Democracy and the US Constitution (Debating American History Series) - Softcover

Sipress, Joel M.; Sipress, Series Editors: Joel M.; Voelker, David J.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0190057092 ISBN 13: 9780190057091

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2019

Synopsis

Embracing an argument-based model for teaching history, the Debating American History series encourages students to participate in a contested, evidence-based discourse about the human past. Each book poses a question that historians debate--How democratic was the U.S. Constitution? or Why did civil war erupt in the United States in 1861?--and provides abundant primary sources so that students can make their own efforts at interpreting the evidence. They can then use that analysis to construct answers to the big question that frames the debate and argue in support of their position.

Democracy and the US Constitution poses this big question: How democratic was the U.S. Constitution?

About this title

About the Author:

Joel M. Sipress received his PhD in US History from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is a Professor of History at the University of Wisconsin-Superior, where he teaches US and Latin American History. He serves as coeditor of the Debating American History series with David J. Voelker.

Review:

"The advantage that Debating American History has over other projects and texts currently available is that it brings a very clear and focused organization to the notion of classroom debate. The terms of each debate are clear. The books introduce students to historiography and primary sources. Most of all, the project re-envisions the way that US history should be taught. No other textbook or set of teaching materials does what these books do when taken together as the sum of their parts."--Ian Hartman, University of Alaska

"Debating American History repositions the discipline of history as one that is rooted in discovery, investigation, and interpretation."--Ingrid Dineen-Wimberly, University of California, Santa Barbara

"Debating American History is an excellent replacement for a 'big assignment' in a course. Offering a way to add discussion to a class, it is also a perfect 'active learning' assignment, in a convenient package."--Gene Rhea Tucker, Temple College

"The question 'How democratic was the Constitution?' fits perfectly with my course, which centers on the evolving and contested nature of freedom in US History. Students will enjoy arguing this question and it will be an eye-opener for those who have studied a more traditional version of US history that largely ignores the limited nature of freedom in early America."--Amani Marshall, Georgia State University

"Students will find interesting the 'big' question about the degree to which the US Constitution is a democratic document. Many students will probably be surprised to discover that there is argument over whether or not the Constitution is democratic."--Christian Gonzales, University of Rhode Island

About this edition

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication date: 2019
• ISBN 10: 0190057092
• ISBN 13: 9780190057091
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 144