Explains how the government works and the functions of its many parts, covering such topics as the system of checks and balances, the Constitution, and the division of state and federal powers.

Accessible, authoritative, and entertaining in the signature style of theComplete Idiot'sGuide® series, The Complete Idiot's Guide® to U.S. Government and Politicsprovides a wonderful foundation of knowledge about the way our country's system of government works. Understanding how our government functions and the political forces that influence it is vital for all Americans. At the high school level, U.S. government, the class formerly called civics, has evolved to become a focus of the Advanced Placement test. In 2007, the AP U.S. government and politics exam was the most widely taken test among high school students on a college track, with over 333,562 students sitting for the 3.5-hour exam. Several strictly test prep books help students prepare for this exam. However, they're limited to the key points covered by the exam and don't afford much information outside the strict curriculum. The Complete Idiot's Guide® to U.S. Government and Politics gives the reader much more. As a comprehensive overview and history of the subject, this book is designed to help anyone interested in learning about our government and the origins of its complex inner workings, our political system, and key elements that have affected our growth as a nation-all while serving as a the best supplementary reading a student can get to help them prepare for the AP exam.

This book is a comprehensive overview of the history and culture of the peoples who are now known as the First Americans. Author Walter C. Fleming covers the many different tribes that stretched from the Atlantic to the Pacific, including compelling biographies of their greatest leaders. He examines the beliefs, customs, legends and the myriad contributions Native Americans have given to modern society, and details the often tragic history of their conquest by European invaders, their treatment-both historical and recent-under the U.S. government, and the harsh reality of life on today's reservations.

Looks at American authors from Washington Irving to John Updike and provides brief biographical sketches, excerpts and summaries of major works, and explanations of major literary movements

The ultimate look at our ultimate court. The Supreme Court is the highest court in America and the ultimate authority in constitutional interpretation. The Complete Idiot's Guide(r) to the Supreme Court presents an easy-to-understand, informative, and even entertaining look at this fascinating institution, whose decisions affect our lives. This book will focus in depth on: € The inner workings of the Supreme Court € Landmark cases that continue to shape our lives (Roe v. Wade, Miranda v. Arizona, Brown v. Board of Education) € Discussion of the latest controversial appointee, capital punishment, racial-preference cases, abortion rights, and more

The good, the bad, and the ugly behind the NWO The "New World Order" (NWO) is a conspiracy theory describing the evolution, or existence of one-world government administered by the powerful elite. Now Alan Axelrod offers an understandable look at what the NWO really means to people and lets the reader decide which theories are correct- or whether perhaps it's a little bit of every proposed theory. He discusses: • The Knights of Templar, the Illuminati, the Masons, ancient and modern-day religionists and how they paved the way for a possible Fourth Reich • The link between the lost island of Atlantis, Hitler, and the first President Bush with the concept of a future one-world government • The United Nations, Yale University's Skull and Bones society, the Rockefellers, Morgans, Rothschilds, and Kennedys

Details the career path, presidential policies, key events, trivial facts, and historical impact of each president from George Washington to Bill Clinton.