60-Second Civics

Thursday, October 10
   Daily civics quiz

Martin Luther, a prominent figure in the Protestant Reformation, wrote which text where he presented arguments against the practice of selling indulgences?

 
 
 
 

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About the Podcast: 60-Second Civics is a daily podcast that provides a quick and convenient way for listeners to learn about our nation’s government, the Constitution, and our history. The podcast explores themes related to civics and government, the constitutional issues behind the headlines, and the people and ideas that formed our nation’s history and government.

60-Second Civics is produced by the Center for Civic Education. The show's content is primarily derived from the Center’s education for democracy curricula, including We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution, Foundations of Democracy, and Elements of Democracy.

Subscribe: It's easy to subscribe! Listen on YouTubeiTunes or Stitcher or subscribe via RSS.

Get Involved: Join the conversation about each episode on Twitter. Or you can contact the show by emailing Mark Gage. Let me know what you think!

You Can Help: 60-Second Civics is supported by private donations. You can help keep the podcasts coming by donating, buying an ebook, or by writing a nice review in iTunes to help others discover the show. We love our listeners. You are the reason we created the podcast. Thank you for your kind support!

Music:
The theme music for 60-Second Civics is provided by Cheryl B. Engelhardt. You can find her online at cbemusic.com. The song featured on the podcast is Cheryl B. Engelhardt's "Complacent," which you purchase on iTunes, along with all of Cheryl's music.


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60-Second Civics: Episode 5227, Natural Rights Philosophy in the Declaration of Independence: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 24
The seventeenth century was a period of revolution and civil war in Europe. One area of contention was the divine right of kings. We explore more about natural rights philosophy in today's episode!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5226, Civic Virtue, Moral Education, and Small, Uniform Communities: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 23
Civic virtue was and continues to be an important concept that American Founders drew upon from classical republicanism. We explore this concept and related aspects in today's episode!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5225, Structure of Roman Republican Government: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 23
The Roman Republic inspired and informed the American Founders' own thinking about government. Learn more in today's episode!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5224, The Foundation of Moral Education in the American Colonies: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 22
Classical republican writers supported the idea of moral education and this was echoed in the American colonial experience. Learn more in today???s episode!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5223, Cicero and the American Founders: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 20
The Roman statesman Cicero had a profound effect on the American Founders and, as a consequence, his ideas influenced our system of government.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5222, Cincinnatus and George Washington: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 19
The stories of Cincinnatus and George Washington were told for many years in the early American republic as examples of civic virtue. Listen to today???s episode to learn more!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5221, Cato as an Example of Civic Virtue: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 18
The founding generation of Americans admired heroes of classical antiquity as examples of civic virtue. Cato the Elder is one such hero. Learn more about this figure in today???s podcast!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5220, The Role of Citizens in Classical Republics: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 17
Classical republicans, who heavily influenced the American Founders, believed that citizens played a central role in government???s functions. Learn more about the civic duties of citizens in these republics and how they differ from today in our latest episode!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5219, Small, Uniform Communities in Classical Republicanism: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 16
Classical republicanism placed great emphasis on the importance of small, uniform communities as being essential for the success of good government. But why was this? Find out in today???s episode!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5218, The Roman Republic as an Example and a Warning: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 14
The Roman Republic began in the sixth century BC and lasted until the first century BC and the establishment of the Roman Empire. The Roman Republic was both an example and a warning for the American Founders.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5217, Classical Republicanism: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 14
The American Founders had read a great deal about the ideals and practices of ancient Greek and Roman city-states and the thinkers of classical antiquity. They were familiar with classical republicanism, which emphasized civic participation and the responsibility of citizens for the well-being of country.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5216, The Roman Republic: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 13
The Roman Republic was the ancient society that exercised the greatest influence on the American Founders. Historians during the founding era thought that the Roman Republic had done the best job of promoting the common good; that is, doing what was best for the society as a whole.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5215, The Problem with Constitutional Government: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 12
As the Founders of the new American republic knew, constitutional government can take many forms. A constitutional government can have a single ruler, a group of rulers, or rule by the people as a whole. However, this system does have flaws. Learn more in today's podcast!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5214, Popular Sovereignty and Higher Law: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 11
In democracies, the sovereign people are the ultimate authority that grants all powers exercised by government. This is called popular sovereignty. Popular sovereignty requires that the whole body of citizens consent to be governed by the constitution that they authorize and under which they live. Constitutions are forms of higher law.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5213, Constitutional Government Is Limited Government: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 10
A constitution limits the powers of government by defining and distributing its powers. However, just because a nation has a constitution does not mean that it has a constitutional government.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5212, What Is a Constitution? Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 9
A constitution is an authoritative law through which the sovereign people of a democracy authorize a government to be established and grant it certain powers. Learn more in today's episode!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5211, The Reason for a Representative Government: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 8
While the founders were supportive of democracy as a concept, they had their reservations about certain types. Learn more in this episode!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5210, James Madison and the Republic: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 7
What did James Madison think about the term andquot;republicandquot; and why is this significant for the foundation of the United States? Find out more in today'ss episode!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5209, The Mixed Constitution: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 6
From where did the American Founders learn about the idea of a ???mixed constitution???? Listen to today???s episode to learn about its Greek and Roman origins and more!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5208, Why Aristotle Wasn't a Fan of Direct Democracy: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 5
Aristotle identified democracy as a corrupt form of government by the many poor. By andquot;democracy,andquot; Aristotle meant direct democracy, where people make public policy directly. This is different from the type of government we call democracy today, in which, for the most part, we elect representatives to make public policy for us. Listen to today's episode to learn more!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5207, Aristotle's Right and Corrupt Forms of Government: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 4
Aristotle distinguished between what he called the andquot;right formandquot; and the andquot;corrupt formandquot; of government. Listen to today's episode to understand the difference!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5206, Legislative, Executive, and Judicial Functions: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 3
Aristotle observed that every state, or country, must perform three functions: legislative, executive, and judicial. The American Founders were well acquainted with these functions, and formed the three branch system around them. Listen to today???s episode to learn more!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5205, Thomas Hobbes and John Locke: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 2
The American Founders learned a great deal from natural rights philosophers, such as Thomas Hobbes and John Locke. Natural rights philosophy taught that people have natural rights that others must respect. Learn more in today's episode!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5204, History Lessons and the Constitution: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 1
The American Founders learned lessons from ancient history when creating their state constitutions and the U.S. Constitution. They learned from Greek and Roman history that although democracies may appear to begin well, they tend to end in tyranny when the poor attack the rich.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5203, Lessons from Classical Philosophy: Back-to-School Basics, Part 12
The American Founders studied ancient Greek and Roman philosophers to learn about how to create the best form of government. Classical political philosophers taught that human beings are, by nature, social creatures.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5202, Self-government in Virginia: Back-to-School Basics, Part 11
In the more than 150 years of European settlement of the British North American colonies, by 1776 Americans had developed many different ways of organizing local governments. Today's episode will cover self-government in the colonies, especially the House of Burgesses in Virginia. Listen now!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5200, Who Influenced the American Founders? Back-to-School Basics, Part 9
America's Founders learned about government from their experiences in self-government as subjects of the British Empire. They also learned about government by reading history and philosophy, particularly that of ancient Greece and Rome and the works of sixteenth and seventeenth-century philosophers.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5199, Trades and Land Speculation in the American Colonies: Back-to-School Basics, Part 8
While most Americans during the colonial period were farmers, others followed various trades, working as brickmakers, carpenters, printers, sailors, shoemakers, and even wigmakers, among other professions. Listen to today???s podcast to learn more about these colonial careers!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5198, Agriculture in Colonial America: Back-to-School Basics, Part 7
Most Americans during the colonial period lived in small villages or on farms. The size of farms varied widely, from small plots of land in New England to immense plantations in the South with thousands of acres.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5197, The Diversity of the American Colonies: Back-to-School Basics, Part 6
The American colonists came from a variety of countries and for various economic, religious, and social reasons. Learn more about the diverse group that came to settle in the colonies with today's episode!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5196, Native Americans and Colonial America: Back-to-School Basics, Part 5
The American colonists were not the first people on the North American continent. Native Americans had lived on the continent for at least 24,000 years. Listen to today's episode to learn a little more about Native Americans during colonial times!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5195, Opportunities in the Early American Colonies: Back-to-School Basics, Part 4
Many new arrivals viewed colonial America in the 1770s as a land of opportunity. Learn why in today's episode!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5194, Portraits of Some American Founders: Back-to-School Basics, Part 3
Who were the American Founders?

