All posts in Civics and Reading A

Review

1. Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s.*
2. Who was President during World War I?
3. Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II?
4. Who did the United States fight in World War II?
5. Before he was President, Eisenhower was a general. What war was he in?
6. During the Cold War, what was the main concern of the United States?
7. What movement tried to end racial discrimination?
8. What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do?*
9. What major event happened on September 11, 2001, in the United States?

Civics and Reading

Americans have many special days. Some days are for religion, like Christmas. Some days are to celebrate, like New Years Day.

The Unites States Government has 11 national holidays. On those days, government offices and schools are usually closed.

The full list of national holidays is:

1. New Year’s Day on January 1st
2. Martin Luther King Jr. Day on the third Monday of January
3. Presidents’ Day on the third Monday of February
4. Memorial Day on the last Monday of May
5. Juneteenth on June 19th
6. Independence Day on July 4th
7. Labor Day on the first Monday of September
8. Indigenous Peoples Day / Columbus Day on the second Monday of October
9. Veterans Day on November 11th
10. Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday in November
11. Christmas Day on December 25th

In 2021, President Biden signed a bill to make a new federal holiday. This holiday is called Juneteenth, and it is celebrated on June 19th.

On June 19th, 1865, the United States army freed the slaves in Galveston, Texas. Since then, Juneteenth is a celebration of the Emancipation Proclamation and end of slavery in all of the United States.

Name two national U.S. holidays. –> Christmas Day and New Year’s Day

We also have special days for responsibilities. One important responsibility is to pay taxes.

People in the US usually have to send in federal income tax forms on April 15.

When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms?* –> April 15th

The economic system of the United States is a market economy. This is another name for a capitalist economy.

This means that people and businesses are free to buy and sell things.

What is the economic system in the United States?* –> Market Economy / Capitalist Economy

When there is a war or emergency, the government can ask young men to join the military. This is called the draft or Selective Service.

All men must register for the Selective Service from age 18 to 26. Even immigrants and refugees need to register.

Registration is free and quick. And, from age 18 to 26 is only 8 years. After that, most people don’t worry about this registration.

When must all men register for the Selective Service? –> 18 to 26

In many schools, every class begins with the Pledge of Allegiance. This is a promise of loyalty to the United States. Loyalty means love, and never leaving someone.

Here’s an example of the Pledge of Allegiance. Don’t worry! You don’t need to memorize the words.

When we say the Pledge of Allegiance, we show loyalty to the flag. This means we also show loyalty to the United States.

What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance? –> The flag / The United States

These people are taking the Oath of Allegiance. This is the promise to become a citizen.

One thing you promise is to follow the laws of the United States. The oath is long and difficult, but you don’t have to remember it 100%.

What is one promise you make when you become a United States citizen? –> To follow the laws of the United States

Review

1. Name two national U.S. holidays.
2. When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms?*
3. What is the economic system in the United States?*
4. When must all men register for the Selective Service?
5. What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance?
6. What is one promise you make when you become a United States citizen?

US Citizens and the Test

How will these American citizens do on the Civics test questions?

Civics + Reading

After World War 2, the United States government was worried about the Soviet Union and Communism. This time is called “The Cold War.”

Communism means that the government owns almost everything. People cannot own property.

Communism is a different form of government than the US. The US has democracy and a market economy.

During the Cold War, the communist countries and capitalist countries fought to control the world.

The United States and Soviet Union did not fight directly, so we call it a “cold” war. The Soviet Union broke up in 1991.

During the Cold War, what was the main concern of the United States? –> Communism

From The Civil War to the 1950s, most black people in America did not have equal rights.

White people used the law, education, and fear against black people and other racial groups. This was a terrible time of racial discrimination.

The Civil Rights Movement was a large group of protestors who tried to end racial discrimination. They protested, spoke, and got arrested.

What movement tried to end racial discrimination? –> The Civil Rights Movement

One of the Civil Rights Movement leaders was Martin Luther King Jr. He fought for civil rights.

He fought for civil rights by speaking. He fought for civil rights by writing. He fought for civil rights by protesting. He fought for civil rights by using civil disobedience. He was arrested almost 30 times.

Because of his work, congress and the president passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to protect the civil rights of black people and people of all races.

