What are the powers and duties of the President? How did the Executive Branch begin? What does the Cabinet do? Answers to those questions and more are revealed through interesting and informative activities that help students understand how their government works.

How are the rules made? What is Congress' role? What are the differences between the two Houses? Students discover the answers as they participate in challenging activities, simulate a mock Congress and examine historical documents.

What is the function of the Supreme Court? Why is the Bill of Rights so important? What are your personal rights? Explores the crucial role played by the Judicial Branch with fascinating facts, research activities on Supreme Court cases, a map exercise and more.

The U.S. Constitution traces the complicated evolution of our nation's most important document. From its roots in English political history through the Magna Carta and the writings of John Locke to early colonial treaties such as the Mayflower Compact and the Articles of Confederation, this volume vividly documents the challenges and difficulties in securing the "blessings of liberty." Challenging review questions encourage meaningful reflection and historical analysis. Tests, answer key, bibliography, and bonus timeline included.

"The U.S. Presidency" traces the complicated evolution of the American presidency from 1789 to the present. From George Washington to George W. Bush, the distinct legacies and unique contributions of all 43 American presidents are discussed. Using a biographical format, special emphasis is given to the powerful convergence of personality and circumstance which transformed the office of our nation's chief executive into the most prominent and influential political office in the world. Challenging review questions encourage meaningful reflection and historical analysis. Tests, answer key, and bibliography included.

"The Age of Napoleon" (1789—1815) covers the tumultuous years of the French Revolution and the rise and fall of Napoleon Bonaparte. Special emphasis is given to the class struggles of 18th-century France which led to unprecedented social and political unrest. From the storming of the Bastille to the capture and execution of Louis XVI, this volume vividly documents the dramatic events and key historical figures which shaped the course of this most volatile period of France's history. Challenging map exercises and provocative review questions encourage meaningful reflection and historical analysis. Tests and answer keys included.

“The Revolutionary War” provides a detailed overview of the American battle for independence and the forging of a nation. From the earliest skirmishes at Lexington and Concord to the decisive victory at Yorktown, to the writing of the Constitution and the struggles of early national America, this book tracks both the logistical and intellectual dimensions of the "revolution," which, as John Adams said, took place "in the hearts and minds of Americans . . . before a single drop of blood was shed." As much as it vividly documents the particulars of battle, it is the dizzying aftermath of the war and the complexities of fulfilling the "idea" of America that form the impressive substance of this book. Also discussed are the social, cultural, and artistic advances of the post-Revolutionary period, including women's suffrage and the beginning of public education, with special emphasis given to the "American Renaissance" and the rising of distinctly American literature.

The monument to the 54th Massachusetts Regiment is a bronze bas-relief by the well-known and celebrated sculptor, Augustus Saint-Gaudens. The story it tells is perhaps less well-known and celebrated, but is one of the significant events of the Civil War. Colonel Robert Shaw's troops were the first African American volunteer regiment to enlist in the Union Army. The original text of the Emancipation Proclamation, biographical information and a discussion of the Battle of Fort Wagner provide context for a variety of learning activities.

This book examines not only the rather lengthy story of Lincoln's memorial, but also the man and his presidency. Always first or second on historians' lists of Greatest U.S. Presidents, Lincoln is an admirable study. From his poor, frontier childhood; to becoming the proud and powerful man who led a nation through a terrible war, wrote two of the most famous speeches in U.S. history and the Emancipation Proclamation- there is much to be learned.

The Constitution introduces students to the Preamble, the Articles of the Constitution, and the Amendments that followed. The activities will help students explore why the Constitution was needed in the first place and what arguments and compromises were made in order to make it happen. Students will meet the signers of the document and learn about the process they went through to draft the final version. Activites include games, interpreting political cartoons, vocabulary, constructing a time line and government tree.