A History of the U.S. Political System [3 volumes]

Gr 10 Up—The 15 sections in the first two volumes of this work include examinations of the historical and philosophical foundations of our government, Congress, the presidency, the federal bureaucracy, the courts, political parties, elections, interest groups, the media, foreign policy, and public opinion. Each section contains a brief introduction, followed by two or three essays ("Political Thought in the Early Republic," "Truman and the Fair Deal") that provide background and explanations. Pertinent primary sources follow the essays. The third volume is a collection of 153 additional documents organized into 10 historical epochs including the early republic, the age of Jackson, the Civil War, the Progressive Era, the New Deal, the 1960s, and today. It will be a convenient resource for many students, but they may need direction and explanation from teachers to understand and tackle the more scholarly essays in the first two volumes. Overall, this is an impressive collection of essays and documents (there are also occasional black-and-white photos), with advanced vocabulary and ideas.—Patricia Ann Owens, Illinois Eastern Community Colleges