American Government

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ABC-CLIO Solutions

Topics	Politics, Law, and Government/General
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978-1-59884-667-6

Email Customer Service or call 800-368-6868 for FTE pricing, starting at $640 per database for single site purchases. Ask about discounts on bundles and discounts for districts. ABC-CLIO Solutions databases are also available for purchase through EBSCO, Mackin, and Follett.

A nation founded upon rights and liberties, the United States grants Americans freedoms of expression that simply don't exist in many parts of the world. With such privileges, Americans have the power to shape their government and, in turn, to determine how they are able to live their lives. Understanding how the government works, therefore, is important in order for students not only to succeed in school but also to grow into thoughtful participants in civic life.

American Government explains the nuanced structure and foundations of U.S. government and connects these concepts to current issues and questions about political processes, constitutional rights, and international relations. It identifies values the government has traditionally upheld and how the government of today continues to reflect those values, while simultaneously examining changes that the government has undergone since the nation's founding.

Highlights

Houses more than 13,000 primary and secondary sources, including 2,500 documents, 4,000 images, 250 maps, and 250 audio and video recordings
Presents biographies, including portraits of such important historical and present government figures as the Founding Fathers, former presidents, and Supreme Court justices, as well as a continually updated roster of such key members of government as the President, cabinet members, Congress members, and state governors
Poses such questions as "Do states have a right to impose anti-immigration laws?"; "Should the U.S. government reinstate the draft?"; and "When does the public accept presidents' expansion of their executive powers?" that nurture learners' critical thinking skills by inviting them to examine controversial issues
Builds students' contextual understanding of key concepts in American government with more than 260 Course Essential Video modules recorded by master teachers and scholars
Features the CLIOview tool that allows students to make comparisons and graph statistical data at the state level, with more than 20 demographic categories including electoral results, federal spending, and more to choose from

Suite Features

ABC-CLIO Solutions School Editions

Offering effective technology for your library and created specifically for middle and high school students, ABC-CLIO Solutions Schools Edition provides authoritative coverage of essential topics in U.S. history and government, world history, geography, and a range of multicultural and popular culture subjects.

Each online ABC-CLIO Solution includes four innovative components:

A COMPREHENSIVE REFERENCE LIBRARY with content from more than 230,000 primary sources and entries encompassing audio, video, photographs, illustrations, maps, and rich media.

A STANDARDS-BASED CURRICULUM updated daily by a team of subject-specific editorial experts and supported by an extensive range of instructional material.

A DEEP COLLECTION OF MODEL COMMENTARIES from noted scholars that have been specially commissioned to foster critical thinking stimulated by exposure to varying points of view.

AN EDUCATOR SUPPORT CENTER containing valuable professional development tools as well as relevant resources such as discussion points, activities, lesson plans, and research lists.

Highlights

Updated daily with vetted, authoritative content, ABC-CLIO Solutions are always current, making outdated textbooks a thing of the past
Each Solutions database include a subject-specific library, a curriculum, unique model commentaries, and a full-featured educator support center
They're online and available for students and educators to access anywhere, anytime
More affordable than resources with far less content and fewer advanced features, Solutions databases represent an outstanding value

Advisory Board

Jeremy Gypton is a veteran educator with more than 14 years of experience in the classroom and as an administrator. His specialties are social studies curriculum and instruction, teacher coaching, and technology integration. He joined TeachingAmericanHistory.org in 2014 as a Teacher Program Manager. Prior to his work with there, he served as a high school administrator and curriculum leader for three years, and a teacher of a variety of social studies courses for 11 years in Tucson, Arizona. He has taught both Advanced Placement U.S. History and U.S. Government and Politics as well as Dual Enrollment courses for Pima Community College in Tucson. Jeremy is a graduate of the University of Arizona's College of Education and has master's degrees from American Military University and Grand Canyon University, in military studies and education administration, respectively.

Abigaile VanHorn is the director of curriculum development for Sigma Chi Leadership Institute and learning instructor of government at Central Texas College. She has also served as educational consultant to assess career and college readiness for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for Educational Research. Her areas of research include leadership, women and politics, political communication, political behavior and institutions, U.S. campaigns and elections, and the science of teaching and learning. Dr. VanHorn's writing has appeared in the Encyclopedia of Political Science (CQ Press, 2010) and the Encyclopedia of U.S. Political History (CQ Press, 2010). She earned her PhD in political science from Purdue University.

John R. Vile is a professor of political science and dean of the University Honors College at Middle Tennessee State University. He has written and edited more than 25 books; his most recent publications include Essential Supreme Court Decisions: Summaries of Leading Cases in U.S. Constitutional Law (Rowman & Littlefield, 2014); Encyclopedia of Constitutional Amendments, Proposed Amendments, and Amending Issues, fourth edition (ABC-CLIO, 2015); A Companion to the United States Constitution and Its Amendments, sixth edition (Praeger, 2015); Founding Documents of America: Documents Decoded (ABC-CLIO, 2015); and The United States Constitution: One Document, Many Choices (Palgrave Macmillan, 2015). Vile is a member of the American Mock Trial Association and was named to the American Mock Trial Association's Hall of Fame. MTSU awarded Vile its Outstanding Career Achievement Award in 2011.

Nita Lang is Editorial Specialist for ABC-CLIO's electronic program in American government and popular culture. Alongside her team, she writes, edits, and acquires content for the company's award-winning American Government and Popular Culture Universe databases. She has a BA in English from the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington.

