Otherwise, I find the content accurate, sufficiently in depth, and excellent. I assign a chapter every week, so the modularity has not been vital to me. 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. This textbook is very comprehensive. This textbook provides a comprehensive framework for introductory American government. There isnt much to say here. 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. Established in the introduction are the necessity and rationale for student interest and participation in their government. 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. Most textbooks for undergraduates in this topic area dont include this topic, and its a welcome addition. The text is divided into 5 categories. This consistency and clear explanation of the concepts behind the examples makes the book particularly strong. From the origins of the US political system, the constitutional framework, participatory inputs, formal institutions, and public policy, the major points are addressed. My institution, CUNY, currently has money for instructors to print course packets for students, so it would be possible to print the chapters I want to use and then the students would have a hard copy. margin-bottom: 1rem !important;
Also, the yellow for Saudi Arabia doesn't show up very well. 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. One example to consider is presented in chapter 10, section 5 discussing the free speech rights of interest groups versus calls to regulate their activity. Mrs Doering s Classroom Government Wikispaces. The case law is also an effective addition. For example, reelection rates to Congress stops at 2014. Reviewed by Eric Radezky, Adjunct Professor, LaGuardia Community College, CUNY on 5/21/18, This textbook is very comprehensive. Origins of American Government Articles of Confederation Power Point Note Packet. That is as comprehensive or more comprehensive than other textbooks I have used. I liked the incorporation of the graphics, which will enable students to work on their graphic/data interpretation skills. There could be more treatment of the concept of power in the beginning of the book. This textbook does a nice job covering women Chapter 7, especially in regards to elections. I think it would be harder to pull apart sections of the book independently and rearrange them. Foundations of Our Democracy (Aug 22-26) Monday: Roots of Democratic Government - All About Me (Assignment) . Information is presented in a logical order. B. 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. There are no grammar or spelling errors, but sometimes the choice or placement of topics doesnt align with the larger argument being made in a chapter, which can be confusing. The content is presented clearly and appropriately. 9780785438724 United States Government Teachers Edition. 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) He was our longest-serving president and also our best. However, this text would need to be updated after all national elections (mid-term and presidential). The text is easily navigated and free of any significant interface issues. All of the topics you would expect to be covered in an American government 101 course are here: origins of our republic, institutions, individual action and collective action. read more. read more. The text would be very easy to divide into smaller sections. This is tricky, as some American politics textbooks emerge from an activist mentality of pointing out howfor lack of a better termmessed up American culture can be. By: Donald A. Ritchie and Richard C. Remy and M. Ed. read more. The information presented in the text book is accurate and comparable to all other books I have used on the market. 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. 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. 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. There are some chapters I would probably not use (the policy chapters) and I would prefer the chapters in a different order (institutions before The text effectively frames controversial topics in American politics and the reader does not come away with the impression that the author's are putting their thumbs on the scale in favor of a particular interpretation or political ideology. From the origins of the US political system, the constitutional framework, participatory inputs, formal institutions, and public policy, the major points are And finally, it contains both sections on individual rights and liberties as well as policy and bureaucracy. It contains every topic I cover and more in an Introductory course. Students may find it annoying. For instance, the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 election, and key aspects of the first-term of the Biden administration are usefully addressed in the text. This textbook covers all the main topics need for American government 101. US Government Textbook PowerPoints - McGrawHill; Power Points Economics; Power Point files from US Government: Mr. Juan Calderon. 1. The text interface is good. But the book helpfully highly new and key phrases, and uses plentiful figures and sidebars to improve clarity. Almost all said that the United States . This book uses clear language and of-the-moment context that brings the idea of government to life. Furthermore, it also includes chapters on linkage institutions like parties, interest groups, and the media. Reviewed by Charles Young, Associate Professor, Umpqua Community College on 2/8/17, I am impressed with the comprehensiveness of the textbook. Everything appears to be up to date, especially in the Voting and Elections chapter, with 2012 statistics and current pictures. While it clearly has a logical structure and is thoughtfully organized, chapters could be selected based on the theme and objectives of the course. The book seemed reasonable "inclusive", although I suppose this is pretty subjective and I'll admit to not usually judging texts on this ground. One note of concern is that the captions thereon in many instances are not fully compatible for a text reader. In a couple instances such as above, they simply need to be done. Overall, the organization and flow of the textbook is logical and it follows a traditional American Government textbook. Uses contemporary examples, but not in depth cases that may be needed in higher level courses. I saw