Politics & government
June 2025
The Basics of American Government
by Carl Cavalli
This edition will be revised after the US election in November 2024. The authors will directly address the results of the election. The Basics of American Government offers a comprehensive overview of the American political system for students taking introductory courses in American national government and combines the best aspects of both a traditional textbook and a reader. The Basics of American Government is a collaborative effort among five current and four former faculty members in the Department of Political Science & International Affairs and the Department of Criminal Justice, and a student contributor, at the University of North Georgia. Most of its chapters offer a piece of original scholarship as a case study bolstering the material in the chapter. Additionally, most chapters present a civic engagement-type exercise and discussion questions that are challenging and engaging, and help foster student participation in the political system. The purpose of this book is to offer a no-frills, low-cost, yet comprehensive overview of the American political system for students taking introductory courses in American national government.
