American Civilization An Introduction

This hugely successful text provides students of American studies with the perfect background and introductory information on contemporary American life. Thoroughly revised, this fifth edition covers all the central dimensions of American society from geography and the environment, government and politics, to religion, education, media and the arts. American Civilization: covers all core American studies topics at introductory level contains essential historical background for American studies students at the start of the twenty-first century analyzes gender, class and race, and America's cosmopolitan population contains photos, case studies, questions and terms for discussion, and suggests websites for further research. With new illustrations and case studies, this edition of American Civilization includes expanded sections on Asian and Latino minorities and US foreign policy activities, and provides new material including coverage of the 2008 election and the shifting economic situation. An invaluable online resource, the American Civilization companion website features a wealth of material, including extensive references for further reading, links to key primary sources, filmographies and advice to students of how to approach essay questions. Visit www.routledge.com/textbooks/9780415481625 to discover more.

List of Plates. List of Figures. List of Tables. Preface and Acknowledgements. Chronology of Significant Dates in American History 1. The American Context 2. The Country 3. The People: Settlement and Immigration 4. The People: Women and Minorities 5. Political Institutions: The Federal Government 6. Political Institutions: Local Government 7. Foreign Policy 8. The Legal System 9. The Economy 10. Social Services 11. Education 12. The Media 13. Religion 14. The Arts, Sports and Leisure. Further Reading. Websites. Appendix: Declaration of Independence in Congress, 4th July 1776. The Constitution of the United States of America and Amendments. Index

David Mauk is Senior Lecturer in North American Area Studies at the University of Oslo and is also the author of The Colony that Rose from the Sea: Norwegian Maritime Migration and Community in Brooklyn. John Oakland is the author of British Civilization (now in its 6th edition), Contemporary Britain, and British Civilization: A Student's Dictionary. He is a former Senior Lecturer in English at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.