Civics is all around us. There is a lot to know about the government and how “We the People” interact with the government and each other. Let’s help each other expand our civic literacy.
Date | Title | Summary | Tags | Link | hf:doc_tags |
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December 11, 2024 | Birthright Citizenship | What does the U.S. Constitution say about who is a citizen, and who is entitled to the rights of citizenship? | 14th Amendment, Citizenship, Constitution | 14th-amendment citizenship constitution | |
December 10, 2024 | Presidential Transition | Why does the peaceful transition of presidential power matter, and how is it supposed to happen? | Executive, National Government, Presidency | executive national-government presidency | |
December 7, 2024 | Pearl Harbor Remembrance | How did Pearl Harbor serve to unify the country? | Military, Observances, World War II | military observances world-war-ii | |
December 4, 2024 | Presidential Pardons | What is a presidential pardon and how has it been used throughout history? | Constitution, Executive, Judicial, Presidency | constitution executive judicial presidency | |
November 18, 2024 | George Washington’s Thanksgiving | How was Washington’s Thanksgiving Proclamation connected to the Founding documents of the United States? | Observances | observances | |
November 7, 2024 | The Military Oath of Enlistment | What is the importance of the military oath of enlistment? | Constitution, Military, Observances, Veterans Day | constitution military observances veterans-day | |
November 7, 2024 | Veterans Day | How do we honor those who have fulfilled the civic responsibility of military service? | Military, Observances, Veterans Day | military observances veterans-day | |
October 31, 2024 | Election Day 2024 | What should you be watching for during Election Day? | Elections, Electoral College, Presidency, Running for Office, Voting | elections electoral-college presidency running-for-office voting | |
October 31, 2024 | Remembering Victims of Communism | What does it mean to honor the people that have fallen victim to communist regimes throughout history? | Communism, Observances | communism observances | |
October 28, 2024 | Election Ballots | How does the construction of election ballots reflect federalism in action? | Elections, Federalism, Voting | elections federalism voting | |
October 28, 2024 | Ocoee Election Day Massacre | How have people fought, and died, for the right to vote? | 15th Amendment, Elections, Observances, Voting Rights | 15th-amendment elections observances voting-rights | |
October 21, 2024 | The Electoral College | What role does the Electoral College play in presidential elections? | Elections, Electoral College, Presidency, Running for Office, Voting | elections electoral-college presidency running-for-office voting | |
October 20, 2024 | Battleground States | What is a battleground state and why do they matter? | Elections, Electoral College, Presidency, Running for Office, Voting | elections electoral-college presidency running-for-office voting | |
October 16, 2024 | The Docket 2024-2025 Case Preview | Let’s learn more about some of the cases that the Supreme Court will examine in the 2024-2025 term. | Docket, Judicial, Legal System | docket judicial legal-system | |
October 7, 2024 | Hispanic Heritage Month: Veterans | It’s Hispanic Heritage Month. Let’s learn more about the story of Hispanic and Latino American veterans of the past and present. | Hispanic Heritage Month, Military, Observances, Veterans Day | hispanic-heritage-month military observances veterans-day | |
October 6, 2024 | Political Party Platforms | How can party platforms help us decide our votes? | Elections, Political Parties, Running for Office, Voting | elections political-parties running-for-office voting | |
October 2, 2024 | Campaign Spending | How do political action committees impact elections? | Elections, Interest Groups, Presidency, Running for Office | elections interest-groups presidency running-for-office | |
September 30, 2024 | Jimmy Carter: The Centennial President | Happy 100th Birthday Jimmy Carter! Let’s learn about the life, presidency, and legacy of the 39th President of the United States. | Executive, Observances, Presidency | executive observances presidency | |
September 30, 2024 | Hispanic Heritage Month: Voting & Elections | It’s Hispanic Heritage Month. Let’s learn more about the story of Hispanic and Latino American voters in the United States. | Elections, Hispanic Heritage Month, Observances, Voting | elections hispanic-heritage-month observances voting | |
September 25, 2024 | The Presidential Election: Knowledge is in the Details | How can we apply our civics and government knowledge to analyze and evaluate key themes and questions emerging in the 2024 presidential election? | Elections, National Government, Voting | elections national-government voting | |
September 23, 2024 | Hispanic Heritage Month: Civil Rights | It’s Hispanic Heritage Month. Let’s learn more about examples of Hispanic/Latino civic participation and their journey for civil rights. | Civic Participation, Civil Rights, Hispanic Heritage Month, Observances | civic-participation civil-rights hispanic-heritage-month observances | |
September 18, 2024 | The Promise of the Declaration | What are the founding principles of the United States of America? | Celebrate Freedom Week, Declaration of Independence, Founding Principles, Influential Documents, Natural Rights, Observances | celebrate-freedom-week declaration-of-independence founding-principles influential-documents natural-rights observances | |
September 16, 2024 | Constitution Day | Let’s celebrate the 237th anniversary of the U.S. Constitution by taking a closer look at what it says. | Constitution, Constitution Day, Founding Principles, Influential Documents, Observances | constitution constitution-day founding-principles influential-documents observances | |
