Supporting Questions:

• How are both knowledge about American constitutional government and actions by citizens essential components of effective government?
• How have different views about human nature and the purposes of government resulted in different forms of government?
• How have ideas about government influenced constitutional principles and fundamental values in the United States?
• What is meant by a government "of the people, by the people, [and] for the people"?

Lesson 1: Why Do We Need Government?

Lesson 2: Forms of Governments

Lesson 3: The Declaration of Independence

Lesson 4: Introducing the Constitution

Lesson 5: A Government of Compromises

Lesson 6: Defining Government in the United States

Lesson 7: The Meaning of Citizenship

Lesson 8: Citizens & Civic Engagement

Lesson 9: Citizenship and Civil Disobedience

Lesson 10: When Fundamental Values & Constitutional Principles Conflict

The student handouts and texts associated with each lesson in the unit.