American Democracy in Context (WEB PDF) von John Anthony Maltese

Discover what makes American democracy unique and how it impacts your life. 

American Democracy in Context provides a combined comparative and historical approach to inspire students to better understand American government and become active citizens.

Preface
A Note From the Authors
Acknowledgments
About the Authors
PART I FOUNDATIONS OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY
CHAPTER 1: DEMOCRACY AND AMERICAN POLITICS
Government and Politics
Democracy as a Form of Government
Functions of Government
American Values
American Ideologies
Comparative and Historical Contexts
Consequences for Democracy
CHAPTER 2: THE FOUNDING AND THE CONSTITUTION
The American Colonies
Revolution and Independence
The Articles of Confederation
Starting Over: The Constitutional Convention
The Constitution
Ratifying the Constitution
Amending the Constitution
Consequences for Democracy
CHAPTER 3: FEDERALISM
Understanding Federalism
The Constitutional Allocation of the Powers of Government
Competing Interpretations of Federalism
Early Precedents: National Supremacy Prevails
The Resurgence of States Rights
The New Deal and the Rise of Cooperative Federalism
The New Federalism and Beyond
Consequences for Democracy
PART II CIVIL LIBERTIES AND CIVIL RIGHTS
CHAPTER 4: CIVIL LIBERTIES
The Bill of Rights
The First Amendment Freedoms of Speech, Press, and Assembly
The First Amendment Guarantee of Freedom of Religion
The Right of Privacy
The Rights of Criminal Defendants
Consequences for Democracy
CHAPTER 5: CIVIL RIGHTS
Slavery in America
Civil Rights for African Americans After the Civil War
African American Civil Rights in the Twentieth Century
Women and Equal Rights
Discrimination Based on Ethnicity
New Frontiers in Civil Rights
Redressing Past Discrimination
Consequences for Democracy
PART III PEOPLE AND POLITICS
CHAPTER 6: PUBLIC OPINION AND POLITICAL SOCIALIZATION
Public Opinion and Political Culture
Political Socialization
Group Differences in the United States
How Public Opinion Changes
How Ideologies Gain Their Structure
How Public Opinion Is Measured
Consequences for Democracy
CHAPTER 7: POLITICAL PARTIES AND INTEREST GROUPS
Defining Political Parties and Interest Groups
The Development of American Political Parties
The Structure of American Parties
The Two-Party System
Responsible Party Government
Interest Groups in American Politics
Interest Group Representation and the Organization of Public Opinion
Consequences for Democracy
CHAPTER 8: NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS
The Development of Elections in the United States
The Presidential Campaign
Congressional Elections
Electoral Systems and Their Effects
Elections and the Representation of Women and Minorities
Campaign Finance
Consequences for Democracy
CHAPTER 9: PARTICIPATION, VOTING BEHAVIOR, AND CAMPAIGNS
Political Participation
Voter Turnout
How People Make Voting Decisions
Political Campaigns and the Voters Choices
Party Polarization Among Voters
Consequences for Democracy
CHAPTER 10: MEDIA AND POLITICS
The Functions of the Media
Tracing the Development of Media in the United States
Government Regulation of the Media
Government and the Media
Assessing the Media
Consequences for Democracy
PART IV INSTITUTIONS OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY
CHAPTER 11: CONGRESS
The Functions of Congress
Constitutional Powers
The Structure of Congress
How Congress Operates
Assembling Coalitions Makes Action Possible
The Legislative Process
Consequences for Democracy
CHAPTER 12: THE PRESIDENCY
Presidential and Parliamentary Systems
The Evolving Job of President
Public Approval of Presidents
The Institutional Presidency
Presidential Goals and Keys to Success
Consequences for Democracy
CHAPTER 13: BUREAUCRACY
Democracy and Bureaucracy in the United States
Features of a Modern Bureaucracy
The Checkered History of Bureaucracy in the United States
The Complex Structure of the Federal Bureaucracy
The Size of the Federal Bureaucracy
The Search for Control
Consequences for Democracy
CHAPTER 14: THE JUDICIARY
An Independent Judiciary Enforcing the Rule of Law
An Overview of the U.S. Court System
The Supreme Court in Action
Limits on the Supreme Court
How Judges Are Selected
Consequences for Democracy
PART V PUBLIC POLICY
CHAPTER 15: DOMESTIC AND ECONOMIC POLICY
Making Public Policy
Health Care
Social Security
Energy and the Environment
Economic Policy
Consequences for Democracy
Appendix A: The Declaration of Independence
Appendix B: The Constitution of the United States of America
Appendix C: Federalist No. 10 (James Madison)
Appendix D: Federalist No. 51 (James Madison)
Glossary
Notes
Index

Discover what makes American democracy unique and how its government impacts your life 

American Democracy in Contextprovides a combined comparative and historical approach to inspire students to better understand American government and become active citizens. Bestselling authors Maltese, Pika, and Shively explain the distinctive features of how Americans practice democracyhow they vote, translate election results into representation of interests, make policy decisions, enforce laws and maintain justiceand how those practices differ from other democracies throughout the world. The emphasis is always on the American political system, but the search for understanding encourages students to examine how the American system has developed over time (historical context) and how it compares with similar practices in other democracies (comparative context). This combined approach motivates students to understand why politics is relevant to their everyday lives and how they can affect changes and make a difference.

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