To evaluate the success of our government, we must answer several critical questions about the definition of democracy, our governmental structure, and the process it uses to formulate policies.  We need to look at the distribution of power, the rules constraining power, and the effectiveness of government policy.  To accomplish these goals, our units will be structured around evaluative questions.

For some, "the great experiment" can only succeed with the active participation of its citizens.  To help empower you in your role as a citizen (and as an individual), I will ask you to define your own political perspectives, use academic vocabulary, and develop your critical thinking. 

In addition to fostering citizen participation, democracies must also address justice, liberty, and prosperity, the three central issues for any government. We will evaluate the successfulness of our government in achieving these essential goals.

Our theme this year is democracy as "the great experiment."  In 1835, Alexis de Tocqueville first used this phrase to describe the new form of government that the framers of the American government created.  The experiment was to prove that democracy could work. For two different opinions on the question, click here.    

THE GREAT EXPERIMENT

QUOTE

"In that land the great experiment was to be made, by civilized man, of the attempt to construct society upon a new basis; and it was there, for the first time, that theories hitherto unknown, or deemed impracticable, were to exhibit a spectacle for which the world had not been prepared by the history of the past." Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America, Volume 1, Part A, end of Chapter 1

MEET

          "THE  LADIES" --

COURSE UNITS

Welcome to the homepage for Mrs. Grover's Democratic Citizenship class!  You can use this page to find out what's going on and gain access to online resources.   If you need help on an assignment, use the "E-mail Me" link to reach me.