Topic Centers

Foundations of American Government • Principles of Government • Origins of American Government • The Constitution	Judicial Branch • The Federal Courts • The Supreme Court in Action	Domestic and Foreign Policy • Domestic Policy • Economic Policy • Foreign Policy
Legislative Branch • Congress • Congress in Action	Rights and Liberties • Civil Liberties • Civil Rights	Political and Economic Systems • Comparative Political Systems • Comparative Economic Systems
Executive Branch • The Presidency • The Presidency in Action	Political Behavior • Political Parties • Public Opinion and Mass Media • Interest Groups • Elections and Voting	State and Local Government • Local Government • State Government

Reviews/Endorsements

Reviews

"ABC CLIO's American Government database provides a thorough overview that students and researchers alike will find useful. . . . One of the many useful features of this database is that it carefully explores reality. . . . Overall, the American Government database is a helpful resource for students. This database is recommended for academic and high school libraries."—ARBA

"[Presents] up-to-date information clearly and concisely for student use ... The site is well organized and easy to use, and I was impressed with how up-to-the-minute the news section was ... would be [a] valuable resource in middle school and high school social studies classrooms and libraries, as well as in public libraries."—KLIATT

"[American Government] is a comprehensive reference tool suitable for students from middle school to college. It offers an impressive, unique venue for students and teachers..."—School Library Journal

"ABC-CLIO has entered the online subscription market with ... very solid, well-planned, easy-to-use products that will appeal to students."—Booklist

"This site would be a boon to busy teachers who want to use current events to enrich their social studies courses. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice."—The Book Report

"This attractively designed 10,000-item database will help students learn about and become engaged in the political process ... Students will enjoy digging into the good content and strategically placed links."—Library Journal

"This already outstanding resource has been improved with a crisp, easy-to-use interface that few students should have difficulty mastering. Highly recommended for school and public libraries."—Booklist

"With over 12,000 primary and secondary sources . . . this resource examines the foundations and branches of government, civil liberties, policy, political behavior, and economic systems. Well-written topical essays consist of an overview, a visual representation, People & Organizations, Facts & Figures, a classroom activity, discussion questions, and primary sources. . . . this research tool is most effective when paired with ABC-CLIO's Issues database."—Library Journal

Endorsements

"Since we purchased the ABC-CLIO Schools subscription websites, our library usage has grown tenfold. The library is packed these days! The depth and breadth of the websites is wonderful. Everything that students need—from country profiles to current images, maps, and documents—is in one place. And besides social studies teachers, foreign language teachers, and others use the websites too—some to plan curriculum. The library and social studies faculties are now working more closely together."—Joanne Hughes
Librarian/Technology Coordinator
Auburn Riverside High School
Auburn, WA

"After purchasing the websites, I participated in an online training session which was both convenient and informative! Now I quickly set up customized research lists for the students to direct them to discussion questions and review activities they can complete in the library. The students love all the visual primary sources, especially when they are making posters or brochures for class."—Terrie Crockwell
Library Media Technician
Etiwanda High School
Etiwanda, CA

"With the ABC-CLIO Schools subscription websites, students can locate information themselves with minimal instruction. The websites are accurate and reliable, and they guide students in building information literacy skills—examining different interpretations, choosing between resources, and synthesizing information. Teachers appreciate that the websites are current and aligned to standards."—Susan Leigh Burrell
Librarian/Media Specialist
Grace E. Metz Middle School
Manassas, VA

"Our history department has done away with most textbooks this year! With their wealth of primary sources, critical thinking activities, and daily news articles, the ABC-CLIO Schools websites help us guide our students in becoming social scientists."—Jim A. Masker
Social Studies Teacher, Cate School
Carpinteria, CA

"The Wayne School district has adopted a thematic curriculum for the teaching of World and US History. As a result of this curriculum shift, we have decided not to rely on a textbook as the primary instrument for instruction. In this age of digital technology, we have found that there are many wonderful digital resources that students and teachers can utilize to enrich the learning experience. One of the best is ABC-CLIO. We find their databases of information to be rich in primary source materials, their readings to be clear and concise, and their videos, graphs, and charts very engaging. Furthermore, the ABC-CLIO databases are easy to navigate for students and teachers. Searches are easily obtained including advance searches. ABC-CLIO even provides stimulating lessons and discussion points to further enhance the classroom experience. We are very happy with their product including their support services. I would recommend ABC-CLIO to any school district looking to move their curriculum into the 21st century."
—Carmine J. Picardo, Supervisor of Curriculum and Instruction, Wayne Public Schools

Awards

2001 Distinguished Achievement Award — EdPress

Districts' Choice Top 100 Award for 2001 — Curriculum Administrator

2001 Awards Portfolio Winner — Media & Methods Magazine

2001 Best Web Site — ComputED Best Educational Software Awards (BESSIES)

2002 Curriculum Web Site Awards, Premium Award — District Administration

2001 Education Software Review Award (EDDIE) — ComputEd Gazette

Best Reference Source 2001 — Library Journal

2003 Readers' Choice Award: K-12 Instructional Software — eSchool News

2003 Curriculum Web Site Hall of Fame — District Administration

2008 Best Social Studies Web Site — ComputED Best Educational Software Awards (BESSIES)

2008 Education Software Review Award (EDDIE) — ComputEd Gazette

2008 Award of Excellence — Tech and Learning

2011 Best Social Studies Website — ComputED Best Educational Software Awards (BESSIES)

2012 Education Software Review Award (EDDiE) — ComputEd Gazette

2013 CODiE Award Winner - Best Social Sciences Instructional Solution — SIIA

2019 Best Social Studies Website — ComputED Best Educational Software Awards (BESSIES)

2017 CODiE Award Winner - Best Social Sciences Instructional Solution — SIIA

2018 Gold Award — Modern Library Awards

2018 Best Social Studies Website — ComputED Best Educational Software Awards (BESSIES)

2018 Best Online Educational Resource — ComputED Best Educational Software Awards (BESSIES)

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