A journey through the inner workings of the U.S. government. From what it means to be American to the mechanics of lawmaking and elections, each slim volume covers a lot of ground. A nice mix of contemporary and archival photos accompany the text. Complex issues are simplified in a way that is easily understandable for the audience. The section “Straight to the Source” uses excerpts from primary source documents (e.g., Washington’s farewell address, Louis Brandeis’s “Right to Privacy”) to introduce discussion points. Numerous writing prompts and activities are judiciously interspersed throughout. A “Stop and Think” section also provides critical thinking exercises. A current and visually appealing guide to U.S. government with applicable activities useful to Common Core curriculums.