September 16, 2024 | Hispanic Heritage Month: The Branches | It’s Hispanic Heritage Month. Let’s learn more about Hispanic/Latino representation in each of the three branches of government. | Executive, Hispanic Heritage Month, Judicial, Legislative, National Government, Observances | executive hispanic-heritage-month judicial legislative national-government observances | |
September 10, 2024 | The Anniversary of September 11, 2001 | What impact did 9/11 have on civic life in the United States? | 4th Amendment, Observances, Patriot Day, September 11th | 4th-amendment observances patriot-day september-11th | |
September 10, 2024 | Patriot Day & National Day of Service and Remembrance | How do we honor those who lost their lives on 09/11/2001? | Observances, Patriot Day, September 11th | observances patriot-day september-11th | |
September 9, 2024 | Presidential Debates | Do presidential debates matter? | Elections, Presidency, Running for Office | elections presidency running-for-office | |
September 3, 2024 | Informed Voter | What does it mean to be an informed voter? | Elections, Voting | elections voting | |
August 29, 2024 | Labor Day | Why do we celebrate Labor Day, and how does it reflect civic life and engagement? | Labor Day, Observances | labor-day observances | |
August 28, 2024 | Voter Registration | What do we need to know about voter registration? | Elections, Voting | elections voting | |
August 26, 2024 | The Docket: Case Updates | Let’s revisit some of the cases decided by the Supreme Court in the last session. | Docket, Judicial, Legal System | docket judicial legal-system | |
August 19, 2024 | Presidential Nominating Conventions | What role do conventions play in a political campaign? | Elections, Political Parties, Presidency, Running for Office | elections political-parties presidency running-for-office | |
May 22, 2024 | Memorial Day | What does it mean to honor those who have died in service to our country on Memorial Day? | Memorial Day, Military, Observances | memorial-day military observances | |
May 13, 2024 | College Campus Protests | What are the objectives of the student protest movements spreading across college campuses? Are these protests constitutionally protected? | 1st Amendment, Civil Disobedience, Foreign Policy, Rule of Law | 1st-amendment civil-disobedience foreign-policy rule-of-law | |
May 7, 2024 | The Docket: The Case of Homelessness-Status or Conduct? | Does the enforcement of anti-sleeping and anti-camping laws constitute “cruel and unusual punishment” prohibited by the Eighth Amendment? | 8th Amendment, Local Government, The Docket, The Legal System | 8th-amendment local-government the-docket the-legal-system | |
April 24, 2024 | The Docket: The Case of Obstruction-Individual Intent vs. Individual Action | Under what conditions can an individual be charged with corruptly obstructing a congressional proceeding? | Congress, Elections, The Docket, The Legal System | congress elections the-docket the-legal-system | |
April 17, 2024 | A Tribute to Senator and Governor Bob Graham – Florida’s Servant Leader | Who was Bob Graham and why was he revered by Floridians during his 40 years of public life? | Civic Skills, Florida, Governor, Senate | civic-skills florida governor senate | |
April 16, 2024 | The Docket: The Case of Digital Speech Rights and Content Moderation | What are the First Amendment rights of social media platforms when it comes to content moderation? | First Amendment, Social Media, State Government, The Docket | first-amendment social-media state-government the-docket | |
April 10, 2024 | The Docket: The Case of Social Media Blocking | Can public officials be held liable for blocking critics on social media? | First Amendment, Government Officials, Social Media, The Docket | first-amendment government-officials social-media the-docket | |
March 29, 2024 | U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman | Who was Joe Lieberman and why is he a significant figure in American history and civic life? | Elections, Joe Lieberman, Senate, Vice President | elections joe-lieberman senate vice-president | |
March 27, 2024 | Female Firsts: Hillary Clinton | It’s Women’s History Month. Let’s learn about the first female presidential candidate of a major political party. | Elections, Observances, Presidency, Women's History Month | elections observances presidency womens-history-month | |
March 19, 2024 | Female Firsts: Geraldine Ferraro | It’s Women’s History Month. Let’s learn about the first woman to be nominated by a major national party for vice president. | Elections, Observances, Presidency, Vice President, Women's History Month | elections observances presidency vice-president womens-history-month | |
March 12, 2024 | Female Firsts: Jean Westwood & Mary Louise Smith | It’s Women’s History Month. Learn about the first female chairs of the DNC and RNC. | Elections, Observances, Political Parties, Women's History Month | elections observances political-parties womens-history-month | |
March 5, 2024 | Female Firsts: The Right To Vote | It’s Women’s History Month. Learn about when and how women first got the right to vote. | 19th Amendment, Elections, Observances, Voting Rights, Women's History Month | 19th-amendment elections observances voting-rights womens-history-month | |
February 28, 2024 | Civics Connection Spotlight: Justice Peggy A. Quince | It’s Black History Month. Let’s learn about the first Black female Florida Supreme Court Justice. | Black History Month, Judicial, Observances, State Government | black-history-month judicial observances state-government | |
February 21, 2024 | The Docket: Application to Vacate-The Case of the Razor Wire Cutting Feds | What is an application to vacate? | Federalism, Immigration, Judicial, Supremacy Clause, The Docket, The Legal System | federalism immigration judicial supremacy-clause the-docket the-legal-system | |
