Customer Reviews

America Pathways to the Present: Pathways to the Present

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

We like this US history book. It is especially helpful because it has a companion text, Guide to the Essentials for my daughter who is an ESL student. It covers the basics, tries to make connections between cultures as well as giving students ample opportunity to review and write about related topics. It is not perfect, as it has its biases. What history book doesn't? It is a good text.

The text is okay, but to really do a good job, you must a) read widely outside the text and b) give the students supplementary materials. For basic factual information, the text is largely acceptable. However, it is at times factuallly wrong, trying to claim in the early chapters that American Indian and African cultures were equally a part of the developing American legal system and culture--which is patently false.

American legal ideas were almost exclusively derived from British law and the Bible, not only in the early colonies, some of which outright stated, "We have no king but Jesus." but in the ideas of the CHRISTIAN Enlightenment, most particularly John Locke. Bsides the bible, the two most widely read writers prior to the Revolution were Locke and Blackstone, later on it was Locke and Montesquieu (checks and balances.)

Addd The Heritage Guide to the Constitution, The Founder's Constitution and Mark Levin's Liberty and Tyranny to your study, background and supplementary information you give to your students. The text ignores the importance of The Federalist Papers, which are essential in understanding the development of the US Constitution.

IF you really want to teach American History, don't rely predominately on the textbook, get the primary source information, there are plenty of websites out there, and Ashland University has a great series of workshops. (www.teachingamericanhistory.org). And don't settle for an education degree---go get their Master's in American History and Government---the program is great and you will never regert it. It focuses on primary texts, which you MUST use to do history.

most history books are pretty dry, but this one teaches me. i actually do learn the history of america from a concise text.

CAUTION TO BUYERS: I ordered a text book for my daughter that was labeled "used-acceptable". What I received was a pile of pages without a binding, cover, complete with missing pages(even the index) and even the back cover is peeling back and in pieces. The whole book smells like it has sat in a mold. As a matter of fact it is making me sneeze.
I am appauled that someone would even try to sell this pile of pages labeled "text book" it clearly does not fit the profile for a book. I am still awaiting an email from the seller to send it back for a FULL refund. This was a waste of my time and money. I hope Amazon will monitor this seller.America: Pathways to the Present

I am very disappointed! I used an ISBN number, taken directly from a textbook, to view available copies to buy. The hardback was too expensive, and you showed a paperback version. I read the details very carefully and ordered it. However, it is not the text, but a thin workbook. Nowhere on the order, did it say "workbook".

Now, I'm out $14, but more importantly, my daughter in school is without a book after waiting. I will return the package, please refund the entire price.

This book was in Excellent condition to be categorized as a used item. I received the book quicker than expected. Great job!!!!

great transaction. Book was in great condition, speedy delivery, and price was right! Very satisfied.

This book was in better shape than others purchased through our school online bookstore. This was a good choice.

Having being taught only the "Mr. Rogers" version of American history by my previous teachers (the Revolutionary War started with the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776), I found this book very disagree able. Then, of course, I realized that we had to hand a nice, happy, packaged to Americas young ones.

The book digs into the top soil of American history. It gives general happenings, events leading up to and following wars, and reactions to wars off the battlefield. It labels some of the key events in history as being "Turning Points" and devotes a section in chapter to these happenings.

This is a great resource for teaching freshman and sophomore American history and you are hearing this straight from a student himself.

It had been suggested by another mom to check out Amazon.com for a duplicate history book for student to have at home for two reasons. One to keep from having to carry the heavy book back and forth from school and second to have your own book you can make notes in margin, highlight, etc. So it was the perfect solution for my daughther!!