Civics & Citizenship

Recapture Our American Civil Discourse

Candace teaches the fundamentals of liberty that inspired the American system of government.
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Timeless Workplace Decorum: Lessons from George Washington

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In an age where incivility feels normal, George Washington’s teenage rules offer a surprising guide to workplace and public decorum. Some years ago, followers of Common Sense Civics and Citizenship studied George Washington’s “Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation” (Applewood Books, 1988). We learned about the rules of life that George Washington adopted for himself at the young age of fourteen. He has a lot to teach us in this day and age, where uncivil behavior has almost become a “given.” Let’s do a refresh of one timeless lesson from Washington’s book. One Timeless Rule: Don’t Argue with Your Superiors Rule #40 says, “Strive not with your superiors in argument, but always submit your judgment to others with modesty.” The question I ask you (and me) is this: Are we teachable people? If the boss corrects us or asks us to redo something, do we think it is not their place to do so?  In life, we may not like what authority tells us to do or …

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United by Founding Principles: Restoring Common Ground

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Walter Isaacson, in his book “The Greatest Sentence Ever Written” (The Greatest Sentence Ever Written (2025), Simon & Schuster), talks about how the self-evident truths (life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness) in the Declaration of Independence became the foundation of the American government. He writes, “These truths became the creed that bound a diverse group of pilgrims and immigrants into one nation.” (Isaacson, p. 27)  How Founding Documents Shape Civic Identity Isaacson continues his thought, saying that these early Americans found common ground and shared similar aspirations. He contends, “The concept of common ground has always been a part of humanity’s struggle to create a good society.” (Issacson, p. 27) Today, with Americans so deeply divided, we need to ask the question: What DO we have in common?  Let’s revisit this question, as we increasingly become laser-focused on today’s news without regard for our history, heritage, and …

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I educate Americans on who we are, what we stand for, and how to communicate with one another!
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Candace has a variety of teaching experiences and is a certified instructor for adults and homeschoolers through the Institute on the Constitution. Her hobbies include walking, world travel, Pilates, writing, and spending time with her grandsons. …

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Recent Articles

Timeless Workplace Decorum: Lessons from George Washington

In an age where incivility feels normal, George Washington’s teenage rules offer a surprising guide to workplace and public decorum. Some years ago, followers of Common Sense Civics and Citizenship studied George Washington’s “Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation” (Applewood Books, 1988). We learned about the rules of life that George […]

United by Founding Principles: Restoring Common Ground

Walter Isaacson, in his book “The Greatest Sentence Ever Written” (The Greatest Sentence Ever Written (2025), Simon & Schuster), talks about how the self-evident truths (life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness) in the Declaration of Independence became the foundation of the American government. He writes, “These truths became the creed that bound a diverse […]

Restore Majority Rule: End the Filibuster

Does it bother you that TSA and other federal workers go unpaid during shutdowns?” It does me. Let’s look at this issue. Origins: How the Filibuster Began (1806) At the heart of the matter is the filibuster rule, which was established in 1806 by accident (!) You see, the U.S. Senate unintentionally eliminated a rule […]

Action Over Anger Always

What good comes from fretting our nation? Action, not anger, offers a far better chance of changing things than venting and complaining. I’ve recently been asked by fellow citizens why “Congress doesn’t do something about this or that!” Here is one example: “Why doesn’t Congress stop third parties from ‘jacking up’ the price of concert […]

Understanding and Preserving Our Fundamental Rights

If someone were to ask you what your fundamental rights as an American are, how would you answer? Many people cite freedom of religion or the right to bear arms as their fundamental American rights. However, those rights are in the Constitution, specifically, the Bill of Rights ratified in 1791. Our country was born in […]

Parchment and Promise: American Founders’ Courage

Standing before the original Declaration at the National Archives, I felt the quiet gravity of the moment—56 pens poised to risk everything to birth a nation. It’s Summer, 1776. The signers of the Declaration of Independence gather for an overwhelming task. What kind of guts does it take to start a nation that puts The […]

Unalienable or Inalienable: Which Right Is Correct?

In this year of America’s 250th birthday, we continue our study of the Declaration of Independence. Do you say “inalienable” or “unalienable”? Origin of “unalienable” in the Declaration of Independence Walter Isaacson, in his book “The Greatest Sentence Ever Written” (The Greatest Sentence Ever Written (2025), Simon & Schuster), points out that the word “inalienable” […]

Avoid Tribal Media: Choose Civic Unity

Problems caused by partisan, manipulative, and low‑quality media What kind of media should Americans avoid if they don’t want to break up into a tribal nation (a nation where citizens divide politically, economically, socially, and go to war against each other and eventually break apart)? See also https://civicsandcitizenship.org/americas-challenge-preventing-a-tribal-future/ Don’t consume a steady diet of media […]

Discipline, Faith, and Washington’s Leadership

Recently, I closed an article with this sentence:  “Leadership matters…let’s reflect on the importance of leadership, not only whether we like a person or a movement, but also how well we are led.”   I came across a couple of General George Washington’s quotes that highlight the discipline and character he expected of individual soldiers […]