February 21, 2024 | Civics Connection Spotlight: Fort Mose | It’s Black History Month. Let’s take a look at an early underground railroad that brought escaped slaves to Florida, the location of the first legal black settlement in the United States. | Black History Month, Fort Mose, Observances, Rights, Slavery | black-history-month fort-mose observances rights slavery | |
February 19, 2024 | Presidents’ Day | What is the truth about Presidents’ Day? | Observances, Presidency, Presidents' Day | observances presidency presidents-day | |
February 14, 2024 | Impeachment-UPDATED | What is the purpose of impeachment and how does it work? | Executive, Federal Government, Impeachment, U.S. Constitution | executive federal-government impeachment u-s-constitution | |
February 13, 2024 | Civics Connection Spotlight: Voter Suppression | It’s Black History Month. Let’s take a look at how Florida and other southern states suppressed Black voters even after passage of the 15th Amendment. | 15th Amendment, 24th Amendment, Black History Month, Observances, Voting Rights | 15th-amendment 24th-amendment black-history-month observances voting-rights | |
February 6, 2024 | Civics Connection Spotlight: Wade-Ins | It’s Black History Month. Let’s take a look at how an often overlooked form of civil disobedience helped ensure the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. | Black History Month, Civil Disobedience, Civil Rights, Observances, Wade-Ins | black-history-month civil-disobedience civil-rights observances wade-ins | |
January 30, 2024 | Civics Connection Spotlight: Harry T. Moore | It’s Black History Month. Let’s take a look at the impact of Harry T. Moore on the civil rights movement. | Black History Month, Civil Rights, Groveland Four, Harry T. Moore, Lynching, Observances, Voting | black-history-month civil-rights groveland-four harry-t-moore lynching observances voting | |
January 30, 2024 | Civics Connection Spotlight: Josiah T. Walls | Its Black History Month. Let’s take a look at the legacy of Josiah T. Walls | Black History Month, Congress, Elections, Josiah T. Walls, Observances | black-history-month congress elections josiah-t-walls observances | |
January 30, 2024 | Civics Connection Spotlight: The Ocoee Election Day Massacre | It’s Black History Month. Let’s take a look at how a Central FL town fought, and died for the right to vote. | 15th Amendment, Black History Month, Observances, Ocoee, Voting | 15th-amendment black-history-month observances ocoee voting | |
January 30, 2024 | Civics Connection Spotlight: Adderley v. Florida | It’s Black History Month. Let’s take a look at a student-led protest that became a famous Supreme Court case. | Black History Month, First Amendment, Judicial, Observances, The Legal System | black-history-month first-amendment judicial observances the-legal-system | |
January 30, 2024 | Civics Connection Spotlight: Eatonville | It’s Black History Month. Let’s take a look at the nation’s first all-Black town. | Black History Month, Local Government, Observances | black-history-month local-government observances | |
January 30, 2024 | Civics Connection Spotlight: Battle of Olustee | It’s Black History Month. Let’s take a look at the heroic role Black soldiers played during Florida’s largest Civil War battle. | 13th Amendment, 14th Amendment, 15th Amendment, Black History Month, Observances, Olustee | 13th-amendment 14th-amendment 15th-amendment black-history-month observances olustee | |
January 30, 2024 | Civics Connection Spotlight: The Stanton School | It’s Black History Month. Let’s take a look at Florida’s first secondary school for Black students. | Black History Month, Education, Observances, Stanton | black-history-month education observances stanton | |
January 30, 2024 | Civics Connection Spotlight: Forgotten Black Cemeteries | It’s Black History Month. Let’s take a look at the recent discovery of forgotten Black cemeteries. | Black History Month, Jim Crow, Legislative, Observances | black-history-month jim-crow legislative observances | |
January 30, 2024 | Civics Connection Spotlight: The Rosewood Massacre | It’s Black History Month. Let’s take a look at the forgotten story of Rosewood, Florida. | Black History Month, Local Government, Observances, State Government | black-history-month local-government observances state-government | |
January 30, 2024 | Civics Connection Spotlight: The Stephens Sisters | It’s Black History Month. Let’s take a look at two Florida sisters who fought for changes during the Civil Rights Movement using a new technique. | Black History Month, Civil Disobedience, Civil Rights, Observances, Stephens | black-history-month civil-disobedience civil-rights observances stephens | |
January 30, 2024 | Civics Connection Spotlight: Rodney Hurst & Jacksonville Sit-Ins | It’s Black History Month. Let’s take a look at how a 16 year old became a civil rights leader who led other young students in an effort to make lasting change. | Black History Month, Civil Disobedience, Civil Rights, Observances, Rodney Hurst | black-history-month civil-disobedience civil-rights observances rodney-hurst | |
January 30, 2024 | Civics Connection Spotlight: Virgil D. Hawkins | It’s Black History Month. Let’s take a look at how “the South’s most patient man” led the effort to desegregate the State University System in Florida. | Black History Month, Florida, Hawkins, Judicial, Observances | black-history-month florida hawkins judicial observances | |
January 23, 2024 | Qualifications To Hold National Office | What does the U.S. Constitution require in terms of qualifications to hold national office? | 14th Amendment, Elections, Running for Office, Supreme Court, Voting | 14th-amendment elections running-for-office supreme-court voting | |
January 16, 2024 | Caucuses and Primaries | What is a caucus and how is it similar to and different from a primary election? | Caucus, Elections, Primaries, Running for Office, Voting | caucus elections primaries running-for-office voting | |
