James S. Trefil

Eric Donald Hirsch

Joseph F. Kett

Argues that American children are deprived of cultural literacy

What Every American Needs to Know

Cultural Literacy

Defines the people, places, sayings, and ideas representing essential information for literate Americans

The Dictionary of Cultural Literacy

Provides information on ideas concerning people, places, ideas, and events currently under discussion, including gene therapy, NAFTA, pheromones, and Kwanzaa.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy

Paul S. Boyer

Clifford E. Clark, Jr.

This text's clear and engaging narrative balances political, social, and cultural history within a clear chronological framework. The Fifth Edition features a thorough revision of the narrative, a complete redesign of the book, and an enhanced art program. The authors explore the enduring vision of the American people, a vision they describe as "a shared determination to live up to the values that give meaning to America." Each chapter has been revised to incorporate the most up-to-date scholarship, with special emphasis placed on technology and public health: "Technology and Culture" boxed features explore the development of new technologies--such as the invention of indoor plumbing and the birth control pill--and their impact on American culture. -- This edition includes up-to-date scholarship on the experiences of women, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, African Americans, and Native Americans in the United States. -- Chapter 32 presents an integrated narrative and preliminary assessment of recent events from1996 to the present. -- The text features a chapter that consolidates all late-19th century material, examining how industrialization, urbanization, and immigration transformed everyday life, sharpened racial and ethnic divisions, and made Americans more conscious of social class.

A History of the American People

The Enduring Vision

A national bestseller, The Dictionary of Cultural Literacy has been widely acclaimed for identifying and defining the core body of knowledge that no literate American should be without. Now in this newly revised and updated edition, the authors provide a comprehensive look at cultural literacy for the nineties. New entries reflect suggestions from hundreds of readers. The dictionary takes into account the growing consensus over the specifics of multiculturalism, the political and geographic changes in the world, and the new ideas and terms that flow constantly from scientific research and technological development. Twenty-three sections, each alphabetically arranged, cover every major area of knowledge. Within each section, hundreds of individual entries identify ideas, events, and individuals, explaining their significance in our culture and placing them in context. More than 250 maps, charts, and illustrations provide information that cannot be conveyed by words alone. A complete index enables quick reference to any topic. The Dictionary of Cultural Literacy challenges us to find out more about what we know and helps us make sense of what we read, hear, and learn. It is a "must have" book for every home.

Karen Halttunen

Neal Salisbury

Clifford E. Clark

THE ENDURING VISION's engaging narrative integrates political, social, and cultural history within a chronological framework. Known for its focus on the environment and the land, the text is also praised for its innovative coverage of cultural history, public health and medicine, and the West--including Native American history. The eighth edition incorporates new scholarship throughout, includes a variety of new photos, and brings the discussion fully up to date with coverage of the 2012 presidential campaign. Based on the popularity of the Going to the Source feature, which was introduced in the previous edition, additional Going to the Source selections are offered online in the eighth edition. Important Notice: Media content referenced within the product description or the product text may not be available in the ebook version.

The Enduring Vision: A History of the American People, Volume II: Since 1865

The idea that citizens' advancement should depend exclusively on merit, on qualities that deserve reward rather than on bloodlines or wire-pulling, was among the Founding ideals of the American republic, Joseph F. Kett argues in this provocative and engaging book. Merit's history, he contends, is best understood within the context of its often conflicting interaction with the other ideals of the Founding, equal rights and government by consent. Merit implies difference; equality suggests sameness. By sanctioning selection of those lower down by those higher up, merit potentially conflicts with the republican ideal that citizens consent to the decisions that affect their lives. In Merit, which traces the history of its subject over three centuries, Kett asserts that Americans have reconciled merit with other principles of the Founding in ways that have shaped their distinctive approach to the grading of public schools, report cards, the forging of workplace hierarchies, employee rating forms, merit systems in government, the selection of officers for the armed forces, and standardized testing for intelligence, character, and vocational interests. Today, the concept of merit is most commonly associated with measures by which it is quantified. Viewing their merit as an element of their selfhood-essential merit-members of the Founding generation showed no interest in quantitative measurements. Rather, they equated merit with an inner quality that accounted for their achievements and that was best measured by their reputations among their peers. In a republic based on equal rights and consent of the people, however, it became important to establish that merit-based rewards were within the grasp of ordinary Americans. In response, Americans embraced institutional merit in the form of procedures focused on drawing small distinctions among average people. They also developed a penchant for increasing the number of winners in competitions-what Kett calls "selection in" rather than "selection out"-in order to satisfy popular aspirations. Kett argues that values rooted in the Founding of the republic continue to influence Americans' approach to controversies, including those surrounding affirmative action, which involve the ideal of merit.

