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Chapter 1. Power and Citizenship in American Politics

Explore

Government keeping tabs–stats about America

The Latest Government Statistics portion on the White House web site provides numerous sources of data about American government and society. This is an excellent source for the latest government reports on these matters.

News sources

Of the many sources for information, some of the key American media outlets provide stories on American politics. One of the largest news agency or wire services is the Associated Press, which provides stories for newspapers to carry and also has links to interesting daily photographs, video, and audio. Of the numerous well-respected newspapers that cover politics, The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Christian Science Monitor, and The Wall Street Journal, are among those most commonly read. Students interested in reading news from these papers on-line often have to register with the web sites, but the on-line subscriptions are typically free.

Get involved in civil service

If you're interested in becoming directly involved in civic affairs, National Service-Learning Clearinghouse (NSLC) supports service-learning in higher education and community and tribal initiatives. Search the NSLC's Program Directory for opportunities near you. Campus Compact is another program aiming to expand the social benefits that come from civic education classes at numerous colleges and universities. See if your college or university is involved.

Citizen knowledge and check on government

From its establishment, Congressional Quarterly (CQ), the publisher of this book, has sought to help citizens understand their government. CQ's mission, as established by Nelson and Henrietta Poynter, is to help inform citizens about their government in order to promote democracy.

Immigration

Trace the political dynamics of American Hispanics, the fastest growing ethnic group in the United States. The Pew Hispanic Center web site provides reports on politics, migration, and labor, among other issues, involving Hispanics and affecting the entire American population.

The National Park Service's Ellis Island History web site provides the history of the small island in New York Harbor where over twelve million immigrants entered the United States between 1892 and 1954. New York was the busiest entry point for immigrants, and Ellis Island's view of the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor has meant that Ellis Island was more than an immigration processing center. It is now a national park.

On the west coast, Chinese had begun to immigrate and settle in California during the nineteenth century. As the Chinese in California web site illustrates, the Chinese faced an anti-Chinese movement, but they also helped change California's culture.

The Library of Congress American Memory Immigration web site lays out the history of immigration to the United States from Africa. By clicking on the "next" button on the bottom of the page following the introduction, you will see how the unique history of African immigration—often not an immigration by choice but by force—took place and how it developed the African American population of today.

The Great American Potluck web site provides recipes from the numerous regions of the world from which American immigrants arrived. As the web site aims to show, our diverse immigration history has led to a diverse recipe book.