"Choosing to Participate" focuses on civic choices--the decisions people make about themselves and others in their community, nation, and world. The choices people make, both large and small, may not seem important at the time, but little by little they shape them as individuals and responsible global citizens. "Choosing to Participate" grew out of the authors' early experience in Facing History and Ourselves classrooms when, after learning about the failure of democracy and the steps that led to the Holocaust, students asked, "How can I make a positive difference in the world?" The stories in this book will engage young people as they begin to understand that the choices they make as members of a civic society matter to themselves, their communities, and to future generations. Individual readings contain footnotes.