American Government is designed to meet the scope and sequence requirements of the single-semester American government course. This title includes innovative features designed to enhance student learning, including Insider Perspective features and a Get Connected Module that shows students how they can get engaged in the political process. The book provides an important opportunity for students to learn the core concepts of American government and understand how those concepts apply to their lives and the world around them. American Government includes updated information on the 2016 presidential election.Senior Contributing AuthorsGlen Krutz (Content Lead), University of OklahomaSylvie Waskiewicz, PhD (Lead Editor)

The original text of The Virginia Plan presented at the Constitutional Convention. Discusses federal versus consolidated government.

The original text of a letter from James Madison to George Washington discussing his ideas for a new national government that were to soon be presented to the Constitutional Convention as the Virginia Plan.

In a nutshell, you can find out the problems the new nation had under the Articles of Confederation and the process resulted in a new constitution.

U.S. History is designed to meet the scope and sequence requirements of most introductory courses. The text provides a balanced approach to U.S. history, considering the people, events, and ideas that have shaped the United States from both the top down (politics, economics, diplomacy) and bottom up (eyewitness accounts, lived experience). U.S. History covers key forces that form the American experience, with particular attention to issues of race, class, and gender.Senior Contributing AuthorsP. Scott Corbett, Ventura CollegeVolker Janssen, California State University, FullertonJohn M. Lund, Keene State CollegeTodd Pfannestiel, Clarion UniversityPaul Vickery, Oral Roberts UniversitySylvie Waskiewicz

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

Identify the central issues of the 1787 Constitutional Convention and their solutions
Describe the conflicts over the ratification of the federal constitution

Read the complete text of the Virginia Plan that proposed a strong central government consisting of three branches. You can also view images of the original drafts.