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Making Citizens pp 27–59Cite as

Palgrave Macmillan

Historical Context and Maturation

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Abstract

The process of making citizens is shaped by historical circumstances and by their levels of maturation (cognitive development and political sophistication). The chapter briefly describes five periods in modern American political history that embody distinct political cultures. These include the Great Depression and the New Deal, the post-World War II era, the turbulent 60s and early 70s, the Reagan years, and the years following the election of Bill Clinton to the present. Studies exploring the meaning, measurement, and consequences of levels of maturation found among American citizens are also reviewed.

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  1. Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA

    Philo C. Wasburn

  2. Western Illinois University, Macomb, Illinois, USA

    Tawnya J. Adkins Covert

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Wasburn, P.C., Adkins Covert, T.J. (2017). Historical Context and Maturation. In: Making Citizens. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-50243-4_2

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