I also don't perceive any bias. Arrive Math (K-8) Achieve3000 Literacy (2-12) C; Achieve3000 Math . Electoral case studies provide for a story within a history. The division of provisions of the Bill of Rights into three categories is arguable at best. Tipping the Scales Toward National Power. While I am echoing this notion from a previous review, I did find it to be true that Kurtz et al. The book is divided into chapters, and then subdivided again into sections. Everything seems consistently written and well-integrated. Oak Meadow Website . The book's content is accurate. have even added very impressive policy chapters (domestic and foreign) that you only see on occasion. Glen Krutz, Professor of Political Science and Associate Director, Carl Albert Congressional Research and Studies Center at the University of Oklahoma. There is a very broad selection of examples relating to variety of races, ethnicities, and backgrounds--the Civil Rights chapter is a good example. I certainly will moving forward. Overall, the content is up to date. For class, it would probably be necessary to inform students of the most important links to review. AP United States Government and Politics - AP Students - College Board I like how there are separate chapters for Civil Liberties and Civil Rights. Logical and standard fare. I will admit, however, I could not get the hyperlinks to work. It offers an excellent collection of concepts and ideas useful to political science students. Go Go. Reviewed by Nicholas Goedert, Assistant Professor, Virginia Tech on 6/20/17, The text is impressively comprehensive, both with respect to its range of coverage and depth of discussion of each topic. These definitions are located at the end of the chapter, which is not entirely user-friendly but understandable given the format of the text. Given by award-winning professors and experts in their field, these recorded lectures dive deep into the worlds of religion, government, literature, and social justice. It is not overly burdensome or clunky or overwhelming in its text portions. The book is consistent in terms and focus. Faculty involved in the project have endeavored to make government workings, issues, debates, and impacts meaningful and memorable to students while maintaining the conceptual coverage and rigor inherent in the subject. 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. But given what is currently happening with the COVID-19 Pandemic, I would argue that the textbook remains just as relevant, even though some of your reviewers will claim otherwise. The overall textbook is structured clearly with important areas (1. United States Government: A Textbook. Where is the concept of deterrence? There is a consistent pattern in terms of the major headings outlined at the beginning of the book. I have also discovered no instances in which the presentation seems unduly slanted or biased. Its inclusive treatment of a variety of races, ethnicities, and backgrounds is especially evident in the texts treatment of civil rights, but it is evident in other sections of the text as well. Complex ideas were synthesized inlanguage that was easy to understand. Voting is one way to participate in our democracy. The book certainly has all of the topics expected of an Introduction to American Government text. The text is wide-ranging and inclusive to a variety of races, ethnicities, and backgrounds in its examples, particularly in the chapters on individual agency and action. The textbook is very comprehensive with more than 650 pages of content plus appendices with relevant documents. 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. It covers all the bases of an Introduction to American Government and then some. I am not sure about the process of updates though and I suspect that within one or two years the book will need a refresh. Much of your textbook is solid, such as Chapter 8 on the Media. 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. Overall, this is a solid choice in terms of comprehensiveness. Key words repeated throughout so students would be exposed them at various points in the text. While it clearly has a logical structure and is thoughtfully organized, chapters could be selected based on the theme and objectives of the course. I would like the links available, but not mixed in with the text. Books.Government in America: People, Politics, and Policy . The headings and subheadings are appealing and provide the students with direction about what is coming next. Each requires students to open up these extended opportunities for more information but in my opinion slides into information "overload" dimensions. Well, longevity is a tough matter for this kind of text. The language is sophisticated throughout the text. But fundamentally, I often found myself searching for particular lessons, only to find the introduction to those lessons a bit dry or even meandering. p. 176 on Civil Rights for Indigenous Groups). Each chapter culminates in a Taking Action activity designed to translate learning into informed action. Such being said, I believe this textbook is far ahead of other options I have seen as far as modularity and the ability for the instructor to chunk portions of the chapter for the assigned reading each week. And finally, it contains both sections on individual rights and liberties as well as policy and bureaucracy. American Government, as a textbook, maintains consistency in its use of terminology throughout every chapter. 