United States Government: Our Democracy (2016) Publisher: McGraw-Hill . Introduction, Consitution, Federalism, Civil Rights and Liberties, Parties and Ideology, Opinion and Media, Congress, President, Courts, state and local, and International Affairs. 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). If you click on a chapter title, say Media, nothing happens, except it opens the subsections of the chapter. By: Donald A. Ritchie and Richard C. Remy and M. Ed. Citizen control of the agenda 5. United States Government Our Democracy Chapter 1 PDF Book Details . Democratic backsliding in the United States is no longer a matter of speculative concern. I look at these minor issues as an opportunity for teachers to clarify in lecture, rather than deal-breaking issues. I do not see the natural connection that ties those topics together. Democracy in the United States. I saw no problems with the navigation or images. Most of the other chapters are in the 35 to 40 page range. Of course, where to draw those lines is subjective and not all will see the value. That is, of course, just one area. I also liked very much the "exercises" section allowing "assessment of learning." This Electoral College voting method is referred to as the district system." The text makes the content more relevant to students by providing opportunities to analyze and interpret charts, data, and graphs to better understand current examples and the applications of the material. The text is not overladen with jargon, and when specialized terms are used, there is an effort to provide definitions for terms. Democracy Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster The book is consistent in terms and focus. 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. One small issue: I found that I could not order a free 'desk' printed version from the publisher, as is standard for normal texts. Overall, this is a solid choice in terms of comprehensiveness. 9. The text did not include culturally offensive material and seemed inclusive in its examples and discussion. The book is accurate with but few exceptions. But fundamentally, I often found myself searching for particular lessons, only to find the introduction to those lessons a bit dry or even meandering. Reviewed by Rolfe Peterson, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Susquehanna University on 2/11/20, This textbook is extremely comprehensive. (Read Madeleine Albright's Britannica essay on democracy.) The chapter summaries, quizzes, the suggestions for extra activities in particular are useful. The topics are presented in a logical and clear fashion. Students first learn what constitutes a government. These hyperlinks will distract the reader. GOVERNMENT Arms War It's a long-standing debate. In each unit, there is a clear progression of thought from basic description of concepts toward more critical analysis. - A timely set of examples, nicely updated through the beginning of the Trump presidency. The text appropriately covers the essential concepts, and their related application, for American government and politics. , but for next semester, the text needs to provide 2016 turnout and election data. Unit. I use review questions in each chapter for mandatory homework. I believe ample coverage of diverse viewpoints and experiences are made use of in this text. The reason I say this is because the choice of content is a subjective process in itself and surely there are other content areas that could be added on a particular theme. Uses contemporary examples, but not in depth cases that may be needed in higher level courses. Each chapter is clearly divided into main sections with learning objectives, and there the text is further divided under clearly delineated sub-section heads. V of the Constitution. 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. Solid end of chapter educational aids are provided. The text is evenly written with no discernible bias. Inclusion 6. The book is comprehensive, covering the major topics one would expect to find in a U.S. government textbook. With a publication date of 2019, this text contains updates references both the presidential elections of 2016 and the midterm elections of 2018. Overall the textbook is highly consistent. Donald A. Ritchie, Richard C. Remy. 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. This textbook is perfect for my American government course that I teach to undergraduates at the community college level. The Declaration of Independence and parts of the Constitution are in the Appendices. I note there is a link to the homepage of those repositories in the text. The topics seem to be organized in a clear, logical fashion, with no jarring transitions. I believe the language used in the text is entirely appropriate for an introductory college course on the subject. There are chapters on media literacy, public opinion and polls, civic engagement, that might be taken separately from the actual discussion of government structure. The pure number of citations is impressive, however they are shown to the reader throughout a chapter in a separated gray box. While things may change quickly in American government, a lot stays the same. And, as an instructor, I particularly appreciate the supplemental resources provided for teachers and the study aides in each chapter for students. [et al.] The clearer organization is a benefit to undergraduate students who may be taking the course as a required course. I can see myself using this textbook in the future. There isnt much to say here. For example, when discussing the Boston Tea Party, the authors claim, "Today, many who do not agree with the positions of the Democratic of Republican Party have organized themselves into an oppositional group dubbed the Tea Party (41)." United States Government: A Textbook | Mr. E's Codex You can use that resource if you would . For example, on page 205 of the text, the author writes "With the rise of the Internet and social media, however, traditional media have become less powerful agents of this kind of socialization." The figure icon needs to be fixed or dropped. The topics in the text are organized, structured, and flow in a logical sequence. read more. In particular, I would like to see some more/more direct discussion of motivated reasoning. Do away with elections and democracy itself might be saved, argues Alexander Guerrero. 