January 9, 2024 | Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. | How do acts of service honor the legacy of Dr. King? | Civic Skills, Civil Rights, Martin Luther King Jr., Observances, Voting Rights | civic-skills civil-rights martin-luther-king-jr observances voting-rights | |
December 5, 2023 | Female Firsts: Sandra Day O’Connor | Honoring the life and legacy of the first woman to be nominated and serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. | Judicial, Observances, Supreme Court, Women's History Month | judicial observances supreme-court womens-history-month | |
November 29, 2023 | Congressional Expulsion | How do congressional expulsions work and how often do they occur? | Congress, Due Process, Federal Government, Legislative | congress due-process federal-government legislative | |
October 30, 2023 | The Docket: The Case of Political vs. Racial Gerrymandering | When state legislatures draw congressional districts how do they disentangle race from politics? | Congress, Gerrymandering, Judicial, State Government, The Docket, The Legal System | congress gerrymandering judicial state-government the-docket the-legal-system | |
October 18, 2023 | Israel, Hamas, and the Balfour Declaration | What role did the Balfour Declaration play in the current Israel-Hamas conflict and how has U.S. foreign policy shown a commitment to peace in the region? | Executive, Foreign Policy, International Organizations, Israel | executive foreign-policy international-organizations israel | |
October 6, 2023 | Removing the Speaker of the House | What is a “motion to vacate” and what happens after a House speaker is removed? | Congress, House Speaker, Legislative, Political Parties | congress house-speaker legislative political-parties | |
October 4, 2023 | Female Firsts: Dianne Feinstein | A special women’s history spotlight honoring the work of the late U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein. | Congress, Legislative, Observances, Senate, Women's History Month | congress legislative observances senate womens-history-month | |
October 2, 2023 | The Docket 2023-2024 Case Preview | Let’s learn more about some of the cases that the Supreme Court will examine in the 2023-2024 term. | Judicial, The Docket, The Legal System | judicial the-docket the-legal-system | |
October 2, 2023 | Conspiracy to Commit Bribery and the Rule of Law | What is conspiracy to commit bribery? Are members of the legislative branch accountable to the rule of law? | Bribery, Federal Government, Judicial, Legislative, Rule of Law | bribery federal-government judicial legislative rule-of-law | |
August 23, 2023 | Presidential Primary Debates | Why do presidential primary debates matter? | Debate, Elections, Presidency, Running for Office | debate elections presidency running-for-office | |
August 21, 2023 | Conspiracy Against Rights | What is conspiracy against rights and how does it relate to the Enforcement Acts of 1870 and 1871? Why are these relevant today? | Enforcement Acts, Executive, Judicial, Rule of Law | enforcement-acts executive judicial rule-of-law | |
May 17, 2023 | The Debt Ceiling | When the nation is two weeks away from a potential economic catastrophe, what options are available to the government? | 14th Amendment, Budget, Economics, Federal Government, Legislative | 14th-amendment budget economics federal-government legislative | |
May 9, 2023 | The Supreme Court: Code of Conduct | What are the ethical obligations of federal judges? | Judicial, Supreme Court | judicial supreme-court | |
May 5, 2023 | The Docket: The Case of Gerrymandering | What are the rules that state legislatures must follow when drawing congressional districts and how do we know if they have been followed? | Congress, Gerrymandering, Judicial, State Government, The Docket, The Legal System | congress gerrymandering judicial state-government the-docket the-legal-system | |
April 25, 2023 | The Docket: The Case of Undue Hardship: Working on the Sabbath | What happens when accommodating the religious practices of one employee burdens the employee’s co-workers? | First Amendment, Judicial, Religious Freedom, The Docket, The Legal System | first-amendment judicial religious-freedom the-docket the-legal-system | |
April 19, 2023 | Federal Income Tax | How did our nation come to have a constitutionally protected federal income tax? | 16th amendment, Congress, Economics, Taxes | 16th-amendment congress economics taxes | |
April 17, 2023 | The Docket: The Case of Trademark v. Parody | Does one company’s parody of another company’s product violate trademark rights or does the First Amendment come into play and protect the possible expressive work? | First Amendment, Judicial, The Docket, The Legal System, Trademark | first-amendment judicial the-docket the-legal-system trademark | |
April 4, 2023 | Executive Branches and the Rule of Law | Are members of the executive branch at the state and federal levels accountable to the rule of law? | Executive, Federal Government, Judicial, Presidency, Rule of Law, State Government | executive federal-government judicial presidency rule-of-law state-government | |
March 31, 2023 | Female Firsts: Belva Lockwood | It’s Women’s History Month. Learn about the first woman eligible to practice law before the U.S. Supreme Court. | Judicial, Observances, Supreme Court, The Legal System, Women's History Month | judicial observances supreme-court the-legal-system womens-history-month | |
March 24, 2023 | Female Firsts: Patricia Schroeder | It’s Women’s History Month. Learn about the first woman elected to Congress from Colorado who would go on to become a feminist legend. | Congress, Observances, Women's History Month | congress observances womens-history-month | |
