Patterson, The American Democracy (NASTA Reinforced High School Binding) (AP AMERICAN DEMOCRACY (US GOVERNMENT))

The American Democracy has long been a best seller for American government courses thanks to its insightful, readable, and balanced portrayal of the American political system. The 10th edition continues this tradition of excellence while also introducing an emphasis on political thinking at a time when the partisan divide seemingly could not be wider and unbiased political information is often drowned out by other sources. The American Democracy helps develop students’ critical thinking skills and ensures they leave the course as thoughtful individuals who carry the debate forward in measured and informed ways. The political thinking framework emphasizes the need for – and tools to successfully develop – a political thinking approach among American government students. As a result, students leave the course better prepared to critically evaluate political information and arrive at reasoned opinions. The timely coverage challenges students’ assumptions and also hooks them on the material with relevant examples, like a 2010 Pew Reseach Center survey on American’s attitudes and knowledge about the health care reform bill. Political thinking features such as “Debating the Issues” and question-based prompts to political thinking challenge students to evaluate their opinions and assumptions. The “How the 50 States Differ” feature in each chapter underscores the important effect that the differences between states have on the character of national politics.