Primary Documents in American History and Contemporary Issues – serie

This collection brings together for the first time the key primary documents in the history of the abortion controversy in the United States. Organized by historical period, these 92 documents tell the story of this highly charged issue. An explanatory introduction geared to the needs of high school and college students accompanies each document. The collection emphasizes the political and social aspects of the debate, and many voices and conflicting views resound--in congressional hearings, Supreme Court decisions, government reports, party platforms, position papers, statutes, biographical accounts, and news stories. The heart of the work is the drama of Roe v. Wade--the cases that led to it, the Supreme Court decision and dissenting opinions, the reaction in Congress, public opinion, political consequences, and the most recent court tests.The work is divided into five sections: Part I covers the historical period from its European inception until the beginning of the reform movement in the United States in the 1960s. Part II looks at the developments in 1960-1972 that led to the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade in 1973. Part III focuses on Roe v. Wade and the reaction to the decision. Part IV, The Battlelines Are Drawn, 1974-1980, describes the political battles over abortion in the 1970s. Part V includes documents from the Reagan/Bush administrations and ends with the beginning of the Clinton administration in 1993. Each chapter includes a list of suggested readings. The book concludes with a chronology of events in the abortion controversy and a list of decisions of the United States Supreme Court relating to abortion. The collection will be especially useful for high school, junior college, and college students, and for public libraries.

AIDS has grown in just two decades from a rare disease to one that has already killed millions of men, women, and children worldwide. To help high school and college students understand the history and current status of AIDS as a social, political, psychological, public health, and cultural phenomenon, this documentary history provides 228 short and highly readable selections from primary and secondary sources of information about AIDS and HIV. Its scope covers the entire history of the epidemic from its beginnings to early 1997. The documents, many of which cannot easily be found elsewhere, will help the reader to understand and debate the many perspectives and points of view on this controversial topic.Douglas A. Feldman, one of the country's leading specialists in international and domestic AIDS social research, and Julia Wang Miller, a research consultant, have selected documents and provided explanatory introductions to them to help readers gain a deeper understanding of the sociocultural ramifications of AIDS. Following a narrative historical overview of the AIDS crisis, the work is organized into nine topical chapters: the history of HIV/AIDS; the impact of the epidemic in the United States and globally; HIV/AIDS within communities and populations; AIDS in the developing world; the human side of AIDS; the politics of AIDS; education and behavioral change; legal and ethical issues; and the future of AIDS. Each chapter contains an introductory narrative overview of the topic, brief explanatory introduction to each document, and list of suggested readings. A glossary of terms and an AIDS resource directory of organizations to contact for further information complete the work. This important documentary history belongs on the shelves of every public school and college and university library.

This important library and classroom tool will make it easy for students to research and debate the core political ideas and issues of the founding period. The profound arguments regarding republicanism, federalism, constitutionalism, and individual rights come to life here, contextualized with introductory explanations to stimulate analysis and appraisal of the positions. Unique to this collection are documents relating to the establishment of constitutional governments in the original 13 states, debate over the Bill of Rights, and documents reflecting a variety of alternative voices, including letters and petitions from women and African-American and Native-American leaders. This presents a broader picture of the issues that confronted those who framed our government than has ever before been available.An advisory board of distinguished historians and teachers assisted Patrick with the selection of documents. This collection shows how the founding fathers arrived at consensus from the many conflicting viewpoints that characterized the debate on founding our extraordinary constitutional republic. The political debates on independence and original state constitutions are connected systematically to the subsequent debates on the ratification of the Federal Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Political grievances of dispossessed groups such as women, African Americans, and Native Americans, are connected to core ideas of the founding documents, such as the Declaration of Independence. Letters, petitions, sermons, court proceedings, Thomas Jefferson's notes, a selection of Federalist and anti-Federalist papers, even the Northwest Ordinance, are among the documents included. The work is organized topically into seven parts, each which is prefaced by an introductory essay which presents the main theme, ideas, and issues, and establishes a context for the documents that follow. Each document is preceded by an explanatory headnote, which includes questions to guide the reader's analysis and appraisal of the primary source. Each part ends with a select bibliography. A chronology of major events concludes the work. This collection is a basic research and debate tool that will be invaluable to school and public libraries and secondary school classrooms.