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 sections on Native Americans lose their lands and on the rights revolution are too simplistic historically. This text, American Government 2e by Krutz and Waskiewicz, covers all areas and ideas of the subject appropriately beginning with the origins of each political construct, through its evolution in America, and trends into the future. This textbook provides a comprehensive framework for introductory American government. I also think the book does a good job bringing in gender concerns throughout the text. My preferred text, The Logic of American Politics (Kernell et al. The material progresses in a way that makes the most sense. Overall, this is a very good text. This means that the program can easily fit into your curriculum, no matter how high-tech or low-tech your classroom is. The details and interpretations of major issues provided by the text are accurate and helpful. "in order to" was overused. The text makes frequent use of examples that seek to inform through inclusion so as to make the material more relevant to individuals from a variety of races, ethnicities, and backgrounds. The book also includes more whitespace than a typical textbook (e.g. read more. It's nice to have them in one place, and not all other textbooks do that. read more. 1997. But it is an impressive work overall. Lincoln preserved . The section summaries will help students distill important ideas and the glossary/test questions will be a useful study aid. 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. This book does a much better job of bringing these groups in than some other texts I have seen. Reviewed by Gina Flakes, Adjunct Professor, Aiken Technical College on 5/24/21, American Government 2e offers a comprehensive survey of the core aspects of the US political system. It contains every topic I cover and more in an Introductory course. 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. I think that the textbook goes too far in this direction. However, many pages have blank gaps in the middle of chapters. LGBT rights seem to be given less treatment than African American rights. The textbook interface is free from any major interface issues or navigation problems. pdf: Download File. Verified. Each chapter starts with basic concepts and moves discussion toward topics which need more critical thinking. Bill of Rights Poster: File Size: 199 kb: File Type: pdf: . However, all textbooks--standard or OER--face this issue. Includes pre-built and customizable tests and quizzes, with a variety of question types to provide critical practice for high-stakes assessments. However, clearly, the information in this textbook is presented, in a manner that allows for updating as changing occur with major political events, elections, Supreme Court decisions, demographical data, and public opinion. This textbook is perfect for my American government course that I teach to undergraduates at the community college level. According to Locke individuals held authority through a divine power that existed in the people that formed the basis for the "fountain of authority"? read more. Multiple perspectives on issues and areas of controversy are acknowledged.Enduring themes and tensions between ideas and realities are presented in a way that The US is dominated by a rich and powerful elite. Grammar is as good as one would expect from a textbook from a commercial press. I found my iPad did not always work well with it. 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. PDF The State of Democracy in the United States - CGTN They are usually a couple of paragraphs long and illustrate key concepts with practical examples followed by links to websites that have additional relevant information. Examples used are inclusive of a variety of races, ethnicities, and gender. For instance, right off the bat, the critique of socialism seems to take the position that socialism is inherently and entirely distinct from our system, which isnt accurate. There is much more in this book than I could use in a term, so I would select portions of the chapters. 9780785438724 United States Government Teachers Edition. Identity politics should be an integral part of academic conversations and should provide opportunities to students to engage with difficult topics by using critical thinking strategies. In terms of content, the textbook has all the chapters one normally expects from an introductory American Government textbook. I am impressed with the comprehensiveness of the textbook. The writing is clear and concise. Log in to your program from these platforms: McGraw Hill Science Interactives (612), .bs3-nav-link-support a{ 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. For me, this was one of the strengths of the textbook. The text is culturally sensitive and consistently makes use of examples that are inclusive of a variety of races, ethnicities, backgrounds, etc. The overall structure moves formal institutions to the back of the book which is different than how I structure my course but the chapters are modular and allow the professor to assign chapters independently and mix and match to lecture chapters. There is an additional chapter on State & Local government aside from the chapter on federalism - which offers An innovative inclusion is that, in addition to the standard chapter on federalism, American Government (2e) also includes a separate chapter (14) on State and Local Governments. 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. read more. Also, the map on page 15 lists Russia as a representative democracy. AP United States Government and Politics - College Board The book is competently written and produced. Teach Me Economics. The text's consistency is quite strong in that it provides a comprehensible, conceptual framework and predictably organized units, chapters, and sections for the study of American government and politics. 