Gateways to Democracy: An Introduction to American Government, Enhanced

To promote student engagement, chapter-opening vignettes spotlight individuals who have successfully navigated their own way in politics. The important role of the vignette for the instructor is to show students how people like them have made a difference in American political and social life. Vignette subjects vary by historical era, career choice, gender, race, ethnicity and party affiliation.

The text's expansive policy coverage includes a section in every chapter as well as a stand-alone chapter at the end of the book, enabling instructors to focus on policy as much or as little as they want. Each chapter highlights a domestic, economic or foreign policy issue related to chapter concepts. Students learn how policies such as minimum wage and national security surveillance are a product of the policymaking process and how that process can serve as a gateway to citizen participation. Hands-on "Construct Your Own Policy" exercises ask students to consider how they would use what they've learned to affect policymaking.

Each chapter features a Supreme Court case to illustrate the constitutional and legal context in which American democracy has evolved. Critical-thinking questions at the end of the feature tie the case to the chapter's content and the book's themes of gateways, responsiveness and equality.

Questions in the text's margins and interpretive questions at the end of each chapter ask students to summarize and apply what they have learned about American democracy and evaluate our democratic system in terms of responsiveness and equality. These features sharpen students' analytical skills and encourage them to begin evaluating the success of the U.S. system.