What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do?* –> Fought for civil rights

On April 4, 1968, King was killed by a white man. King was only 39 years old, but Americans will always remember him as a hero. We remember Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday in January.

The first national celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day was in 1986. You can see the love and spirit of Dr. King in this celebration from that year.

Do you remember where you were on September 11, 2001? That morning, terrorists attacked the United States.

They flew planes into the World Trade Center towers in New York. They flew a plane into the Pentagon, the main building for the military.

They tried to fly one more plane into the White House, but the people on the plane stopped the terrorists.

What major event happened on September 11, 2001, in the United States? –> Terrorists attacked the United States

Review

1. Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s.*
2. Who was President during World War I?
3. Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II?
4. Who did the United States fight in World War II?
5. Before he was President, Eisenhower was a general. What war was he in?
6. During the Cold War, what was the main concern of the United States?
7. What movement tried to end racial discrimination?
8. What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do?*
9. What major event happened on September 11, 2001, in the United States?

History Review

1. Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?
2. What is one reason colonists came to America?
3. There were 13 original states. Name three.
4. Why did the colonists fight the British?
5. What did the Declaration of Independence do?
6. Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
7. What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for?
8. What does the Constitution do?
9. What happened at the Constitutional Convention?
10. What is the name of the national anthem?
11. Name one problem that led to the Civil War.
12. What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?

Unfortunately, the United States fought many wars from 1900-1999.

The United States fought in World War 1, World War 2, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the first Gulf War.

(World War I means World War 1)
(World War II means World War 2)

World War I was in Europe, from 1914-1918. The United States joined world War I in 1917.

Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s.* –> World War One

Woodrow Wilson was president during World War One.

Who was President during World War I? –> Woodrow Wilson

On October 29th, 1929 the Great Depression started in the United States.

The stock market crashed and many banks lost all their money. Millions of Americans lost all their money and their jobs.

In this difficult time, Franklin Roosevelt ran for president. He helped start Social Security, food stamps, and many protections for all Americans.

Roosevelt was very popular because he helped Americans during the Great Depression. He was elected president four times!

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He was still president on December 7, 1941, when the Navy of Japan attacked the United States at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

After that, the United States joined the fight of World War II. Roosevelt was also president during World War II.

Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II? –> (Franklin) Roosevelt

During World War II, the United States fought Japan, Germany, and Italy.

Who did the United States fight in World War II? –> Japan, Germany, and Italy

Roosevelt died on April 12, 1945, before the end of the war. Because Roosevelt could no longer serve, the vice president became the president.

One important general in World War II was Dwight D. Eisenhower. After the war, he ran for president. He was president from 1953 to 1961.

Before he was President, Eisenhower was a general. What war was he in?

1. Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s.*
2. Who was President during World War I?
3. Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II?
4. Who did the United States fight in World War II?
5. Before he was President, Eisenhower was a general. What war was he in?

The North won the Civil War. But after the war, Abraham Lincoln was killed by an angry man from the South.

Civics Questions

• Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s.
• Name the U.S. war between the North and the South.
• Name one problem that led to the Civil War.
• What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?*
• What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?

Civics Review: The Declaration and Constitution

1. What did the Declaration of Independence do?
2. What does the Constitution do?
3. When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?
4. When was the Constitution written?
5. Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
6. What happened at the Constitutional Convention?
7. What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?
8. What are two rights of everyone living in the United States?

Reading and Civics

George Washington was president for 8 years, from 1789 to 1797. One hundred years later, his birthday became a national holiday: President’s Day.

After Washington, Adams was elected president. After Adams, Thomas Jefferson was elected president. The United States in the 1800s was a young, new country.

Thomas Jefferson wanted the United States to get bigger and bigger. He helped buy the Louisiana Territory.

The Louisiana Territory was 828,000 square miles of land. It was named after King Louis (Luis) of France.

In 1803, the United States bought the Louisiana Territory from France for 15 million dollars. But, this did not include any deal with the Native Americans who lived in the territory.

What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803? –> Louisiana

In 1812, there was more war with England. One man saw a terrible fight all night long. But in the morning, the US flag was still there.

He wrote a poem called The Star Spangled Banner. The Star Spangled Banner means “the flag with a lot of stars.”

