“It has been often said that the people of this country will decide the important question of whether societies can establish a good government by careful thought and choice. Or whether people are forever destined to be governed only by accident and force.” (Webster, Mary E. The Federalist Papers in Modern Language. 2018. p. 1) […]
Conversations: Things That Make You Go Hmmm
Let’s take a brief look at recent conversations overheard here and there. Knowing how to navigate conversations is a citizenship issue. Think of the following as “things that make you go hmmmmm.” The Border Issue: Person #1: “If you don’t believe in open borders, you are a race-ist.” Person #2: “How do you define racism?” […]
Everything Old Is New Again
Thank you for returning to Common Sense Civics and Citizenship. We’re glad you’re here! I’ve spent some time reading and studying, trying to make sense of all the changes going on around us so quickly. American Founding Father Roger Sherman and President Woodrow Wilson captured my attention for different reasons. See if you can draw […]
Learn from Sherman’s Character and Quirks
Having applied for instructor certification with the Institute on the Constitution, I was observed teaching (and passed with no corrections!) and then asked to complete an essay. One of the questions was this: “What is one of your favorite quotes from our Founders?” I used a favorite quote from founding father Roger Sherman. The founder […]
Who Were Those Other Influencers?
Welcome back to this page! Glad to have you here. What a tumultuous week in our nation! My passion is Founding documents education. It’s a good thing because in my view, if you know the American founding documents, you can’t be tricked into emotional responses. You’re not asleep at the wheel while your liberties slowly […]
A Changing Perception of Work
Young Americans think differently than older citizens. Well, that is no news flash. What is noteworthy is the change in the younger generation’s perception of work. It’s a citizenship issue and will profoundly affect our future if we don’t speak up for the value of work. Take a look at these stories: Last weekend, I […]
Who Are Your Influencers?
Welcome back or for the first time to Common Sense Civics and Citizenship! Always glad to have your participation here. This week, we explore two topics that generated a ton of interest. First, I was observed and critiqued by the Institute on the Constitution to be certified as an instructor. Happy to report that I […]
Understand the Times
Understand the Times What an eye-opener it is to read the opposing views of what America is! Thanks to the long Independence holiday weekend, we had an opportunity to read more than usual. You would not know that we were living in the same country, depending on which media you accessed. Since we don’t name […]
Proud to Be an American
Summer, 1776. What kind of guts does it take to start a nation that puts The People truly in charge while separating from a king with “a decent respect” as they listed their grievances, one by one. Where does such courage come from? I’ve seen it in the National Archives. I could almost feel the […]
The Colonists Show Us How It’s Done
The colonists were no slackers. We read about their work ethic and strong will to govern themselves this week to prepare for our Independence Day celebration. They didn’t take separation from the mother country lightly. Our Founders even said, “Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient […]
Independence Day Prep
Welcome! Thank you for returning to Civics and Citizenship as we take a look at a few ideas to prepare for our Independence Day celebrations. Guarding our liberty is no longer the “elephant in the room” but an action item on the minds of many Americans. Also, how do we prepare the conversations that may […]
Guarding Liberty
How do we guard and keep liberty? We must pass on our history to our posterity through primary source documents. What did historical figures actually say? What did they actually do? Why did they do it? If you only get your knowledge of history from what other people tell you in books and media, you […]
Choose Truth Every Time
Thank you for returning to read our weekly newsletter. I’ve been listening to the news as always, but I have changed where and how I consume the news. I don’t want to follow narratives that are handed down from media executives and adopt their views as my own. I want to hear the facts and […]
Federalism Explained
A question I get asked a lot is why different states have different rules. Like, why does Florida do things one way and California operate differently? Why is CC licensing easier in Utah than in Illinois? Why aren’t the vote-ing systems precisely the same in all 50 states? It’s called “federalism.” I’ll explain it this […]
What Is Going On Here?
Welcome back (or for the first time) to Common Sense Civics and Citizenship! Always glad to be a part of your day. Have you noticed? Americans are stepping up and taking action. I not only hear about it, I am actively looking for fellow citizens who are standing up for American principles in their communities […]
