Edison teachers help write new American Yawp edition

Two Upper School teachers at The Wardlaw+Hartridge School have contributed to the second edition of The American Yawp, a college history textbook published by Stanford University Press. Dr. Raechel Lutz and Dr. Jonathan Wilson brought their expertise and scholarly contributions to a textbook used at major universities and increasingly in high school classrooms, including their own.

SCHOLAR CONTRIBUTIONS

Dr. Lutz, an environmental history expert who earned her Ph.D. from Rutgers University, wrote brand-new material on environmentalism in the 1970s for the second edition. The new section addresses a critical gap in the previous edition's content.

"I really enjoyed writing for The American Yawp," Dr. Lutz said. "This new section addresses a critical lapse in the previous edition's content and, hopefully, it will enable readers to have a stronger sense of the changes within environmentalism during that decade."

Dr. Wilson, who contributed to the first edition in 2019, edited a newly reorganized chapter on American life in the 1820s for the second edition. He took material from multiple scholars and reimagined how it could fit together most clearly.

"This was a fun challenge," Dr. Wilson said. "I had to take material provided by all these talented scholars and imagine how it could fit together in the clearest way possible."

THINKING OF STUDENTS

Both teachers considered their own students while working on the textbook. Dr. Wilson visualized how Wardlaw+Hartridge students would interact with the material—and recognized that many may one day use the textbook in college classrooms.

"I was visualizing how our own students would interact with the story," Dr. Wilson said. "There's a very good chance they will actually be assigned this book in a college classroom one day – or even use it here at Wardlaw+Hartridge."

Union County Life covers educational achievement and school community news across all 21 Union County municipalities.

STUDENT VOICES

Some Wardlaw+Hartridge students have already used the textbook in their classes. Dr. Lutz uses The American Yawp in her United States History course. Students praised the resource's accessibility and depth.

Carly Jones, class of 2027, said: "I liked using The American Yawp textbook because it made history easier to understand while giving me a deeper sense of the people, events, and important perspectives that shaped American history."

Ryan Thakkar, also class of 2027, highlighted the textbook's digital availability and multiple perspectives. "The American Yawp book was the best resource for getting me through United States History. I appreciated how it was mainly a digital version rather than a hard copy that everyone had access to use. The different perspectives of the book also made it a lot easier and fun to read because it gives the talking points of many other historians rather than just one single person. It also made challenging history topics easier to understand and it made me fascinated about different parts of history which also contributed during class discussions."

ABOUT THE TEXTBOOK

The American Yawp is used at the University of Florida, Brooklyn College, Purdue University, the University of Wisconsin, and the University of Pennsylvania. The entire textbook is available free online at www.americanyawp.com. The print version costs a fraction of what most U.S. history textbooks cost.

"Making high-quality American history available to everyone can mean doing great writing and editing, or it can mean making your book open and free," Dr. Wilson said. "We got to work with a team that did both."

The second edition was released in May 2026 and is now being used in classrooms at the high school and college levels.

7FAQ

What is The American Yawp?
The American Yawp is a college-level United States history textbook published by Stanford University Press. It is used at major universities and increasingly in high school classrooms. The entire textbook is available free online, with low-cost print editions available.

Who are the Wardlaw+Hartridge teachers who contributed?
Dr. Raechel Lutz, an environmental history expert with a Ph.D. from Rutgers University, and Dr. Jonathan Wilson, an Upper School faculty member, both contributed to the second edition.

What did Dr. Lutz contribute?
Dr. Lutz wrote brand-new material on environmentalism in the 1970s, addressing a critical gap in the first edition's content.

What did Dr. Wilson contribute?
Dr. Wilson edited a newly reorganized chapter on American life in the 1820s for the second edition. He synthesized material from multiple scholars into a cohesive narrative.

When was the second edition released?
The second edition was released in May 2026.

Which universities use The American Yawp?
The textbook is used at the University of Florida, Brooklyn College, Purdue University, the University of Wisconsin, and the University of Pennsylvania.

Are Wardlaw+Hartridge students using the textbook?
Yes, students in Dr. Lutz's United States History course are using The American Yawp. Student feedback has been very positive.

What did students say about the textbook?
Students praised the textbook for making history easier to understand, providing multiple perspectives from scholars, offering digital access, and making challenging topics more accessible and engaging.

Is The American Yawp free?
Yes, the entire textbook is available free online at www.americanyawp.com. Low-cost print editions are also available.

How does The American Yawp approach history education?
The textbook emphasizes multiple perspectives and scholarly viewpoints rather than a single narrative. It aims to make high-quality American history education accessible to everyone.