Reasoning with Democratic Values 2.0, Volume 1

Ethical Issues in American History, 1607–1865

David E Harris author Anne-Lise Halvorsen author Paul F Dain author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Teachers' College Press

Published:8th Jun '18

Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back

Reasoning with Democratic Values 2.0, Volume 1 cover

Now thoroughly updated and extensively revised for use in today’s history classrooms, this time-honored classic has never been more important than right now. The new edition, Reasoning with Democratic Values2.0, presents an engaging approach to teaching U.S. history that promotes critical thinking and social responsibility. In Volume 1 students investigate 20 significant historical episodes, arranged chronologically, beginning with the colonial era and ending with Reconstruction. Each carefully researched story examines an ethical decision made by an individual or group from the American past, and is guaranteed to excite students’ imaginations and spark lively classroom discussions involving core values of American democracy—liberty, equality, life, property, truth, and diversity. The discussions aim to develop more mature moral reasoning by students while deepening their knowledge of American history. Each chapter contains five types of learning activities: Facts of the Case, Historical Understanding, Expressing Your Reasoning, Key Concepts from History, and Historical Inquiry.

In Volume 1, students can grapple with such ethical dilemmas as:

  • Should the Commonwealth of Massachusetts have granted reparation to the enslaved woman, Belinda Royall?
  • Should Thomas Jefferson have freed his slaves?
  • Should Juan Seguín have fought against the United States in the Mexican–American War?
  • Should Robert E. Lee have accepted command of the Union Army?

You can also purchase a comprehensive Instructor’s Manual that includes the rationale for the teaching approach, guidance for selecting chapters, direction for leading classroom discussions of ethical issues, suggestions for assessment and grading, answers for the learning activities, and more!

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: The authors are available, at no fee, to conduct professional development programs for teachers and/or administrators regarding teaching with RDV 2.0. Visit www.rdv2.org for more details, including author contact information. The authors have committed their royalties to teacher education.

ALSO AVAILABLE—

Reasoning with Democratic Values 2.0, Volume 2: Ethical Issues in American History, 1866 to the Present by David E. Harris, Anne-Lise Halvorsen, and Paul F. Dain

Reasoning with Democratic Values 2.0: Ethical Issues in American History Instructor's Manual by David E. Harris, Anne-Lise Halvorsen, and Paul F. Dain

"Reflection upon the sources of our ethical views is imperative in our present moment. At a time marked by polarization and incommensurate moral disagreement, citizens must practice a rather heroic form of civility and sober examination of opposing views. Reasoning with Democratic Values 2.0 provides both the raw material and appropriate structure for students to develop these habits, and it will undoubtedly earn a place in many American history classrooms."

—The Journal of Social Studies Research (for second edition)


"These volumes are engaging, clearly and imaginatively written, and frequently invite sophisticated thinking about difficult ethical issues within U.S. History. Through the well-selected stories, students will indeed recognize that history is replete with ethical issues that intricately intertwine with democratic values. Students will also find a refreshing departure in these books from the staid historical writing that sometimes plagues other history texts. Through well-designed readings and learning activities, these new editions accomplish what the authors’ intended—to promote social responsibility through informed and ethical use of democratic values."

—Theory & Research in Social Education


“Among the best supplementary materials for U.S. history known 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 they 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 (for first edition)

ISBN: 9780807759288

Dimensions: 254mm x 178mm x 12mm

Weight: 340g

240 pages

2nd edition