Reasoning with Democratic Values: Ethical Problems in United States History

Reasoning with Democratic Values presents an innovative approach to one of the traditional goals of social studies―the promotion and understanding of social responsibility. The two volumes are designed to encourage critical discussion in secondary courses in United States history; they will be of great value in ethics courses as well. Both are heavily illustrated with photographs and drawings, and filled with lively, thought-provoking stories.

Arranged chronologically, Volume 1 investigates 21 significant historical episodes beginning with the colonial era and ending with Reconstruction. The 29 episodes in Volume 2 being with the era of expansion and reform and end with problems facing Americans in the contemporary era. History, it is certain, will take on a personal immediacy and meaning for students when they discover individuals who have been forced to make ethical decisions that radically altered their lives as well as the history of our country. Each of these highly readable episodes draws students into a vivid recreation of the past. Each episode has been especially selected to highlight an ethical problem characteristic of the era under review.

The authors have included a helpful four-section sequence of activities at the end of each episode:

• Historical Understanding poses questions that help students see the broad historical context from which the episode has been drawn.
• Reviewing the Facts of the Case asks students more specific questions about the episode.
• Analyzing Ethical Issues requires that students distinguish factual from ethical issues, recognize particular ethical values embedded in an episode, explore the meaning of democratic values, or identify conflicts among the values represented.
• Expressing Your Reasoning encourages students to grapple with the ethical issues raised by the episode. Students must express, either orally or in writing, carefully reasoned judgments about the difficult decisions made in the past.

The two volume set is complemented by a comprehensive Teacher’s Manual that provides answers for each episode. It also addresses commonly asked questions about the program’s approach to ethical issues and illustrates how existing United States history courses can provide an appropriate place for students to explore the meaning of responsible judgment and action. Additionally, there is a detailed guide for use in selecting episodes and determining the frequency of their use within the normal curriculum.

“Among the best supplementary materials for U.S. history know to this reviewer. The cases are provocative; they stimulate student interest, they promote a depth of historical understanding often absent from history instructional materials, and the promote important student skills. The curriculum is a fine blend of historical content and thoughtful pedagogy, systematically structured to promote social responsibility among students―one of the enduring instructional goals of social studies education.”

―Social Education