American Democracy Now

7th Edition
Brigid Harrison
Jean Harris
Michelle Deardorff
ISBN: 9781260242508 / 1260242501 / © 2022

American Politics is at a crossroads as technologies have impacted political processes and citizen
participation.
American Democracy Now meets students where they are through the authors unique Then/Now/
Next paradigm, showing students how today is relevant to the past, and incites their thinking of the
future developing key critical thinking skills.
Its forward-looking vision, built on traditional concepts, puts students at the center of American Politics
featuring a unique chapter on Politics & Technology; an important tool for citizen engagement of today;
and examines technology & its impact on the political process and participation.
It is the only text to feature an annotated constitution-strengthening the competence of tomorrows
political thinkers, while lends coverage to important teachable movements in these politically volatile
times.

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New Features

IMPROVE STUDENT OUTCOMES—CONNECT AMERICAN GOVERNMENT

• Personalized Reading Experience—A proven-effective formula to deepen reading comprehension skills of students
and their understanding—SmartBook 2.0. Reading is personalized to individual learning needs, continually adapting
to pinpoint knowledge gaps and focus learning on topics that require attention.
Learn more at: bit.ly/smartbook2020

• Interactive Assignments—Over 500 assignment types, available for every chapter, these learn-by-doing exercises
allow students to practice and gain foundational knowledge of key concepts. Students apply their knowledge and
receive immediate feedback.

• Monthly BONUS Ready-to-Use Class Activities—A lot changes in the field, which is why the authors create
NewsFlash Activities to freshen class discussions with latest events and happenings in the political landscape.
Over 250 activities include links to videos; abstracts of recent articles with accompanying critical-thinking questions to
spark class discussion.
Learn more at: bit.ly/connectnewsflash

• Bi-Annual Podcast Episodes—Freshen your classes and gain increased flexibility to design a dynamic learning
environment, with available bi-annual podcast episodes. Each contain a variety of tools to enliven learning with
coverage of topics inclusive of current events and how they correlate/compare to events of past time.
Learn more at: bit.ly/connectpod

• Concept Clip Videos—Over 40 available clips provide explanations of hard to understand key terms to students in a
fun, animated way furthering student understanding, memory, and recall. Assignable with accompanying questions
for review around topics like presidential powers, Electoral College, powers of congress & MORE!
For a complete list, learn more at: bit.ly/conceptclips

• Skills-Based Videos—An assortment of 15 available clips equip students with essential skills needed for work
outside classroom. Videos focus on how to: evaluate news, think critically, read a court case, understand charts and
graphs, interpret political cartoons, and avoid plagiarism.

• Practice American Government—Over 15 missions empower student’s exploration around real-world challenges
and day-to-day experiences of a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Students must balance resources,
time, and work to cooperate with other players to represent their districts, campaign, and pass legislation.
Learn more at: bit.ly/practiceamgov

• Applied Critical Thinking Activities—Students are placed in the role of decision-maker as they apply their
understanding of concepts through analysis of political information and research. Students make a series of
decisions around realistic political challenges. Writing and interactive activities promote reflection toward outcomes of
their decisions as they deepen their comprehension of complex political processes.
Learn more at: bit.ly/actactivities

• Online Learning Course Modules—Taking an online course can be quite hard for students, which is why the
authors created assignable learning modules on how to succeed in an online course—28 concepts featured in topic
areas of: preparing for an online course, communicating electronically, taking online tests, and how to use effective
online and learning resources.

• Writing Assignments—Deliver a learning experience that improves students’ written communication skills and
conceptual understanding with every assignment. Designed to help you develop and assess concept mastery and
critical thinking skills, Writing Assignments offers a single place to assign, monitor, and provide feedback, so you can
provide feedback more efficiently.
Learn more at: bit.ly/connectwriting

• Working with Political Documents—Instructors have access to a database of 24 searchable primary source
documents for assignment and student analysis and interpretation. Sources are topically arranged and include
Supreme Court decisions, presidential speeches, legislation, Federalist Papers, and other political documents.

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• Mobile Anytime/Anywhere—Students are busier than ever, making it harder for them to find time to study. Free
ReadAnywhere App allows students to download and read textbook chapters, take notes, and complete SmartBook
2.0 assignments.
Learn more at: bit.ly/readanyapp

• Actionable Insights—Connect iNSIGHT is THE one-of-a-kind visual analytics dashboard that provides at-a-glance
information regarding student performance. Assignment, assessment, and topical performance results are presented
together with a time metric easily visible for aggregate or individual and gives instructors flexibility and control to take
a just-in-time approach to teaching and learning never available. Connect iNSIGHT presents data that empowers
students and helps instructors improve class performance in a way that is efficient and effective.
Learn more at: bit.ly/insightconnect

ENHANCE YOUR TEACHING—AMERICAN DEMOCRACY NOW

• This edition reflects November 2020 election results

• Data-Driven & Targeted Product Revision—Our heatmaps consist of data that spans across more than two
editions of American Democracy Now where SmartBook probes were answered by students. Our authors analyzed
data and identified sections, parts, topics, and even words students may have found confusing. This Heat Map–
directed revision is reflected in Chapters 7, 10, 12, 16, 17, and 19.