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. Plus, they blend with the gray boxes of the same color that are often used, otherwise effectively, to present case studies or specific examples. 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). In summary, this is a high-quality book that has most everything anybody would want. United States Government: Democracy in Action. OAS - Organization of American States: Democracy for peace, security Zip. The coverage and scope is presented in a way that is well organized, concise, and engaging. This edition (2016) has been eclipsed by the huge changes under Trump, but that is also true of all 'standard' texts. The content is up-to-date including most of the Trump presidency, which is helpful for students' understanding and familiarity. Concepts well explained and presented. The book is actually slightly longer and denser than other texts I have assigned for an introductory course in American American Government is a very comprehensive textbook. It covers most, if not all, of the material that I typically cover in my American Government course and does so in an engaging way. }, United States Government: Our DemocracyRemy Ritchie Arbetman Scott Hanson. Reviewed by Jeremiah Castle, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Metropolitan State University of Denver on 8/17/20, An innovative inclusion is that, in addition to the standard chapter on federalism, American Government (2e) also includes a separate chapter (14) on State and Local Governments. List of forms of government - Wikipedia Answer Key Chapter 2 - American Government 3e | OpenStax Those considering a new adaption for the introduction to American Government class would do well to give Kurtz et. Offers many examples and insights to a wide variety of political views and cultures. I do think that some modules could be combined, but for the most part the author accomplishes this well. The importance of this document and the story of Shay's Rebellion are too often overlooked and they are covered well here. Nevertheless, this section is missing the Articles of Confederation. I am skeptical that Your idea of relevance is not really relevant. At the time this edition was written, the information in figure 3.17, presented data on the legality of same sex marriage by state in our country in an easily understood and precise manner. The book is internally consistent. This is a welcome inclusion: Although most Americans interact far The relevance of content is a real strength of this text. This text could very easily replace the book I have used ("We the People") for the past 3 years. The textbook is structured in a logical manner with chapters that have clearly defined subareas that more than adequately provide students with an understanding of American government. United States Government. The organization of the text is fairly traditional, with the decision to include the topic of bureaucracy under the Outputs of Government as one less conventional approach. This is somewhat backwards to how I teach the course in my mind. The text focuses on current events less than many commercial publishers' alternatives (Keeping the Republic comes to mind). 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. Reviewed by Randall Newnham, Professor of Political Science, Penn State University, Berks Campus on 2/1/18, Coverage same as most standard Am Gov textbooks, with chapters organized same as most (expensive) standard texts and each chapter about as long as standard texts. Uses contemporary examples, but not in depth cases that may be needed in higher level courses. Faculty involved in the project have endeavored to make government workings, issues, debates, and impacts meaningful and memorable to students while maintaining the conceptual coverage and rigor inherent in the subject. The text is consistent in its use of terminology. Overall the textbook is highly consistent. Straightforward comparisons with oligarchy and monarchy. The textbook includes virtually all topics that are critical to foundational course(s) in U.S. Government. of the topic in a clear, straightforward way. The supplementary material within each chapter/section like Finding Middle Ground and Milestone can be an effective tool for the instructor to use for additional student engagement or an activity as such go deeper into a particular concept than mere text can. The text does not contain any grammatical errors. This is another useful function to organize student assignments around. are excellent for visual learners and certainly enhance the message of each section/chapter. Elazar is a bit dated to present as useful fact (14.2) Many Supreme Court Justices do not regard the Court systems as the guardians of individual rights, but reserve this right to Congressthe Court, in their eyes, is there only to enforce laws that are made, whether right or wrong, so long as they are strictly in concordance with the Constitution. A democracy, consequently, must be confined to a small . 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. 