Civics & Citizenship

Founding-documents-based American civics education

Recapture Our American Civil Discourse

Candace teaches the fundamentals of liberty that inspired the American system of government.
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What Are Checks and Balances? A Teen-Friendly Guide

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How would you explain checks and balances to high school students? This concept goes over the heads of many adults, let alone teenagers, so let’s review it. What Are Checks and Balances? First, our Founders developed checks and balances to avoid tyranny, plain and simple. If the government is divided in its responsibilities, each branch is accountable to the others. This is the way they check and balance each other.  The Purpose Behind Checks and Balances Second, if you think this causes a lot of disension, you are correct. It’s by design. The Legislative, Executive, and Judicial branches of government must deliberate, cooperate, and yet be separate in their actions. This helps our government act constitutionally rather than through power grabs or emotional manipulation. How Three Branches of Government Hold Each Other Accountable Let’s look at a few examples of checks and balances at work with help from Cleon W. Skousen.  (1)  -The House serves …

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Why Knowing the Three Branches of Government Matters for Americans

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Alarming Statistics: Americans and Civic Knowledge One in three Americans cannot name the three branches of government. Only 11% can name two of the three branches of government. Also, 16% cannot name any branch of government. (1) Why should you care? The Role of Citizens in a Representative Government Since We the People run the government by electing representatives to do our work in legislatures, this is alarming. What if voters don’t know the obligations of the Legislative, Executive, or Judicial branches of government? Ignorance is not and never has been bliss. This is how our freedoms get used against us. Misconceptions About the Powers of Government Branches If Americans do not know that the President cannot make laws (executive orders are not laws), or that the House and Senate are not responsible for enforcing the laws they pass, or that the Judicial Branch of the government does not change laws (it can overrule a law if it conflicts with the Constitution), then …

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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

What Are Checks and Balances? A Teen-Friendly Guide

How would you explain checks and balances to high school students? This concept goes over the heads of many adults, let alone teenagers, so let’s review it. What Are Checks and Balances? First, our Founders developed checks and balances to avoid tyranny, plain and simple. If the government is divided in its responsibilities, each branch […]

Why Knowing the Three Branches of Government Matters for Americans

Alarming Statistics: Americans and Civic Knowledge One in three Americans cannot name the three branches of government. Only 11% can name two of the three branches of government. Also, 16% cannot name any branch of government. (1) Why should you care? The Role of Citizens in a Representative Government Since We the People run the […]

What Would the Founders Think about AI?

What would the Founders think about AI expansion in America? This gives us a modern-day test of constitutional issues that still matter today: centralized power, factions, separation of powers, and checks and balances. Federal Power Was Meant to Be Limited James Madison explains in Federalist No. 45 that constitutional federal power is limited, while the […]

9/11 Remembrance: Honoring Courage and American Resolve

 How does a nation commemorate a surprise attack on its own soil by invaders who wished to take down our country decisively? What has history shown? I was thinking of 9/11/21. I also thought of times like the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and the overwhelming power of the British during our […]

Federalists vs Anti-Federalists: Key Differences in Constitutional Debate 

Who were the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists? As we consider the Constitutional debates, let’s clarify these two groups of patriots. Yes, that’s right. Both groups were patriotic Americans and supported the Constitution. They raised different but compelling concerns over what type of Constitutional government would best serve Americans then and in the future. Why the […]

Labor Day: Honoring the American Work Ethic

Before Calvin Coolidge became president, he was governor of Massachusetts. He wrote the following eye-opening statement on September 1, 1919: Calvin Coolidge on the Value of Toil “I cannot think of anything characteristically American that was not produced by toil (work). I cannot think of any American man or woman preeminent in the history of […]

Constitution Day 2026: Why the U.S. Constitution Still Matters for ‘We the People’

Welcome back to Common Sense Civics and Citizenship, where we are highlighting Constitution Day (September 17). It’s vital that Americans remember the Constitution is the “Supreme Law of the Land.” Even amid distractions, We the People are responsible for the direction of our government. Its success or failure rests with us. Let’s reflect on this […]

What Was at Stake? The Constitutional Debate 

We think today’s political climate is contentious, but what about the Constitutional debates prior to adopting and ratifying our U.S. Constitution? At stake was whether we would have a national government or a loose confederation of states.  The Birth of American Government: A Story o f Dialogue and Debate Each side had pros and cons. […]

Why Are Young People Voting for Communism?

Understanding Today’s Youth Political Trends I’m still sorting out why so many young people are voting for communists these days. The thought resonated with me that, for this generation, supporting communism (what they call “democratic socialism”) vocally and by voting, these young people feel like they are doing something to fix America’s problems.  In other […]