Preface:

Many fear today that American democracy is in serious jeopardy due to severe political polarization, a lack of understanding of different perspectives and experiences, and a lack of civic knowledge and skills for contributing to effective democratic self-governance. This seminar drew on the seven themes of inquiry identified by the NEH-funded project Educating for American Democracy to address this lack of knowledge and will to find common ground. The themes were: civic participation; our changing American landscapes; the idea of “We, the People”; the Constitution and new form of government of the United States; processes of institutional and social transformation; the place of the American people in the world; and contemporary debates and possibilities we Americans face today. Units created in this course are resources for all other teachers seeking to strengthen American civic education.