'Do you know if you are going to heaven?' Shortly after being appointed the first Director of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives - the 'faith czar' - John J. DiIulio Jr. was asked this question. Suddenly DiIulio, a Catholic Democrat who pioneered programs for inner-city children, was acutely awar[...]

Offering overviews of key topics, this text introduces students to classic texts and debates in American politics. It brings together key primary documents with detailed studies of the ideas, institutions, and individuals that make up the American political system.[...]