From the Cold War to the Persian Gulf War, the high drama of America's contemporary foreign policy crises comes to life in this collection of primary documents designed for use by high school and college students. The comprehensive work dramatizes, through memoirs and diaries of the major players as well as key public documents, eight major crises: The Origins of the Cold War, the Berlin Blockade of 1948-49, the Korean War, the Berlin Crises of 1958 and 1961, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Vietnam War, the Iranian Hostage Crisis of 1979-80, and the 1991 Persian Gulf War with Iraq. The selection of documents for each crisis dramatizes the tension between the opposing nations and illuminates the process of decision-making by U.S. policymakers. Meticulously culled from a wide variety of sources and voices, many of the 382 documents are available in no other resource.Following a general introduction on contemporary American foreign relations, each crisis begins with a narrative introduction and chronology of events. The story of each crisis unfolds through chronologically organized documents, each of which is preceded by an explanatory headnote. The section on each crisis concludes with a suggested reading list. Among the variety of voices heard are memoirs and official statements of every president from Truman to Bush, and memoirs, diaries, and reminiscences of key players including General Douglas MacArthur, Dean Acheson, Robert Kennedy, Henry Kissinger, Nikita Krushchev, Andrei Gromyko, the Shah of Iran, and Generals Norman Schwarzkopf and Colin Powell. The variety of documents includes government reports and policy statements, private correspondence and memos, laws, speeches, position statements of interest groups, treaties and agreements, CIA directives, and interviews with key players. This basic research tool provides students with a rich panoply of voices, viewpoints, and key public documents that illuminate a crucial period in American and world history.

Both the history of the gun control debate, as well as the focus the debate will take in the future, are explored in this unique collection of over 200 documents spanning 200 years. High school and undergraduate students can use this resource—one of the largest collections of key documents concerning the issue of gun control—to explore the seminal arguments for and against further restrictions on guns. Each document is preceded by an explanatory head note to aid the student researcher in understanding and appraising the primary source.An advisory board of distinguished specialists and teachers on both sides of the debate assisted Bijlefeld with the selection of documents. All aspects of the debate are examined, including the history and development of the Second Amendment and its modern interpretations, as well as the political climate surrounding the debate. Users can investigate explanations of federal and state gun control measures, how they are passed into law, and gun control's role in today's political debates. Examining the future of the debate, Bijlefeld provides documents that explore the developing legal theories, the increased attention by criminologists, and the role played by the public health and law enforcement communities. The volume serves as a comprehensive source of key documents as well as a guide to additional sources covering specific topics.

Both sides of the highly charged capital punishment debate in the United States are examined in this breakthrough collection of 112 key documents, arranged by historical period. The political and social aspects of the debate are represented through a wide range of documents, including congressional hearings, Supreme Court decisions, position papers, biographical accounts, and news stories. An explanatory introduction precedes each document to help readers understand how various and seemingly unrelated social, economic, and political factors have impacted public attitudes, legislation, and judicial decisions pertaining to capital punishment.Vila and Morris provide us with the historical and ecological framework in which this centuries-old debate has unfolded. This volume is organized into six parts, each one representing a different time period: Colonial Era to Independence, 1800-1917, 1918-1959, 1960-1976, 1977-1989, and the 1990s. The documents provided in each part trace the history and development of the debate, chronicling the ebb and flow of support for the death penalty during different periods in our country's history. Special attention is paid to the effects of particular events in history—the American Revolution, the Great Depression, and the Civil Rights movement, for example—on the ever-changing opinions concerning capital punishment. The representation of both sides of the debate found in these documents will encourage and challenge students, policymakers, and concerned citizens to examine their own viewpoints and draw their own conclusions on the capital punishment debate.

Debates over the separation or accommodation of religion and government have divided Americans since the founding of our country and continue to echo in governmental chambers today, as people argue sharply and heatedly about the exact meaning and correct applications of First Amendment clauses on religious establishment and free exercise of religion. Students can trace the history and development of these arguments, as well as the reactions to them, through this unique collection of over 70 primary documents. Court cases and other documents bring to life the controversies surrounding the issues. Explanatory introductions to documents aid users in understanding the various arguments put forth, while illuminating the significance of each document.Patrick and Long trace the origins and changes in the nature of the debates surrounding the issue of freedom of religion using carefully chosen court cases and other documents to reflect the fact that the Court's decision has not always ended public controversy about the relationships between church and state or religion and government. Indeed, especially in recent years, the Court's decisions in some cases have exacerbated old tensions and generated new issues. The focus throughout is on the connection between the U.S. Constitution and freedom of religion. The introductory and explanatory text help readers understand the nature of the conflicts, the issues being litigated, the social and cultural pressures that shaped each debate, and the manner in which the passions of individual government officials, justices, and our presidents affected the development of policies concerning freedom of religion.