• Critical Thinking: Then, Now, Next Framework—Woven in every chapter, students move along the path to critical
thinking. A “Then, Now, Next” framework encourages students to understand historical contexts and precedents so
that they can weigh them against current political events and actions, begin to formulate an informed judgment about
politics, and consider how the past and present might shape the future. For example, in Chapter 6, on political
socialization and public opinion, this feature focuses on how public polls were conducted in the 1970s, how
technology has shaped the process since then, and how it might continue to do so.

• Analyzing the Sources—Featured in every chapter, students in interpreting data, images, maps, and primary
sources with questions that prompt analytical thinking. For example, in Chapter 4 on civil liberties, the feature asks
students to analyze data on the views Americans have expressed when it comes to concerns for security versus
liberty.

• Comprehension Questions—Featured throughout and in line with the text readings, these questions stop students
at important points to assess what they’ve learned before they continue reading and help them prep for quizzes and
exams.

• Thinking Critically—Each chapter gives students a comprehensive appreciation of multiple sides of a political issue
and an opportunity to formulate their own positions by evaluating the data, information, or sources provided. For
example, in Chapter 2 on the Constitution, the feature explores the Electoral College, and the question of whether it
should be abolished.

• Evaluating the Facts—Students who are wise consumers of information develop their critical thinking skills that
assist them in evaluating information they encounter daily and determine the legitimacy of the source and motivation
or agenda of the source. For example, in Chapter 13 on the presidency, this feature focuses on a 60-year span of
data on the willingness of Americans to vote for a woman president, and asks students to analyze the trends they see
in relation to the changing social and political environment.

• Interpreting Images—Encourages the development of analytic skills to interpret original source visual elements,
including photographs, documents, maps, tables, and graphs. For example, in Chapter 8 on political parties, the
feature presents data on people’s opinions of Democrats and Republicans and asks students to consider patterns,
including high and low points, and possible relationship to world events.

• Full Chapter on Politics & Technology (Chapter 11)—While students may be digital natives, most are
unfamiliar with how digital technology has influenced American politics, and impacted voter participation
and political life. Chapter 11 provides students an understanding how candidates campaign and citizens
participate, how its revolutionized workings of government, its impact, downside and explores regulation.

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• Annotated Constitution—Unique to the market, Chapter 2 provides a comprehensive overview and analysis of how
the Constitution has been interpreted over time and includes discussions of the Supreme Court's latest opinions.
Numerous political inquiry questions in were revised for comprehensive focus on constitutional procedures used or
questioned, and constitutional language debated during the past few years.

• Coverage of Current Political Topics—This edition includes the election of Joe Biden to the Presidency, the impact
of the pandemic and the renewed Black Lives Matter movement. The impact of COVID-19 on American politics, the
ideological debates on such topics as the Green New Deal and health insurance; and the concerns over Russian
interference in U.S. elections, trade policy with China, ongoing threats of terrorism, voter suppression, and wage
disparities.

• Thoroughly Updated Data & Research—Customers of American Democracy Now have always appreciated the
currency of the material and using several diverse sources for an inclusive study of American Politics. For example:
o Updated all references and citations (ALL Chapters)
o Updated data about the U.S. population and U.S. families (Chapter 1)
o Updated data and graphics related to fiscal federalism (Chapter 3)
o Updated statistics, data, and Supreme Court rulings since 2016 (Chapters 4 & 5)
o Explored new data concerning the gender gap in political party identification between men and women,
evaluated new data about the policy priorities of men and women in the 2020 presidential election, and
evaluated the gender gap in presidential vote choice in 2020 (Chapter 6)
o Updated data on political action committee contributions to congressional candidates by incumbency
status (Chapter 7)
o New research on the demographics related to the increase in online news consumption (Chapter 10)
o Updated research on the use of technology in the 2020 elections (Chapter 11)
o Integrated information on the CARES Act as a response to the pandemic into the discussion of fiscal
policy (Chapter 16)

• 150 Exhibits that teach (30 of which are new), including diagrams, graphs, quick-reference tables, and more,
address the challenge of getting students to read long passages of text by presenting vital concepts visually.
Emphasis throughout the text is on productive learning helping students minimize the time they spend reading while
maximizing their learning outcome.

