The American Democracy, 10th Edition (Patterson)

Feature Summary

How the U.S. Differs: Political Thinking Through Comparisons These comparisons between the US and foreign countries encourages students to think outside our borders to reflect more broadly on our national political priorities by comparing them to those of other democracies. How students learn to explain these differences will lead them to finer and more nuanced interpretations of American politics.

How the 50 States Differ: Political Thinking Through Comparisons These features in each chapter underscore the important effect that the differences between states has on the character of our national politics. As united as these United States certainly are, the differences between the states speaks volumes about the politics we confront on a daily basis. Whether red states and blue states, death penalty states or direct referendum states, the character of our differences contributes to our understanding of ourselves.

Political Thinking New Political Thinking framework challenges students to take an active role in building their political knowledge. Throughout each chapter, students apply the fundamentals of American government to current political situations, refining the analytical skills necessary to make informed decisions.

Debating the Issues: Political Thinking in Action Introduces a current controversy and includes opposing opinions on the issue. Students learn to critically evaluate arguments on both sides of the aisle, and form educated opinions on contemporary political debates impacting government at all levels.