Do you know what rights the Bill of Rights guarantees to you as a U.S. citizen? If you ask around, you might be surprised how many Americans aren’t sure. Let’s change that! -The Bill of Rights is a part of the Constitution, not a separate document. -Our rights are God-given, not government-granted. -The five freedoms […]
Quick Quiz on U.S. Constitutional Basics for Students and Learners
Think you know the foundations of American government? Put your knowledge to the test with this quick quiz on the basics of the U.S. Constitution. Whether you’re a student, a lifelong learner, or just brushing up on your civics, these questions will help you review essential constitutional principles in a fun and interactive way. Quiz […]
Why Constitutional Process Still Matters
Power and Control Power and control are magnets for human beings. Anyone who is tuned in to our world today can see the attraction at work in industry, education, media, and politics. Our Founders knew this, so they structured our government with horizontal separation of powers and vertical boundaries between local, state, and national government […]
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 […]
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 […]
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. […]
The Rise of Communism: Its Impact on American Values
You may find the news increasingly upsetting lately. There is more coverage of murder, more surveys showing that young people under 40 want communism (socialism, Marxism, etc.), and free stuff. There are more lawsuits, more declines in public education, and more sexual issues at the forefront of the news. Why does everything around us seem […]
How Government Promises Shape Everyday American Life
How do you want to be governed? Today we are seeing people elected or running for elected office who profess communism. A Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) leader said a few weeks ago that the goal of the DSA is communism. Note: socialism, democratic socialism, and various pseudonyms are sellable versions of the same endgame- […]
Understanding Socialism’s Influence on America
If you care about the future of our country, it makes sense to learn about the current cultural shift toward socialism and away from a Constitutional Republic. I’ve been hearing a lot about the revised Democratic Socialists of America platform that is to be made public in a few weeks at the Socialists Summit. This […]
Defining a Statesman: Qualities, Roles, and Distinctions
What is a statesman? We hear this word frequently lately. As Americans, we should determine for ourselves whether we think of a person as a statesman, not just because the media labels them that way. Qualities That Define a Statesman Upon looking up the definition of a statesman, there seems to be a general consensus […]
Understanding the Supremacy Clause and ICE Agents
Can the Supremacy Clause protect ICE agents from prosecution? I have this question, and maybe you do, too. To answer this, let’s explore what the Supremacy Clause means and how it works. What is the U.S. Constitution’s Supremacy Clause? The Supremacy Clause is a part of the U.S. Constitution. It says that the Constitution, all […]
Deeply Divided: Rekindling Civic Virtues and Values
One of our participants in Common Sense Civics and Citizenship expressed concerns that our nation’s divisiveness may be irreparable for these reasons: -He says two, maybe 3 generations have been indoctrinated rather than educated. -This participant believes such indoctrination has negatively altered our country’s core values. -He argues that coping with these […]
Understanding America’s Shift towards Socialism
Why are so many Americans voting for socialists, Marxists, or communists? The common reason given is that people are finding it hard to “make ends meet,” so they are looking to politicians for food and housing. History has been around this block more than once, and it’s been a disappointment, albeit an abject failure, yet […]
The American Dream: Liberty, Responsibility & Limited Government
There are many interpretations of the American Dream. I just read one by author Walter Isaacson (The Greatest Sentence Ever Written (2025), Simon & Schuster). He talks about how the American Dream is brought to us by our government through economic means. I disagree. I believe the American Dream rests on limited government plus personal […]
