Living Democracy, Brief California Edition, CourseSmart eTextbook, 3rd Edition

Everything about this dynamic book—from its engaging writing and examples, to its bold graphics and photos, to its innovative learning pedagogy and interactive assessment—is designed to get students to participate in their learning, in the classroom, and in all aspects of American politics.

 

Lead author Dan Shea, along with co-authors Joanne Connor Green and Christopher E. Smith, teamed up to write an American Government text that helps students experience the impact of government in their daily lives and inspires them to work to affect that government in return.  Written with the belief that the American Government course is critically important for our students—as well as for the long-term stability of the democratic process—Living Democracy helps students draw connections between course topics and current events and find a role for themselves in politics and government.

 

Now in its third edition, this attention-getting text builds even further on its message of participation and provides students with new opportunities to take a more active role in their learning process. Enhanced pedagogical features include carefully "chunked" topics based on learning objectives, in-chapter quizzes and exercises that promote critical thinking, chapter-concluding concept maps that visually tie the content of each chapter together and encourage students to engage in analysis, and Student Profiles of politically active young people from around the world that promote students’ political participation.

Part One: Foundations of American Government

1 American Government: Democracy in Action

2 Early Governance and the Constitutional Framework  

3 Federalism

4 Civil Liberties

5 Civil Rights

 

Part Two: The Institutions of American Government

6 Congress

7 The Presidency

8 Bureaucracy

9 The Judiciary

 

Part Three: The American Public and the Democratic Process

10 Political Socialization and Public Opinion

11 The Politics of the Media  

12 Interest Groups and Civic and Political Engagement

13 Elections and Political Parties in America

 

Part Four: Public Policy

14 The Policy Process and Economic Policy

15 Foreign and National Security Policy 

  

Part Five: California

16. California: Historical Perspective

17. Democracy, California Style

18. The California State Legislature

19. The California Executive and Bureaucracy

20. The California Judiciary

21. Local Government in California

22. California Fiscal Policy

 

Appendices

1 Declaration of Independence of the Thirteen Colonies (annotated)

2 The Constitution of the United States (annotated)

3 The Federalist, No. 10, James Madison

4 The Federalist, No. 51, James Madison

5 Anti-Federalist, To the Citizens of the State of New York, October 18, 1787

6 The Gettysburg Address, Abraham Lincoln

7 I Have a Dream, Martin Luther King

8 Presidents and Congresses

9 Supreme Court Justices