March 18, 2023 | Female Firsts: Patty Murray | It’s Women’s History Month. Learn about the first woman president pro tempore of the U.S. Senate. | Congress, Observances, Senate, Women's History Month | congress observances senate womens-history-month | |
March 11, 2023 | Female Firsts: Condoleezza Rice | It’s Women’s History Month. Learn about the first woman to serve as National Security Advisor among many other firsts. | Cabinet, Foreign Policy, Observances, Women's History Month | cabinet foreign-policy observances womens-history-month | |
March 3, 2023 | Female Firsts: Nancy Pelosi | It’s Women’s History Month. Learn about the first woman to serve as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. | Congress, House Speaker, Observances, Women's History Month | congress house-speaker observances womens-history-month | |
February 6, 2023 | The State of the Union-UPDATED | What is the symbolic and constitutional purpose of the State of the Union? | Executive, Federal Government, Presidency | executive federal-government presidency | |
February 1, 2023 | Oversight & Classified Documents | How are classified documents supposed to be handled, and are the oversight protocols in place effective? | Classified Documents, Executive, President, Vice President | classified-documents executive president vice-president | |
January 24, 2023 | The Debt Limit-2023 Updates | What is the debt limit and why does it matter? | Budget, Economics, Federal Government, Legislative | budget economics federal-government legislative | |
January 6, 2023 | Selecting the Speaker of the House | How does the Speaker election work and who runs it? | Congress, House Speaker, Legislative, Political Parties | congress house-speaker legislative political-parties | |
January 3, 2023 | The Docket: The Case of College Admissions | Should colleges use race as a factor in admissions? | 14th Amendment, The Docket, The Legal System | 14th-amendment the-docket the-legal-system | |
November 4, 2022 | Midterm Election Day 2022 | What are midterm elections and what should you be watching for during election day? | Congress, Elections, Running for Office, Voting | congress elections running-for-office voting | |
November 1, 2022 | A Fight For Natural Rights | How can the United States raise awareness over the fight for natural rights? | Foreign Policy, Iran, Natural Rights | foreign-policy iran natural-rights | |
October 25, 2022 | The Strategic Petroleum Reserve | What is the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and why would the president use it? | Economics, Executive, Federal Government, Inflation, President | economics executive federal-government inflation president | |
October 19, 2022 | The Docket 2022-2023 Case Preview Part 2 | Let’s examine some of the cases that the Supreme Court will examine in the 2022-2023 term. | Judicial, The Docket, The Legal System | judicial the-docket the-legal-system | |
October 10, 2022 | The Docket: 2022-2023 Case Preview Part 1 | Let’s examine some of the cases that the Supreme Court will examine in the 2022-2023 term. | Judicial, The Docket, The Legal System | judicial the-docket the-legal-system | |
September 13, 2022 | The British Monarchy | Will Britain’s constitutional monarchy survive the death of Queen Elizabeth II? | Forms of Government, Monarchy, Queen Elizabeth | forms-of-government monarchy queen-elizabeth | |
August 31, 2022 | Student Loan Relief & Presidential Power | Does the president have the power to establish a student loan relief plan? | Checks and Balance, Executive, Federal Government, President | checks-and-balance executive federal-government president | |
August 22, 2022 | Espionage Act of 1917 | What is the balance between national security interests and individual rights? | Espionage, First Amendment, My Rights and Liberties | espionage first-amendment my-rights-and-liberties | |
August 15, 2022 | Primary Elections | What is a primary election and how is it different from a general election? | Elections, Primaries, Running for Office, Voting | elections primaries running-for-office voting | |
July 20, 2022 | Female Firsts: Ketanji Brown Jackson | It’s a special Women’s History Spotlight. Learn about the first Black woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. | Judicial, Observances, Supreme Court, Women's History Month | judicial observances supreme-court womens-history-month | |
July 5, 2022 | The Docket: Case Updates | Let’s revisit some of the cases decided by the Supreme Court in the last session. | Judicial, The Docket, The Legal System | judicial the-docket the-legal-system | |
June 10, 2022 | Flag Day | What is the origin and meaning of Flag Day? | Flag Day, Observances | flag-day observances | |
May 13, 2022 | The Supreme Court: The Conference & Writing Draft Opinions | What happens after a case has been argued before the Supreme Court but before an official opinion is rendered? | Judicial, Supreme Court | judicial supreme-court | |
April 22, 2022 | U.S. Supreme Court Confirmation | Is it unusual for U.S. Supreme Court confirmation votes to fall along party lines? | Checks and Balances, President, Senate, Supreme Court | checks-and-balances president senate supreme-court | |
April 5, 2022 | Presidential Vetoes | What are vetoes and how do they work? | Checks and Balances, Congress, Executive, President, Veto | checks-and-balances congress executive president veto | |
April 4, 2022 | Female Firsts: Shirley Chisholm | It’s Women’s History Month. Learn about the nation’s first Black Congresswoman. | Congress, Elections, Legislative, Observances, Women's History Month | congress elections legislative observances womens-history-month | |
April 4, 2022 | Female Firsts: Francis Perkins | It’s Women’s History Month. Learn about the first woman to ever serve in a presidential cabinet position. | Cabinet, Executive, Observances, Women's History Month | cabinet executive observances womens-history-month | |
