KIDS VOTING USA
9-12 CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
TABLE OF CONTENTS
EDUCATOR’S GUIDE
OVERVIEW
SCOPE AND SEQUENCE
INDEX TO ACTIVITIES BY SKILL AND DISCIPLINE
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE
AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP
SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE
ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
APPENDIX
GLOSSARY
BIBLIOGRAPHY
LOCAL INFORMATION
KIDS VOTING USA
9–12 EDUCATOR’S GUIDE
Copyright © 2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. All rights reserved.
The materials contained herein are protected by copyright laws, and may not be reproduced, republished, distributed,
transmitted or otherwise exploited in any manner without the express prior written permission of Kids Voting USA.
The Kids Voting USA name and logo and all related trademarks, trade names, and other intellectual property are the property
of Kids Voting USA and cannot be used without its express prior written permission.
9–12 EDUCATOR’S GUIDE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
AN OVERVIEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
SCOPE AND SEQUENCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
INDEX TO ACTIVITIES BY SKILL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
INDEX TO ACTIVITIES BY DISCIPLINE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
INDEX TO ACTIVITIES BY ADDITIONAL CATEGORIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
THE TEACHER AND THE TOWN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
EDUCATOR’S GUIDE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
1
9–12 EDUCATOR’S GUIDE
AN OVERVIEW
WHAT IS KIDS VOTING USA?
Kids Voting USA (KVUSA) is a national nonprofit organization working to secure the future of
democracy by preparing young people to be educated, engaged voters.
KVUSA operates through a national network of community-based affiliates that partner with
schools and election officials. The program offers students in kindergarten through high school
a wide range of opportunities for civic learning.
It is the combination of classroom instruction, family dialogue, and an authentic voting
experience throughout a young person’s formative years that makes Kids Voting USA a powerful
strategy for achieving long-term change in voting behavior.
DESCRIPTION OF KIDS VOTING USA CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
Kids Voting USA offers two resources for the classroom, one for primary school educators, Kids
Voting USA Classroom Activities: K-8, and one for secondary school educators, Kids Voting USA
Classroom Activities: 9-12. The information in this guide pertains to the Kids Voting USA
Classroom Activities: 9-12 resource.
Kids Voting USA Classroom Activities: 9-12 is designed to facilitate secondary school teachers in
addressing civic learning objectives, especially those that relate to voting and elections. The
resource is comprised of engaging activities that foster group discussion and the use of critical
thinking skills.
The goals of Kids Voting USA classroom activities are for students to:
Cultivate information-gathering and decision-making skills
Develop higher-order thinking skills
Develop empathy towards others
Gain a knowledge and appreciation of suffrage, democracy, citizenship, and elections
Understand and participate in the direct voting process
The activities are designed to emphasize self-discovery in a cooperative setting. This is
effective because:
Students master and retain knowledge and concepts better and develop problem-solving skills,
creativity, verbal skills, and empathy — all of which are important for voters
Group problem-solving provides a model of democracy
In sum, Kids Voting USA’s resource for primary school educators, Kids Voting USA Classroom
Activities: 9-12, is designed to train students to live as thoughtful, active citizens in a democracy.
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9–12 EDUCATOR’S GUIDE
HOW ARE THE ACTIVITIES ORGANIZED?
Within Kids Voting USA Classroom Activities: 9-12, activities are organized by four themes:
Elections and the Voting Experience
American Democracy and Citizenship
Suffrage and the Right to Vote
Active Citizenship
To learn more about each theme, please refer to the “Scope and Sequence” section of this guide.
Each theme has its own organization and consists of the following sections:
1. Introduction to Theme: a short description of the theme that includes the theme’s main
learning objectives
2. General Activities: a collection of activities, organized by main concepts, that address specific
civic learning objectives within the theme
3. Overarching Questions: lists of questions, organized by main concepts, that you can use to
prepare for or to revisit an objective students have mastered
4. Literature Connection Activity: an activity that aligns a piece of literature with a civic learning
objective
5. Culminating Activity: an activity that is a meaningful summarization of the theme’s main
learning objectives
Activities are marked by grade level, theme, and name. The time needed to complete an activity is
specified under the name of the activity. Activities generally have the same format across themes
and theme components:
1. Objective: a short and specific learning goal
2. Materials: a list of resources necessary for the activity
3. Get Ready: instructions for you to prepare the activity
4. Instructions: instructions for you to carry out the activity
5. Discussion Questions: questions you can use to evaluate students’ attainment
of the objective
6. More!: item(s) the class may undertake to further explore the objective
7. Vote Quote: an inspiring quote that relates to the activity
A final feature of Kids Voting USA Classroom Activities: 9-12 is the Additional Resources section.
