American Government
Central Ideas in American Government is Soomo’s best-selling webtext. Driven by concise learning objectives, each chapter presents political science students with critical concepts in American Government.
Steady encouragement
After each new topic is presented, students answer a few questions about the main ideas. This helps students stay focused, actively process the information, and construct new knowledge.
Presentation and exploration
Sixteen chapters offer concise presentation of key concepts. An additional 32 investigations guide students through the examination of real-world artifacts and case studies to put the concepts into context and test the limits of the ideas presented.
Study questions
More than 1,000 study questions encourage close reading and guide students to key information.
Everything you need
Central Ideas in American Government provides everything you need for an online course—including the text, interactive investigations, lecture slides, a test bank, and an analytics dashboard. And we can tailor the webtext to match your program’s emphasis, term length, student expectations, and assignment types.
- The Founding and the Constitution
- Introduction
- The Constitution: A Product of Conflict and Compromise
- Declaring Independence
- The Articles of Confederation
- Negotiating the Constitution
- A New Government
- Constitutional Principles: Republicanism and Federalism
- Constitutional Principles: Separation of Powers and Checks and Balances
- The Constitution Defines and Limits the Government
- The Articles of the Constitution
- Investigation: Comparing Constitutions, Part 1
- Investigation: Comparing Constitutions, Part 2
- Amending the Constitution
- The 27 Amendments to the Constitution
- Investigation: Till We Have Suffrage: The Amendment, Part 1
- Investigation: Till We Have Suffrage: The Amendment, Part 2
- The Advantages and Disadvantages of the Amendment Process
- The Constitution Leaves Room for Interpretation
- Conclusion
- Federalism
- Introduction
- The Constitution Establishes a Federal System
- The National and State Governments Compete for Power
- Investigation: Supreme Court Stories: McCulloch v. Maryland, Part 1
- Investigation: Supreme Court Stories: McCulloch v. Maryland, Part 2
- Dual Federalism
- Cooperative Federalism
- Coercive Federalism
- New Federalism
- A Brief History of Federalism
- Power Shifts Between National and State Governments
- Crises
- Developments in Transportation
- Developments in Communications, Science, and Technology
- Differing Political Ideas
- Federalism Has Strengths and Weaknesses
- Investigation: Half Baked, Part 1
- Investigation: Half Baked, Part 2
- Conclusion
- Civil Liberties
- Introduction
- Civil Liberties Protect Individuals
- Core Protections and Limits
- Amendment I: Freedom of Religion
- Amendment I: Freedom of Speech
- Amendment I: Symbolic Speech
- Investigation: Mean Girls vs. the First Amendment, Part 1
- Investigation: Mean Girls vs. the First Amendment, Part 2
- Amendment I: Limits to Free Speech
- Amendment I: Assembly and the Press
- Amendment II: The Right to Bear Arms
- Amendment IV: Searches and Seizures
- Amendment V: Due Process
- Amendment VI: The Right to a Fair Trial
- Amendment VIII: Cruel and Unusual Punishment
- Extending Civil Liberties to the States
- Religious Freedom and Incorporation
- Selective Incorporation
- The Interpretation of Civil Liberties Evolves
- Privacy Rights and Abortion
- Privacy Rights and Sexuality
- Investigation: Older than the Bill of Rights, Part 1
- Investigation: Older than the Bill of Rights, Part 2
- The Right to Die
- Conclusion
- Civil Rights
- Introduction
- Civil Rights Require Equal Protection
- Affirmative Action
- Early Expansion of Civil Rights
- Reconstruction and Jim Crow
- The First Feminists
