In 1987 U.S. Secretary of Education, William J. Bennett, published "James Madison High School: A Curriculum for American Students" that proposed a core curriculum for high schools. In response to that publication, this paper examines the core curriculum as it affects social studies. The social studies sequence emphasized history (ninth…

This paper discusses the importance of civic education in the transformation from totalitarian communism to constitutional democracy in Central and Eastern Europe. The primary question of civic education for this great transformation is: What are the few core ideas of democratic civic education that learners must know and support to prepare them…

This paper describes briefly the path of political socialization research over the past 40 years; discusses "Project Citizen," a civics program for adolescent students, and the implications of recent research on it; and comments on the current state of political socialization research. Contains 12 references. (BT)

In 1994 the Center for Civic Education published "National Standards for Civics and Government," content standards clearly defining what students should know and be able to do as the outcome of civic education in school. This standards project has been an attempt to standardize the best in civic education and to make the Standards…

This document addresses the questions of what teachers have achieved during the U. S. Constitution Bicentennial celebration in the areas of curriculum development and instruction and whether or not the celebration has been accompanied by educational renewal and improvement in secondary schools. Persistent problems in teaching and learning about…

This paper addresses current concerns about how to improve political and civic engagement through education in U.S. schools and society. Part 1 examines ideas pertaining to "A Persistent Problem of Democracy: Education for Constructive Engagement of Citizens in Common Purposes and Commitments of Civil Society and Constitutional…

Leaders of nascent democracies, such as Lithuania, quickly understood that effective civic education is indispensable to the establishment, maintenance, and improvement of their institutions of government and civil society. They readily turned to civic educators in the United States, the world's oldest democracy, for advice about how to prepare…

This paper assesses efforts undertaken to promote teaching and learning about the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights during the years leading up to and including the bicentennial celebrations of these two documents. The assessment focuses on three specific topics: (1) patterns of content coverage; (2) materials for teachers and students; and…

During the last quarter of the 20th century, a global surge of democracy has transformed international relations and inspired people in places throughout the world. The current and continuing wave of democracy in the governments of nation-states has brought about a correspondingly strong surge of education for democracy. This rising tide of…

The National Register of Historic Places maintains a database with information on more than 60,000 historic places of significance in U.S. history. This paper contends that the emerging K-12 social studies core curriculum, as exemplified by the National Standards Project, contains a number of openings for teaching about historic places.…

Heritage education is an approach to teaching, rather than an academic discipline or subject area. It draws on history, geography, literature, the arts, architecture, and the social and natural sciences to study the evidence of the past remaining in the natural and built environment, the material culture, written documents, and in community…

This paper focuses on the current trends and issues in social studies education based on the literature that passes through the ERIC Clearinghouse for Social Studies/Social Science Education (Indiana). Four trends pertaining to teaching content in history, geography, civics, and science in society have emerged from a review of the literature.…

Although the collection of papers known as "The Federalist" (first published in 1788) has offered enduring wisdom to lawyers, judges, politicians, and scholars about principles and issues of constitutional government, this classic work has not occupied a prominent place in high school history and government courses. "The…

To maintain the legacy of freedom from the Age of Enlightenment, educators must effectively teach about the interrelated ideas of modern science and constitutional democracy in both social studies and science courses. The United States most directly and fully exemplifies the civic and scientific ideas which have developed as a result of the Age of…

The interactions of individuality and community in a democratic republic have remained the great object of civic inquiries, the perplexing civic problem throughout the more than 200 years of U.S. constitutional history. This paper argues that this inquiry should be at the center of civic education today. Five recommendations for civic educators to…