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5193, The American Founders: Back to School Basics, Part 2
The American Founders drew on a number of basic ideas and experiences to create the kind of government they believed would best protect the natural rights of Americans and promote the common good. Get introduced to some of the Founders in today's episode!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5192, An Adventure in Ideas with We the People: Back to School Basics, Part 1
The history of the American people has been a great adventure in ideas and in trying to make these ideas a reality. Over the next few weeks, 60-Second Civics will explore the important philosophical ideas and historical events that influenced the writing of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5191, Permanent Campaigns: Campaign Finance in the U.S., Part 7
Permanent campaigns are increasingly noticeable in the larger perpetual U.S. campaign cycle, which is largely driven by meta-campaign demands and media sensationalism. Learn more in our final episode with Dr. Diana Owen adapted from the Strengthening Democracy in America Series available at learn.civiced.org.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5190, Constituent Service: Campaign Finance in the U.S., Part 6
Despite the warranted fears around big money, constituent service is an important way to help give a voice to more members of a particular congressional district. Learn more in today's episode!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5189, Donations and Political Equality: Campaign Finance in the U.S., Part 5
Political equality is a fundamental and critical concept for the U.S. government. Given this, how does big money affect political equality? Learn more as Dr. Diana Owen explains more in this series adapted from the Strengthening Democracy in America Series at learn.civiced.org.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5188, How Donors Affect Representatives' Policy Positions: Campaign Finance in the U.S., Part 4
How do donations affect members of Congress' policy positions? Listen as Dr. Diana Owen shares about the effect that this funding has on representatives legislative actions in this episode adapted from the Strengthening Democracy in America Series available at learn.civiced.org.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5187, Types of Political Contributions: Campaign Finance in the U.S., Part 3
Today, there are many types of political contributions that people or groups can make toward a political campaign, and it???s difficult to keep the types straight. Dr. Diana Owen explains in today???s episode the differences between popular types of contributions, including the hotly debated super PACs. Listen for more!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5186, Source of Campaign Funds: Campaign Finance in the U.S., Part 2
Continuing our new campaign finance series adapted from the Strengthening Democracy in America Series, available at learn.civiced.org, we ask Dr. Diana Owen: where does the money come from to run a political campaign? Listen to learn more!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5185, Cost of Political Campaigns: Campaign Finance in the U.S., Part 1
Today we begin a special series adapted from the Strengthening Democracy in America Series, a free online course on the American political system that you can find at Learn.civiced.org. In this series, Dr. Diana Owen, a professor of political science and director and principal investigator of the Civic Education Research Lab at Georgetown University, explains some of the more complicated aspects of our political process: campaign finance. To start, we cover the cost and reasons for these increasing costs.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5184, Birthright Citizenship: Citizenship, Part 5
What is birthright citizenship, and how might American citizenship change in the future? Professor Henry L. Chambers Jr. of the University of Richmond School of Law explains the concept of birthright citizenship and discusses ways that the concept of citizenship might change over time.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5183, Rights of Citizenship: Citizenship, Part 4
What types of rights are associated with citizenship? Professor Henry L. Chambers Jr. of the University of Richmond School of Law explains some useful ways to think about citizenship, including how the rights of citizens have changed over the years.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5182, The 14th Amendment Transforms Citizenship: Citizenship, Part 3
How did the 14th Amendment transform citizenship in America? Professor Henry L. Chambers Jr. of the University of Richmond School of Law explains the impact of the 14th Amendment on citizenship and its particular effect on formerly enslaved Americans who were born in the United States.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5181, Citizenship Before the Civil War: Citizenship, Part 2
What was citizenship in America before the Civil War? Professor Henry L. Chambers Jr. of the University of Richmond School of Law explains the uncertain status of citizenship before the Civil War, particularly for Black Americans.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5180, Citizenship at the Founding: Citizenship, Part 1
What was citizenship at the founding of our country? Professor Henry L. Chambers Jr. of the University of Richmond School of Law explains how citizenship was initially decided by each individual state, and how this presented a challenge as the United States gained independence and evolved into a more mature republic.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5178, Brown v. Board of Education: Civil Rights, Part 4
How was segregation in public schools found to be unconstitutional? In this episode of 60-Second Civics, Dr. Lester Brooks, emeritus professor of American history at Anne Arundel Community College, explains the landmark case of Brown v. Board of Education, which determined that separate schools for Black and White children was inherently unequal.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5177, The Reconstruction Amendments: Civil Rights, Part 3
How did the Reconstruction Amendments set the stage for the ongoing battle for civil rights? In this episode of 60-Second Civics, Dr. Lester Brooks, emeritus professor of American history at Anne Arundel Community College, explains the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the Constitution.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5176, Frederick Douglass's Speech: Civil Rights, Part 2
How does Frederick Douglass's speech, "What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?," capture the struggle for civil rights before the Civil War? Dr. Lester Brooks, emeritus professor of American history at Anne Arundel Community College, explains the 1852 speech by abolitionist Frederick Douglass, who himself had one been enslaved.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5175, Civil Rights at the Founding: Civil Rights, Part 1
What were civil rights at our country's founding? Dr. Lester Brooks, emeritus professor of American history at Anne Arundel Community College, explains the status of civil rights during America's founding period and how some Blacks responded to the Declaration of Independence and the outbreak of the Revolutionary War.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5174, Self-control Is a Key to Happiness: We Hold These Truths to Be Self-Evident, Part 9
Every day we make numerous choices in deciding what course of action will add to our well-being and what will make us happy. Making these choices is the pursuit of happiness. Learn more about this important concept in this podcast!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5173, Origin of the andquot;Pursuit of Happinessandquot;: We Hold These Truths to Be Self-Evident, Part 8
In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson announced that every human being has andquot;certain unalienable rights,andquot; among which are those to andquot;life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.andquot; But what did Jefferson mean by andquot;the pursuit of happinessandquot;?

