government

In this module second grade students will identify the Preamble of the United States Constitution as the introductory statement of the Constitution. Students will define the key words from the Preamble, and understand that the founders created the Constitution to guide the United States...

This module fits within a unit on rights and liberties following an introduction to the core ideas in the unit. This module gets students thinking critically about the role of the government in protecting the safety and rights of its citizens. Students will read a variety of texts, hear a short...

After declaring its independence from Great Britain on July 4th, 1776 the young nation was forced to decide which type of government it would call its own. The Articles of Confederation represented the first constitutional agreement made between the 13 American states. However, after the...

The Civil Right Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965 are considered the most important civil rights legislation since the end of the Civil War. They arose from courtrooms, executive actions, and prior legislation, but also from sit-ins, boycotts, and civic organizing with a message that...

After researching historical sources on television in the 1950s and 1960s, students write an essay that describes the social, economic, political, and diplomatic impact of television on American culture. 

Students first select and research a policy issue, then a corresponding interest group. Students write a 5 to 6 page proposal to their chosen interest group, suggesting which branch of government the interest group should attempt to influence and explaining why they believe that branch is the...

In 1996, Congress passed the Line Item Veto giving President Clinton the authority to veto portions of appropriations bills. Though the Supreme Court struck down the law in Clinton v. City of New York (1998), the merits of an expansion of presidential power to include the line item veto persists...

This task asks students to write an argumentative essay about which level of government -- federal or state -- should have authority and power when making and executing laws related to a controversial issue.

Students will research an issue of their choice, write an argument in support of...

Every society operates with a mixed economic system, combining the influences of market and command models in order to form a functioning economy and government. Individual countries have unique economic systems that are each defined by how they prioritize different economic goals.

Before...

In this task, students will select and conduct research on an elected official who represents them at the federal level – a member of the House of Representatives or the U.S. Senate.

Students will then choose a relevant issue or a current piece of legislation and convey their viewpoints...