Power, Politics, and You

Power, politics, and government come first, framed by the question of why they should matter to you. Students then compare forms of government, weighing how political and economic power should be distributed in a society.

American government's foundations begin with the ideas behind the world's first modern democratic nation. Students examine how and why the framers distributed power in the Constitution, how the Bill of Rights defines and protects civil liberties, and how power flows through the federal system.

Political participation starts with the ways citizens can make a difference in a democracy. Students look at how parties and interest groups influence political decisions, how much the media shapes political views, and why elections and voting matter.

Lawmakers and legislatures open the unit on the legislative branch, with students weighing what makes an effective legislator. A second lesson covers congressional lawmaking and how laws are really made.

The executive branch centers on chief executives and bureaucracies, with students identifying the qualities modern presidents need to fulfill their many roles. The unit closes with the federal budget and whether the government budgets and spends tax dollars wisely.

Courts, judges, and the law show how the U.S. judicial system is organized to ensure justice. Students then trace the criminal justice system from doing the crime to doing the time, and ask how just that system is.