Civics & Economicsby Matthew Caggia
- Semester 1 Bell Ringers
- Unit 1: Foundations of American Government
- Unit 2: The Constitution
- Unit 3A: Comparative Government-Legislative Branch
- Unit 3B: Comparative Government-Executive Branch
- Unit 3C: Comparative Government-Judicial Branch
- Unit 4A: Citizenship, Voting, & Elections
- Unit 4B: Political Parties & Influencing Government
- Unit 5: Making Laws
- Unit 6: Violating the Law
- Unit 7: Personal Financial Literacy
- Unit 8: Economic Fundamentals
- Unit 9: Government in the Economy
- Unit 10: International Economics
- Review Materials
- Landmark Supreme Court Cases
- Textbook
Unit 1: Foundations of American Government
Chapters 1.3, 2.1, 2.4, 3.2
To understand the US Constitution we first must learn about the ideas and philosophies that became its foundin principles. For this we must look historically to traditions of law as far back as the Athenians and as recently as the time period in which it was written. Very much on the minds of the founding fathers was the Enlightenment, as well as the experiences of the colonies under the rule of Great Britain. Much of this unit will be review from World History and American History I, but contains key ideas and principles that went into the founding of the United States.
Study Tools
Online Textbook Resources
These pages contain the links to the online content for student practice. It includes Chapter Overviews, Web Activities, Self-Check Quizzes, ePuzzles and Games, Vocabulary Flashcards, Charts in Motion (to accompany diagrams in the textbook), and Interactive Graphic Organizers.
- "Chapter 2 Student Center": Roots of American Democracy
- "Chapter 3 Student Center": The Constitution
Vocabulary
Link to Quizlet! Vocabulary is the key to understanding any subject. Once you can break down the barrier of language the ideas and concepts are wide open. Here you can find the vocabulary for the unit to practice by using online flash cards and by practicing online generated vocabulary quizzes.
- Unit 1 Vocabulary Quiz on Quizlet
Practice your vocabulary for Unit 1 by trying this quiz of the unit's vocabulary.
When you get to the Quizlet Quiz page, you can adjust what type of quiz to take by using the check boxes on the right.
Enlightenment Thinkers
This presentation is shown in class and is accompanied by a handout. The ideas that contribute to the new government of the US! John Locke, Charles Montesquieu, Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Natural Rights, the Social Contract, and Separation of Powers!
Coming of the American Revolution
This presentation is shown in class and is accompanied by a handout. This presentation is a summary of some events leading to the American Revolution and is important for understanding the origin of ideas in the US Constitution.
Spectrum of Government Systems
This presentation is shown in class and is accompanied by a handout. From this presentation the student will learn the basic definitions and differences between government systems. Much of this should be a review of history learned in World History.
A Bundle of Compromises
This presentation accompanies the "Bundle of Compromises" Chart. The diverse history and culture of the original 13 colonies, now 13 states, made it very difficult for the delegations at the Constitutional Convention to agree on how a new government should be set up. As a result it was necessary for each side compromise in order to at least get part of what they wanted. Remember, a compromise is an agreement between two different sides where each gives up a little in order to get much of what they want so that in the end, neither feels as though they are the loser in the deal. The Constitution has sometimes been called, "A Bundle of Compromises."
Videos
Crash Course US Government and Politics #4: Federalism
From the publisher:
Craig Benzine teaches you about federalism, or the idea that in the United States, power is divided between the national government and the 50 state governments. Craig will teach you about how federalism has evolved over the history of the US, and what powers are given to the federal government, and what stuff the states control on their own. And he punches an eagle, which may not surprise you at all.
Crash Course US Government and Politics #5: Constitutional Compromises
From the publisher:
Craig Benzine teaches you about the compromises met in ratifying the U.S. Constitution. The United State’s didn’t always have its current system of government. Actually, this is it’s second attempt. Craig will delve into the failures (and few successes) of the Articles of Confederation, tell you how delegates settled on a two-house system of representation, discuss the issues of slavery and population that have been imbedded into our constitution, and fire up the clone machine to discuss how federalists and anti-federalist opposition provided the U.S. a Bill of Rights. And who knows, maybe all this talk of compromise will even inspire Craig and eagle to find some middle ground.
Video Link: Learner.org
- A
Biography of America: A New System of Government
Nearly 30 minutes, this video discusses the changes in society that the American Revolution brought, which led to the emergence of the new "American Identity." This new identity contribute to the creation of new governments - state governments. The Articles of Confederation, its problems, and the creation of the United States Constitution are discussed to create a government that would be respected in Europe.
To get to this program, in the window that opens, scroll down to the title "5. A New System of Government" and click the "VoD" icon on the right.
John Adams - Declaration of Independence
The most reliable source of information from the Second Continental Congress are from the correspondence between John Adams and his wife Abagail. This scene from the HBO mini-series "John Adams" demonstrates the importance and the seriousness of the decision to declare independence from Britain. You can see and feel the weight of each state's delegation when they vote in favor of independence. It is clear that the decision was not an easy and one, and one that cannot be undone.
A Powerful Performance
This is the first part of an excellent and brief documentary of the Declaration of Independence. Morgan Freeman introduces the document in this segment and briefly explains the global significance of this document.
The Declaration of Independence
This is the conclusion of the segment above. In this segment, the Declaration of Independence is narrated by famous contemporary actors. It is a powerful performance of this important document.
Schoolhouse Rock: Fireworks
More Schoolhouse Rock! Great and catchy jingle for the Declaration of Independence and the Revolutionary War. "The Declaration, of Independence, in seventeen-hundred and seventy-six..."
Too Late to Apologize A Declaration
Creative music video based on the song "Apologize" by One Republic. Here the founders are telling the King that it is too late to apologize for all that he had done to the colonies. It is time to declare independence.
Creating the Constitution
This entertaining video summarizes all of the main ideas of this unit. It is a very good production and presented in a much more engaging style than your typical documentary.
Note: The video is split in two parts in order to meet the requirements of YouTube.
Part 1
Part 2
Links
- United Nations
Universal Declaration of Rights
After World War II, the United Nations was created to promote peace around the world. The goal of promoting human rights worldwide is part of the effort to avoid or eliminate conflict - by helping to ensure global human rights, there will be one less reason for conflict.
- UN Declaration of the Rights of the Child
This document exists to promote worldwide justice and fairness to all children. It strives to promote a good quality of life for all children, free from labor, disease, and with opportunities for education.
- Convention on the Rights of the Child
As an extension of the Declaration of the Rights of the Child, the United Nations, through its children's rights organization - UNICEF - meets to discuss the state of children around the world and measure the success of the UN in protect children.
- The
Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation were the first governing body for the new United States of America. It established a weak central government - called a "confederation" - where the power was primarily held by each individual state.
- Presidents of the Continental Congresses
This link is a bookmark to a page with information of the Articles of Confederation. This link gives information about the Presidents of the Continental Congresses under the Articles of Confederation. Keep in mind, these men were not considered "Presidents of the United States", instead, they were simply the presiding officers of the meetings of the Continental Congress under the Articles of Confederation. They did not have any executive powers whatsoever, only the power to set the agenda for the meetings and make sure the debates and discussions went smoothly.
- Evolution of the American Flag
This site, provided by USAToday, gives a slideshow of how the Flag of the United States has changed over time. Each version of the flag includes a brief summary.