The coronavirus pandemic and the racial injustice protests raging across the nation vividly display the relevance of government to the lives of ordinary Americans—even to those normally absorbed by school, work, and family. These profound events also reaffirm the commitment of this book to exploring the fundamental democratic question: Why should we be engaged with government and politics? Through the first 12 editions, we sought to
answer this question by making the text directly relevant to the lives of the students who would be reading it. We tried to make politics interesting by demonstrating that students’ concerns are at stake and that they therefore need to take a personal, even selfish, interest in the outcomes of government. With many students newly attentive and energized, we realize that they need guidance in how to become politically engaged. Beyond providing students with a core of political knowledge, we show them how they can apply that knowledge as participants in the political process. The (NEW) How To sections in Chapters 1, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 12 help achieve that goal.