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5172, Rights That Cannot Be Taken Away: We Hold These Truths to Be Self-Evident, Part 7
One key to understanding andquot;inalienableandquot; rights--as distinguished from ordinary, andquot;alienableandquot; rights--is found by turning to one of Thomas Jefferson's rough drafts of the Declaration of Independence. Listen to learn more about the foundations of your rights that cannot be taken away!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5171, Inalienable Rights: We Hold These Truths to Be Self-Evident, Part 6
The Declaration of Independence states that andquot;all Men are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights.andquot; But what does andquot;unalienable Rights,andquot; or as it was intended andquot;inalienable Rightsandquot; mean? Learn more in this episode!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5170, Stoicism, Christianity, and Moral Equality: The Basic Ideas of Constitutional Government in the Colonies, Part 19
On Friday, we discussed the origins of Americans' sense of political equality, but our founders also possessed a strong sense of moral equality. Indeed, the idea of the moral equality of human beings has ancient origins. Listen to today's episode for more!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5169, All Men Are Created Equal: We Hold These Truths to Be Self-Evident, Part 4
The Declaration of Independence states that among the andquot;truthsandquot; that Americans hold to be andquot;self-evidentandquot; is that andquot;all Men are created equal.andquot; But what was meant by this statement? Learn more today!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5168, The American Mind: We Hold These Truths to Be Self-Evident, Part 3
Thomas Jefferson said that his purpose in writing the Declaration of Independence was to express a shared understanding of the American mind. Learn more about this term and its significance today!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5167, Self-Evident Truths: We Hold These Truths to Be Self-Evident, Part 2
That andquot;all Men are created equalandquot; and andquot;endowed by their Creator with Certain unalienable Rightsandquot; was self-evident to Americans at the time of the writing of the Declaration of Independence. Why was this? Learn more about the foundations of our self-evident truths.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5166, Independence Day: We Hold These Truths to Be Self-Evident, Part 1
Independence Day is a time to remember and appreciate our heritage of a democratic form of government and to reflect on our country's fundamental principles. Over the few episodes, 60-Second Civics will examine some of the fundamental ideas about government that are contained in the Declaration of Independence, which was issued on July 4, 1776.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5165, The Equal Rights Amendment: Women's Rights, Part 5
What is the Equal Rights Amendment and how would its ratification change American life? In this episode, Dr. Lisa Tetrault, associate professor of history at Carnegie Mellon University, explains the Equal Rights Amendment. This is the fifth episode in our 60-Second Civics series on women's rights as part of the Center for Civic Education's Civil Discourse: An American Legacy Project.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5164, The Abortion Debate and Fundamental Rights: Women's Rights, Part 4
How does abortion relate to fundamental rights as viewed by both sides of the abortion debate? Dr. Lisa Tetrault, associate professor of history at Carnegie Mellon University, explains how fundamental rights relate to the modern abortion debate. This is the fourth episode in our 60-Second Civics series on women's rights as part of the Center for Civic Education's Civil Discourse: An American Legacy Project.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5162, The Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments: Women's Rights, Part 2
What was the Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments and how does it relate to the Declaration of Independence? In this episode, Dr. Lisa Tetrault, associate professor of history at Carnegie Mellon University, explains the historical significance of the Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5161, The Seneca Falls Convention: Women's Rights, Part 1
This is the first episode in our series on women's rights as part of our Civil Discourse and American Legacy Project. Dr. Lisa Tetrault, associate professor of history at Carnegie Mellon University, explains the significance of the Seneca Falls Convention of 1848.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5160, Political Parties in the 1960s: The Evolution of Political Parties, Part 5
How did American political parties evolve in the 1960s? Dr. Lester Brooks, emeritus professor of American history at Anne Arundel Community College, explains how both the Democratic and Republican political parties evolved due to the social changes of the 1960s.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5159, Political Parties During the Civil War Era: The Evolution of Political Parties, Part 4
How did the modern two-party system begin to form? Dr. Lester Brooks, emeritus professor of American history at Anne Arundel Community College, explains the demise of the Whigs and the rise of today's dominant political parties in this episode of 60-Second Civics.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5158, Political Parties in Jacksonian Democracy: The Evolution of Political Parties, Part 3
What caused the rise of electioneering in the United States? Dr. Lester Brooks, emeritus professor of American history at Anne Arundel Community College, explains how the Federalist party split and examines the rise of Jacksonian democracy.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5157, The Evolution of Political Parties: The Evolution of Political Parties, Part 2
How did political parties come about in the early American republic? Dr. Lester Brooks, emeritus professor of American history at Anne Arundel Community College, explains how the Federalists and the Democratic Republicans came to be the first two political parties in the United States.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5156, The Functions of Political Parties: The Evolution of Political Parties, Part 1
What are the functions of political parties? Dr. Lester Brooks, emeritus professor of American history at Anne Arundel Community College, explains four functions of political parties in this episode of 60-Second Civics.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5155, Ratifying the Constitution: Principles of the Constitution, Part 5
What was the process of ratifying or rejecting the proposed plan of government after the 1787 convention? In this episode Dr. Lester Brooks, American history professor emeritus from Anne Arundel Community College, explains the process for ratifying the Constitution and the role played by the Federalists and Anti-Federalists.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5154, Forms of Government: Principles of the Constitution, Part 4
In this video, Dr. Lester Brooks, emeritus professor of American history at Anne Arundel Community College, explains how the Framers of the Constitution thought about fundamental principles embodied in the Constitution.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5153, Major Issues of the Philadelphia Convention, Representative Government: Principles of the Constitution, Part 3
In this episode, Dr. Lester Brooks, emeritus professor of American history at Anne Arundel Community College, explains a critical issue at the Philadelphia Convention: how the states would be represented in government.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5152, Major Issues of the Philadelphia Convention, Separation of Power: Principles of the Constitution, Part 2
Dr. Lester Brooks, emeritus professor of American history at Anne Arundel Community College, explains how separation of powers was a major issue at the Philadelphia Convention, which drafted the new Constitution for the United States.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5151, The Need for a New Constitution: Principles of the Constitution, Part 1
Dr. Lester Brooks, emeritus professor of American history at Anne Arundel Community College, describes some of the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and explains why the Framers intended to amend it.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5150, Promoting a Healthy Democracy: Building Your Skills as a Citizen, Part 5
Of all the duties of citizens, perhaps none is more important than doing your part to ensure the healthy functioning of American constitutional democracy. What can you do to support the survival of our constitutional democracy? Find out today!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5149, Effective Participation: Building Your Skills as a Citizen, Part 4
A fundamental aspect of citizenship is participating in the civic affairs of the community and the nation. However, participation alone is not enough. It's important to participate in an informed, thoughtful, and effective manner. How do you do this? Find out in this episode!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5148, Respecting Individual Worth and Human Dignity: Building Your Skills as a Citizen, Part 3
One key to fulfilling your responsibilities as an American citizen is to respect the value and human dignity of all people. This means treating other people with respect.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5147, Assuming the Responsibilities of a Citizen: Building Your Skills as a Citizen, Part 2
Being a citizen of the United States means fulfilling certain personal, political, and economic responsibilities. Learn what these include and how you can take on these responsibilities in this episode!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5146, Becoming an Independent Member of Society: Building Your Skills as a Citizen, Part 1
Today we launch a special series on the five civic dispositions of the National Assessment for Educational Progress Civics Framework. The first civic disposition stresses the importance of becoming an independent member of society. Listen for more!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5145, Challenging the System: Active Citizenship, Part 5
The American system of government is built on popular sovereignty. However, there have been times in our nation's history when the government did not pursue the common good. Part of being an active citizen is knowing when and how to challenge the system. Here are some principles that can help you.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5144, Serving Your Country: Active Citizenship, Part 4
When you serve your country, you are promoting the common good; that is, the good of everyone in the United States. There are several ways to serve your country. Listen to learn a few!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5143, Political Participation: Active Citizenship, Part 3
Elections have consequences. If you want a say in the political future of our nation, it is up to you to get involved. Luckily, there are many ways to accomplish this. Listen to learn how!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5142, Being an Active Citizen: Active Citizenship, Part 2
Active citizenship means getting involved in the life of your community and nation so that you can help determine the country's future. But how do you do this? Find out more today!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5141, Being an Informed Citizen: Active Citizenship, Part 1
Most American citizens 18 years of age and older have the right to vote and choose our representatives who make our laws. But it is your obligation to cast an informed and responsible vote. Listen for more!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5140, When Isn't a Warrant Warranted? The Right to Privacy, Part 12
During the 1960s the Supreme Court held that searches conducted without warrants are inherently unreasonable. By the 1970s the Court had recognized a number of exceptions to the warrant requirement. We cover a few examples of those exceptions in today's podcast.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5139, Probable Cause: How Do Warrants Work? The Right to Privacy, Part 11
The Fourth Amendment protects people and their personal effects against unreasonable searches and seizures. It also requires applications for warrants to be supported by probable cause and requires a judge to decide whether probable cause exists. How do officials obtain warrants? We'll explain in today's episode.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5138, Unreasonable Searches and Seizures: The Right to Privacy, Part 10
The Fourth Amendment to the Constitution protects against unreasonable searches and seizures, but it seeks to strike a balance between the need for order and each individual's rights.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5137, Fourth Amendment and Technology: The Right to Privacy, Part 9
There have been vast technological changes since the ratification of the Fourth Amendment in 1791, and the courts have been asked to interpret the significance of ever-changing technology and surveillance techniques.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5135, The Fourth Amendment: The Right to Privacy, Part 7
The Fourth Amendment grew directly out of the American colonial experience. It protects against unreasonable searches and seizures by government officials.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5134, Protection Against Unreasonable Search and Seizure: The Right to Privacy, Part 6
The protection against unreasonable search and seizure was in part a reaction against the general warrants issued by the British that so enraged American colonists in the prelude to the Revolution. The Fourth Amendment and state constitutions protect against unreasonable searches and seizures.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5133, John Adams and James Otis: The Right to Privacy, Part 5
John Adams claimed that James Otis's speech against general warrants was the first act of colonial resistance to British policies. Despite his fame, Otis's career would be ended by a violent attack by a British customs official.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5132, James Otis Speaks Against General Warrants: The Right to Privacy, Part 4
General warrants were unpopular in the American colonies, where they were used to search for evidence of smuggling. In a five-hour speech in February 1761, James Otis spoke out against them, saying that they would andquot;totally annihilateandquot; the British common-law tradition that andquot;A man's house is his castle.andquot;

