American Government: Roots and Reform, 2009 Edition (Hardcover), 10th Edition

Guided by the belief that students must first understand the origins of American government to fully understand the issues facing the United States today, this market-leading text offers the strongest coverage of both history and current events of any college textbook devoted to American politics.  

 

From hallmark features like “The Living Constitution” to new features like the illustrated historical timelines, American Government: Continuity and Change provides the historical context students need to understand our government and the most crucial and controversial issues affecting the nation in the 21st century.

 

This bestselling book has been extensively revised to provide in-depth coverage of the 2008 presidential and congressional elections, President George W. Bush’s second administration and the 110^th Congress, continued controversies related to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the war on terrorism, and domestic concerns related to rising gas and food prices and the subprime mortgage crisis.

I. FOUNDATIONS OF GOVERNMENT.

1. The Political Landscape.

2. The Constitution.

3. Federalism.

4. State and Local Government.

5. Civil Liberties.

6. Civil Rights.

II. INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERNMENT.

7. Congress.

8. The Presidency.

9. The Executive Branch and the Federal Bureaucracy.

10. The Judiciary.

III. POLITICAL BEHAVIOR.

11. Political Socialization and Public Opinion.

12. Political Parties.

13. Voting and Elections.

14. The Campaign Process.

15. The Media.

16. Interest Groups.

IV. PUBLIC POLICY.

17. Domestic Policy.

18. Economic Policy.

19. Foreign and Defense Policy.

Appendices.

The Declaration of Independence.

Federalist No. 10. 

Federalist No. 51.

Presidents, Congresses, and Chief Justices: 1789-2009.