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. The chapter organization was not revolutionary but logical and familiar. The text is written in a way that provides context in a comprehensive and organized way. I did not see anything that I would say is not accurate, as much as a couple items that need to be updated, but that is discussed below. This is a particular strength of the text book from my view. United States Government: Our Democracy allows students to master an understanding of the structure, function, and powers of government at all levels. This is one of the pluses of this text. The Political Genius of Franklin D. Roosevelt - Audiobook - Jeffrey 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. I reviewed several chapters for discussion areas that students often time find difficult to understand due to the terminology used, such as federalism, civil liberties, civil rights and bureaucracies. The text is suitably consistent even though there are many chapter authors. - Unit I Test - The Foundations of the United States Government + Wednesday September 16th, 2016 HW: TED Talk: Lawrence Lessig . Ways to Participate in Our Democracy 59. The content delivers plenty of perspective for students to learn about American government. At present, this text meets that need but it may not completely in a couple of years. Foundations of Geopolitics - Wikipedia The Colonial Experience. Students may struggle with somewhat dated, routine examples. Solid end of chapter educational aids are provided. So do be sure, if adopting this text, to carefully preview the chapters for any issues like this. Of course the book's "longevity" is not likely to be long just because of the nature of the subject matter. 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. See the License and About pages for more details, as linked below. The index is useful. read more. As a form of government, democracy has been practiced for over 2,500 years, though in different forms, such as direct democracy of the ancient Athenian The textbook has clear images and charts. The text would be easily divisible by chapter. presentation. Some of the current graphs and charts will need to be updated.The links to learning sections make it possible to quickly find current data and information. Images and charts that are presented are not distractions at all, most of the time they are enhancements of the chapters. For instance, I find the unit groupings to be effective and have always taught special interest groups before Congress. For example, I do a lot with the 9th Amendment, but it only has three paragraphs in the textbook. Overall, an excellent textbook which covers the needed subject matter comprehensively. The index is concise and effective, and the book has key terms aggregated toward the end of each chapter. The online navigation is exceptionally good. The book is accurate and error-free. 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. In short, more up to date statistics and graphics should be there. The book was very culturally sensitive but more could be added throughout each chapter. No obvious grammatical errors that I noticed. Following this is a separate section on media, parties, and interest groups. Particularly appropriate for an undergraduate audience. A second point, is figure 3.17 regarding marriage equality. I also wish that some videos were integrated into the text as students love videos and this might help to draw them into the content even more. These help to engage students and cultivate reading, writing, and critical-thinking skills in a unique, and ever-growing platform. I found the book well-organized and based on a logical structure. None that I could detect. Yes, the text is clearly divided into sections, chapters, and subchapters, all numerically outlined and structured in a clear way. I like the "Feature Boxes" with the "Get Connected!" The use of terminology appears to be consistent between chapters and is a strength of the textbook as repetition is valuable for student retention of a particular term or concept. In this textbook, I was pleased with both. The book is up to date and has most of the usual citations one would expect of an Introduction to American Government text. If anything, the text may be a bit on the long side. 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. United States government (2003 edition) | Open Library 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. Chapter Tests and Lesson Quizzes:Printed blackline master booklet of Lesson Quizzes and Chapter Tests includes all the editable tests available online. Also, each chapter sticks to an identical structure. The current book I use fully integrates free people of color into each chapter. Yes, the topics are presented in logical and clear fashion. B. Revolution and the New Nation (1754-1820s) Expansion and Reform (1801-1861) Civil War and Reconstruction (1850-1877) The Development of the Industrial United States (1870-1900) The Emergence of Modern America (1890-1930) The Great Depression and World War II (1929-1945) Instead the textbook chooses to avoid the high stakes conversations. The previous comment represents a slight stylistic concern in the area of organization, but not a major one. The content of the book is accurate. It would be easy to rearrange the chapter order of this textbook to suit the needs and style of most anyone teaching an American government 101 course. In fact, the whole world pretty much looks democratic and thats not true. The definition of public opinion is probably not as accurate as it could be. 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. Everything is going to be okay. 334-335). read more. The more niche chapters like Public Opinion could use a freshen up on the theoretical concepts. Uses contemporary examples, but not in depth cases that may be needed in higher level courses. Reviewed by Leo Keneally, Associate Professor, Thomas Nelson Community College on 3/29/19, The textbook covers all the essential parts of American government. I didn't read every line, but the broad sections I read contained no technical writing errors that I observed. The authors updated the contents reflecting current events and political landscape. Citizen control of the agenda 5. This is a very attractive and comprehensive text that is in many ways an improvement on the texts I have used for my American Government class.