Chet'la Sebree

During the Reconstruction era, the United States attempted to rebuild itself after the end of both slavery and the Civil War. Despite some successes by Congress to secure the rights for newly freed African Americans through civil rights acts and constitutional amendments, racial conflicts plagued the South. Northerners believed the only way to resolve this was to leave the Southerners to manage their own affairs. In 1877, President Rutherford B. Hayes withdrew federal troops from the South, officially ending Reconstruction. The consequences of this, however, would echo throughout U. S. history, ushering in decades of Jim Crow laws and segregation. In this book, students will read primary-source materials from presidents, congressmen, white Northerners and Southerners, and African Americans. These accounts offer students the opportunity to get a full picture of the Reconstruction era in America.

Readers will learn about recessions and how they are a part of the normal economic cycle: peak, recession, trough, and recovery. This narrative explores how inflation and the imbalance of supply and demand can cause an economic downturn. Through the twenty-first-century example of the Great Recession, students will learn what causes these periods of economic contraction, what leads to recovery, and how to avoid severe and prolonged periods of stagnancy, also known as economic depressions.

This volume helps demonstrate the interconnectedness of international economies and cultures in the twenty-first century. Through discussions of economic, political, and cultural globalization, students will begin to understand the varied dimensions of global economies. This book presents twenty-first-century examples of globalization ranging from Apple's outsourced manufacturing to the ways in which countries that are a part of the United Nations work together to combat climate change. Students will also learn how, even though the term "globalization" is still relatively new, the concept itself dates all the way back to ancient trade routes.

What are taxes and what are they used for? Through this book, students will gain a general understanding of the obligatory fees each person in a country is required to pay the government. The text explains the history of taxation as well as the different types of taxes and their effects. Additionally, students will learn how important taxation is to modern economies and how taxation levels can rise or fall depending on a nation's financial health. Through real-world examples, readers will see how twenty-first century tax policies affect individuals, corporations, and countries.

Inflation is a complicated concept. Under ideal circumstances, an inflation rate of 2 or 3 percent can be good for the economy, as it helps boost businesses' profits. Unchecked, however, inflation can lead not only to financial hardships for individuals but to widespread economic downturns. Students will learn how inflation is affected by supply and demand, how it existed long before paper currency, how it can be regulated, and how a lack of regulation can affect the economy. From examples throughout U. S. history and comparisons of the costs of goods over time, students will understand how different rates of inflation in different contexts affect the economy.