The unprecedented integration of documents gets students actively doing history. Bedford's unique docutext format — narrative and documents in one text — integrates fresh, high-interest sources directly into each chapter in engaging and productive ways that expose students to the building blocks of historical interpretation and to diverse perspectives. It also allows students to bring just one book to class and provides exceptional value. Each chapter features a Document Project, a collection of 5-6 documents focused on a central theme or topic, such as Women in the Revolutionary War, Civil War Letters, or Affirmative Action. Every project is introduced with a brief overview and followed by "Interpret the Evidence" questions to prompt student analysis. "Put It in Context" questions connect the sources to the wider historical narrative. A set of additional Document Projects that incorporate some audio and visual sources is available online or in the e-book. Individual written and visual documents are also embedded in the narrative. One comparison set introduces contrasting or related documents of various types.
One "annotated" primary source helps students analyze the document at hand and models what to look for when approaching different types of documents on their own.
Two to three single-source excerpts or images round out each chapter's documentary material.
This new U.S. history narrative is constructed from multiple perspectives. True to their plural title, Hewitt and Lawson present a holistic, inclusive view of American history that shows how events at the national level, shaped by elite political and economic leaders, directly affect the lives of ordinary people, and how actions at the local level affect decisions made at the centers of national government and commerce. The authors are respected scholars and experienced teachers you can trust. Distinguished scholars and expert U.S. survey teachers Nancy Hewitt and Steven Lawson bring extensive teaching experience and a strong command of the scholarship to their fresh new synthesis that puts primary sources at the center of the course. Integrated with LearningCurve. Students receive access to Bedford's new online adaptive quizzing when they purchase a new copy of Exploring American Histories. Cross-references in the book to assignable game-like quizzes allow instructors to ensure that students have read the book's narrative and rehearsed the content before class. Digital resources save you time and help students learn. Whether you're interested in presentation materials, free online student quizzing, an array of test questions, free primary sources — or all of the above — we have a wide variety of resources available in several formats. And if you want it all in one customizable course space, check out HistoryClass at yourhistoryclass.com.