential use in a course, and I was impressed by the overall quality of the book. Modularity in this textbook is handled well. All government textbooks have a tendency to show their age quickly, but this text may be more resilient than most. Most textbooks for undergraduates in this topic area This textbook provides a comprehensive framework for introductory American government. The chapters have a mix of history, current facts and evidence along with key concepts traditional of American government texts. These aren't things I ever bother with in textbooks, so I have no opinion about whether they are useful or not in this case. } The index is comprehensive, and it helpfully allows the reader to link directly back to the text. The content of the book is accurate. Its framework is solid. But that does not render it an invalid tool. Each chapter is structured similarly. Technical terms are clearly explained allowing the typical college to understand unfamiliar terms/concepts. The 5 sections of the book could also be broken apart, for instance I would assign Chapter 15, but not 16 or 17, given the constraints of time. have even added very impressive policy chapters (domestic and foreign) that you only see on occasion. I liked this feature very much. In the pages that follow you will find information to help you better understand how the machinery of . The book is clearly and accessible written. Additionally, there are sections within each chapter that can be assigned in other courses. In some cases, the additional or special chapter focuses on a specific policy area such as environmental policy or housing policy. A chapter on State and Local government is also included as a useful addition. This means that pretty much every major topic you could want is in this book and all you have to do is choose which chapters you want to cover. But the textbook does well dealing with less amorphous topics, like the simple history of the Constitution or structural questions; for instance, the discussion of the eccentricities of the double-jeopardy concept. - Unit I Test - The Foundations of the United States Government + Wednesday September 16th, 2016 HW: TED Talk: Lawrence Lessig . Building Democracy for All - EdTech Books I do miss a chapter on political culture, but even without it, the text is good. In addition to the readings at the end of the book like The Declaration of Independence, The Constitution, and Federalist #10 and Federalist #51, the textbook includes links to other readings and primary source documents to supplement the material. Overall, this looks like a viable option for an American government 101 course. font-weight: 400 !important; The book's organization/structure/flow is very good. Reading and writing support such as guided notes, vocabulary pop-ups, and graphic organizers help improve understanding of the content. The book does include a chapter on state and local government, which is often not covered in U.S. government textbooks. The graphics, photos, and primary documents add a visual appeal as well as provide students to other literacies. And the Fall of the Patronage system in Section 1 of Chapter 15 also stood out to me as excellent. The book is comprehensive in that it has everything I usually look for in an intro to American government text: - clear framing around basic theories of representation and collective action (probably less explicitly on the latter than something like the Kernell book, but on balance thats a good thing). In general, I am impressed by the amount of thought and research that has gone in to preparing this edition. Everything in this textbook looks accurate to me. On diversity: Notwithstanding the fact that the book has text and images that represent different groups based on sex, race, religion and sexual orientation, among other characteristics; there is general reference to Hispanics being the largest minority group in the first chapter which is supposed to set up the main characteristics of our country. Afterwards, the Bill of Rights was adopted to appease anti-federalist and it was ratified in an amendment process of Art. While there are changes I would like to see, that is true for any book. Instructor and student resources are need improvement. The order in which I present material in the course varies from the order in which chapters are presented in the text, but I have experienced few difficulties in subdividing chapters and assigning them in the order needed to support teaching. United States government : democracy in action - Internet Archive The information presented in the text book is accurate and comparable to all other books I have used on the market. The text interface is good. Reviewed by Jack Philips, Lecturer, University of Texas at Arlington on 11/12/20, This book contains everything I need for intro American government classes. A couple of further notes (in no order) that didn't seem to fit anywhere else: 1. Information is presented in a logical order. Overall I find the writing to be at an appropriate level for first-year college students. The index is concise and effective, and the book has key terms aggregated toward the end of each chapter. However, the editorial voice of the textbook is less clear than some alternatives from commercial publishers. Each chapters is highly segmented into small units that could easily be assigned at different points within the course or adapted into a dynamic class project/activity with high impact. The chapters are well organized and user friendly. Whenever the next update does occur, I would strongly suggest change the order of the paragraphs so Part 4 comes after Part 1. PDF REVIEWING THE CHAPTER CHAPTER FOCUS - Cengage Each chapter includes an introduction, theory and history of particular governmental entity, Links to Learning credible websites, graphs, photos, documents, Insider Perspectives introducing a biography of an icon of the chapter, ways to engage in real life government , glossary, and Bibliography for Further Study including books and films. The book is available in multiple formats. More charts and illustrations interspersed would help maintain student engagement as they read the chapters. The textbook covers all the essential parts of American government. This course must give freshman students the conceptual baseline tools to advance to the next grade. Thus, instructors who want to cover highly salient domestic policy issues like healthcare or immigration may need to assign supplements. 