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Covering such critically important laws as the Homestead Act of 1862, the Social Security Act of 1935, Medicare and Medicaid, and many others, this is a useful resource for students looking for a thorough examination of the laws that created America's social insurance system.

Why has the federal government played an ever-expanding role in our educational system? What controversial political and social issues led to the enactment of landmark education laws by the U.S. Congress? Have you considered the impact of some of the most important federal education laws--the G.I. Bill of Rights, college loan programs, funding of black colleges, school lunch programs, creation of Head Start, special education programs, bilingual education, and equal funding for girls' athletics? This unique reference work provides an explanation and discussion of each landmark law followed by the actual text of key passages of the law, which have been carefully edited for students. Nineteen landmark laws are covered, from the Land Ordinance of 1785, which set aside land in the western territories for the creation of schools, to Goals 2000: Educate America Act, Bill Clinton's ambitious agenda for student education by the year 2000.The entry on each landmark law consists of the following sections: a discussion of the intent and purpose of the legislation; a summary of the substance of the law, including an explanation of difficult-to-understand terms and concepts; an examination of the politics and legislative history of the act; a summary of the impact of the law; the actual text of key passages of the law. The laws are organized chronologically. An introductory overview of the federal government's role in education, followed by a detailed timeline of milestones in the history of U.S. education, places the topic in historical context.

The Declaration of Independence stated that all men are created equal, yet the long and continuing struggle for civil rights in the United States seems to indicate otherwise. This reference guide details the most critical civil rights laws in U.S. history, moving from the period of slavery, to the Civil War, to the Reconstruction, to the civil rights era of the mid- to late-20th century. An overview essay introduces each period, and 36 individual laws are examined in essays placing the bills in their historical contexts. Each law is then presented in an edited and, when appropriate, annotated form, so students can read and understand the actual words of the law.Many of the notable and notorious laws in U.S. legislative history have come in the area of civil rights. Among these are the Fugitive Slave Act, the Missouri Compromise, the Emancipation Proclamation, the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Voting Rights Acts of 1965. This uncommonly helpful guide to U.S. civil rights legislation also includes timelines, a bibliography, and an index.

We Americans have enshrined our most cherished rights in the First Amendment to our Constitution, including the freedom of religion, speech and press; the right to assemble; and the right to petition the government for redress of grievances. Since the formation of the republic, Congress has been actively engaged in enacting laws that have a direct and significant bearing on First Amendment rights. This ideal student resource provides the carefully edited and explained text of 31 landmark Congressional laws in all areas of First Amendment rights-from internal security to symbolic speech, campaign financing, obscenity, intellectual property, and freedom of religion. Organized topically for ease of use, this resource allows students to examine and compare the landmark laws on a particular topic across the breadth of American history through the year 2000. For instance, students can compare changes in the laws on obscenity from the Comstock Act of 1873, to the Anti-Dial-a-Porn Act of 1989 and the Child Online Protection Act of 1998.The landmark laws are organized into nine categories: internal security, symbolic speech, election campaign activities, obscenity, intellectual property, labor-management relations, federally funded programs, and freedom of religion. Each category opens with a general overview of the laws covered in that section and a brief summary of how they relate to each other. The entry on each landmark law features a discussion of the historical background of the law, the intent and purpose of the law, an examination of the substance and impact of the law, and a carefully edited actual text of key passages of the law. Each entry concludes with a bibliography of recommended print sources and Web sites for students. An introductory overview of Congressional legislation on the First Amendment, followed by a detailed timeline of milestones in the history of Congressional legislation on First Amendment issues, put the topic in historical context for students. An appendix of tables of the statutes and cases with complete citations will aid student researchers.

Though it may seem hard to believe, it took America's lawmakers some 110 years before they crafted legislation aimed at protecting the welfare of children. Eventually, laws were passed to aid and protect children. This ideal student reference examines and explains in detail 20 such laws that have affected America's youth in various ways. A discussion of the history and impact of each law is followed by a carefully edited version of the law itself. Examples include the National School Lunch Act, which provided free or reduced-cost meals to young students; the Uniform Drinking Age Act, which set the national drinking age at 21; the Fair Labor Standard Act, the first successful federal attempt to regulate child labor; and the Selective Service Act, which required young men to register for the draft.The landmark laws are divided into three parts: Health and Welfare Laws, Citizenship and Democratic Participation Laws, and Education Laws. The laws are organized chronologically within each section. An introductory overview examines the history of children's issues in federal legislation and explores reform movements and the advocacy of children's concerns. The introduction also makes manifestly clear that students are not an unempowered constituency, and have ample opportunities to make their voices heard. A timeline and appendix will also aid student research, making this volume an indispensable guide to America's laws concerning its young people.