The Essentials version of GATEWAYS TO DEMOCRACY introduces the American political system to students, pointing out in each chapter the “gateways” that facilitate, or at times block, participation. In emphasizing how the political system works-and how individuals and groups have opened gates to influence public policy-the text helps students see the relevance of government in their lives. The third edition provides coverage of the 2014 midterm elections as well as enhanced discussion of the politics, policies, and issues affecting Latinos in the United States.

NEW! MindTap – Cengage Learning’s fully online learning solution – is automatically included with the purchase of the print text with this edition. MindTap combines student learning tools - readings, multimedia, activities and assessments - into a singular Learning Path. Through assignable, gradable activities written to learning outcomes, it provides students with ample opportunities to check for understanding, while also providing faculty and students with a clear way measure and assess progress.

Faculty can use MindTap as a turnkey solution or easily customize by adding up to the minute news stories, YouTube videos, RSS feeds, or their own documents directly within it. With MindTap, it’s refreshingly simple to keep American Government course materials current, relatable, and engaging. Students will also appreciate that with MindTap everything is in one place – the eBook, activities, flashcards, quizzes, dictionary, and more – making study time more efficient.

The print text, now significantly more affordable than previous editions, directs students to activities within MindTap. MindTap can also be purchased on its own if a student prefers to study completely online. The choice is theirs.

To learn how easy –and beneficial - it is to start using MindTap in your courses, visit Cengage.com/mindtap.

Introduction.
1. Gateways to American Democracy. 
Part I: BUILDING A SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT.  
2. The Constitution. 
3. Federalism. 
4. Civil Liberties. 
5. Civil Rights. 
Part II: CITIZEN GATEWAYS IN A DEMOCRACY.  
6. Public Opinion and the Media.
7. Interest Groups. 
8. Political Parties. 
9. Elections, Campaigns, and Voting. 
Part III: THE INSTITUTIONS OF AMERICAN GOVERNMENT.  
10. Congress. 
11. The Presidency. 
12. The Bureaucracy. 
13. The Judiciary.
Conclusion.
14. Economic, Domestic, and Foreign Policy.

The Essentials version of GATEWAYS TO DEMOCRACY introduces the American political system to students, pointing out in each chapter the “gateways” that facilitate, or at times block, participation. In emphasizing how the political system works-and how individuals and groups have opened gates to influence public policy-the text helps students see the relevance of government in their lives. The third edition provides coverage of the 2014 midterm elections as well as enhanced discussion of the politics, policies, and issues affecting Latinos in the United States. NEW! MindTap – Cengage Learning’s fully online learning solution – is automatically included with the purchase of the print text with this edition. MindTap combines student learning tools - readings, multimedia, activities and assessments - into a singular Learning Path. Through assignable, gradable activities written to learning outcomes, it provides students with ample opportunities to check for understanding, while also providing faculty and students with a clear way measure and assess progress. Faculty can use MindTap as a turnkey solution or easily customize by adding up to the minute news stories, YouTube videos, RSS feeds, or their own documents directly within it. With MindTap, it’s refreshingly simple to keep American Government course materials current, relatable, and engaging. Students will also appreciate that with MindTap everything is in one place – the eBook, activities, flashcards, quizzes, dictionary, and more – making study time more efficient. The print text, now significantly more affordable than previous editions, directs students to activities within MindTap. MindTap can also be purchased on its own if a student prefers to study completely online. The choice is theirs. To learn how easy –and beneficial - it is to start using MindTap in your courses, visit Cengage.com/mindtap. A new coauthor, Richard Herrera from Arizona State University, has assisted with adding new coverage about the politics, policies, and issues affecting Latinos in the United States. A new chapter on economic, domestic, and foreign policy (Chapter 14) explores the issues related to these topics and dissects real-world examples that illustrate how public policy is made. The book's public policy sections, which appear in each chapter and illustrate the role of the chapter topic in the formation or implementation of public policy, have been revised and updated to focus on issues within the range of domestic, economic, or foreign policy. Updated throughout, this edition includes the 2014 election coverage and presents an in-depth look at emerging issues such as same-sex marriage laws, the legalization of marijuana, and the impact of partisanship on Congress. Updated graphs, tables, and figures show recent political trends among the millennial generation. To promote student engagement, chapter-opening paragraphs spotlight college students or college graduates who have used a gateway in the democratic system to effect change. Subjects come from a variety of backgrounds. Examples include activist Gus Garcia, who argued the Hernandez v. Texas case (the Constitution chapter); political analyst Nate Silver from fivethirtyeight.com (the public opinion chapter); and Supreme Court justice Sonia Sotomayor (the judiciary chapter). Policy coverage appears in a section in each chapter and in a standalone chapter at the end of the book, allowing instructors to focus on policy as much or as little as they wish. Each chapter highlights a domestic, economic, or foreign policy issue related to the chapter subject. Students learn how such policies as minimum wage or fracking are a product of the policy-making process, and how that process can serve as a gateway to citizen participation. “Construct Your Own Policy” exercises ask students to consider how they would use what they've learned to affect policy-making. Most chapters feature a Supreme Court case to illustrate the constitutional and legal context in which American democracy has evolved. Critical-thinking questions at the end of the feature tie the case to the chapter's content and the book's themes of gateways, responsiveness, and equality. Questions in the text's margins and interpretive questions at the end of each chapter ask students to summarize and apply what they have learned about American democracy and evaluate our democratic system in terms of responsiveness and equality. These features sharpen students' analytical skills and encourage them to begin evaluating the success of the American system.