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. I did not notice anything offensive, but the textbook could be updated in the future on the topic of transgender individuals. There is no distortion of text, images, or figures; this is all very clear. The textbook contents are organized in an insightful way, beginning with core foundational elements of the Constitution, federalism, civil liberties and civil rights. Also in terms of comprehensiveness, there are 17 chapters in total, which at one chapter per week is at least three or four more chapters than most instructors will be able to get through in a semester. Then they are taught about the Founding of our country; moving on to the concepts of federalism, civil liberties, civil rights, and then to the institutions of our democracy. have even added very impressive policy chapters (domestic and foreign) that you only see on occasion. 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. It offers an excellent collection of concepts and ideas useful to political science students. In the balance, I recognize the critiques above may not sound like the book is a good resource. PDF 12th Grade United States Government Scope and Sequence - Washington, D.C. The text contains a variety of ideas and concepts. For me, this was one of the strengths of the textbook. The content is mostly up to date. Instructor and student resources are need improvement. and J. D. and Lee Arbetman and Megan L. Hanson and M.S. Information is presented in a logical order. Also, the hyperlinked notes provide a way for students who want to learn more about an issue. have even added very impressive policy chapters (domestic and foreign) that you only see on occasion. There is no unifying logic, but the lack of this epistemological perspective is one strength of the book. The book covers all of the basic components of American government. I see no sign of bias or editorial spin from the authors. Thankfully, though, the chapters are easy to move around. Overall, I like the organization of each chapter with the review questions, further reading and film suggestions. This provides the Media with an opportunity to fill this vacuum. I am going to consider using it and ask students for their feedback on the textbook because after all, they are the ones deciphering the material. The text is free from interface issues as it was easy to read and navigate, and the graphics displayed properly. read more. This book is easy to divide into chapters or sections that make sense for the progression of the semester. 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. The information is presented in a logical way. If anything, the text may be a bit on the long side. There are even two chapters on public policy, which many basic textbooks omit. This text covers nearly all of the major topics covered in American Government texts. Different perspectives of complex issues are presented. 334-335). The glossary, summaries, and review questions including critical thinking are all conducive to learning and it will help students prepare for exams. Your idea of relevance is not really relevant. The text is easily and readily divisible. It also includes a chapter on state/local politics, which is a unique addition to the textbook. Additionally, there are critical thinking questions offered that challenge students to consider how persons different from them may feel regarding not only the history of the treatment they have received based on who they are, but how politics, public opinion, media coverage, public policy, and court decisions impact their ability to fully participate in our democracy. For the most part, you could move around chapters if not sections. Its review of Civil Rights and the groups fighting for their rights is one of the strongest parts of the text. While the examples could become outdated, the issues used have been relevant for a long period of time. The book is consistent with similar complementary materials. The process of Amending the Constitution is under developed. If a student is particularly interested in a topic, this would give them an immediate opportunity to find more information. 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. Furthermore, I think there are not enough appropriate charts and illustrations to engage student attention. Mixed views of structural changes in the political system. The glossary of terms after each chapter and the illustrations, examples, color pictorials and web links are all critical to the issue of clarity. 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. It avoids jargon and does a very good job clearly defining terms. The definitions in the glossary are precise. To some extent, though, that would make this a book with a specific orientation, which defies one of its strengths. There were no issues with this at all. Even though there are many different authors/contributors the book reads like a cohesive work. The comprehensiveness of Krutz's American Government text is such that it more than adequately addresses the curricular requirements of the American government and politics courses offered by the Virginia Community College System. I suspect students will read the chapters as rather lengthy. There is little to nothing lost compared to a mainstream textbook. } However, the concepts are so strong here (thorough, well laid out) that an instructor could easily supplement the text for a variety of courses and levels. I think it would be easy for me to pick and choose sections of the book to focus on and to present chapters in a customized order. This book uses clear language and of-the-moment context that brings the idea of government to life. The book is clear and accessible. The "Middle Ground" feature might need to be updated as controversies change but overall this definitely a relevant textbook. I only use online textbooks and sources for my classes, but have students who want a hard copy option. The book uses a standard framework/structure, and so there is no problem with consistency. Our sense of legitimacy is tied to the desire for democratic government D. What is democracy? The writing appears to be objective and factually correct. In my view, chapters four and five are stellar and provide alternative voices to the narrative. 