Back to Standards Index: National Council for the Social Studies C3 Framework

Standards Index: D2.Civ.2.9-12.

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Analyze the role of citizens in the U.S. political system, with attention to various theories of democracy, changes in Americans’ participation over time, and alternative models from other countries, past and present.

Image from Midterm Elections: 1966 Midterms Signal a Realignment, Shaping Today’s Parties
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Midterm Elections: 1966 Midterms Signal a Realignment, Shaping Today’s Parties

Students will learn how Southern voters, once loyal to the Democratic Party, elected Republican candidates in 1966 as the two parties began to sort themselves into distinctly partisan camps.
Image from Midterm Elections: How 1994 Midterms Set Off an Era of Divisive Politics
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Midterm Elections: How 1994 Midterms Set Off an Era of Divisive Politics

Students will learn how the midterm elections, often a referendum on the sitting president’s agenda, can set the stage for future policy debates.
Image from Labor Union Activism: Advocating for Worker Rights
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Labor Union Activism: Advocating for Worker Rights

Students compare and contrast the rise of union membership in the 1930s with the union movement of the early 2020s
Image from American Reckoning
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American Reckoning

Students will learn about a little-known story of the civil rights movement told using excerpts from “American Reckoning," a Retro Report and PBS Frontline collaboration.
Image from Exploring the Impact of Campaign Ads
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Exploring the Impact of Campaign Ads

Students will learn how famous campaign ads like the “Daisy,” “Morning in America” and “Willie Horton,” changed how political advertisements were made, and in doing so changed the course of history.
Image from Vincent Chin and Asian American Civil Rights
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Vincent Chin and Asian American Civil Rights

Students will learn about the case that set the precedent for racially motivated attacks against Asian Americans being prosecuted as hate crimes.
Image from Transgender Rights, Won Over Decades, Face New Restrictions
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Transgender Rights, Won Over Decades, Face New Restrictions

Students will learn about historical and contemporary demands for equality by transgender people.
Image from Poll Watchers and the Long History of Voter Intimidation
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Poll Watchers and the Long History of Voter Intimidation

Students will examine primary and secondary sources related to voter intimidation to determine how integrity of elections can be ensured.