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5130, The Problem with General Warrants: The Right to Privacy, Part 2
General warrants allowed British officials to search people, businesses, homes, and property indiscriminately. British officials in the American colonies used such warrants to collect taxes, to recover stolen goods including -- enslaved people -- and to prosecute smugglers.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5129, Historical Origins of the Right to Privacy: The Right to Privacy, Part 1
Americans inherited from British history the principle that andquot;a man's home is his castle.andquot; This idea can be traced to the opinion of Sir Edward Coke in Semayne's Case in 1604.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5128, andquot;Our Country's Aim Will Remain True Towards Justiceandquot;: Justice Paula Nakayama, Part 6
In light of the recent rise in violence toward Asian Americans, Justice Nakayama of the Hawai'i Supreme Court emphasizes that, andquot;we must encourage everybody to learn, understand and deeply appreciate and embrace the rule of law in our country.andquot;

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5127, What Does a Civic and Constitutional Education Mean to You?: Justice Paula Nakayama, Part 5
In today's podcast, we ask Justice Nakayama: What does a civic and constitutional education mean to you? And, why have you dedicated so many years to ensuring greater access to civics for more Americans?

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5126, Learning About Your Role As an American: Justice Paula Nakayama, Part 4
A well-informed citizenry is the cornerstone of our democracy, which is why Justice Nakayama believes it's essential for all Americans to learn about their roles and responsibilities as citizens.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5125, Why Should Young People Consider Public Service?: Justice Paula Nakayama, Part 3
andquot;When you are a public servant, it is important to realize that you are indeed serving the public. I think about that all the time, and I consider it a higher calling.andquot; In our episode, Justice Nakayama shares her perspective on the value of public service.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5124, One of the First Women on the Hawai'i Supreme Court: Justice Paula Nakayama, Part 2
Today, we ask Justice Nakayama: What is it like to be one of the first women to serve on the Hawai'i Supreme Court and one of the few Asian American women serving as a state supreme court justice? While Justice Nakayama shares times in which she faced discrimination, she nonetheless believes that "being on the Supreme Court is an honor and a privilege."

