Synopses & Reviews
By state law, graduates of public colleges and universities in Georgia must demonstrate proficiency with both the U.S. and Georgia constitutions. This widely used textbook helps students to satisfy that requirement, either in courses or by examination. This brief and affordable study aid begins with a discussion of the ways that state and local governments, in providing services and allocating funds, affect our daily lives. Subsequent chapters are devoted to
andbull; the development of our federal system and the importance of constitutions in establishing authority, distributing power, and formalizing procedures
andbull; how the various state constitutions differ from each other, even as they all complement the U.S. Constitution
andbull; how constitutions in Georgia have been amended or replaced
andbull; Georgiaandrsquo;s governmental institutions at the state, county, and city levels
andbull; elections in Georgia, including the basic ground rules for holding primaries, general elections, and runoffs
Key terms and concepts are covered throughout the book, as well as important court cases at the national and state level. In addition, helpful lists, diagrams, and tables summarize and compare such information as
andbull; the structure of Georgiaandrsquo;s court system
andbull; the number of constitutions each of the fifty states has had, the number of times each stateandrsquo;s constitution has been amended, and the length of each stateandrsquo;s current constitution
andbull; various procedures used by the states to amend their constitutions
andbull; Georgiaandrsquo;s ten constitutions, with highlights of their major changes or features
andbull; the number of amendments voted on in Georgia from 1984 to 2012
andbull; the executive branch officials elected by the public across states
andbull; the constitutional boards and commissions in Georgia, with details on the methods by which members are chosen
andbull; the number and types of local governments in Georgia since 1952 including counties, municipalities, school districts, and special districts
andbull; the major federal cases in which Georgia has been a party, on issues of discrimination, representation, freedom of speech and the press, the accused or convicted of crimes, and the right to privacy
andbull; rights and liberties, and how constitutions guarantee and protect them
About the Author
Richard N. Engstrom has held faculty positions at Georgia State University and Kennesaw State University. He teaches and does research on state politics, elections, and public opinion. He is coauthor of the book Quality of Life in the Atlanta Metro Area. Robert M. Howard is a professor of political science at Georgia State University in Atlanta. His books include of Getting a Poor Return: Courts, Justice, and Taxes. Arnold Fleischmann is a professor of political science, and department head, at Eastern Michigan University and is the coauthor of Politics in Georgia (Georgia).