The history of political education is coincident with the history of republican political theory. The basic elements of classical republican theory of government were that sovereignty resided in the people and that authority was exercised through representative institutions. Only populations which possessed republican virtues--respect for law and…

Background information on lobbying will help secondary and college students and adults develop a clearer understanding of how U.S. democracy works. Discussed are what lobbying is, who the lobbyists are, lobby regulation, and the different kinds of lobbying groups. As an example of the environment within which lobbyists work, lobbying efforts…

The liberal and participatory-republican models of what constitutes a democratic citizen have implications for the civics curriculum and for the structure of secondary school institutions. The major problem with civic education today is a lack of integration, reflecting a liberal conception of education which sees the role of politics in our lives…

This theme issue on the freedom of assembly includes three sections: (1) "World History: Wat Tyler's Rebellion," a glimpse into the English past that provides a valuable perspective for understanding the turbulent origins of the right of U.S. citizens to assemble; (2) "U.S. History: William Lloyd Garrison and the Boston Mob,"…

The guide was written to give secondary level hearing impaired students exposure to real life problems from a social studies perspective. Units are outlined for the three levels of the high school years and provide an overview, information on vocabulary, target competencies, suggested activities, sources, and a list of objectives. The units are…

This issue examines the trend of citizenship education in the public schools. Four basic approaches are described. The content approach is based on the belief that knowledge gained from certain courses will aid students in rational decision making and in being responsible citizens. It emphasizes law-related education, political science, and…

The paper delineates areas to investigate when seeking information about political ethics in western society. The main purpose of the paper is to call attention to the relationship of civic virtue to communal politics. Specifically, five questions are posed and answered which deal with various aspects of civic virtue and its relationship to…

This study was designed to determine whether mastery learning instruction at the secondary level is more effective than other instructional strategies. Seven teams of teachers in five school districts participated in the investigation. Subjects taught were middle school history and language arts, high school government, mathematics, history, and…

This social studies curriculum guide for grades 5 and 6 is a product of the American Values Exemplary Center directed by Ralph H. Davis. The introduction describes a model program to introduce students to the functioning of local and national government through a student government program set up as an essential part of the social studies…

Gaining "relevant" political knowledge, mastering specific political-administrative competencies, and participating in community processes -- all avenues of curriculum development for political activism -- can be ineffective if a student has been unable to resolve certain psycho-philosophic concerns. These concerns help to explain the nature and…

This report from the Committee on Civic Education at the University of California, Los Angeles, discusses the origin, activities, and future plans of the committee, whose major aim is the acquisition of intellectual skills rather than large amounts of factual knowledge or the development of "democratic attitudes" in the study of civics. The…

Four lawyers and one educator speaking to a conference of educators, lawyers, law enforcement personnel, community leaders, and students from New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania interested in legal education in elementary and secondary school are represented here. The speakers suggest more constructive ways of integrating law into the school…

Seventy social studies educational games and simulations, designed for K-12th grade, with many applicable to adults, are described and analyzed in the major section of this book. Each of the analyses is divided into eight categories and provides an overview of the game; a description of the physical qualities and cost of the materials; suggested…

This curriculum guide for secondary grades encourages new young voters to understand and participate in the political system. A major objective is to help students consider the political system as an agent of change, and, moreover, to help them understand how individuals control, influence, and change government. Students learn that there are many…

This paper covers the processes of developing an assessment tool to evaluate children's achievement in Civic Education throughout the world. Problems established prior to the study included: 1) uncertainty about a "common core"; 2) the need for special attitude measures as well as knowledge tests; 3) strong out-of-school influences on a child's…