This section is comprised of the Appendix, Glossary, and Bibliography.
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9–12 EDUCATOR’S GUIDE
HOW DO I USE THE ACTIVITIES?
Kids Voting USA Classroom Activities: 9-12 allows for great flexibility of use as multiple teachers
can use the same theme in a variety of ways. Some teachers may use only a few activities at a
specific time of the year, such as before an election. Others may thoroughly investigate a theme
with their class over a longer period of time; these teachers may incorporate many activities,
including literature connection and culminating activities, into their short- and long-term plans.
This resource takes into account that every class and year is different, though there are multiple
things you may want to consider in any given year:
The Elections and the Voting Experience theme is integral to the Kids Voting USA program.
Make sure that you and your students investigate this theme prior to any elections.
Consider investigating the American Democracy and Citizenship theme in preparation for
teaching about elections and voting. This will provide an invaluable context.
Investigate the Suffrage and the Right to Vote theme with your class to enhance your
students’ appreciation of voting, elections, and democracy. Consider using this theme during
February, African-American History Month, or March, Women’s History Month.
Take advantage of the Active Citizenship theme at any point in the school year to underscore
to your students that being a proactive citizen is not limited to voting.
It will be helpful for you to treat the themes as menus, not recipes: You should pick and choose
what works for your classroom as opposed to following a prescribed formula. Take a look at each
theme, consider where the activities fit into your plans, and make modifications where you deem
them necessary. (Take advantage of the indexes and other tools included in this guide to help
individualize the Kids Voting experience for your class.)
If you are concerned about finding time for these activities, just remember that Kids Voting USA
activities are not an add-on to an already very busy day. The learning involved is required learning
as outlined in the National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies and your State Curriculum
Standards for Social Studies. (To see how our activities align to the national standards, go to the
“In the Classroom” section of our Web site, www.kidsvotingusa.org, and click on Educator’s Guide.
For state standard correlation, check with your local Kids Voting USA affiliate.)
ADDITIONAL NOTES ON THE ACTIVITIES
It is important to note that while Kids Voting USA Classroom Activities: 9-12 is designed to
address civic learning objectives, many of the activities reinforce the work teachers are doing with
their students in regard to language arts and math.
Moreover, Kids Voting USA activities often make connections to service. Kids Voting USA places
high value on activities that bridge the classroom to the community. (To find activities that
incorporate language arts, math, and/or service-learning, refer to the indexes in this guide.)
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9–12 EDUCATOR’S GUIDE
Some final things to be aware of are supplemental activities that can be found on the
Kids Voting USA Web site. (To access them, go to the “In the Classroom” section of
www.kidsvotingusa.org and select Supplemental Activities.) They include:
1. Family activities
2. Spanish-language activities
HOW DO I ACCESS THE ACTIVITIES?
Your local Kids Voting USA affiliate will make the classroom activities available to you in one of a
few ways. You may receive a CD version of Kids Voting USA Classroom Activities: 9-12. You may
alternatively receive some or all of the themes as a hard copy. A final way to access the activities,
which is important in the case that you do not have a CD version or a complete hard copy, is to
access the activities through the Kids Voting USA Web site. Just log onto the Kids Voting USA Web
site at www.kidsvotingusa.org and click “In The Classroom.”
WHAT IF I NEED HELP?
Each school should have a coordinator who works directly with the Kids Voting USA affiliate staff
in your area. If a coordinator is not available, call your local Kids Voting USA affiliate. The number
is listed on the Kids Voting Web page at www.kidsvotingusa.org or in your telephone directory.
WHAT IF KIDS VOTING USA NEEDS MY HELP?
We do! Please send us your ideas, your photographs, your stories of success, your challenges and concerns, and your comments. We use your ideas as we continue to revise the activities. Our address is:
Kids Voting USA
Superstition Office Plaza
3933 S. McClintock Dr., Suite 505
Tempe, AZ 85282
Use the following sections of this guide to familiarize yourself with the four themes and to
locate activities by skill, discipline, and additional categories.