The influx of millions of immigrants into the United States has profoundly impacted the nation's economy, culture, and politics. Since the founding of our country, our government has worked to control this migration by enacting different policies to deal with immigration and naturalization. Students can trace the history and development of issues surrounding these policies, as well as the reactions to them, through this unique and comprehensive collection of over 100 primary documents. Court cases, opinion pieces, and many other documents bring to life the controversies surrounding the subject of immigration. Explanatory introductions aid users in understanding each document and help to illuminate its significance to the reader.The major laws on immigration and naturalization are included in this useful volume, and have been edited to include the principal provisions in each, thereby making them more accessible to students without compromising their quality and accuracy. These key primary documents are arranged chronologically to help the user discover what has and has not changed over the centuries. The introductory and explanatory texts help readers understand the issues being litigated, the social and cultural pressures that shaped each deate, and the ways in which biases of individual Justices and Presidents affected immigration and naturalization laws in this country.

From the night watchmen of the 17th century to the highly publicized Rodney King hearings, the history and development of police policy and the role of police in American society are traced through this collection of 95 primary documents. Students, teachers, and interested readers can use this valuable resource to examine the development and role of the police in the United States through the words of the people who were involved in the struggle to enforce laws, uphold the Constitution, maintain safe and stable communities, and create efficient and effective police forces. An explanatory introduction precedes each document to aid the user in understanding the economic, political, social, and legislative forces that helped shape the role of the police in our society.Riots, strikes, commission reports, innovations, groundbreaking studies, and major court cases from different time periods are presented in a balanced manner. This volume is divided into seven parts, each part representing a different time period in which the roles of the police were being redefined. Vila and Morris present the reader with theories from different professionals on what the role of the police should be and how to develop these roles, as well as presenting successful and unsuccessful models to help readers draw their own conclusions.

Examining affirmative action and its history through these 400 documents that trace its roots and development, this work is an invaluable reference resource. Race, gender, and disability, as they pertaing to affirmative action, are also explored. By providing a thorough presentation of the arguments both for and against, this reference encourages critical thinking as it details the ins and outs of the debate.From government reports to cartoons, high school and college students will find multiple perspectives on affirmative action. They can view the issue through the eyes of law-makers, judges, presidents, activists, the media, social scientists, those who have benefited from it, and those who have been threatened by it. They can also discover its application in a myriad of disciplines from sports to education to business to the arts. An explanatory introduction precedes each document to aid readers in understanding the various arguments that have been put forth in this debate, providing the researcher with accessible references to all sides of the subject.

The controversial topic of sexual harassment in the United States is explored in this unique collection of over 90 documents. The political and social aspects of the concept of sexual harassment are examined through such documents as legal cases that defined and prohibited sexual harassment, government documents, major studies, and newspaper accounts of major developments concerning sexual harassment. Each document is accompanied by an explanatory introduction to help high school and college students understand how that particular document fits into larger trends, while also making it more accessible to the reader.The question of what sexual harassment is and how we have developed an awareness of the concept in the late twentieth century is explored in detail in six separate sections. The first section reviews the definition of sexual harassment and why it is considered illegal. The next three sections investigate sexual harassment as it has arisen in three contexts: employment, the military, and education. The fifth section examines the ways laws have been expanding beyond the areas of employment, the military and education. The final section provides the most current rulings of the Supreme Court involving sexual harassment. These six sections provide a comprehensive history that explores legal prohibitions on sexual harassment, setting forth important historical cases, while focusing on current areas of controversy, such as same-sex sexual harassment and free speech issues.

Freedom of speech is a foundational principle of the American Constitutional system. This collection of over 100 primary documents from a variety of sources will help students understand exactly what is meant by free speech, and how it has evolved since the founding of our country. Court cases, opinion pieces, and many other documents bring to life the tension between America's constitutional commitment to robust and unrestrained discourse and recurring efforts to suppress expression deemed dangerous, degrading or obscene. Explanatory introductions to each document aid users in understanding the various arguments put forth in debates over exactly how to define the Constitution to encourage readers to consider all sides when drawing their own conclusions.Relying heavily on Supreme Court precedents that have shaped First Amendment law, the volume also provides plenty of carefully selected source materials chosen to reflect the culture of the times, allowing the reader to better understand the climate giving rise to each controversy. The introductory and explanatory text help readers understand the nature of the conflicts, the issues being litigated, the social and cultural pressures that shaped each debate, and the manner in which the composition of the Supreme Court and the passions of the individual Justices affected the development of the law. This welcome resource will provide students with the opportunity to explore the philosophy of the First Amendment's Free Speech provisions and to understand how our historic commitment to freedom of expression has fared at various times in our history.

