Civics & Citizenship

Recapture Our American Civil Discourse

Candace teaches the notions of liberty that inspired the American system of government.
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Founders’ Values: A Surprising Legacy

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What the Founders believed may surprise you. Contrary to common teachings today, very few deists existed in the 18th century. Therefore, deists were outnumbered. Judeo-Christian Morality: A Shared Foundation  The Framers had a common belief in Judeo-Christian moral values (not religious doctrine) that are still widely held today. You know the ones- don’t cheat, steal, lie, covet, murder, have no idols, treat others the way you want to be treated, etc., no matter if you are a person of faith or even have no faith. Who wants to live by a code of immorality in their town, state, or nation? That’s what our Founders thought, too.  They believed that we are created beings, and to the Creator, we must give an account. They saw what placing belief in human power apart from the Creator did to governments and power in general. The First Amendment: Protecting Diverse Beliefs The First Amendment, written in 1789, did not preclude our Founding Fathers from letting moral …

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Framers’ Wisdom: Crafting America’s Constitution

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How did our Constitution come into being? Did our Framers mosey into an English-style Pub, order an adult beverage, and begin kicking some ideas around the table? Who inspired them? Today, social media has key influencers. Although our Framers of the Constitution did not have the internet, they had "influencers" whose ideas stood the test of time. These ideas eventually became a part of our Supreme Law of the Land (see Article VI). Let's take a look. The Framers' Influencers  The Framers were widely read, studious citizens. They leaned upon historical and contemporary ideas about government -ideas that, when applied, worked.  For example, take Baron Charles Montesquieu from France, who reasoned that God is the author of all moral and physical laws, but humans are prone to go their own way, do their own thing, and depart from God's laws. He proposed that the government's job was to restrain the impulse to give a single leader unlimited power to avoid despotism. The …

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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

Founders’ Values: A Surprising Legacy

What the Founders believed may surprise you. Contrary to common teachings today, very few deists existed in the 18th century. Therefore, deists were outnumbered. Judeo-Christian Morality: A Shared Foundation  The Framers had a common belief in Judeo-Christian moral values (not religious doctrine) that are still widely held today. You know the ones- don’t cheat, steal, […]

Framers’ Wisdom: Crafting America’s Constitution

How did our Constitution come into being? Did our Framers mosey into an English-style Pub, order an adult beverage, and begin kicking some ideas around the table? Who inspired them? Today, social media has key influencers. Although our Framers of the Constitution did not have the internet, they had “influencers” whose ideas stood the test […]

Understanding Rights of Undocumented Immigrants

Do criminal illegal aliens have rights in our country? One of our participants asked, “Why do so many believe constitutional rights apply to anyone setting foot on U.S. soil rather than, specifically, U.S. citizens?” I’ve been thinking a lot about this question from a Civics and Constitution teacher’s perspective.  Now, I am not a lawyer. […]

Individual Freedom vs. Collective Ideology

There are competing ideologies, and many Americans want it both ways.That is impossible! Today’s Competing Ideologies Our young people chant pro-death slogans against the innocent. Have these people ever studied real history or science? Perhaps if colleges taught an actual body of knowledge and promoted patriotism (i.e., love of one’s country), not tribalism (i.e., oppressor […]

Understanding Congress’s Powers: A Civic Duty

Several of our participants have recently commented on the powers given to Congress in Article 1, section 8 of the U.S. Constitution. Do you remember what specific powers those are?  We the People grant those powers to Congress, so we should familiarize ourselves with them. Congress has been given power only over the 17 specific […]

Tariffs? Or Tariffed?

Tariffs are dominating the news in a big way. We the People are helping news networks and other media to make a lot of money when we engage in panic and fear, or choose ignorance.  It’s a citizenship issue, so let’s discuss it. Understanding Tariffs and Their Impact on Americans I’m a civics teacher, not […]

Congress Basics: Names, Numbers

How much do you know about how Congress works? This week, my junior high is studying names and numbers about Congress and how it works. Here’s a quick quiz to see how much we adult Americans know. Below is an answer bank to help. Hint: there are more answers than you will need. Challenge: see […]

Executive Power vs Judicial Review; SCOTUS Weighs In

There is new information to add to our discussion on “Executive Power vs Judicial Review” https://civicsandcitizenship.org/executive-power-vs-judicial-review/. There were a certainly a variety of opinions on whether the Administration (Executive Branch) was correct to use the Alien Enemy Act and Ludecke v Watkins to deport illegal migrants. Matt Nahrgang, a lawyer and participant at Common Sense […]

What Would You Say to Greenland?

What would you tell the people of Greenland (population 56,000) if you had the opportunity to discuss their country joining the United States? I’ve been thinking about this for a while. For example, what would I say if I could write a guest editorial? What would you say? It’s a civics and citizenship issue, so […]