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; Actually, I think it is. Multiple perspectives on issues and areas of controversy are acknowledged.Enduring themes and tensions between ideas and realities are presented in a way that is not reductive. The text is written in a way that provides context in a comprehensive and organized way. by. 334-335). It includes the entire student text along with a variety of planning and instructional support for the print and digital resources. Founding Father James Madison may have best described the difference between a democracy and a republic: "It [the difference] is that in a democracy, the people meet and exercise the government in person: in a republic, they assemble and administer it by their representatives and agents. The textbook utilizes a wide array of references to various cultures, both in its written content and its supplementary graphics. You can replace that space with something more relevant? However, I always start American Government with a discussion on political culture and that seems to be missing. The book does a nice job of acknowledging racial injustice at the time of the American founding, including the Three-Fifths Compromise, as well as the importance of the Civil War Amendments in beginning to correct those wrongs (p. 63). United States Government: Our Democracy 2016, LearnSmart Social Studies Overview Flyer. In my view, chapters four and five are stellar and provide alternative voices to the narrative. According to Locke individuals held authority through a divine power that existed in the people that formed the basis for the "fountain of authority"? The Foundations of Geopolitics: The Geopolitical Future of Russia is a geopolitical book by Aleksandr Dugin. PDF United states government: our democracy pdf online free - Weebly Reviewed by Andrew Thangasamy, Associate Professor, Metropolitan State University of Denver on 8/28/20, In terms of content, the textbook has all the chapters one normally expects from an introductory American Government textbook. The authors also included new terms such as the use of Astroturf movement on page 379 and PIRGS on page 382. Chapter . Overall, all expected topics, and then some, are covered, hence the text is certainly comprehensive enough by any measure of expectation in an introduction to American government text. Gun-rights groups believe that the Second Amendment gives citizens the right to own and carry guns. I believe the entire flow of the text and ease of read would increase by ditching this method of citation and simply using end notes or foot notes. This product will be available on 09/22/2015. 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. An Introduction to each unit with the rationale and goals would be helpful. I liked how things were broken down so I could deposit topics that students find challenging. PDF Basics of American Government - University of North Georgia No instances of cultural insensititvity. I think it does an excellent review of the issue of slavery and how it impacted US government. .nav-contain-highered p{ For example, could chapter 8 be divided into six or eight sections? read more. The authors for this book have used a standard structure that will stay relevant as long as any other. There were no issues with this at all. The founding chapter and the Constitution are great chapters and will always be relevant. Accuracy is overall quite good. The topics seem to be organized in a clear, logical fashion, with no jarring transitions. As one would expect from a 771-page book, at times there are minor issues. I assign a chapter every week, so the modularity has not been vital to me. The textbook is well-written and clear. One note of concern is that the captions thereon in many instances are not fully compatible for a text reader. This could certainly be prepared for the 2020 election. Instructors planning on using this book may want to request access to the instructor resources very early to avoid issues. (1) $6.50. The content is accurate, straightforward, and unbiased. It means "rule by the people" or "sovereignty of the people". United States Government: Our Democracy Textbook There is an additional chapter on State & Local government aside from the chapter on federalism - which offers instructors an option to discuss state & local government as well. One nice feature of the text is the ability directly to citations through the texts footnotes. I found the textbook culturally sensitive and in no way offensive. 9. United States Government Our Democracy View larger image. Display features are intuitive and not confusing to the reader. This item: United States Government; Our Democracy, c 2018, 9780076681136, 0076681130. by McGraw-Hill Education Paperback . Relevant archival documents and photos add to the appeal. Overall, it is solid and accurate. read more. The chapters relating to State & Local Government plus Domestic & Foreign Policy (14,16 & 17) are an added bonus although I will not assign these whole chapters in the Intro course due to time restrictions. The use of the Electoral College and same-sex marriage across chapters are examples that I found useful in this regard. Almost all said that the United States . The accuracy of the content is reinforced by the textbook's frequent use of references, such as source citations, to articles, books, and studies. read more. There are a couple other places in the text where this is noticeable. You have been searching for correct information on United States Government Our Democracy Textbook . With this objective in mind, the content of this textbook has been developed and . While the examples could become outdated, the issues used have been relevant for a long period of time. This book is very comprehensive. That said, there are areas where the text is quite brief and doesn't provide terribly deep discussion. The "Middle Ground" feature might need to be updated as controversies change but overall this definitely a relevant textbook. 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 book is comprehensive, covering the major topics one would expect to find in a U.S. government textbook. (1) I liked the narrative on different types of government but I think that a table with the Greek classification of types of governments based on how many rule and whether they are good or bad would have clarified it better for students. Instead the chapters information jumps around and the data needs organizing. OAS - Organization of American States: Democracy for peace, security I would like the links available, but not mixed in with the text. The term is derived from the Greek dmokratia, which was coined from dmos ("people") and kratos ("rule") in the middle of the 5th century bce to denote the political systems then existing in some Greek city-states, notably Athens. This text is VERY detailed in its coverage, which is impressive and surprising given its relative brevity. The more niche chapters like Public Opinion could use a freshen up on the theoretical concepts.