Cover: American Government: Stories of a Nation, 1st Edition by Scott Abernathy; Karen Waples

American Government: Stories of a Nation

First  Edition©2019  Scott Abernathy; Karen Waples

About

American Government: Stories of a Nation is carefully aligned to the AP® course framework and loaded with instructional tools that help students meet the demands of the AP® course. Integrated skills instruction, focus on important required content, and extensive AP® exam practice will guide students as they navigate the demands of the American Government course and master the AP® exam. This book is available in both print and digital formats. You may also purchase the accompanying "Required Documents and Court Cases Reader" to help students better understand the foundational documents and Supreme Court cases.

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Table of Contents

Unit 1 Democracy and the Constitution

Chapter 1 American Government and Politics: The Stories of Our Nation

Section 1.1 The Fight for Students’ Rights

Section 1.2 American Political Culture

Section 1.3 Competing Theories of Democracy

Section 1.4 Institutions, Systems, and Power

Chapter 2 The Constitution: A New Vision of Government

Section 2.1 The Articles of Confederation

Section 2.2 The Constitutional Convention

Section 2.3 Branches of Government

Section 2.4 Ratification: Federalists versus Antifederalists

Chapter 3 Federalism: Dividing Power between the National Government and the States

Section 3.1 Conflict over Medical Marijuana

Section 3.2 Federalism and the Constitution

Section 3.3 The Dynamic Nature of Federalism

Section 3.4 Modern American Federalism

Section 3.5 The Supreme Court and Modern Federalism

Unit 1 Review

Unit 2 The Branches of the Federal Government

Chapter 4 Congress: Representation, Organization, and Legislation

Section 4.1 The Constitution and Congress

Section 4.2 Politics of Congressional Elections

Section 4.3 The Organization of Congress

Section 4.4 "I’m Just a Bill"

Section 4.5 Congress and the Budget

Section 4.6 Challenges of Representation

Chapter 5 The American Presidency: Individuals, Institutions, and Executive Power

Section 5.1 Presidential Power and the War on Terror

Section 5.2 The Constitution and the American Presidency

Section 5.3 Limits on Presidential Power

Section 5.4 The Modern Presidency in Context

Section 5.5 The War on Terror and Presidential Power

Chapter 6 The Federal Judiciary: Politics, Power, and the "Least Dangerous" Branch

Section 6.1 Judicial Independence from Money and Politics—Or Both

Section 6.2 The Constitution and the Federal Judiciary

Section 6.3 John Marshall and the Power of the Supreme Court

Section 6.4 Organization of the Federal Judiciary

Section 6.5 Judicial Review, Constitutional Interpretation, and Judicial Decision Making

Chapter 7 The Federal Bureaucracy: Putting the Nation’s Laws into Effect

Section 7.1 How the Bureaucracy Is Organized

Section 7.2 The Structure of the Modern Federal Bureaucracy

Section 7.3 The Bureaucracy and Policy Making

Section 7.4 Checks on the Bureaucracy

Unit 2 Review

Unit 3 Civil Rights and Civil Liberties

Chapter 8 Civil Liberties: Protecting Fundamental Freedoms

Section 8.1 The Constitution and the Bill of Rights

Section 8.2 Selective Incorporation

Section 8.3 The Right of Religious Freedom

Section 8.4 The Right of Expression and the Right to Own Firearms

Section 8.5 The Rights of Defendants

Section 8.6 Privacy and Other Rights

Chapter 9 Civil Rights: What Is Equality?

Section 9.1 Securing Rights for Those with Disabilities

Section 9.2 The Fight against Segregation

Section 9.3 The Civil Rights Movement

Section 9.4 The Fight for Women’s Rights

Unit 3 Review

Unit 4 American Political Ideologies and Beliefs

Chapter 10 American Political Culture: What Americans Believe

Section 10.1 Core Political Values

Section 10.2 Political Socialization

Section 10.3 Globalization and American Core Values

Chapter 11 Public Opinion: Measuring Americans’ Opinions

Section 11.1 What Is Public Opinion?

Section 11.2 Trying to Measure Public Opinion Accurately

Section 11.3 The Effects of Public Opinion on Democratic Representation

Chapter 12 Political Ideology

Section 12.1 Party Ideology

Section 12.2 Ideology and Fiscal Policy

Section 12.3 Monetary Policy

Unit 4 Review

Unit 5 Political Participation

Chapter 13 Elections and Campaigns: Candidates and Voters in an Era of Demographic Change

Section 13.1 Forms of Political Participation

Section 13.2 Voting

Section 13.3 Elections and Democratic Representation

Section 13.4 The Politics of Presidential Elections

Section 13. 5 Money and Campaigns

Chapter 14 Political Parties: The Outsiders versus the Establishment

Section 14.1 Functions of Political Parties

Section 14.2 The Development of American Political Parties

Section 14.3 Parties and Political Campaigns

Section 14.4 Third Parties

Chapter 15 Interest Groups and Social Movements: Collective Action, Power and Representation

Section 15.1 A Nation of Joiners

Section 15.2 Interest-Group Tactics

Section 15.3 Social Movements

Chapter 16 The Media: New Technologies, Enduring Issues

Section 16.1 The Evolving News Media

Section 16.1 Regulating Content and Ownership

Section 16.1 How the Media Shape American Politics Today

Unit 5 Review

Scott Abernathy

After working as an on-street counselor for homeless adolescents in Boston, Scott received a master of curriculum and instruction and taught fourth and seventh grades in Wisconsin public schools. Hoping to learn more about the underlying systems that drove educational outcomes, Scott completed an M.P.A in domestic policy and then a Ph.D. in Politics from Princeton University. Scott is now an associate professor of political science and a University Distinguished Teaching Professor at the University of Minnesota. He is also the author of School Choice and the Future of American Democracy and No Child Left Behind and the Public Schools, both from University of Michigan Press.

Karen Waples

Formerly a trial attorney, Karen Waples has taught since 1989 and currently teaches AP® Comparative Government and Politics and AP® U.S. Government and Politics at Holy Family High School in Broomfield, Colorado. Karen has served as a reader, table leader, question leader, and exam leader for the AP® Comparative Government and Politics Exam and as a reader for the AP® U.S. Government and Politics and AP® U.S. History Exams. She is an endorsed consultant for the College Board® and leads workshops and institutes throughout the country for both the AP® Comparative Government and Politics course and the AP® U.S. Government and Politics course. Karen was the chair of the College Board® Social Science Academic Advisory Committee and was a member of the Curriculum Re-design Committee for AP® U.S. Government and Politics. She received the Colorado Governor’s Award for Excellence in Education in 1997 and was recognized as a Cherry Creek High School Teacher of the Year in 2002.