March 21, 2022 | Emmitt Till Antilynching Act | What does the Emmitt Till Antilynching Act do and why is it significant? | Antilynching, Civil Rights, Legislative | antilynching civil-rights legislative | |
March 18, 2022 | Female Firsts: Seneca Falls Convention | It’s Women’s History Month. Learn about the first women’s rights convention held in the United States. | Observances, Voting Rights, Women's History Month | observances voting-rights womens-history-month | |
March 18, 2022 | Female Firsts: New Hampshire | It’s Women’s History Month. Learn about a U.S. state reaching milestones in women’s history before others. | Observances, State Government, Women's History Month | observances state-government womens-history-month | |
March 11, 2022 | Female Firsts: Kamala Harris | It’s Women’s History Month. Learn about the first woman elected vice-president. | Observances, Vice President, Women's History Month | observances vice-president womens-history-month | |
March 11, 2022 | Female Firsts: Jeannette Rankin | It’s Women’s History Month. Learn about the first woman elected to the U.S. Congress. | Congress, Observances, Women's History Month | congress observances womens-history-month | |
March 8, 2022 | Sanctions | What are sanctions and are they effective? | Economics, Foreign Policy, Sanctions | economics foreign-policy sanctions | |
March 1, 2022 | NATO, Russia, & Ukraine | How do alliances shape international relations? | Foreign Policy, International Organization, NATO | foreign-policy international-organization nato | |
February 22, 2022 | The Docket: The Case of the Praying Football Coach | Does the First Amendment’s Free Exercise Clause protect public school employees when they briefly and quietly pray? | First Amendment, The Docket, The Legal System | first-amendment the-docket the-legal-system | |
February 1, 2022 | Inflation & Presidential Approval | What role does inflation play in presidential approval and how does it impact elections? | Economics, Elections, Executive, Inflation | economics elections executive inflation | |
January 25, 2022 | The Docket: Korematsu v. U.S. | Celebrating Fred T. Korematsu Day: Why his story matters | Civil Liberties, Observances, The Docket, The Legal System | civil-liberties observances the-docket the-legal-system | |
January 18, 2022 | The Docket: Plessy v. Ferguson | Why does the pardon of Homer Plessy matter and what makes it significant? | Pardons, The Docket, The Legal System | pardons the-docket the-legal-system | |
January 4, 2022 | Jury Selection | How are juries selected and what does “jury of peers” really mean? | Juries, The Legal System | juries the-legal-system | |
December 13, 2021 | Special Elections | What is a special congressional election and how might they be used to play politics? | Elections, Legislative, Running for Office, Voting | elections legislative running-for-office voting | |
December 1, 2021 | The Global Common Good | What are the barriers to addressing global common good issues and can they be overcome? | Climate, International Organizations, The U.S. and the World | climate international-organizations the-u-s-and-the-world | |
November 3, 2021 | Special Sessions | What are special sessions of a state or federal legislature? | COVID-19, Federal Government, Legislative, Special Sessons | covid-19 federal-government legislative special-sessons | |
October 29, 2021 | The Docket: The Case of the Shackled Convict | Can shackles prejudice a jury? | 6th Amendment, The Docket, The Legal System | 6th-amendment the-docket the-legal-system | |
October 19, 2021 | Executive Privilege | What does the president have the right to keep private? | Executive, Federal Government | executive federal-government | |
October 12, 2021 | The Debt Limit | What is the debt limit and why does it matter? | Budget, Federal Government, Legislative | budget federal-government legislative | |
October 5, 2021 | Continuing Resolutions and Government Shutdowns | What are continuing resolutions and how do they impact the federal budget? | Budget, Federal Government, Legislative, Resolutions | budget federal-government legislative resolutions | |
September 28, 2021 | The Docket: The Case of the Boston Marathon Bomber | Was a defendant in a terror case denied his right to an impartial jury? | 14th Amendment, 5th Amendment, 6th Amendment, Boston Bombing, The Docket, The Legal System | 14th-amendment 5th-amendment 6th-amendment boston-bombing the-docket the-legal-system | |
September 21, 2021 | Vaccine Mandates | What is the history and constitutional implication of a vaccine mandate? | COVID-19, Federal Government | covid-19 federal-government | |
September 14, 2021 | Recall Elections | What exactly is a recall election and do they ever work? | Elections, Recall, Running for Office | elections recall running-for-office | |
August 31, 2021 | Gerrymandering | What is gerrymandering and how does it impact representation in Congress? | Elections, Federal Government, Gerrymandering, State Legislature | elections federal-government gerrymandering state-legislature | |
August 27, 2021 | Afghanistan: Return to Yesterday | What does the return of the Taliban mean for the principles of freedom and democracy? | Foreign Policy, The U.S. and the World | foreign-policy the-u-s-and-the-world | |
August 19, 2021 | Select Committees | What is the role of the committee system in Congress? | Committees, Congress, Federal Government | committees congress federal-government | |
August 9, 2021 | The Docket: Case Updates | Let’s revisit some of the cases decided by the Supreme Court in the last session. | Judicial, The Docket, The Legal System | judicial the-docket the-legal-system | |
June 18, 2021 | Juneteenth National Independence Day | How does Juneteenth represent efforts to live up to the promises of our Founding Documents? | Civil Rights, Juneteenth, Observances | civil-rights juneteenth observances | |