- Investigation: Till We Have Suffrage: The Movement, Part 1
- Investigation: Till We Have Suffrage: The Movement, Part 2
- Further Expansion of Civil Rights
- Desegregating Education
- Investigation: Supreme Court Stories: Brown v. Board, Part 1
- Investigation: Supreme Court Stories: Brown v. Board, Part 2
- Desegregating Transportation
- Civil Rights Legislation
- Expanding Women’s Rights
- Women’s Rights Today
- Judicial Standards of Review
- Rights for Diverse Groups
- LGBTQ+ Rights
- Conclusion
- Congress
- Introduction
- Congress Embodies Democratic Ideals
- Differences Between the House and the Senate
- Apportionment and Redistricting
- Investigation: Drawing Political Lines, Part 1
- Investigation: Drawing Political Lines, Part 2
- The Process of Making Laws
- Parties and Committees Make the Legislative Process Easier
- Parties in the House and Senate
- Party Influence and Control
- Unified vs. Divided Government
- Types of Committees
- Investigation: Setting the Legislative Agenda, Part 1
- Investigation: Setting the Legislative Agenda, Part 2
- Congress Members Consider Multiple Influences
- Legislative Decision-Making
- Descriptive Representation
- Delegate vs. Trustee Models of Representation
- Balancing Competing Interests
- Conclusion
- The Presidency
- Introduction
- The President Has Many Roles
- Executive Powers
- Executive Orders and Privilege
- Legislative Powers
- Judicial Powers
- Diplomatic Powers
- Military Powers
- Presidential Power Has Grown
- Policies and Programs
- Parties and Media
- Globalization
- Interpretation and Delegation
- Executive Power Is Limited
- Impeachment
- Investigation: The Broken Presidency, Part 1
- Investigation: The Broken Presidency, Part 2
- Presidential Performance Matters
- Assessing Performance
- Investigation: Eavesdropping on the Oval Office: LBJ’s First Days, Part 1
- Investigation: Eavesdropping on the Oval Office: LBJ’s First Days, Part 2
- Conclusion
- Bureaucracy
- Introduction
- The Federal Bureaucracy Implements Laws
- Executive Branch Organization
- Presidential Power
- Legislative Oversight
- Investigation: Old MacDonald Had an Agency, Part 1
- Investigation: Old MacDonald Had an Agency, Part 2
- Issue Networks and Iron Triangles
- The Federal Bureaucracy Has Grown
- The Progressive Era
- The New Deal
- The Great Society
- The Reagan Revolution
- The Bureaucracy Today
- The Federal Bureaucracy Has Considerable Power
- Investigation: Implementing the ACA, Part 1
- Investigation: Implementing the ACA, Part 2
- Limitations on Bureaucratic Power
- Americans Seek to Reform the Bureaucracy
- Devolution and Privatization
- Conclusion
- The Judiciary
- Introduction
- Article III Establishes the Supreme Court
- Jurisdiction
- The Court Has Expanded Its Influence
- Judicial Review
- Investigation: Supreme Court Stories: Marbury v. Madison, Part 1
- Investigation: Supreme Court Stories: Marbury v. Madison, Part 2
- The Supreme Court Chooses Cases
- Access to the Supreme Court
- The Decision-Making Process
- Judicial Appointments Influence the Judiciary
- The Judicial Nomination Process
- The Court Today
- Many Factors Influence Judicial Decisions
- Personal Experience
- Judicial Philosophy
- Political Ideology
- Political Context
- Investigation: The Path to Marriage Equality, Part 1
- Investigation: The Path to Marriage Equality, Part 2
- Conclusion
- Public Opinion
- Introduction
- Many Factors Influence Public Opinion
- Investigation: Am I Blue, Purple, or Red? Part 1
- Investigation: Am I Blue, Purple, or Red? Part 2
- Political Socialization
- Factors of Socialization
- Properly Conducted Polls Express Public Opinion
- Investigation: Exit Poll Controversies, Part 1
- Investigation: Exit Poll Controversies, Part 2
- Basics of Scientific Polling
- Should Elected Leaders Heed Public Opinion?