no problems with the navigation or images. Text is well written and provides adequate context for necessary political science terminology. But I would rather have it smaller so I can add what I think is important than have too much material overwhelm the students. Exam Weighting (Multiple-Choice Section) Unit 1: Foundations of American Democracy. The text is fairly clear but lacks some of the professional editing that I frequently see in pay-to-play textbooks. I plan to print around 100 pages double-sided in additional to providing the online and PDF links. This text is not culturally insensitive. It even has a section on Civil Rights and Native Americans. At present, this text meets that need but it may not completely in a couple of years. Bill of Rights Poster: File Size: 199 kb: File Type: pdf: . Similar to other Introduction to American Government textbooks this book covers the typical material and then some. These issues are prevalent in American political and social life, and have been accentuated during the first term of President Trump. Swapping out these examples for newer ones in the future should not be too onerous. I think students would have an easier time digesting the information in this book than some of the other textbooks I have used. Concepts well explained and presented. In general, the content is suitably up to date, although some tables and figures should probably be updated soon. You have a solid editing staff doing well to ensure a good syntax throughout the book. So do be sure, if adopting this text, to carefully preview the chapters for any issues like this. Much of your textbook is solid, such as Chapter 8 on the Media. The Government Manual is a regularly updated special edition of . 978-5-8592-8019-3. The authors for this book have used a standard structure that will stay relevant as long as any other. (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. There are sections in the textbook that resemble a history textbook. I found the language clear. Further, the text includes supplemental readings, such as important primary source materials, such as the Constitution and Federalist Papers #10 and #51. The book is well laid out and uses terminology consistent throughout the chapters. It is impossible to cover all the material in a quarter college course, this format allows selective teacher emphasized learning outcomes. Chapters six and seven are uncharacteristic. In addition, some of the information on the map can be confusing for students: the UK is a monarchy and a democracy; and some countries that appear as democracies are transitioning to democracy or are really autocracies. 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. Back to List. One issue that does not receive a lot of direct attention is American political culture, including the values that underlie our Reviewed by Leslie Caughell, Assistant Professor, Virginia Wesleyan College on 2/8/17, This book is very comprehensive. 1. United States makes some of the nation's most important decisions. This text could very easily replace the book I have used ("We the People") for the past 3 years. Kindergarten Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 PO 4. I set up an assignment for my students to respond to a question based on the discussion in this section in an online class. There is very little jargon, and technical terms are adequately summarized. - A good set of basic references at the end of each chapter. The only suggestion that I would make is to include a little bit more political psychology, especially in the chapters on public opinion and the media. textbooks Openlibrary_work OL2298885W . Citizen control of the agenda 5. This text covers nearly all of the major topics covered in American Government texts. Nevertheless, this section is missing the Articles of Confederation. Personally, I prefer to teach institutions before individual or collective action, and that looks like it would be easy enough to do with this textbook by simply assigning some of the later chapters first and then coming back to the ones in the middle of the book later. American Government and Civic Engagement, entire unmodified textbook can be accessed here on OpenStax, SLED (Statewide Library Electronic Doorway), "Slave Streets, Free Streets" - Virtual Tour of Baltimore, c. 1815, World War I: Why Young Men Wanted to Go To War. I did not notice anything offensive, but the textbook could be updated in the future on the topic of transgender individuals. Words seem arbitrarily capitalized (why capitalize Scalia and McConnell)? The endnotes are difficult to follow. It is both well researched and written. From the founding and Constitution to the major institutions of Congress, Courts, and the Presidency, these major areas are all covered. It incorporates an impressive amount of historical references to add context and depth. The Colonial Experience. 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. This is a difficult problem, because our history of oppression and inequality is lengthy and robust, and so where does one start? This is evident throughout the text. Exceptionally clear. Your idea of relevance is not really relevant. The textbook is highly relevant with topics that will continue to be important to include in a foundational study of U.S .government. However, there were some paragraphs, that were a bit wordy and I am concerned that at times the author may lose the student due to this wordiness. Likewise, the reasoning in Chapter 9 Political Parties as to why we have only two major parties lacks depth. ISBN: 9780076634538. Thought/theory/philosophy explained while discussing history of government. Language is neutral and seems to avoid leading or biased undertones. The online Student Learning Center I liked how things were broken down so I could deposit topics that students find challenging. 1997. United States Government: Our Democracy allows students to master an understanding of the structure, function, and powers of government at all levels. 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. I did not see any issues in terms uneven discussions or those filled with mistakes. I have also discovered no instances in which the presentation seems unduly slanted or biased. In terms of content, the textbook has all the chapters one normally expects from an introductory American Government textbook.