National Standards for Civic and Government: Organizing Questions and Content Summary

Organizing Questions and Content Summary

K - 4 5 - 8 9 - 12

I. What Is Government and What Should It Do?

I. What Are Civic Life, Politics, and Government?

I. What Are Civic Life, Politics, and Government?

Defining government

Defining power and authority

Necessity and purposes of government

Functions of government

Purposes of rules and laws

Evaluating rules and laws

Limited and unlimited governments

Importance of limited government

Defining civic life, politics, and government

Necessity and purposes of government

Limited and unlimited governments

The rule of law

Concepts of "constitution"

Purposes and uses of constitutions

Conditions under which constitutional government flourishes

Shared powers and parliamentary systems

Confederal, federal, and unitary systems

Defining civic life, politics, and government

Necessity of politics and government

The purposes of politics and government

Limited and unlimited governments

The rule of law

Civil society and government

The relationship of limited government to political and economic freedom

Concepts of "constitution"

Purposes and uses of constitutions

Constitutions under which constitutional government flourishes

Shared powers and parliamentary systems

Confederal, federal, and unitary systems

Nature of representation

K - 4 5 - 8 9 - 12

II. What Are the Basic Values and Principles of American Democracy?

II. What Are the Foundations of the American Political System?

II. What Are the Foundations of the American Political System?

Fundamental values and principles

Distinctive characteristics of American society

American identity

Diversity in American society

Prevention and management of conflicts

Promoting ideals

The American idea of constitutional government

Distinctive characteristics of American society

The role of voluntarism in American life

American identity

The character of American political conflict

Fundamental values and principles

Conflicts among values and principles in American political and social life

Disparities between ideals and reality in American political and social life

The American idea of constitutional government

How American constitutional government has shaped the character of American society

Distinctive characteristics of American society

The role of voluntarism in American life

The role of organized groups in political life

Diversity in American society

American national identity and political culture

Character of American political conflict

Liberalism and American constitutional democracy

Republicanism and American constitutional democracy

Fundamental values and principles

Conflicts among values and principles in American political and social life

Disparities between ideals and reality in American political and social life

K - 4 5 - 8 9 - 12

III. How Does the Government Established by the Constitution Embody the Purposes, Values, and Principles of American Democracy?

III. How Does the Government Established by the Constitution Embody the Purposes, Values, and Principles of American Democracy?

III. How Does the Government Established by the Constitution Embody the Purposes, Values, and Principles of American Democracy?

The meaning and importance of the United States Constitution

Organization and major responsibilities of the national government

Organization and major responsibilities of state governments

Organization and major responsibilities of local governments

Identifying members of government

Distributing, sharing, and limiting powers of the national government

Sharing of powers between the national and state governments

Major responsibilities for domestic and foreign policy

Financing government through taxation

State governments

Organization and responsibilities of state and local governments

Who represents you in legislative and executive branches of your local, state, and national governments

The place of law in American society

Criteria for evaluating rules and laws

Judicial protection of the rights of individuals

The public agenda

Political communication

Political parties, campaigns, and elections

Associations and groups

Forming and carrying out public policy

Distributing governmental power and preventing its abuse

The American federal system

The institutions of the national government

Major responsibilities of the national government in domestic and foreign policy

Financing government through taxation

The constitutional status of state and local governments

Organization of state and local governments

Major responsibilities of state and local governments

The place of law in American society

Judicial protection of the rights of individuals

The public agenda

Public opinion and behavior of the electorate

Political communication: television, radio, the press, and political persuasion

Political parties, campaigns, and elections

Associations and groups

Forming and carrying out public policy

K - 4 5 - 8 9 - 12

IV. What is the Relationship of the United States to Other Nations and to World Affairs?

IV. What is the Relationship of the United States to Other Nations and to World Affairs?

IV. What is the Relationship of the United States to Other Nations and to World Affairs?

Nations

Interaction among nations

Nation-states

Interaction among nation-states

United States' relations with other nation-states

International organizations

Impact of the American concept of democracy and individual rights on the world

Political, demographic, and environmental developments

Nation-states

Interaction among nation-states

International organizations

The historical context of United States foreign policy

The ends and means of United States foreign policy

Impact of the American concept of democracy and individual rights on the world

Political developments

Economic, technological, and cultural developments

Demographic and environmental developments

United States and international organizations

K - 4 5 - 8 9 - 12

V. What Are the Roles of the Citizen in American Democracy?

V. What Are the Roles of the Citizen in American Democracy?

V. What Are the Roles of the Citizen in American Democracy?

The meaning of citizenship

Becoming a citizen

Rights of indivuals

Responsibilities of individuals

Dispositions that enhance citizen effectiveness and promote the healthy functioning of American democracy

Forms of participation

Political leadership and public service

Selecting leaders

The meaning of citizenship

Becoming a citizen

Personal rights

Political rights

Economic rights

Scope and limits of rights

Personal responsibilities

Civic responsibilities

Dispositions that enhance citizen effectiveness and promote the healthy functioning of American constitutional democracy

Participation in civic and political life and the attainment of individual and public goals

The difference between political and social participation

Forms of political participation

Political leadership and careers in public service

Knowledge and participation

The meaning of citizenship in the United States

Becoming a citizen

Personal rights

Political rights

Economic rights

Relationships among personal, political, and economic rights

Scope and limits of rights

Personal responsibilities

Civic responsibilities

Dispositions that lead the citizen to be an independent member of society

Dispositions that foster respect for individual worth and human dignity

Dispositions that incline the citizen to public affairs

Dispositions that facilitate thoughtful and effective participation in public affairs

The relationship between politics and the attainment of individual and public goals

The difference between political and social participation

Forms of political participation

Political leadership and careers in public service

Knowledge and participation

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