Trace the roots of the concept of equal protection from the American Revolution and the formation of the Constitution through its application today using this collection of 177 primary documents from a variety of sources. Students can use this unique reference resource to examine the tension between the concept of equal protection and recognition of slavery in the constitutional order, to explore the devitalization and revitalization of the 14th and 15th Constitutional amendments from the era of Jim Crow through the Civil Rights movement, and to study current court rulings on equal protection of the law. Petitions, laws, court decisions, personal accounts, and a variety of other documents bring to life the experiences of African Americans in the American constitutional order.Five historical periods are explored with particular emphasis on the concept of equal protection of the law and its particular embodiment in the 14th Amendment. These include: the roots of the concept of equal protection in the Anglo-American experience, the lives of African Americans under a Constitution that incorporated equal protection yet recognized slavery, the 14th and 15th Amendments and the development of Jim Crow, 20th-century developments in the application of equal protection to race, and the accomplishments of the Civil Rights movement and developments since that time. The introductory and explanatory text helps readers understand the nature of the conflicts, the issues being litigated, and the social and cultural pressures that shaped each debate. This welcome resource will provide students with the opportunity to understand the various arguments put forth in different debates, encouraging readers to consider all sides when drawing their own conclusions.

Explore the late 20th-century history and development of plant, animal, and human genetics in this collection of 135 documents. Included are samples of commentaries on these scientific developments from the scientists themselves, government departments, ethicists, religious leaders, and various interest groups. Students, teachers, and interested readers can use this valuable resource to trace the different arguments and concerns surrounding the controversial topic of genetic engineering. Arranged topically, and highlighting in particular the human genome project, which seeks to map the entire human genome, this valuable resource provides an excellent background for research and debate with its broad range of pro and con opinions.The easy to use format allows the reader to focus on one particular aspect of genetic engineering or to compare and contrast the arguments presented in more than one area. The six different areas include: Animal Applications, Agriculture, The Human Genome Project, Issues in Research, Ethical Issues, and Cloning. The documents in each section, carefully selected to represent a wide range of positions, present samples of social, ethical, and religious commentary that have evolved due to developments in modern genetics as they relate to plants, animals, and humans. Such developments include the applications of these technologies to create transgenic crops, to patent animals, to provide gene therapy for humans, and to clone plants and animals, as well as possibly cloning humans. Shannon's volume will be a welcome resource for those looking to explore these issues from as many different angles as possible.

Rapid changes in medical care and in society's attitudes about death have made the right-to-die debate a timely topic, but its roots can be traced back to the founding of this country. High school and college students can explore the history of this debate through this unique collection of primary documents. Government reports, court cases, statements from religious groups, and many other contributions provide a thorough examination of the arguments for and against allowing people to make their own decisions about how and when they die. An explanatory introduction precedes each document to aid the user in understanding the various arguments that have been put forth in this debate, encouraging consideration of all sides when drawing conclusions.Such issues as attitudes toward death, mercy killings, euthanasia, the development of living wills, and advance directives are explored in detail and are traced back to their early roots. Each of the volume's six parts examines a different subject within the debate and provides records ranging from the high profile court cases of Karen Quinlan and Nancy Cruzan to samples of living wills to a statement from Pope Pius II. Zucker presents the reader with a variety of ideas from many different people, including doctors, patients, religious leaders, and government officials, and presents a broad range of perspectives that will be a welcome resource for students wishing to explore this highly emotional topic from as many different angles as possible.

Use this collection of over 60 primary documents to trace the evolution of trial rights from English and colonial beginnings to our contemporary understanding of their meaning. Court cases and other documents bring to life the controversies that have historically surrounded the rights of those who have been accused in the American legal system. Explanatory introductions to documents aid users in understanding the various arguments put forth and the context in which the document was written, while illuminating the significance of each document.Students will be able to trace how the expansion of trial rights is directly correlated to historical events and social concerns. Documents are arranged chronologically to provide readers with a clear view of the long convoluted history of these rights in our country and to clearly illustrate how trial rights have grown over time to provide more protection for a growing number of individuals. A general introduction to the volume further explores the history of the concept of trial rights to provide a complete reference resource to complicated issues.