June 14, 2021 | Flag Day | What is the origin and meaning of Flag Day? | Flag Day, Observances | flag-day observances | |
June 4, 2021 | Remembering Tulsa | How have we struggled to live up to the promises of the Founders? | Observances, Rights, Tulsa | observances rights tulsa | |
May 20, 2021 | Colonial Pipeline | How is infrastructure in the US impacted by cybersecurity? | Cyber Security, Federal Contracts, Federal Government | cyber-security federal-contracts federal-government | |
May 12, 2021 | The Docket: NCAA v Alston | Just what does antitrust law have to do with college sports? | Antitrust Laws, Judicial, The Docket | antitrust-laws judicial the-docket | |
May 7, 2021 | Vaccine Passports | What is a vaccine passport and how might it impact us? | COVID-19, Federal Government, Federalism | covid-19 federal-government federalism | |
April 28, 2021 | The Docket: Edwards v. Vannoy | Should jury verdicts have to be unanimous for conviction? | Judicial, Juries, The Docket, The Legal System | judicial juries the-docket the-legal-system | |
April 22, 2021 | The Modern Vice Presidency | How did Walter Mondale change the role of the Vice President? | Executive, Federal Government, Vice President | executive federal-government vice-president | |
April 13, 2021 | The 26th Amendment | Old Enough to Fight, Old Enough to Vote? | 26th Amendment, My Rights and Liberties, Voting | 26th-amendment my-rights-and-liberties voting | |
April 6, 2021 | Voting Reform | What is happening with voting laws following the 2020 presidential election? | Elections, Federalism, Running for Office, Voting | elections federalism running-for-office voting | |
March 31, 2021 | The Docket: Lange v. California | Are there limits to the Fourth Amendment? | 4th Amendment, Judicial, Search & Seizure, The Docket, The Legal System | 4th-amendment judicial search-seizure the-docket the-legal-system | |
March 23, 2021 | The Docket: Fulton v. City of Philadelphia | How can public policy decisions be impacted by the First Amendment? | 1st Amendment, Judicial, Religious Freedom, The Docket, The Legal System | 1st-amendment judicial religious-freedom the-docket the-legal-system | |
March 16, 2021 | The Shadow Docket | What is the ‘shadow docket’, and how does it impact the justice system? | Judicial, Supreme Court, The Legal System | judicial supreme-court the-legal-system | |
March 10, 2021 | The State of the Union | What is the symbolic and constitutional purpose of the State of the Union? | Executive, Federal Government, Presidency | executive federal-government presidency | |
March 3, 2021 | The Docket: The Case of the Snapchatting Cheerleader | What First Amendment Rights do students have? | 1st Amendment, Free Speech, Judicial, The Docket, The Legal System, Tinker v. Des Moines | 1st-amendment free-speech judicial the-docket the-legal-system tinker-v-des-moines | |
February 23, 2021 | DC Statehood | What are the arguments for and against statehood for Washington, DC? | Federal Government, U.S. Constitution, Visual Literacy | federal-government u-s-constitution visual-literacy | |
February 18, 2021 | The Filibuster | What is the filibuster and how does it shape Congressional action? | Congress, Federal Government, Filibuster, Legislative | congress federal-government filibuster legislative | |
February 16, 2021 | Federal Government and COVID-19 | What role does the federal government play developing vaccines against COVID-19? | Bureaucracy, COVID-19, Federal Government | bureaucracy covid-19 federal-government | |
February 9, 2021 | Reconciliation | What is the concept of reconciliation and how does it impact Congress’ constitutional budget making power? | Congress, Federal Government, Spending | congress federal-government spending | |
February 4, 2021 | The Cabinet | … | Cabinet, Executive, Federal Government, U.S. Constitution | cabinet executive federal-government u-s-constitution | |
January 26, 2021 | First 100 Days | What happens during the first 100 days of a presidency, and why does it matter? | Executive, Federal Government | executive federal-government | |
January 19, 2021 | Inauguration Day | What is the symbolism of Inauguration Day, and why does it matter? | 20th Amendment, Inauguration, Observances, Presidency | 20th-amendment inauguration observances presidency | |
January 7, 2021 | Sedition | What is the line between peaceful protest and the threat of sedition? | First Amendment, My Rights and Liberties, Sedition | first-amendment my-rights-and-liberties sedition | |
January 4, 2021 | Controlling the Chambers | How is control and leadership in Congress determined? | Congress, Federal Government, Legislative, Political Parties | congress federal-government legislative political-parties | |
December 15, 2020 | Inching Towards Inauguration | How does the Electoral College voting process work? | Elections, Electoral College, Running for Office, Visual Literacy, Voting | elections electoral-college running-for-office visual-literacy voting | |
December 9, 2020 | Runoff Elections | What is a runoff election, and what role do they play in our system? | Elections, Legislative, Running for Office, Voting | elections legislative running-for-office voting | |
November 23, 2020 | The Civil Service | What is the civil service, and how might it connect to the responsibilities of citizenship? | Civil Service, Federal Government, Responsibilities | civil-service federal-government responsibilities | |
October 21, 2020 | US Postal Service | What role does the Post Office play in an election? | Elections, Federal Government, USPS, Voting | elections federal-government usps voting | |
October 12, 2020 | Tribal Sovereignty | What is tribal sovereignty, and how does it impact the relationship between Native tribes and the United States government? | Columbus, Federalism, Indigenous Peoples, Observances | columbus federalism indigenous-peoples observances | |
