1

demonstrate an understanding (e.g., illustrate, write, model, present, debate) of the nature of government:

a

examine ways that democratic governments do or do not preserve and protect the rights and liberties of their constituents (e.g., U.N. Charter, Declaration of the Rights of Man, U.N. Declaration of Human Rights, U.S. Constitution)

b

compare purposes and sources of power of various forms of government in the world, and analyze their effectiveness in establishing order, providing security and accomplishing goals

c

evaluate the relationship between and among the U.S. government's response to contemporary issues and societal problems (e.g., education, welfare system, health insurance, childcare, crime) and the needs, wants and demands of its citizens (e.g., individuals, political action committees, special interest groups, political parties)

d

examine conflicts within and among different governments and analyze their impacts on historical or current events

2

examine issues related to the intent of the Constitution of the United States and its amendments:

a

explain the principles of limited government (e.g., rule of law, federalism, checks and balances, majority rule, protection of minority rights, separation of powers) and how effective these principles are in protecting individual rights and promoting the "common good”

b

analyze how powers of government are distributed and shared among levels and branches, and how this distribution of powers works to protect the "common good" (e.g., Congress legislates on behalf of the people, the President represents the people as a nation, the Supreme Court acts on behalf of the people as a whole when it interprets the Constitution)

3

investigate the rights of individuals (e.g., Freedom of Information Act, free speech, civic reponsibilities in solving global issues) to explain how those rights can sometimes be in conflict with the responsibility of the government to protect the "common good" (e.g., homeland security issues, environmental regulations, censorship, search and seizure), the rights of others (e.g., slander, libel), and civic responsibilities (e.g., personal belief/responsibility versus civic responsibility)

4

evaluate the impact citizens have on the functioning of a democratic government by assuming responsibilities (e.g., seeking and assuming leadership positions, voting) and duties (e.g., serving as jurors, paying taxes, complying with local, state and federal laws, serving in the armed forces)

5

analyze and synthesize a variety of information from print and non-print sources (e.g., books, documents, articles, interviews, Internet, film, media) to research issues, perspectives and solutions to problems