The Star Spangled Banner became a very popular song. It became the national anthem for the United States. You can hear it before important events and sports games.

What is the name of the national anthem? –> The Star Spangled Banner

African people were brought to the United States as slaves from 1619 to 1821. Even after 1821, slavery continued in the south United States.

There were 4 million slaves in the United States. More and more, people said: “This is wrong. All people have the rights of life and liberty.”

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More and more people wanted civil rights for all Americans. Civil rights means protecting the rights of all people.

One important civil rights leader was Susan B. Anthony. Susan B. Anthony fought for civil rights for all people, black and white.

Also, Susan B. Anthony fought for women’s rights. For example, in the 1700s and 1800s, women in the United States did not have the right to vote.

What did Susan B. Anthony do? –> Fought for women’s rights.

In 1920, Americans made a change to the constitution. The 19th (nineteenth) Amendment means that all women citizens of the United States get the right to vote.

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But what about the millions of slaves in the US in the 1800s? The evil problem of slavery was like a bomb waiting. And in 1861, the bomb went off.

We call this time The Civil War.

Questions

• What territory did the United States buy from France in 1803?
• What did Susan B. Anthony do?
• What is the name of the national anthem?

Review: The Declaration of Independence

1. When do we celebrate Independence Day?
2. When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?
3. What did the Declaration of Independence do?
4. Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
5. What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?

A new country

The Declaration of Independence said “the United States is free!”

But, Britain still wanted to keep the 13 colonies.

The British military sent more and more soldiers and ships to America.

The new United States fought the British military. We call this fight The Revolutionary War.

George Washington was the military leader for the United States. He was the general of the United States Army.

Washington was a hero and a strong leader during this difficult time. He was very, very popular with Americans.

He helped win the Revolutionary War, and he helped lead the Constitutional Convention. We call him “the father of our country.”

Who is the “Father of Our Country”? –> George Washington

George Washington and the new US army fought the British for 8 years.

The US army won the war, and the British left the United States.

After the war, George Washington became the first president.

Who was the first president? –> George Washington

Benjamin Franklin also helped the new United States. He was a U.S. diplomat.

Benjamin Franklin went to France. After that, France helped the US fight the British.

What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for? –> US diplomat

The new country needed new laws, so the leaders wrote the Constitution. We often call these leaders the founding fathers of the United States.

What is the supreme law of the land? –> The Constitution

Can you answer these questions about the new United States?

1. Who is the “Father of Our Country”?
2. Who was the first President?*
3. What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for?
4. What is the supreme law of the land?

Can you answer the civics questions about this information?

Civics and Reading: The United States is free

Colonists came to America for freedom. But, the colonies were still part of the British Government.

The British Government and the King of England chose the leaders of the colonies. Many colonists wanted to choose their own leaders.

The British Government and the King of England made taxes higher and higher. More and more colonists were unhappy with the government.

More and more American colonists made plans to overthrow the British Government. They fought the British because of high taxes and because they wanted to choose their own leaders.

Why did the colonists fight the British? –> High taxes

Some colonists made a new government to fight the British and make a new country.

They made the Declaration of Independence. It said that the United States is free.

What did the Declaration of Independence do? –> It said the United States is free

The Declaration of Independence is a break-up letter with the British government and King of England. It has a list of all the problems with the British government.

It says that all people have the rights of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. The American colonists said that the British did not give them life or liberty.

What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence? –> Life and Liberty

Many American colonists talked about the ideas in the Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence.

Who wrote the Declaration of Independence? –> Thomas Jefferson

The new American congress had a vote to agree with the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4th, 1776.

Be careful: was adopted = in the past, in history, in 1776.

When was the Declaration of Independence adopted? –> July 4th, 1776

That’s why we celebrate Independence Day every July 4th. Be careful: we celebrate = in the present, every year.

When do we celebrate Independence Day?* –> July 4th (July fourth)

Civics Review

1. Why did the colonists fight the British?
2. When do we celebrate Independence Day?*
3. When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?
4. What did the Declaration of Independence do?
5. Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
6. What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?

From Tuesday:

1. Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?
2. Name one American Indian tribe in the United States.
3. What is one reason colonists came to America?
4. What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves?
5. Why does the flag have 13 stripes?
6. There were 13 original states. Name three.