August 5, 2020 | Voting Rights | How have voting rights expanded over time? | My Rights and Liberties, Visual Literacy, Voting | my-rights-and-liberties visual-literacy voting | |
June 30, 2020 | Civil Disobedience | What role does civil disobedience play in American life? | Civil Disobedience, Natural Rights, The Founding | civil-disobedience natural-rights the-founding | |
June 23, 2020 | Consent of the Governed | What is the relationship between the concept of the ‘consent of the governed’ and the First Amendment? | 1st Amendment, Declaration of Independence, Enlightenment, Founding Principles | 1st-amendment declaration-of-independence enlightenment founding-principles | |
June 16, 2020 | Natural Law and Social Contract | How does the concept of natural rights influence the relationship between the government and the people? | Civic Participation, Declaration of Independence, Enlightenment, Founding Principles, U.S. Constitution | civic-participation declaration-of-independence enlightenment founding-principles u-s-constitution | |
June 11, 2020 | The Food and Drug Administration | How does the FDA reflect the goal to ‘promote the general welfare’? | COVID-19, Federal Government, Health, Preamble | covid-19 federal-government health preamble | |
June 9, 2020 | Judicial Review | How does the Court’s power of judicial review help levels of government determine what they can and cannot do during a crisis? | COVID-19, Judicial, Supreme Court, The Legal System | covid-19 judicial supreme-court the-legal-system | |
June 4, 2020 | The Appointment Process | What is the appointment process and what is its purpose? | Appointments, Cabinet, Checks and Balances, COVID-19, Federal Government | appointments cabinet checks-and-balances covid-19 federal-government | |
June 2, 2020 | Tariffs | What are tariffs, and how can they impact access to needed goods during a crisis? | COVID-19, Economy, Federal Government, Taxes, Trade | covid-19 economy federal-government taxes trade | |
May 28, 2020 | Task Forces | What are government task forces, and how do they fit into constitutional obligations and powers? | COVID-19, Executive, Federal Government | covid-19 executive federal-government | |
May 26, 2020 | The National Institutes of Health | How is support for the general welfare of the public reflected in the work of the National Institutes of Health and similar organizations? | COVID-19, Preamble, The Founding | covid-19 preamble the-founding | |
May 21, 2020 | The Census | What is the Census, and why does it matter to us? | Census, Citizen You, COVID-19, Responsibility | census citizen-you covid-19 responsibility | |
May 19, 2020 | Unemployment Insurance | What is the origin and purpose of unemployment insurance? | COVID-19, Federal Government, Unemployment | covid-19 federal-government unemployment | |
May 14, 2020 | The Defense Production Act | What is the purpose of the Defense Production Act? | COVID-19, Economy, Federal Government | covid-19 economy federal-government | |
May 12, 2020 | Essential Workers | Who are essential workers and how are they fulfilling civic obligations? | Citizen You, COVID-19, Obligations | citizen-you covid-19 obligations | |
May 7, 2020 | The First Amendment | How does the First Amendment apply during a time of crisis? | Bill of Rights, COVID-19, Five Freedoms, My Rights and Liberties | bill-of-rights covid-19 five-freedoms my-rights-and-liberties | |
May 5, 2020 | Government Power | Who has the power to make decisions that impact us? | Concurrent Powers, Enumerated Powers, Federal Government, Federalism, Reserved Powers, Visual Literacy | concurrent-powers enumerated-powers federal-government federalism reserved-powers visual-literacy | |
April 30, 2020 | Nongovernmental Organizations | What role do nongovernmental organizations play in supporting the common good? | Common Good, COVID-19, NGO, The U.S. and the World | common-good covid-19 ngo the-u-s-and-the-world | |
April 27, 2020 | Propaganda and Symbolism | How does propaganda use symbolism to motivate, persuade, or inspire? | Civic Skills, Engaged Citizens, Propaganda, Symbolism | civic-skills engaged-citizens propaganda symbolism | |
April 23, 2020 | The National Guard | What is the National Guard, and how does it connect to the purposes of government? | COVID-19, Federal Government, Military, State Government | covid-19 federal-government military state-government | |
April 21, 2020 | The CARES Act | How does Congress exercising its spending power to address crisis potentially impact you and your community? | COVID-19, Economy, Federal Government, Visual Literacy | covid-19 economy federal-government visual-literacy | |
April 16, 2020 | Primary Sources | How can primary sources tell us about life during significant events? | Civic Skills, COVID-19, James Madison, My Rights and Liberties | civic-skills covid-19 james-madison my-rights-and-liberties | |
April 14, 2020 | Federalism in Action | How might federalism impact the response to significant national events? | 10th Amendment, COVID-19, Federal Government, Federalism | 10th-amendment covid-19 federal-government federalism | |
April 8, 2020 | The Preamble in Action | How do current events show the ways in which the government enacts the goals and purposes outlined in the Preamble? | Preamble, The Founding, U.S. Constitution | preamble the-founding u-s-constitution | |
April 6, 2020 | Public Health and the Social Contract | How is the concept of public health reflective of John Locke’s idea of the social contract? | COVID-19, John Locke, Social Contract, The Founding | covid-19 john-locke social-contract the-founding | |
April 2, 2020 | The Common Good | What is the common good and how does it apply to us today? | Citizen You, Common Good, COVID-19 | citizen-you common-good covid-19 | |
March 31, 2020 | Executive Orders | What are executive orders and how can they impact us? | Executive Orders, Federal Government, Federalism | executive-orders federal-government federalism |