"The main strength of this book is that it presents a ‘human’ side to American Government that challenges students to think critically while still presenting the ‘teaching’ side with objectives, self-tests, and chapter reviews." —Kathleen Barrett, University of West Georgia In the Second Edition of American Government, Essentials Edition, author Scott F. Abernathy tunes in to the voices of all Americans, showing how our diverse ideas shape the way we participate and behave, the laws we live by, and the challenges we face. From the Constitutional Convention to Ferguson, Missouri, each chapter features rich, personal narratives that illustrate how the American political system is the product of strategies, calculations, and miscalculations of countless individuals. It focuses on real people, the actions they take, the struggles they face, and how their choices influence outcomes. The key concepts are memorable because they are tied to real politics, where students see political action and political choices shaping how institutions advance or impede the fulfillment of fundamental ideas. Participation is at the heart of this groundbreaking new text, with ample background on how and why to participate. Not only will all students see themselves reflected in the pages, but they will come to understand that they, too, are strategic players in American politics, with voices that matter. American Government, Essentials Edition, is identical to the full version of the text, minus the three policy chapters. A Complete Teaching and Learning Package SAGE Vantage Digital Option Engage, Learn, Soar with SAGE Vantage, an intuitive digital platform that delivers American Government, Essentials Second Edition textbook content in a learning experience carefully designed to ignite student engagement and drive critical thinking. Built with you and your students in mind, it offers easy course set-up and enables students to better prepare for class. Learn more. Assignable Video Assignable Video (available on the SAGE Vantage platform) is tied to learning objectives and curated exclusively for this text to bring concepts to life and appeal to different learning styles. Watch a sample video now. SAGE Coursepacks FREE! Easily import our quality instructor and student resources content into your school’s learning management system (LMS) and save time. Learn more. SAGE Edge FREE online resources for students that make learning easier. See how your students benefit. SAGE course outcomes: Measure Results, Track Success Outlined in your text and mapped to chapter learning objectives, SAGE course outcomes are crafted with specific course outcomes in mind and vetted by advisors in the field. See how SAGE course outcomes tie in with this book’s chapter-level objectives at edge.sagepub.com/abernathy2e. CQ Press Lecture Spark Designed to save you time and ignite student engagement, these free weekly lecture launchers focus on current event topics tied to key concepts in American government. Access this week’s topic. Free poster: What can you do with a Political Science degree? Download a poster that you can print to hang in your classroom, email to colleagues, or share on social media. Looking for the AP® Edition? Learn more about the brief text specifically tailored for the new AP® framework and exam. Contact your rep to learn more.