American Government

Praise for American Government: Political Development and Institutional Change

The textbook, American Government: Political Development and Institutional Change, by Cal Jillson, provides students with a comprehensive study of the origins, politics, and institutions of the American political system. The inclusion of questions embedded in the chapter, definitions in text boxes, and thoughtful exercises are instructional tools to help guide students through each of the chapters. I highly recommend this textbook because it gives a nuanced and unbiased look at government allowing students to develop their own ideas, views, and opinions.
Michelle Belco, University of Houston

What sets Jillson's text apart from other American government books, is how it connects the compromises that shaped the creation of American institutions to their historical evolution and how they confront twenty-first century challenges. The text helps students understand and critically engage important debates, from the proliferation of fake news to mass protests fighting discrimination, potential government reforms, and the historic nature of a national election amid a global pandemic.
Stephen C. Phillips, Clemson University

A book that connects the political challenges of today to the political conflicts of the past.
Jonathan Chausovsky, SUNY Fredonia

This text is accessible and well-written with a nice amount of historical/institutional background. It does a very good job of offering students a sense of why we do things one way rather than another in historical terms. I think the author's clear writing is one of the text's most attractive features.
Thomas Hoffman, Spring Hill College

Clear, comprehensive, and concise, this is no doubt the best American government text on the market today.
Christopher Malone, Lehman College