All posts in US Civics
Life in the US
Review
- Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s.*
- Who was President during World War I?
- Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II?
- Who did the United States fight in World War II?
- Before he was President, Eisenhower was a general. What war was he in?
- During the Cold War, what was the main concern of the United States?
- What movement tried to end racial discrimination?
- What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do?*
- 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 8 national holidays. On those days, government offices and schools are closed.
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?
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?
Review
- Name two national U.S. holidays.
- When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms?*
- What is the economic system in the United States?*
- When must all men register for the Selective Service?
- What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance?
- 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?
US History, 1950 to 2001 – spring 21
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
- Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s.*
- Who was President during World War I?
- Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II?
- Who did the United States fight in World War II?
- Before he was President, Eisenhower was a general. What war was he in?
- During the Cold War, what was the main concern of the United States?
- What movement tried to end racial discrimination?
- What did Martin Luther King, Jr. do?*
- What major event happened on September 11, 2001, in the United States?
World War 1 and 2 – Spring 2021
History Review
- Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?
- What is one reason colonists came to America?
- There were 13 original states. Name three.
- Why did the colonists fight the British?
- What did the Declaration of Independence do?
- Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
- What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for?
- What does the Constitution do?
- What happened at the Constitutional Convention?
- What is the name of the national anthem?
- Name one problem that led to the Civil War.
- 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!
Photo by Meghan Schiereck on Unsplash 
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?
- Name one war fought by the United States in the 1900s.*
- Who was President during World War I?
- Who was President during the Great Depression and World War II?
- Who did the United States fight in World War II?
- Before he was President, Eisenhower was a general. What war was he in?
The Civil War
In the 1800s, the United States fought the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, the Spanish-American War, and the Civil War.
The most important war in the 1800s was the Civil War, or the war between the states.
Name one war fought by the United States in the 1800s. –> The Civil War
The Civil War was a fight between the North and the South from 1861 to 1865.
More people in the North wanted to end slavery. States in the South wanted to continue slavery.
Name the U.S. war between the North and the South. –> The Civil War
The problem of slavery led to the Civil War. The Civil War led to the death of almost one million Americans.
Name one problem that led to the Civil War. –> Slavery
Abraham Lincoln was president of the United States during the Civil War. He worked to bring the North and South together again.
Congress made a law to stop slavery. Lincoln signed the law. Today, we remember that Abraham Lincoln helped free the slaves.
What was one important thing that Abraham Lincoln did?* –> Freed the slaves
Lincoln signed a law called the Emancipation Proclamation. The Emancipation Proclamation freed the slaves.
What did the Emancipation Proclamation do? –> Freed the slaves
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: The Young United States
Civics Review: The Declaration and Constitution
- What did the Declaration of Independence do?
- What does the Constitution do?
- When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?
- When was the Constitution written?
- Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
- What happened at the Constitutional Convention?
- What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?
- 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.
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.”
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.
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?
Civics: The New United States
Review: The Declaration of Independence
- When do we celebrate Independence Day?
- When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?
- What did the Declaration of Independence do?
- Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
- 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?
- Who is the “Father of Our Country”?
- Who was the first President?*
- What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for?
- What is the supreme law of the land?
Can you answer the civics questions about this information?
Civics and Reading: Before the United States, Part 1
Reading and Civics
More than 15,000 years ago, people came to North America, Central America, and South America.
They spread all over America, and created many different cultures and civilizations.
These people were the Native Americans, or American Indians.
Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived? –> American Indians or Native Americans
There were thousands of different American Indian groups, called tribes.
Many tribes are still here today. More than 5 million Native Americans and mixed race Native Americans live in the United States now.
Each tribe has its own traditions, leaders, art, culture, and languages, too.
One example is the Pueblo tribe. Today, a Pueblo woman, Deb Haaland, is part of Joe Biden’s cabinet. She is the Secretary of the Interior.
The Department of the Interior manages 507 million acres of land in the US. It is also responsible for relationships with Native Americans.
Extra information: Right now, the United States has 4 representatives in congress who are Native Americans. They are from New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Kansas. There is also one representative who is Native Hawaiian.
Name one American Indian tribe in the United States. –> Pueblo
People from Europe are called Europeans. Christopher Columbus was one of the first Europeans to come to America.
Europeans fought American Indians, took their land, and brought diseases. Some Europeans did business with the Indians, made friendships, and even married with them. But, millions of American Indians died from these problems.
Europeans started colonies in America. These were new cities, but they still had a connection to their home country.
For example, Spain, Portugal, and England started many colonies. The people who live in colonies were called colonists.
In England, the leader of the government was a king. The British king had a lot of power, and many people did not have freedom.
We use the words British and English to describe the same place.
Many English people became colonists, and came to America for more freedom.
What is one reason colonists came to America? –> Freedom
On the other hand, many people lost their freedom in America. European businessmen took more than 12 million African people to North and South America and sold them as slaves.
