- Published
- November 2025
- Page Count
- 504
- ISBN (Digital)
- 979-8-88794-549-1
This Land Is Your Land : Introduction to American Government and Politics
Version 3.0
By Martin Saiz and Jennifer L. De Maio
Included Supplements
Homework
Manual
Slides
Tests
Key Features
- Views the American political system through the lens of self-interest integrated with the full range of influences, including institutions, history, and culture, for a more well-rounded understanding
- Written with a bottom-up or “individual-up” view of the American political system, starting with voting and ending with the three major institutions of Congress, the Presidency, and the Judiciary
- Presents the overall legal framework of the American political system, that follow from the fundamental elements of the Constitution
- Chapters on political parties, interest groups, and the media illuminate how these institutions connect citizens and their representatives, making civic participation more cost effective
- Strong coverage of judicial selection and the role of state courts
- Chapters on domestic and foreign policy provide insights into how the government accomplishes its goals at home and abroad
- Supportive learning structure includes end-of-chapter features that review main points, encourage critical reflection, and challenge readers to imagine how the American political system could become more democratic
- Chapter Objectives
- Introduction
- Over 55 embedded hyperlinks to streaming videos enrich hybrid and online courses, engage students, and reinforce or augment many of the presented topics
- Chapter Summary
- What Can I Do? features suggest practical ways in which students can make a difference in their communities or influence the political system
- What’s the Alternative? features provide thought-provoking insights into how our political system might be differently structured to become more democratic
- Customizable
Students
- Online Access Price
- $33.95 ($44.50 CAD)
- Color Printed Textbook with Online Access Price
- $60.95 ($78.25 CAD)
This Land Is Your Land: Introduction to American Government and Politics is suitable for United States Government and Politics or American Government and Politics courses at the undergraduate level at two- and four-year colleges and universities.
This Land Is Your Land: Introduction to American Government and Politics appeals to a wide range of students, both non-majors and majors, from across the political spectrum. This text covers the full range of topics included in introductory and survey courses on American government and politics. By concisely exploring the historical context, it sets the stage for a richer understanding of how today’s political system functions and institutions are evolving. The authors do not advance a certain agenda about how students should participate in the political system, rather, readers are encouraged to explore and understand different levels of active citizenship so they may choose the path that is right for themselves.
New in This Version
Overall: Updated statistics and data, new court cases, and refreshed links to streaming videos
By Chapter
Chapter 3: Federalism: Two Governments Governing the Same Area
- New chapter introduction on reproductive rights
- New chapter objective
- New links added for Supreme Court cases mentioned in text
- Expanded "Moving Some Power Back to the States" subsection (Section 3.3)
- Replaced Figure 3.3, Cooperative Federalism
- New/updated examples in "Policy Effects" (Section 3.4)
- New/updated example in "Cutthroat Competition" (Section 3.4)
Chapter 4: Civil Liberties: Necessary for Democracy to Exist
- New introduction focusing on the 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis Supreme Court case
- Updated Table 4.1, Murder Rates in Countries with Restrictions on Gun Ownership
- Updated school and mass shooting information
- New Figure 4.3, Views on Abortion, 1995–2024
- New discussion of Dobbs v. Jackson (Section 4.6)
Chapter 5: Civil Rights: Necessary for Equal Treatment
- Affirmative action discussion updated to reflect latest Supreme Court rulings (Section 5.2)
- Updated figures on racial and gender representation in government offices (Section 5.3)
- Updated discussion of Latine and civil rights (Section 5.4)
- Updated discussion of LGBTQ+ and civil rights (Section 5.5)
- Updated Figure 5.3, Women's Political Empowerment Index, 2024
Chapter 6: Public Opinion: Even the Busiest American Has One
- New chapter introduction on the “Big Lie”
- Updated definitions and names of generations used in public opinion research (Section 6.3)
- Updated or new Figures 6.1, 6.2, and 6.3
- Updated political attitudes on major demographic, racial, religious, geographic, and socioeconomic groups (Sections 6.2–6.5)
- Updated changes related to partisan identification and ideology
Chapter 7: Citizen Participation and Voting: America Checks the Fluids
- New introduction with campaign ad video links
- Updated or new Figures 7.1, 7.2, 7.5, 7.6, 7.7, and 7.8
- Revised/updated discussion of the Electoral College (Section 7.3)
- Discussion of rational voting condensed (Section 7.4)
- Expanded discussion of political polarization (Section 7.5) with new Figures 7.6 and 7.7
- Updated discussion of partisan identification and loyalty (Section 7.5)
Chapter 8: Political Parties: Making Politics Cost Effective
- Updated discussion of major demographic, racial, religious, geographic, and socioeconomic groups and partisan identifications changes
- Updated or new Figures 8.1, 8.2, and 8.3
- Updated Table 8.1, Percentage of the Two-Party Vote for President by Party Since 1872
- Updated Table 8.2, Percentage of the Two-Party Vote in House of Representatives Since 1940
- Updated Table 8.3, Selected Comparison of Democratic and Republican Platforms
- Updated discussion of changes in party control of Congress and the Presidency (Section 8.5)
- Updated discussion of “The Case for Radicalization” (Section 8.6)
- Updated discussion of “Today’s Parties” (Section 8.7)
Chapter 9: Interest Groups: Effective Participation with an Upper-Class Bias
- New chapter introduction on the AARP
- New Table 9.1, Groups Organized for Representation in Washington
- New Figure 9.1, Spending on Lobbying by Sector, 2024
Chapter 10: Media: Biased or a Business?