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5123, How Did You Become a Justice on the Hawai'i Supreme Court?: Justice Paula Nakayama, Part 1
This episode is a rebroadcast from our interview series with then Associate Justice of the Hawai'i Supreme Court, Paula Nakayama. Justice Nakayama served on the Hawaii Supreme Court from 1993 until 2023. In our first episode, Justice Nakayama shares how a lot of hard work and a little luck helped her achieve one of the highest positions in the legal profession.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5122, Equality and the American Mind: The Basic Ideas of Constitutional Government in the Colonies, Part 20
Where did the idea of universal human equality, a common American idea, come from? Religious movements in colonial America helped spread the idea of universal moral human equality, including equality among social classes. Listen to today's podcast for more!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5121, Stoicism, Christianity, and Moral Equality: The Basic Ideas of Constitutional Government in the Colonies, Part 19
In a recent episode, we discussed the origins of Americans' sense of political equality, but America's Founders also possessed a strong sense of moral equality. Indeed, the idea of the moral equality of human beings has ancient origins.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5120, Americans' Sense of Political Equality: The Basic Ideas of Constitutional Government in the Colonies, Part 18
The Declaration of Independence states that all men, meaning all people, are created equal. But where did this idea come from? Ideas of natural political equality were developed in seventeenth-century England and exported to its colonies across the North Atlantic. Learn more in today's episode!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5119, andquot;All Men Are Created Equal:andquot; The Basic Ideas of Constitutional Government in the Colonies, Part 17
The Declaration of Independence states that among the andquot;truthsandquot; that Americans hold to be andquot;self-evidentandquot; is that andquot;all Men are created equal.andquot; But what did Thomas Jefferson mean by this statement?

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5118, The American Creed: The Basic Ideas of Constitutional Government in the Colonies, Part 16
Thomas Jefferson said that his purpose in writing the Declaration of Independence was to express a shared understanding of andquot;the American mind.andquot; Over the course of a few days in June 1776, Jefferson laid out the most fundamental principles and central political beliefs of the American Revolution and of the people the Revolution created.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5117, Why Americans Held These Truths to Be Self-evident: The Basic Ideas of Constitutional Govt. in the Colonies, Part 15
Why did the writers of the Declaration of Independence andquot;hold these Truths to be self-evident?andquot; Among other things, these Americans were deeply influenced by the teachings of Christianity and English republicanism.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5116, The Meaning of Self-Evident Truths: The Basic Ideas of Constitutional Govt. in the Colonies, Part 14
The second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence begins like this: andquot;We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.andquot; But what does andquot;We hold these truths to be self-evidentandquot; mean? We explain more in today's episode!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 4864, The Intolerable Acts: The Road to Independence, Part 12
Following the Boston Tea Party, the British government responded with what colonists called the Intolerable Acts, a series of Punitive Acts that, among other things, closed Boston Harbor to all trade.??Listen to today???s episode to learn more!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5179, Civil Rights Challenges Today: Civil Rights, Part 5
What is the most pressing challenge for civil rights today? In this episode of 60-Second Civics, Dr. Lester Brooks, emeritus professor of American history at Anne Arundel Community College, explains the challenges obstacles to full equality in the United States today.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5114, Elections in Colonial America: The Basic Ideas of Constitutional Government, Part 12
Elections in the colonial era and in the early American republic were rather uncivilized compared to today's standards. Explore the differences between then and now in today's episode!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5113, Qualifying to Vote in Early America: The Basic Ideas of Constitutional Government in the Colonies, Part 11
In the American colonies, the right to vote followed the British model: only free adult males who owned a certain amount of property could vote, though there were limited exceptions to this rule. Listen to learn more!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5112, Voting Rights in Colonial America: The Basic Ideas of Constitutional Government in the Colonies, Part 10
Voting rights in colonial America depended on the ownership of property. In other words, a person had to own a certain amount of land, livestock, or other property in order to qualify to vote. Listen to learn more!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5111, Representative Democracy in Colonial America: The Basic Ideas of Constitutional Government in the Colonies, Part 9
Each of the thirteen American colonies had some features of representative democracy that we still see today. For example, each of the colonies had a legislative, executive, and judicial branch. Learn more with today???s episode!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5109, The Massachusetts Body of Liberties: The Basic Ideas of Constitutional Government in the Colonies, Part 7
Americans have had a tradition of written guarantees of rights since the time of the thirteen colonies. The Massachusetts Body of Liberties of 1641 provides a good example.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5108, Written Guarantees of Rights: The Basic Ideas of Constitutional Government in the Colonies, Part 6
Despite the presence of indentured servitude and slavery in colonial America, many Americans enjoyed written guarantees of their rights.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5107, Slavery in Colonial America: The Basic Ideas of Constitutional Government in the Colonies, Part 5
Slavery was present in the thirteen American colonies since at least the early 1600s. Until slavery was abolished in the mid-nineteenth century, almost 12 million Africans were transported against their will to America. Listen to today's podcast to learn more about the foundations of slavery in the US.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5106, Indentured Servitude in Colonial America: The Basic Ideas of Constitutional Government in the Colonies, Part 4
Land was plentiful in the thirteen American colonies, but labor was scarce. It was also expensive to sail from Britain to America. This reality created incentives for indentured servitude. Learn more about these colonists in today's episode!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5105, The Southern Colonies: The Basic Ideas of Constitutional Government in the Colonies, Part 3
The mostly rural and agricultural southern colonies differed a great deal from both the New England and Middle Colonies. Learn how in today's episode!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5104, The Middle Colonies: Basic Ideas of Rights and Constitutional Government in the Colonies, Part 2
America's Middle Colonies included today's states of Delaware, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. The Middle Colonies different in important ways from the New England colonies. Learn about these key differences in today's episode!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5103, The New England Colonies: Basic Ideas of Rights and Constitutional Government in the Colonies, Part 1
The American colonies can be divided into three regions: New England, the Middle Colonies, and the Southern Colonies. At the time of American independence, in 1776, the New England colonies were Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. Learn more about this group of colonies in today's episode!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5102, Marie Louise Bottineau Baldwin: Women's History Month, Part 21
Marie Louise Bottineau Baldwin was a Native American activist, attorney, and advocate of women's right to vote.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5099, Susan B. Anthony: Women's History Month, Part 18
After her trial for having voted in an 1872 election, Susan B. Anthony explained to the judge the implications of her conviction: "My natural rights, my civil rights, my political rights, are all alike ignored. Robbed of the fundamental privilege of citizenship, I am degraded from the status of a citizen to that of a subject." Today, women in Rochester, New York, cover her grave with "I Voted" stickers.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5097, The Seneca Falls Convention: Women's History Month, Part 16
In 1848, about 300 activists met in Seneca Falls, New York, for the first convention in the United States devoted to women's rights. They discussed Elizabeth Cady Stanton's proposed Declaration of Sentiments, which mirrored the language of the Declaration of Independence.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5096, The Forten Sisters: Women's History Month, Part 15
Margaretta, Harriet, and Sarah Forten were three powerful African American campaigners for the abolition and women's rights movements. Harriet and Sarah married members of another prominent abolitionist family, the Purvises. Harriet and her husband Robert were involved in the Underground Railroad, and their home served as a refuge for people who had escaped slavery and as a meeting place for abolitionists.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5092, Fanny Wright: Women's History Month, Part 11
Fanny Wright was radical by the standards of her time. She was a writer and social activist who campaigned for equal rights for women, free and secular public education for both boys and girls, and the abolition of slavery, among other social and political issues. Wright was a fierce advocate of equality. She was friends with Thomas Jefferson and the Marquis de Lafayette, conversing with them about political philosophy, and she admired the American experiment with self-government.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5091, Mercy Otis Warren: Women's History Month, Part 10
Mercy Otis Warren was a playwright, poet, historian, and Anti-Federalist political commentator during the American Revolution. She was a talented writer, admired for her skill and her dedication to the principles of natural rights behind the Revolution.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5090, Margaret Todd Whetten: Women's History Month, Part 9
Margaret Todd Whetten and her daughters provided food, clothing, and support to American prisoners in New York City, despite being called by one British jailer the "damndest rebels in New York." They provided a safe refuge for American spies in their home, saving them from capture and certain hanging. As as result, her house became known as the "rebel headquarters."

