Now brought up to date to cover the Reagan and Bush administrations, the second edition of this classic text plots the rise, fall and continuing evolution of the liberal tradition in America since the Depression. Focusing on ten key individuals, from Franklin Roosevelt to Martin Luther King, Jr. to Ronald Reagan, "The Roosevelt of the Right," Hamby employs lively biographical essays to illuminate the ideological bases of American liberalism and conservatism. An essential tool towards understanding for students of American history and politics.