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. The text is free of interface issues; charts and graphics are clear and are explained and analyzed. The links that I checked were still functioning. Text is well written and provides adequate context for necessary political science terminology. 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. Study: US is an oligarchy, not a democracy - BBC News read more. 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. The Greeks are often credited with pioneering a . Rousseau more clearly articulated the concept of Social Contract, borrowed from Locke. Much of your textbook is solid, such as Chapter 8 on the Media. The text is academic, yet accessible. The word "democracy" comes from the Greek word "demos" which means "people." The word "democracy" is not used anywhere in the U.S. Constitution. Your textbook makes no mention of Rousseau. The textbook is sensitive to a range of minority communities including African Americans, immigrants, the LBGQT community, gender and womens issues, and persons who practice the Muslim faith. I encourage any professor of U.S. Government to take a good look at this text and strongly consider its adoption. But it is an impressive work overall. Even the most "controversial" chapters - civil rights and liberties, for example - are well-handled and I can't imagine a reasonable basis for students' balking at them. United States Government Our Democracy | Bookshare According to Reviewed by Vicki Jeffries-Bilton, Instructor, Portland Community College on 12/31/21, The textbook includes virtually all topics that are critical to foundational course(s) in U.S. Government. It covers all the bases of an Introduction to American Government and then some. The importance of this document and the story of Shay's Rebellion are too often overlooked and they are covered well here. American Government - 3e - Open Textbook Library As another example, the description of Adam Smiths views on wealth accumulation is oversimplified and arguably misleading. Not every one covers Civil Rights and Liberties or Foreign and Domestic Policy, but this text does offer a chapter on each of those. Chapter Tests and Lesson Quizzes:Printed blackline master booklet of Lesson Quizzes and Chapter Tests includes all the editable tests available online. The structural framework of the chapters maintains a similar design throughout. 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. The book also includes more whitespace than a typical textbook (e.g. I also very much like the end of the chapter contents. 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 coverage of competing philosophies of Judicial Activism and Judicial Restraint in Chapter 13, Section 5 nicely presents these approaches to novice readers. Because of the breakdown by the author, students can tackle smaller blocks of material easily and I believe that this will help with comprehension of the material. Textbooks Submitted By: Daproim Africa Proofread By: Daproim Africa Usage Restrictions: This is a copyrighted book. Question #55 61. The text would be very easy to divide into smaller sections. I found the insertion of bold links in the middle of the text rather distracting. Building Democracy for All is an interactive, multimodal, multicultural, open access e-book for teaching and learning key topics in United States Government and Civic Life. You have a solid editing staff doing well to ensure a good syntax throughout the book. This text is VERY detailed in its coverage, which is impressive and surprising given its relative brevity. Reviewed by Nicole Kalaf-Hughes, Assistant Professor, Bowling Green State University on 2/1/18, The text covers all areas that one would expect from an introduction to American Government textbook. Likewise, the reasoning in Chapter 9 Political Parties as to why we have only two major parties lacks depth. The book includes internal links to all notes and figures within the text, and also external web links where relevant. But there is never a number or way to identify the image/picture attached to the Figure reference. Within each unit, the chapters are structured to provide connections between topics that build upon the prior chapter's learning objectives . For example, the definition of the margin of error that is provided is not technically correct, and the example that follows the definition is not correct even in a non-technical sense. There is a vibrant discussion in modern research on the balance between socialization and genetics in public opinion research that should be included. I didn't read every line, but the broad sections I read contained no technical writing errors that I observed. This means that you promise loyalty to the United States. The text offers a consistent presentation of terms situated within a logical and approachable framework for college students. ISBN. Excellent use of sub-sections in each chapter. Only 2 left in stock - order soon. It contains every topic I cover and more in an Introductory course. There is very little jargon, and technical terms are adequately summarized. 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. Prior to reviewing this text, I was not very familiar with open source textbooks. However, all textbooks--standard or OER--face this issue. I am especially impressed by its multi-dimensional approach to topic coverage. I do think that some modules could be combined, but for the most part the author accomplishes this well. 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 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. I do think the other subsections on elections get a little shortchanged. We have stopped printing many old products, but we might have some stock in our warehouse. The Bill of Rights. }. 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. My least favorite chapter concerns Federalism (3), not because of the topic but I just think that chapter is not as informative as others. However, chapters are sometimes questionably or confusingly organized, and compress wider subjects that usually receive broader treatment into footnotes or brief passages. The writing is clear and concise. It could easily be mistaken for a book that costs students $75, and so that fact that it is free of charge means everybody should use it. Uses current issues as examples of concepts. However, many pages have blank gaps in the middle of chapters.
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