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5089, Women During the Revolutionary War: Women's History Month, Part 8
Women served the American cause in many ways during the Revolutionary War, even as combatants.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5088, The Daughters of Liberty: Women's History Month, Part 7
At the start of the American Revolution, women patriots organized into a group known as the Daughters of Liberty. Like their male counterparts, the Sons of Liberty, women took action, such as boycotts, to protest British policies. For example, they replace imported British tea with "liberty tea," made from leaves, herbs, fruits, and flowers, like goldenrod. Without women's adherence to the boycotts, they would not have been effective.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5086, Nanye'hi: Women's History Month, Part 5
Despite being known as the "War Woman of Chota," Nanye'hi, also known as Nancy Ward, was a Cherokee woman who would work for much of her life to ensure peace between the Cherokees and the Americans, while attempting to prevent the further seizure of Cherokee land.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5085, Elizabeth Freeman: Women's History Month, Part 4
Elizabeth Freeman, also known as Mum Bett, escaped slavery in a way that was unusual: she took her case to court. She approached lawyer Theodore Sedgwick with this question: "I heard that paper read yesterday that says 'all men are born equal,' and that every man has a right to freedom ... won't the law give me my freedom?" Appealing to her natural rights and her rights under the Massachusetts Constitution of 1780, she sued for her freedom and won.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5084, Ona Judge: Women's History Month, Part 3
Ona Judge escaped George and Martha Washington's household, where she was an enslaved housemaid, and made her way to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where she eluded George Washington's determined attempts to capture her. She made a new life for herself in New Hampshire, marrying and having three children. Her side of her remarkable story survives because she gave interviews to at least two abolitionist newspapers.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5083, Coverture and the Colonial Era: Women's History Month, Part 2
A married woman living during the American colonial era would have lived under the legal doctrine called "coverture," where her legal identity was subsumed under that of her husband. William Blackstone wrote, "By marriage, the husband and wife are one person in the law: that is, the very being or legal existence of the woman is suspended during the marriage, or at least is incorporated and consolidated into that of the husband: under whose wing, protection, and cover, she performs every thing." This was governed by colonial law before independence and state law after independence. It would not change substantially after the Revolution in most states, but divorce and child custody laws would change.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5082, The Struggle for Equality: Women's History Month, Part 1
It's Women's History Month! All this month, 60-Second Civics will explain the struggle for equal rights for women and how our Constitution and laws evolved to make our nation a more representative democracy. In this episode, we briefly trace the struggle of women for equal voting rights in the United States.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5081, Important Figures in the Civil Rights Movement: Dr. Vicki Ross-Norris, Part 6
Throughout her life, Dr. Ross-Norris has interacted with several prominent civil rights leaders, including Dr. Dorothy Height and Rev. Fauntroy. Learn more how these figures inspired the next generation of civil rights leaders in today's episode.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5080, Maya Angelou and Her Role as a Citizen: Dr. Vicki Ross-Norris, Part 5
Maya Angelou, an African American poet and civil rights activist, used her artistic abilities to communicate the Black experience and serve as an instrument for others to understand African American culture. Listen as Dr. Vicki Ross-Norris recounts her interactions with Maya Angelou in today's episode!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5079, Historically Black Colleges and Universities: Dr. Vicki Ross-Norris, Part 4
Today, we ask our guest, Dr. Vicki Ross-Norris, why historically black colleges and universities are important. In the episode, she shares her experience as a Howard University alumna and how attending an HBCU was significant to her as an African American.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5078, The Tuskegee Airmen: Dr. Vicki Ross-Norris, Part 3
In today's episode, Dr. Ross-Norris talks about the Tuskegee Airmen, a group her father belonged to and who taught her important lessons about civics and being an American.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5077, Learning About the African American Experience: Dr. Vicki Ross-Norris, Part 2
In February, we celebrate Black History Month. Today we ask Dr. Ross-Norris: Why should all Americans learn about the African American experience? Listen to learn why!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5075, A Just and a Lasting Peace
By the time of Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address, the Civil War was winding down. Learn more about his hopes for a just and a lasting peace after the war on today's 60-Second Civics podcast.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5074, Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address
Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, given on November 19, 1863, recognized the central importance of founding-era principles to the meaning and destiny of America. Learn more about this famous address in today???s episode of 60-Second Civics.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5073, Abraham Lincoln and America's Founding Principles
Abraham Lincoln tried to revive and renew political principles that defined America at its birth in 1776 throughout his political career. Listen to learn more!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5071, The Emancipation Proclamation
On September 22, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln publicly announced his Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. It warned the Confederate rebels that unless they rejoined the Union, a final proclamation would free all slaves within the seceded states. Listen to learn more!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5070, Abraham Lincoln on Slavery
After winning the 1860 presidential election, Lincoln repeated his long-held opposition to slavery. However, he insisted that the federal government would not take action against slavery in the states where it existed.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5069, Lincoln Takes Strong Action against the Rebellion
Learn about President Lincoln and the writ of habeas corpus.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5068, Suspending the Writ of Habeas Corpus During the Civil War
Chief Justice Roger B. Taney rules against Abraham Lincoln's aggressive use of war powers.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5067, The Prize Cases
The Prize Cases posed a constitutional test of Abraham Lincoln's use of war powers during an emergency.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5066, Congress Approves Lincoln's Actions
Critics accused Abraham Lincoln of trampling on the Constitution, but he thought his actions were needed to save both the Union and the Constitution.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5065, Lincoln Takes Immediate Action Against the Confederacy
When fighting began between Confederate and Union forces in April of 1861, Abraham Lincoln acted decisively, but some questioned whether his actions were constitutional. Learn more about Lincoln???s reaction to secession and the constitutional debate in this episode of the 60-Second Civics daily podcast.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5064, The Civil War Begins
Abraham Lincoln faced a tough first year in office: secession and war plagued the nation.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5063, Abraham Lincoln Elected President
Lincoln lost his campaign for the Senate, but won the presidency two years later.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5061, Abraham Lincoln Begins His Political Career
Abraham Lincoln was largely self-taught, having less than one year of formal education. Yet, he became a lawyer and was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. Learn more about the beginning of Abraham Lincoln's career in today???s episode of 60-Second Civics.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5060, Abraham Lincoln's Early Life
Today, we begin a brief series on Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth president of the United States. We start by mapping his early years, which began in Kentucky on February 12, 1809.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5059, The 27th Amendment
The 27th Amendment was originally introduced with the Bill of Rights, but it was not ratified until 1992. It says that legislation modifying the salary of members of Congress will take effect until after an election of representatives. This gives the American people the chance to vote out of office legislators they think may have excessively raised their salaries.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5058, The 26th Amendment
The 26th Amendment recognized the right of citizens 18 year of age and older to vote. The Vietnam War was a strong contributing factor to the adoption of the amendment, which was ratified in only 107 days, the fastest ratification in American history. Thousands of young people served in the Vietnam War, including many who would die in the conflict.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5057, The 25th Amendment
The 25th Amendment describes the procedure for when a president or vice president dies or is unable to fulfill their duties. It seems like a mundane part of the Constitution, but it has been used many times since its ratification in 1967

