The Princeton Encyclopedia of American Political History. (Two volume set)

Michael Kazin · Rebecca Edwards · Adam Rothman

Nov 2009 · Princeton University Press

About this ebook

A comprehensive and authoritative encyclopedia of U.S. political history

An essential resource for anyone interested in U.S. history and politics, this two-volume encyclopedia covers the major forces that have shaped American politics from the founding to today. Broad in scope, the book addresses both the traditional topics of political history—such as eras, institutions, political parties, presidents, and founding documents—and the wider subjects of current scholarship, including military, electoral, and economic events, as well as social movements, popular culture, religion, education, race, gender, and more.

Each article, specially commissioned for this book, goes beyond basic facts to provide readers with crucial context, expert analysis, and informed perspectives on the evolution of American politics. Written by more than 170 leading historians and social scientists, The Princeton Encyclopedia of American Political History gives students, scholars, and researchers authoritative introductions to the subject's most important topics and a first step to further research.

• Features nearly 190 entries, organized alphabetically and written by a distinguished team of scholars, including Dean Baker, Lewis L. Gould, Alexander Keyssar, James T. Kloppenberg, Patricia Nelson Limerick, Lisa McGirr, Mark A. Noll, Jack N. Rakove, Nick Salvatore, Stephen Skowronek, Jeremi Suri, and Julian E. Zelizer
• Describes key political periods and eras, from the founding to the present day
• Traces the history of political institutions, parties, and founding documents
• Explains ideas, philosophies, and movements that shaped American politics
• Presents the political history and influence of geographic regions
• Describes the roles of ethnic, racial, and religious groups in the political process
• Explores the influence of mass culture, from political cartoons to the Internet
• Examines recurring issues that shape political campaigns and policy, from class, gender, and race to crime, education, taxation, voting, welfare, and much more
• Includes bibliographies, cross-references, appendixes, a comprehensive index, and more than 50 illustrations and maps

About the author

Michael Kazin is professor of history at Georgetown University and an expert in U.S. politics and social movements. His books include A Godly Hero: The Life of William Jennings Bryan (Knopf) and The Populist Persuasion: An American History (Basic). Rebecca Edwards is the Eloise Ellery Professor of History at Vassar College. She is the author of Angels in the Machinery: Gender in American Party Politics from the Civil War to the Progressive Era and New Spirits: Americans in the Gilded Age, 1865-1905. Adam Rothman is associate professor of history at Georgetown University and author of Slave Country: American Expansion and the Origins of the Deep South.