Features
Making a Difference: The Freedom Theme
- The freedom theme motivates students by showing them that freedom, a birthright for some Americans, has been a distant dream for others. The main thread through the chronological chapter organization, the freedom theme, deepens students' perspective on events by showing their connections over time.
- The freedom theme integrates social and political history in the text by following changes in the meanings and boundaries of American freedom. By highlighting the struggles of social groups—especially those of women, working people, African-Americans, and other minorities—to enlarge the boundaries of freedom and gain access to its benefits, the freedom theme masterfully unifies social and political history.
- The freedom theme is relevant to the lives of students today as we search for a balance between the demands of security and the freedoms we seek to preserve. This tension is not new, and Eric Foner discusses similar struggles throughout American history, from the Alien and Sedition Acts in the 1790s to the present.
Making a Difference: Student Success
Review material has been expanded and strengthened with:
- Chapter outlines and chronologies at the beginning of every chapter
- Focus questions that recur in the running heads to keep students aware of the big questions as they read.
- Review pages listing questions, a table of major events, and a list of key terms.
- StudySpace student Web site with additional review materials and primary sources online.
A helpful six-part structure divides the book, with each part opening with a substantive introduction to the major themes. In addition, the Second Edition has more section heads throughout, breaking up the discussions more effectively for students.
Voices of Freedom primary source excerpts have been expanded, and now include headnotes and critical questions, allowing students to compare and contrast these paired texts.
Eric Foner's use of quotations and personal stories at the beginning of chapters draws students in.These chapter-opening vignettes incorporate short narratives on a person or event that is emblematic of the chapter.
More than 700 engaging illustrations appear in the book, many of them appearing for the first time in a textbook, along with over 100 captioned maps, many full-page. A new trim size makes for a more efficient presentation of illustrations, maps, and tables.