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5056, The 24th Amendment
The 24th Amendment outlawed poll taxes as a requirement for voting. After more than 100 years of discriminatory voting practices, the right of African Americans to vote in all elections was finally protected by this amendment, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and a 1966 Supreme Court decision.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5055, The 23rd Amendment
The 23rd Amendment established the right of residents of the District of Columbia to vote for president and vice president. It limits the district to the same number of Electoral College votes that it would have if it were a state, but not more than the least populous state. The District therefore has three Electoral College votes.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5054, The 22nd Amendment
The 22nd Amendment limits presidents to just two full terms in office. It was added to the Constitution in reaction to President Franklin D. Roosevelt's unprecedented four terms in office.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5053, The 21st Amendment
After more than a decade of Prohibition, Americans were tired of it. So, Congress proposed the 21st Amendment, which outlawed the 18th Amendment and ended nationwide prohibition. The states, municipalities, and counties could still enact their own prohibition laws, however, and many of them did.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5052, The 20h Amendment
The 20th Amendment shortened the period between when the president, vice president, and members of Congress are elected and when they take office. It also specified what would happen if a president-elect were to die between the election and the inauguration.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5051, The 19th Amendment
The 19th Amendment recognized the right of women to vote. The amendment was the result of years of activism by campaigners for suffrage for women. However, until the Voting Rights Act of 1965, African American women faced serious obstacles to voting.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5050, The 18th Amendment
The ratification of the 18th Amendment in 1919 began the era of Prohibition. The amendment banned the andquot;manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors.andquot; This opened up new opportunities for organized crime, which grew substantially during the period.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5049, The 17th Amendment
The 17th Amendment to the Constitution mandates the direct popular election of U.S. senators. Before the amendment was ratified in 1913, senators were chosen by state legislatures.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5048, The 16th Amendment
The 16th Amendment to the Constitution established the national government's authority to establish a federal income tax without having to divide the revenues among the states based on their population. The amendment resulted in a change in the way the national government was funded.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5047, The 15th Amendment
The 15th Amendment to the Constitution, ratified in 1870, sought to ensure the right of African American men to vote. However, grandfather clauses, literacy tests, poll taxes, as well as violence and intimidation, were serious barriers preventing African American men from realizing this right.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5046, The 14th Amendment
The 14th Amendment made a deep and lasting impact on the United States, helping to form a more perfect union. First it recognized the citizenship of African Americans. It also forbade states to deny due process and equal protection of the laws. It did a great many other things, as well.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5045, The 13th Amendment
The 13th Amendment abolished slavery in the United States, but controversy remains over the loophole in the amendment that says that prisoners can be forced to work.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5044, The 12th Amendment
The 12th Amendment requires electors in the Electoral College to make separate choices for president and vice president. Before this amendment, electors voted for two people for president. The winner would become president and the second-place finisher vice president. The election of 1800 convinced Americans that this system needed to change.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5043, The 11th Amendment
The 11th Amendment protects states against being sued by citizens of other states or foreign nations. It supports the idea of sovereign immunity for states, meaning that they are immune to lawsuits that they do not consent to.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5042, Bill of Rights, Part 10: The 10th Amendment
The 10th Amendment addressed the fears of some Framers of the Constitution that creating a Bill of Rights might lead people to believe that the national government has more powers than those specifically enumerated in the Constitution. It states that those powers not specifically delegated to the national government are reserved to the states or the people.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5041, Bill of Rights, Part 9: Ninth Amendment
The first eight amendments to the U.S. Constitution contain specific guarantees of rights. But the Ninth Amendment simply says that the rights contained in the Constitution do not limit or reduce any other rights the people have. We'll learn about competing theories about what exactly the Ninth Amendment means in today's 60-Second Civics podcast.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5040, Bill of Rights, Part 8: Eighth Amendment
The Eighth Amendment to the Constitution prohibits excessive bail and fines. It also prohibits cruel and unusual punishment, which the Supreme Court has interpreted since in various ways over the years.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5039, Bill of Rights, Part 7: The Seventh Amendment
The Seventh Amendment to the Constitution guarantees the right to a jury trial in most federal civil cases. It does not apply to the states, but most state protect this right in their constitutions.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5038, Bill of Rights, Part 6: The Sixth Amendment
The Sixth Amendment to the Constitution protects several rights to help ensure a fair trial, including the right to a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5037, Bill of Rights, Part 5: The Fifth Amendment
The Fifth Amendment to the Constitution is designed to limit the federal government's power to prosecute people for crimes and to protect the rights of the accused. In this episode of the 60-Second Civics podcast, we explore each of the rights protected under the Fifth Amendment.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5036, Bill of Rights, Part 4: The Fourth Amendment
The Fourth Amendment to the Constitution provides a constitutional guarantee against unreasonable searches and seizures by the government. In this episode of 60-Second Civics, we explain what this means and provide some examples.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5035, Bill of Rights, Part 3: The Third Amendment
The Third Amendment to the Constitution prohibits the quartering of soldiers in private homes. This might sound strange to us now, but it was a reality for American colonists in the pre-Revolutionary era, who were deprived of this right by the British authorities even though it was a right allowed to their British brethren.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5034, Bill of Rights, Part 2: The Second Amendment
The Second Amendment deals with both the power of states to organize and maintain a militia, now known as the National Guard, and the right of Americans to keep and bear arms. Learn more on today's 60-Second Civics podcast.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5033, Bill of Rights, Part 1: The First Amendment
What rights are part of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution? Find out on today's podcast. Today's episode is the first in a 10-part series on the Bill of Rights.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5032, Issues Facing Native American Communities Today: Native American Heritage Month, Part 15 (rebroadcast)
