This popular brief text for the one-semester or one-quarter American Government course maintains the framework of the Wilson, DiIulio, Bose, and Levendusky comprehensive text, emphasizing the historical development of the American political system, who governs, and to what ends. The 13th edition of AMERICAN GOVERNMENT: INSTITUTIONS AND POLICIES, BRIEF VERSION, offers coverage of the 2014 and 2016 campaigns and elections; budget battles and the sequestration of funds; ongoing debates about immigration, gay marriage, and other key issues in American politics; and foreign-policy decisions on Afghanistan, the Middle East, and North Korea. We have also reworked each chapter to focus on a clear set of learning objectives to guide students through the material.

1. The Study of American Government.
2. The Constitution.
3. Federalism.
4. Civil Liberties.
5. Civil Rights.
6. Public Opinion and the Media.
7. Political Parties and Interest Groups.
8. Elections and Campaigns.
9. Congress.
10. The Presidency.
11. The Bureaucracy.
12. The Judiciary.
13. Domestic Policy.
14. Foreign and Military Policy.
15. American Democracy, Then and Now.

This popular brief text for the one-semester or one-quarter American Government course maintains the framework of the Wilson, DiIulio, Bose, and Levendusky comprehensive text, emphasizing the historical development of the American political system, who governs, and to what ends. The 13th edition of AMERICAN GOVERNMENT: INSTITUTIONS AND POLICIES, BRIEF VERSION, offers coverage of the 2014 and 2016 campaigns and elections; budget battles and the sequestration of funds; ongoing debates about immigration, gay marriage, and other key issues in American politics; and foreign-policy decisions on Afghanistan, the Middle East, and North Korea. We have also reworked each chapter to focus on a clear set of learning objectives to guide students through the material. The book's Learning Objective questions, which open and close each chapter, have been revised to more effectively serve as a road map to the book's key concepts and to better help students assess their understanding. This concise, affordable text covers the essential concepts of American government and is known for its outstanding scholarship, strong historical coverage, and focus on institutions and policy. The text is streamlined to focus on the core essentials of American government. It summarizes policymaking in two chapters (domestic policy, chapter 13, and foreign policy, chapter 14) that are designed to encourage further student reading. Students learn to think critically and synthesize the material through the text's chapter-opening Learning Objectives, which are framed as questions and reviewed at the end of each chapter, and through a conversational narrative that expands on the classic issues of democracy. The "Constitutional Connections" feature in each chapter raise analytical issues from the constitutional debates that remain relevant today, prompting students to think about topics they'll encounter as essay questions on their exams—and as citizens. The "How We Compare" features show how other nations around the world structure their governments and policies in relation to the U.S. and ask students to think about the results of these differences. The "Landmark Cases" feature highlight the most important court cases and provide brief overviews of their decisions. Numerous colorful figures, tables, and photographs engage students and bring concepts to life, while end-of-chapter "Online Resources" and "Suggested Readings" point students toward further application and enrichment.