The History of a Founding Ideal from the American Revolution to the Twenty-First Century

Merit

THE ENDURING VISION's engaging narrative integrates political, social, and cultural history within a chronological framework. Known for its focus on the environment and the land, the text is also praised for its innovative coverage of cultural history, public health and medicine, and the West--including Native American history. The eighth edition incorporates new scholarship throughout, and includes a variety of new photos. Based on the popularity of the Going to the Source feature, which was introduced in the previous edition, additional Going to the Source selections are offered online in the eighth edition. Important Notice: Media content referenced within the product description or the product text may not be available in the ebook version.

The Enduring Vision: A History of the American People, Volume I: To 1877

Sandra Hawley

THE ENDURING VISION, CONCISE EDITION, is an engaging narrative that integrates political, social, and cultural history within a chronological framework. Known for its focus on the environment and the land, the text is also praised for its innovative coverage of cultural history, public health and medicine, and the West--including Native American history. The Seventh Edition brings the work fully up to date, and was carefully revised to create a sharper narrative. Chapters 26 through 29 have been reorganized to consolidate coverage of the Cold War, the civil rights movement, and the Vietnam War, so that each is addressed cohesively. Available in the following split options: THE ENDURING VISION, CONCISE Seventh Edition (Chapters 1-31); Volume 1: To 1877 (Chapters 1-16); Volume 2: From 1865 (Chapters 16-31). Important Notice: Media content referenced within the product description or the product text may not be available in the ebook version.

The Enduring Vision: A History of the American People, Concise

THE ENDURING VISION's engaging narrative integrates political, social, and cultural history within a chronological framework. Known for its focus on the environment and the land, the text is also praised for its innovative coverage of cultural history, public health and medicine, and the West -- including Native American history. The ninth edition incorporates new scholarship throughout, includes a variety of new photos, and brings the discussion fully up to date with coverage of the 2016 presidential campaign. Important Notice: Media content referenced within the product description or the product text may not be available in the ebook version.

The Enduring Vision, Volume II: Since 1865

The Enduring Vision: A History of the American People, Volume II: Since 1865, Concise

THE ENDURING VISION's engaging narrative integrates political, social, and cultural history within a chronological framework. Known for its focus on the environment and the land, the text is also praised for its innovative coverage of cultural history, public health and medicine, and the West--including Native American history. The eighth edition incorporates new scholarship throughout, includes a variety of new photos, and brings the discussion fully up to date with coverage of the 2012 presidential campaign. Based on the popularity of the Going to the Source feature, which was introduced in the previous edition, additional Going to the Source selections are offered online in the eighth edition. Available with InfoTrac Student Collections http://gocengage.com/infotrac. Important Notice: Media content referenced within the product description or the product text may not be available in the ebook version.

The Enduring Vision: A History of the American People

THE ENDURING VISION's engaging narrative integrates political, social, and cultural history within a chronological framework. Known for its focus on the environment and the land, Boyer, et al's text is also praised for its innovative coverage of cultural history, public health and medicine, and the American West -- including Native American history. The ninth edition maintains these strengths while enhancing coverage of women's history and incorporating new scholarship. A thoroughly redesigned last chapter discusses topics such as income inequality and mass incarceration, while bringing the discussion up to date with coverage of the 2016 presidential campaign. The ninth edition also incorporates new features that support learning. Each section begins with a historical question; new conclusions include summaries organized around each of the chapter questions. Available in the following split options: THE ENDURING VISION, 9th Edition Complete, Volume 1: To 1877, and Volume 2: Since 1865. Important Notice: Media content referenced within the product description or the product text may not be available in the ebook version.

Joseph F. Kett

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