- Paying Attention to the Public
- Presidential Approval Ratings
- Congressional Approval Ratings
- Conclusion
- The Media
- Introduction
- Content and Journalistic Standards Have Evolved
- The Partisan Press Era
- Sensationalism and Muckraking
- The Professional Era
- Watchdog Journalism
- The Era of Infotainment
- The Media Influences People’s Views
- Agenda Setting
- Priming
- Framing
- Persuasion
- Investigation: Making the News, Part 1
- Investigation: Making the News, Part 2
- Online Media Presents Challenges
- Ethical Standards in Journalism
- Selective Exposure
- Civil Discourse
- Investigation: #Divide, Part 1
- Investigation: #Divide, Part 2
- Conclusion
- Voting and Political Participation
- Introduction
- Certain Factors Influence Political Participation
- Forms of Participation
- Forces Behind Participation
- Demographics Behind Participation
- Investigation: We the Protestors, Part 1
- Investigation: We the Protestors, Part 2
- Multiple Factors Determine Voting Decisions
- Policy Issues
- Candidate Characteristics
- Other Factors
- Voter Turnout Remains Low
- Low Turnout Compared
- The Mandatory Voting Debate
- Investigation: License to Vote, Part 1
- Investigation: License to Vote, Part 2
- Conclusion
- Elections and Campaigns
- Introduction
- Elections Ensure Political Legitimacy
- Congressional Elections
- Incumbents vs. Challengers
- Investigation: The Year of the Woman, Part 1
- Investigation: The Year of the Woman, Part 2
- Presidential Elections
- The Primary Season
- National Conventions
- The Electoral College
- Electoral College: Good or Bad?
- Investigation: Getting into the Electoral College, Part 1
- Investigation: Getting into the Electoral College, Part 2
- Campaign Strategies Vary
- Campaign Finance
- Campaigns Have Evolved
- Candidate-Centered Campaigns
- Conclusion
- Political Parties
- Introduction
- Parties Have Three Components
- The Party Organization
- The Party in Government
- The Party in the Electorate
- The Role of Parties in Governance
- The United States Has a Two-Party System
- Implications of the Two-Party System
- Investigation: Third Wheels, Part 1
- Investigation: Third Wheels, Part 2
- Republicans and Democrats Dominate the System
- 1796–1827
- 1828–1859
- The Critical Election of 1860
- The Critical Election of 1896
- The Critical Election of 1932
- The 1960s to Today
- Investigation: 2016 Party Platforms, Part 1
- Investigation: 2016 Party Platforms, Part 2
- Conclusion
- Interest Groups
- Introduction
- Interest Groups Seek to Influence Policy
- Types of Interest Groups
- The Politics of Healthcare Reform
- Lobbying
- Investigation: Evil Lobbyists, Part 1
- Investigation: Evil Lobbyists, Part 2
- Election Activity
- Other Forms of Influence
- Forming and Maintaining a Group Requires Resources
- Joining Interest Groups
- Investigation: The American Pizza Community, Part 1
- Investigation: The American Pizza Community, Part 2
- Forming Interest Groups
- Americans Aren’t Represented Equally
- The Value of Interest Groups
- Conclusion
- Public Policy
- Introduction
- Public Policy Reflects the Demands of Various Groups
- What Is Policy?
- Policymaking in a Separated System
- The Everlasting Policy Machine
- The Policymaking Process
- Agenda Setting
- Policy Formulation and Adoption
- Policy Implementation
- Investigation: Healthcare: Quality, Part 1
- Investigation: Healthcare Quality, Part 2
- Policy Evaluation
- Public Policy Has General Categories
- Domestic Policy
- The Affordable Care Act
- Foreign Policy
- Diplomacy
- Trade
- National Security
- Investigation: Bombing for Peace, Part 1
- Investigation: Bombing for Peace, Part 2
- Economic Policy
- The Federal Budget
- Monetary Policy
- Americans Are Divided over the Scope of Government
- Conclusion
- State and Local Government
- Introduction
- Political Culture Varies Among the States
- Engagement and Public Policy
- Investigation: These Divided States, Part 1
- Investigation: These Divided States, Part 2
- State Constitutions Vary in Length
- The Long and Short of It: State Constitutions
- Amending State Constitutions
- States Manage from the Middle
- Issues of Funding
- Investigation: Managing Guns in America, Part 1
- Investigation: Managing Guns in America, Part 2
- Government Interaction Occurs Locally
- State and Local Politics at Work
- Conclusion
Interactive content
Study questions
Multiple-choice questions on each page guide students to critical information by providing immediate feedback. These low-risk opportunities allow students to reset answers to try again or to study for tests.
Investigations
Investigations incorporate videos, journal articles, infographics, audio clips, simulations, and primary sources to help students explore key concepts in greater depth.
