Society and Values
Historians on AmericaHistorians on America is a series of individual essays that selects specific moments, decisions, and intellectual or legislative or legal developments and explains how they altered the course of U.S. history. The book consists of 11 separate essays by major historians, ranging from The Trial of John Peter Zenger in 1735 to The Immigration Act of 1965.(September 2007) | |
This edition of eJournal USA, "World Youth Building a Future," opens a window on the real life experiences of young people who have left home and family to participate in an international exchange program. Young American adults offer first-person accounts of their discoveries in educational programs abroad, and exchange students from various other countries share their insights about adjusting to life and family customs in the United States. | |
This edition of eJournal USA, "Dynamic English," discusses forces that shape and change everyday English. From cultural and international influences, such as words that come directly, or in a changed form from another language, to popular media, including movies, music and sports, to changes arising from technological developments, the authors present examples of ways English changes daily. Other articles describe the process of language change, and tips for deciphering slang. | |
This issue of eJournal USA analyzes the increasing internationalization of the film industry, both in terms of audiences and filmmaking talent; the rise of a more personal style of independent filmmaking in recent years; the market for foreign-produced films in the United States; and the effects of the Internet and the digital revolution on how movies get made and distributed. Shorter pieces focus on film festivals like Sundance that seed young talent and some film studios' efforts to go green in making movies. | |
Outline of American GeographyConsiders the physical environment of the United States — landforms, climate, soils, and vegetation — in terms of its impact on the country's cultural, regional, and political development. (November 1998) | |
Outline of American HistoryHow the United States has been transformed from its origins as an obscure set of colonies on the Atlantic coast a little more than 200 years ago into what one political analyst terms “the first universal nation.” (March 1999) | |
Outline of American LiteratureFollows the path taken by American literature as it has moved from the pre-colonial days of orally transmitted tales of Native American cultures, through the periods of realism, romanticism, and experimentation, to the prose and poetry of the past 50 years. (November 1998) | |
Outline of the U.S. EconomyExamines how the U.S. economy works and how it has evolved over the past 225 years. Considers forms of business enterprise, the role of financial markets, how government shapes the economy and seeks to manage the pace of economic activity, the agricultural sector and U.S. farm policy, the changing role of labor, and current U.S. policies on trade and international economic affairs. (February 2001) | |
Outline of the U.S. GovernmentWhat makes U.S. government uniquely American...its Constitution, the separation of powers, the concept of “checks and balances,” the decentralized roles of state and local governments, and a citizenry with wide opportunity to be part of it all. (September 2000) | |
Outline of the U.S. Legal SystemThis Outline covers the history and organization of the federal and state judicial systems; the criminal and civil court processes; the background, qualifications, and selection of federal judges; the role of other participants (lawyers, defendants, interest groups) in the judicial process; and the implementation and impact of judicial policies. It is based on the Congressional Quarterly Press' Judicial Process in America, 5th edition, by political science professors Robert A. Carp and Ronald Stidham. (December 2004) | |
Portrait of the USAAn introduction, in words and pictures, to the United States — people, geography, history, government, business, education, science and medicine, religion, social services, the arts, sports and entertainment, and the media. (March 1999) | |
Writers on AmericaPresents 15 essays by a diverse group of contemporary American writers, poets, essayists, and intellectuals, on how being an American has affected their decision to write and what they have written during successful careers. Their meditations illuminate in an interesting way certain American values — freedom, diversity, democracy, in the context of individual development. Frequently, for this group of writers, the sense of home means an immigrant culture, with a parent or grandparent from another land; however, the central concept for many of these authors, no matter what their backgrounds, is "possibility," both in personal and creative terms. (December 2002) | |
This illustrated publication includes the complete text of the U.S. Constitution (preamble, seven articles, and 27 amendments), as well an updated introduction and explanatory notes by J.W. Peltason, author of Understanding the Constitution and Government by the People. The introduction includes sections explaining how the Constitution set up the U.S. federal system, the background to the Constitutional Convention and how the participants arrived at a final version of the document, its ratification, and sections on the call for a Bill of Rights and the need for additional amendments over the years. Dr. Peltason is currently professor of Political Science Emeritus, University of California, Irvine, as well as President Emeritus, University of California. (July 2004) | |
This joint publication of the State Department's ART in Embassies Program and its Bureau of International Information Programs showcases the work of 17 contemporary American artists. All have made their art available in U.S. ambassador's residences in countries around the world. As a group, these up-and-comers exemplify such bedrock American values as innovation, diversity, freedom, individualism, and competitive excellence. (November 2004) | |
A history of the contemporary civil rights movement in the United States, including a chronology of key events, brief biographical information on two centuries of African-American leaders, and excerpts from King's speeches and writings. (November 1998 ) | |
This illustrated publication features biographic information on President Bush, including his early life, schooling and college years, business ventures, entry into politics, and the road to the White House and re-election. Additional biographies cover First Lady Laura Bush, Vice President Richard Cheney, and Lynne Cheney. Other features include a listing of the president's first-term policy priorities, a historical brief on the inaugural process, and photo galleries featuring the president and vice president's global travels and meetings with world leaders and ordinary citizens. (November 2004) | |
An update and revision of the popular series of booklets for students considering higher education in the United States. Click on the title above to view those booklets. Check back in the coming months for the fourth booklet in the series: Getting Ready to Go: Practical Information for Living and Studying in the United States. - Undergraduate Study | |
Muslim Life in AmericaThis pamphlet is a collection of stories, profiles, graphics, and more than 80 photographs that show Muslims living as part of mainstream American life. Features range from an account of how a Muslim community in Massachusetts built its own mosque, to a history of Muslim settlement in the United States, to the story of a popular young rap group that performs songs incorporating Muslim values. (October 2002) |