- New introduction focusing on the media and (mis)information about Haitian immigrants in the 2024 presidential election
- Updated Figures 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, and 10.4
- Updated discussion of digital media to include latest figures and discussion of President Trump’s use of social media platforms to communicate policy decisions
- Updated discussion of “Media and Elections” to reflect the role played by media in the most recent elections (Section 10.5)
Chapter 11: The U.S. Congress: We Love Our Representative, but Not the Institution
- Updated or new Figures 11.1, 11.3, 11.4, 11.8, 11.12, and 11.13
- Updated discussion of major demographic, racial, religious, and socioeconomic changes in the 119th Congress (Section 11.3)
Chapter 12: The President: Hoping for a Hero
- New chapter introduction on the return of Donald Trump
- Updated or new Figures 12.1, 12.2, and 12.3
Chapter 13: Bureaucracy: Who Is Really Doing the Work?
- New introduction focusing on the bureaucratic challenges during COVID-19
- New discussions of changes to the federal bureaucracy introduced by President Trump, including the establishment of DOGE (Section 13.2)
- Updated Figures 13.2 and 13.4
Chapter 14: The Federal Courts: Unelected but Powerful
- Dobbs v. Jackson integrated throughout
- Updated Figure 14.1, Appeals Court Cases Filed
- Updated to reflect current composition of the Supreme Court (Section 14.5)
Chapter 15: Domestic Policy: Taking Care of Things at Home
- New discussion of 1992 military intervention of Somalia as example of media agenda setting (Section 15.1)
- Updated or new Figures 15.2, 15.3, 15.4, and 15.5
- Updated discussion of U.S. tax rates versus OECD countries (Section 15.3)
Chapter 16: Foreign Policy: Engaging in the Global Community
- Updated Table 16.1, Global Nuclear Warheads Inventories, 2025
- Updated discussion of debates around free trade, protectionism, and tariffs
- Updated or new Figures 16.4, 16.5, and 16.6
- About the Authors
- Acknowledgments
- Preface
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Chapter 1: Introduction: Principles of American Government and Politics
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Chapter 2: The Founding and the Constitution: Creating a Nation
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Chapter 3: Federalism: Two Governments Governing the Same Area
-
Chapter 4: Civil Liberties: Necessary for Democracy to Exist
-
Chapter 5: Civil Rights: Necessary for Equal Treatment
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Chapter 6: Public Opinion: Even the Busiest American Has One
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Chapter 7: Citizen Participation and Voting: America Checks the Fluids
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Chapter 8: Political Parties: Making Politics Cost Effective
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Chapter 9: Interest Groups: Effective Participation with an Upper-Class Bias
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Chapter 10: Media: Biased or a Business?
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Chapter 11: The U.S. Congress: We Love Our Representative, but Not the Institution
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Chapter 12: The President: Hoping for a Hero
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Chapter 13: Bureaucracy: Who Is Really Doing the Work?
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Chapter 14: The Federal Courts: Unelected but Powerful
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Chapter 15: Domestic Policy: Taking Care of Things at Home
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Chapter 16: Foreign Policy: Engaging in the Global Community
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Appendix A: The Constitution of the United States
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Appendix B: Federalist Paper No. 10
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