What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves? –> African people
By the year 1700, America was home to Native Americans, colonists, and slaves. 13 British colonies in North America are now part of the United States.
We remember those 13 original colonies in the 13 stripes of the United States.
Why does the flag have 13 stripes? –> There were 13 original colonies
There were 13 original colonies that became states. Good news: you don’t have to remember all of them!
You can remember the 3 NEW states: New York, New Jersey, and New Hampshire.
Or, you can remember the 3 beautiful sisters: Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
There were 13 original states. Name three. –> New York, New Hampshire, New Jersey
- Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?
- Name one American Indian tribe in the United States.
- What is one reason colonists came to America?
- What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves?
- Why does the flag have 13 stripes?
- There were 13 original states. Name three.
US Civics: Helping the President
Review: Congress + The President
- What does congress do in this video?
- What does the president do in this video?
- Do you think it is fast to make laws, or slow?
Can you answer these questions? What questions (and answers) are connected to this video?
- What are the two parts of Congress?
- Where is the Statue of Liberty?
- Who makes federal laws?
- Who is in charge of the executive branch?
- In what month do we vote for President?*
- Who is the Commander in Chief of the military?
- Who signs bills to become laws?
- What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?
- Who vetoes bills?
- We elect a President for how many years?
Reading + Civics
The job of president is really difficult. However, the president has a lot of help and support. One person who works with the president is the Vice President.
William Henry Harrison – 9th President of the United States 
John Tyler – 10th President of the United States
The Vice President is also from the same political party as the President. Sometimes the President can no longer serve. That means the president may retire, get sick, or even die.
If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President? –> The Vice President
The constitution has a plan for a lot of different situations. It is really important to have a president, because they are the commander in chief.
So, if the both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, the Speaker of the House will become the new president.
If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President? –> The Speaker of the House
The President is in charge of the Executive branch, so they have many people who work with them. The most important helpers are the Cabinet.
The Cabinet is a group of 16 people who help the President. The President chooses the Cabinet members. The Senate can say “yes” or “no” to the President’s choices.
What does the President’s Cabinet do? –> Helps the president
Each person in the Cabinet is in charge of one department or part of the executive branch. The Vice President is also a member of the Cabinet.
Other Cabinet-level positions include:
Secretary of Agriculture ▪ Secretary of Commerce ▪ Secretary of Defense ▪ Secretary of Education ▪ Secretary of Energy ▪ Secretary of Health and Human Services ▪ Secretary of Homeland Security ▪ Secretary of Housing and Urban Development ▪ Secretary of the Interior ▪ Secretary of Labor ▪ Secretary of State ▪ Secretary of Transportation ▪ Secretary of the Treasury ▪ Secretary of Veterans Affairs ▪ Attorney General
What are two Cabinet-level positions? –> Secretary of State and Vice President
- If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
- If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President?
- What does the President’s Cabinet do?
- What are two Cabinet-level positions?
US Civics: The President
Review: Questions about the president
- What is the name of the President of the United States now?*
- What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now?*
- What is the political party of the President now?
- How old do citizens have to be to vote for President?*
Reading and Civics
The constitution defines the United States government. It sets up the legislative branch and the judicial branch.
We have read and learned about Congress and the Courts. There is one more major part of the American government. Do you know what it is?
The executive branch is the final part of the US government. The President is the leader of this part. The President is in charge of the executive branch.
Who is in charge of the executive branch? –> The President
The executive branch has many important departments and offices. The President has a lot of power in this part of the government.
The President is responsible for these departments, including:
- The State Department
- Homeland Security
- The Department of Justice
- The Department of Education
- The Department of Defense
The Department of Defense includes the military. The President is the Commander in Chief of the military. This means they are the #1 boss of the military.
Who is the Commander in Chief of the military? –> The President
The President cannot make new federal laws. Congress makes federal laws. But, Congress must work with the President.
A new law is called a bill. If the Senate and the House agree on a bill, they send it to the President. If the President signs the bill with their name, it becomes a law.
Who signs bills to become laws? –> The President
But, sometimes the President does not agree with Congress. If the President does not sign the bill, it will not become a law.
When the Presidents says “no!” to a bill, it is called a veto. Only the President can veto a bill.
Who vetoes bills? –> The President
The writers of the Constitution did not want the United States to have a king. They did not want to have presidents serve for life.
So, we have a democratic election for President. We elect a President for 4 years.
We elect a President for how many years? –> 4
We vote for President almost at the end of the year. We vote for President in November. Election day is usually on the first Tuesday in November.
In what month do we vote for President?* –> November
- Who is in charge of the executive branch?
- Who is the Commander in Chief of the military?
- Who signs bills to become laws?
- Who vetoes bills?
- We elect a President for how many years?
- In what month do we vote for President?*
Bonus: How does the US elect a president?
This information helps us understand more about voting.
Questions for listening:
- Who votes for president?
- Why does it take a long time to count all the votes?
- What do we call the system of choosing the president with all 50 states and Washington D.C.?
- What is one good way to learn news about the US Election?
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