Criticizes the way history is presented in current textbooks, and suggests a more accurate approach to teaching American history.

This book tackles the messy details, reclaims disregarded heroes, and sets the record straight. It also explains why July 4th isn't really Independence Day.

Covers the principal events of United States history; lists causes, effects, and other key points; and provides information about the Constitution and the federal government. Original.

If the confusion following the last presidential election is any indication, the average citizen knows precious little about the democratic system and the laws that affect their daily lives. &break;The Everything American Government Book unravels the complexities of our democracy and provides readers with the knowledge necessary to make the right decisions and take an active role in the management of their country. From the roots of American government and the challenges that have helped shape it over the years to its current structure and systems, this thoroughly researched work is ideal for anyone brushing up on civics, as well as students of all ages. Readers learn about: The personalities and events that gave rise to our current system The real significance of the Bill of Rights and the Constitution The functions of each branch of government and how they work together Private sector?s influence on public policy and decision-making Ways to get involved and make a difference Specially designed to inform and empower the average citizen during this critical election year, The Everything American Government Book provides the keys to understanding the ins and outs of the most powerful democracy in the world.

“Nothing short of a masterpiece.” —NPR Books A New York Times Bestseller and a Washington Post Notable Book of the Year In the most ambitious one-volume American history in decades, award-winning historian Jill Lepore offers a magisterial account of the origins and rise of a divided nation. Widely hailed for its “sweeping, sobering account of the American past” (New York Times Book Review), Jill Lepore’s one-volume history of America places truth itself—a devotion to facts, proof, and evidence—at the center of the nation’s history. The American experiment rests on three ideas—“these truths,” Jefferson called them—political equality, natural rights, and the sovereignty of the people. But has the nation, and democracy itself, delivered on that promise? These Truths tells this uniquely American story, beginning in 1492, asking whether the course of events over more than five centuries has proven the nation’s truths, or belied them. To answer that question, Lepore wrestles with the state of American politics, the legacy of slavery, the persistence of inequality, and the nature of technological change. “A nation born in contradiction… will fight, forever, over the meaning of its history,” Lepore writes, but engaging in that struggle by studying the past is part of the work of citizenship. With These Truths, Lepore has produced a book that will shape our view of American history for decades to come.

Starting with the first Viking explorations and continuing to the present day, The Everything American History Book, 2nd Edition takes you on a thrilling tour through history. It's packed with facts and vivid details of events that shaped the United States, including: Wars, battles, and famous generals Outstanding American inventions--from the cotton gin to the Internet Key political figures--presidents, peacekeepers, visionaries And much, much more! The Everything American History Book, 2nd Edition covers all the major incidents and key players--from the Boston Tea Party to 9/11, and Lewis and Clark to Martin Luther King, Jr. This extraordinary retelling makes learning history fun for the whole family.