• Updated & NEW Discussions & Themes—All chapters contain updated content and coverage with examples to
infuse the narrative such as:
o Included a new section on journalism and freedom of speech (Chapter 4)
o Included a new discussion of housing discrimination by the federal government and an updated chart on
wage disparities (Chapter 5)
o Added new information on the politics of Generation Z (Chapter 6)
o Included a discussion of the effect of Janus v. United States on interest groups (Chapter 7)
o Added information on the use of social media as a tool of protests (Chapter 11)
o Added new research on election infiltration (Chapter 11)
o Updated discussion of the creators and shapers of foreign policy, and updated coverage of the use of new
technologies in foreign policy (Chapter 18)
o Described future challenges in foreign policy, including post-pandemic globalism, trade policy, the renewed
threat of terrorism, and Russian expansion and efforts to increase influence (Chapter 18)

• Completely Updated Chapter 9—Completely reorganized to emphasize importance of new uses of balloting in wake
of COVID-19 and concerns about suppressing voter turnout during the pandemic, and expanded discussions of:
importance of fair and independent elections, election meddling, voter suppression, voting by mail, caucuses, ballot
initiatives in the states, 2020 Electoral College vote, presidential election turnout, finance regulations and dark money
in campaigns.

• Completely Refreshed Chapter 13—The Presidency chapter examines the 2020 presidential election and includes:
CARES Act in the context of the pandemic, president’s leadership during the pandemic, presidential vetoes,
president’s role managing the economy, president’s role as chief diplomat, president’s role as civilian leader of the
military, executive privilege in context of President Trump’s impeachment, use of the bully pulpit, minorities appointed
to presidential cabinets, presidential public approval, and geographical variation in President Trump’s popularity.

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• Bonus Chapter Coverage of State & Local Governments—Available via Connect, A reorganized Chapter 19,
fosters a deeper understanding between the relationship of state & local governments and their importance in the
federal system. An in-chapter activity around state voter registration and voting laws is supported, with innovations
related to elections during the pandemic highlighted, and updated data on revenues and expenditures, and
percentages of women state elected officials.

• Drive Participation with Poll Everywhere—McGraw Hill’s partnership with Poll Everywhere transforms your
classroom environment allowing students to experience the democratic process of voting. Students become
responsible and engaged participants in real time and transform one-sided presentations into two-way conversations
with students. This web-based audience response system lets you embed interactive activities directly into your
presentation. Students can respond on the via App or text.
Learn more at: bit.ly/mghpollev

ENHANCE YOUR TEACHING—INTEGRATED RESOURCES & SUPPORT

• Proctorio for Connect American Government—McGraw Hill and Proctorio have partnered to incorporate learning
integrity tools within Connect. Remote proctoring and browser locking capabilities will be seamlessly integrated within
Connect to offer more control over the integrity of online assessments. A mix of live and fully automated remote
proctoring services provide scalable and cost-effective solutions to protect institutional accreditation, increase the
value of online degrees and help institutions grow their programs. Learn more at: bit.ly/proctoriomgh

• Support At Every Step—Our digital faculty consultants and subject matter experts have created a collection of tools
and resources designed to make your life a whole lot easier. From instructional design and course consultations to
discover helpful tips to keep students engaged; whether it’s before, during, or every step beyond the first day of
class—we've got you covered.
Learn more at: www.supportateverystep.com

• Student Success for American Government—Students receive on-demand study tips & tricks from other students
through, while learn hacks to develop essential skills for college success like time management, study and financial
skills and how to get the most out of college; College Smarter Not Harder features resources that surface at moment
of need to complement on their academic journey.
Learn more at: bit.ly/2jart

• Updated Instructor’s Manual, Test Bank & PowerPoint Presentations—The authors have carefully reviewed all
resources provided in the instructor’s manual to ensure cohesion. It includes everything an instructor needs to
prepare a lecture, including lecture outlines, discussion questions, and teaching notes. PowerPoint slides offer
material from the text, as well as expanded coverage to supplement discussion. Slides have been designed to be
accessible to all, and in addition to lecture notes, include image tagging. The Test Bank and Computerized Test Bank
offer over 1,000+ multiple-choice, true/false, short answer, essay, and application questions. All questions are tagged
to learning objectives, Bloom’s Taxonomy, and accreditation standards supporting your reporting needs.

ACCESSIBLE TO ALL

• Enhanced Accessibility for Students with Disabilities—Our reviewers expressed the need for a learning program
inclusive to all students, regardless of learning style or disability, and we listened. The seventh edition meets this
need by offering: A brand-new textbook interior design, with deliberate color choices accessible to all; alternate
descriptions viewable in screen readers for images used within the eBook; closed-captioned video resources;
Connect questions in a keyboard-navigable format; Instructor and student PowerPoints® that contain new colors and
fonts accessible to all, plus alternate descriptions viewable in screen readers for all images.

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Table of Contents

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