In the final episode of our Native American Heritage Month Series, Terry Mason Moore, enrolled member of the Osage tribe, discusses current and future issues facing Native American communities and all Americans today. Listen for more!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5031, Tribal Sovereignty and Native American Citizenship: Native American Heritage Month, Part 14 (rebroadcast)
Native Americans are citizens of three governments: Their tribe, their state, and the United States. Learn more about the history and dynamics of Native American citizenship from the Center for Civic Education???s board member, Terry Mason Moore.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5030, Being an Enrolled Member of the Osage Nation: Native American Heritage Month, Part 12 (rebroadcast)
In this episode, Terry Mason Moore discusses her life growing up as an enrolled member of the Osage Nation in Oklahoma. Listen to learn more about her family, experiences, and culture have shaped her life!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5029, How Native American Cultures Enrich the United States: Native American Heritage Month, Part 13 (rebroadcast)
According to Terry Mason Moore, enrolled member of the Osage Nation, Native cultures are vibrant and living cultures with a long history of interaction and engagement with the non-native people of the United States. Learn more about how these cultures enrich all peoples in our nation!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5028, What Is Native American Heritage Month? Native American Heritage Month, Part 11 (rebroadcast)
In continuing our Native American Heritage Month series, we are joined by a very special guest, Terry Mason Moore, an enrolled member of the Osage Nation, an attorney, and a member of the Center of Civic Education Board of Directors. In this episode, she discusses what National Native American Heritage Month entails and its importance.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5027, Native American Activism: Native American Heritage Month, Part 10 (rebroadcast)
In 1968 several hundred members of Native American tribes met to discuss issues affecting their communities. The American Indian Movement, or AIM, emerged out of this meeting, which has set the stage for more modern activism among Native Americans today. Listen for more!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5026, Tribal Recognition: Native American Heritage Month, Part 9 (rebroadcast)
Several hundred Native American tribes in the United States are currently seeking official tribal recognition from the federal government, a process that often takes decades to complete. Federal recognition is important for tribes because it formally establishes a government-to-government relationship. Learn more in this episode!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5025, Vacillating Policy Toward Native American Tribes: Native American Heritage Month, Part 8 (rebroadcast)
The national government policy vacillated between respecting the sovereignty of Native American tribes and seeking to dismantle tribal governments and to integrate their members into the United States. Listen for more!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5024, Removing Obstacles to Native American Voting: Native American Heritage Month, Part 7 (rebroadcast)
The Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 extended the right to vote to all Native Americans, but many encountered obstacles to voting, serving on juries, and giving testimony in courts. Learn more about how these obstacles were removed in this episode!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5023, Indian Citizenship Act of 1924: Native American Heritage Month, Part 6 (rebroadcast)
While Native Americans were originally not granted American citizenship, the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 recognized the right to vote of all “Indians born within the territorial limits of the United States.” Learn more about how this change came about in this episode of the 60-Second Civics podcast.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5022, Denial of Native American Citizenship and Voting Rights: Native American Heritage Month, Part 5 (rebroadcast)
The Framers of the Constitution considered Native Americans to be members of their tribes, which they considered foreign nations. Thus, they denied them citizenship and the right to vote. Learn more about how this set a foundation for future relations in this episode!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5021, Native American Activist Marie Louise Bottineau Baldwin: Native American Heritage Month, Part 4 (rebroadcast)
Marie Louise Bottineau Baldwin was a Native American activist, attorney, and advocate of women's right to vote. Learn more about her life and work in our latest Native American Heritage Month episode!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5020, The Power of Native American Women in the Colonial Era: Native American Heritage Month, Part 3 (rebroadcast)
Europeans were surprised that Native American women had so much power and influence, particularly within the Haudenosaunee nations. In those nations, women held political power within the tribes, appointing and removing chiefs at their discretion.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5019, Native Americans During the Colonial Era: Native American Heritage Month, Part 2 (rebroadcast)
While Native Americans had lived on the North American continent for at least 24,000 years, the arrival of colonists brought great conflict and change. Learn more about Native Americans in the colonial era in this episode!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5018, Native American Tribes in Early America: Native American Heritage Month, Part 1 (rebroadcast)
In honor of Native American Heritage Month, we are rebroadcasting some 60-Second Civics episodes highlighting Native American history, culture, and experience, starting with Native American tribes in the early U.S. Hundreds of different groups of Native Americans had inhabited the continent for thousands of years, including the Eastern Woodland tribes. Learn more about the some of these tribes in this episode!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5017, Out of Many, One: The Elements of Democracy, Part 17
The people who agree together to form a democratic state may be, and often are, of varying ethnic, religious, national or racial backgrounds. They unite under a common civic identity, but retain their unique ethnic identities as well. Listen to today's 60-Second Civics podcast to learn more.

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5016, Minority Consent: The Elements of Democracy, Part 16 (rebroadcast)
We all know that in a democracy, the people are the rulers. But does this mean all the people? What about majority rule and the rights of minority groups? Listen to learn more!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5015, Who Are the People in a Democracy? The Elements of Democracy, Part 15 (rebroadcast)
Democracy means andquot;rule by the people,andquot; but who are andquot;the peopleandquot; in a democracy? Find out in today's episode!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5014, Limited Powers of Democratic Governments: The Elements of Democracy, Part 14 (rebroadcast)
It is an abuse of power for a democratic government to claim more powers than the people have delegated to it.??Therefore, limited government is an important aspect of democracy. Listen to learn more!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5013, Alienation and Consent: The Elements of Democracy, Part 13 (rebroadcast)
Many citizens in modern democracies fail to vote or participate in other ways that express their consent to be governed. This sign of alienation of individuals and groups from the political system represents a widespread problem in modern democracies. Listen for more!

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60-Second Civics: Episode 5011, Authority Flows from the People: The Elements of Democracy, Part 11 (rebroadcast)
In a democracy, political authority flows from the people to the state--not from the state to the people. Why is this the case? Learn more in this episode!

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