Response boards
Students engage each other through discussion boards that allow them to see the responses of their peers only after they’ve posted their own comment.
Polls
Polls allow students to share their opinions and then view a live pie chart displaying the responses of all class members.
Study tools
Webtext Reader app
Students can access materials and complete assignments offline with our mobile app available for iOS and Android.
Reading tools
Reading tools allow students to click on vocabulary terms for definitions and mark up their own webtext by highlighting and adding notes in the margins.
Read to Me
Our text-to-speech feature instantly creates an audio version of the webtext page to extend the reach of online content.
My Progress
Students can keep track of their own work inside My Progress, which records their scores, time spent, and completion.
The following materials are available for this course:
- test bank
- lecture slides
Thank you for your submission.
Authors
Jocelyn Evans, PhD
University of West Florida
Kristy Michaud, PhD
California State University–Northridge
Investigation Contributors
Jennie Linder Cunningham, MA
Texas A&M University–Kingsville
Jocelyn Evans, PhD
University of West Florida
Lilly Goren, PhD
Carroll University
Jessica Hayden, PhD
Western Carolina University
Kristy Michaud, PhD
California State University–Northridge
Cynthia Newton, PhD
Wesley College
Tressa Tabares, PhD
American River College
Advisors
Janet Box-Steffensmeier, PhD
Ohio State University
Lilly Goren, PhD
Carroll University
Jessica Hayden, PhD
Western Carolina University
Erin Richards
Cascadia Community College
Cammy Shay, PhD
Houston Community College
Sherri L. Wallace, PhD
University of Louisville
Peer Reviewers
Jean-Marc Akakpo
Kennesaw State University
Scott Buchanan, PhD
The Citadel
Michelle Buehlmann, PhD
Northern Virginia Community College
Toney Carey, Jr., PhD
University of North Texas
Larry Carter, PhD
University of Texas-Arlington
Carl D. Cavalli, PhD
North Georgia College
Linda C. Davis, MA
Hillsborough Community College
Matthew DeSantis, PhD
Guilford Technical Community College
Gregory Domin, PhD
Columbus State University
Michael Evans, PhD
Georgia State University
Bailey R. Fairbanks
Georgia State University
Anna McCaghren Fleming
Georgia State University
David Hill, PhD
Stetson University
Parakh Hoon, PhD
South Puget Sound Community College
Gary Johnson, PhD
Weber State University
Joseph Jozwiak, PhD
Texas A&M University—Corpus Christi
William Kelly, PhD
Auburn University
Marvin King, PhD
University of Mississippi
Robert J. King, PhD
Georgia Perimeter College
Glen Krutz, PhD
University of Oklahoma
Julie Lester, PhD
Macon State College
Christie Maloyed, PhD
University of Nebraska–Kearney
Benjamin Melusky, MA
University of Pittsburgh
Sara Moats, PhD
West Virginia University
Dwight Mullen, PhD
University of North Carolina—Asheville (ret.)
Cynthia Newton, PhD
Wesley College
Sandra Popiden, PhD
Bridgewater State College
Amanda Rosen, PhD
Webster University
Mikhail Rybalko, PhD
Texas Tech University
Joanna Sabo, PhD
Monroe County Community College
Lauren R. Santoro, PhD
Ohio State University
Mayia Shulga, PhD
Lone Star College
Tressa Tabares, PhD
American River College
Christopher Witt, PhD
Augustana College
Shawn Williams, PhD
Campbellsville University
David Woodard, PhD
Clemson University
Publisher
Mary Jane Lindrum
Executive Editor
Jenny Westrick
Creative Director
Zara Elizabeth Crockett
Senior Instruction & Content Specialist
Autumn McGimsey
Lead Learning Designer
Lindsy Pietroski
Assessment Specialist
Laura Aitcheson
Assessment Writer
Rebekah Krahe
Production Editor & Coordinator
Georgia Mason
Production Editors
John Alfieri
Stephen Clark
Rachel Garzarelli
Marquita Jones
Natalie Welch
Assistant Production Editor
Erin Griffin Collum
Photo Research & Permissions
Zara Elizabeth Crockett
Illustrations
Macks Lazo
User Interface Design
Sam Korthof
Clint McFarlin