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9–12 EDUCATOR’S GUIDE
SCOPE AND SEQUENCE:
THEME: ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE
Description: The intent of this theme is to educate students about elections, from gaining an appreciation of
the power of voting to studying the candidates and issues to understanding the registration process and
participating in an election. The theme’s activities fall under four concepts:
CONCEPT
OBJECTIVE
My Vote Gives Me Power
Students internalize the power of the vote by examining its impact on their lives
I Study the Candidates and Issues
Students examine the mechanics of political discussion and the value of
differing ideas in a democracy
I Register and Vote
Students identify their precincts, register, and vote at the polls
I Continue to Make a Difference
Students become involved in ongoing political processes
THEME: AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP
Description: The intent of this theme is to provide an understanding of and a context for American democracy
and citizenship, from the rights and responsibilities of students in their local, state, and national communities
to the world beyond. The theme’s activities fall under four concepts:
CONCEPT
OBJECTIVE
What is Democracy?
Students internalize the meaning of democracy as a process for individuals and societies
Democracy in America
Students learn about the democratic experience and the impact of American democracy
A Citizen’s Rights
and Responsibilities
Students explore citizen rights and the responsibilities of being a member of a
democracy
Democracy in the World
Students compare and contrast American democracy to democracies around the world
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9–12 EDUCATOR’S GUIDE
THEME: SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE
Description: The intent of this theme is for students to understand what suffrage is and how and when it was
granted to different populations over the course of American history. The theme’s activities fall under three concepts:
CONCEPT
OBJECTIVE
What is Suffrage?
Students examine the concept and practice of suffrage, the right to vote
Expanding the Right to Vote
Students learn about the history and expansion of voting rights
Suffrage Today
Students analyze and evaluate the state of suffrage in present day America
THEME: ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
Description: The intent of this theme is for students to learn how to evaluate information and to intelligently
form, communicate, and act on the decisions they make. The theme’s activities fall under four concepts:
CONCEPT
OBJECTIVE
Gathering and Weighing Information
Students learn how to become critical consumers and informed decision-makers
Communicating Your Position
Students learn to effectively communicate to classmates and the greater
community
Working Together
Students learn to plan and execute various projects using the power of
group collaboration
Having an Impact
Students seek to influence public policy through civic discussion and
political activism
EDUCATOR’S GUIDE
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9–12 EDUCATOR’S GUIDE
INDEX TO ACTIVITIES BY SKILL
TO LOCATE THE LISTED ACTIVITIES BY THEME, USE THE FOLLOWING ABBREVIATIONS:
EVE = Elections and the Voting Experience
ADC = American Democracy and Citizenship
SRV = Suffrage and the Right to Vote
AC = Active Citizenship
SKILL
ACTIVITIES
Decision Making
Selling The Candidates (EVE); Literature Connection Activity: Presidential Leadership (EVE);
Supreme Court Voting Rights Cases (SRV); In The News: Fact Or Fiction? (AC); Debate The
Issue (AC); Literature Connection Activity: Teen Power Politics (AC); Culminating Activity:
Service-learning Action Plan (AC); Public Agenda (AC); Voting Simulation (EVE); Helping An
Organization (AC); Save Your Rights (ADC); My Turn: Targeting A Problem For Teens (AC)
Media Savvy
Selling The Candidates (EVE); Culminating Activity: Candidates’ Night (EVE); In The News:
Fact Or Fiction? (AC); Public Agenda (AC); Letter To The Editor (AC); Political Cartoons (AC);
Campaign Issue (EVE)
Gathering
Information
Build Your Voter IQ (EVE); Exit Polling (EVE); Nelson Mandela Votes In The Election Of 1994
(SRV); Public Agenda (AC); Choosing An Issue (AC); Debate The Issue (AC); Letter To The Editor
(AC); My Turn: Targeting A Problem For Teens (AC); Campaign Issue (EVE); Helping An
Organization (AC); It’s Party Time (ADC); Voting And Local Government (EVE); Literature
Connection Activity: Presidential Leadership (EVE); Experiencing America (ADC); Voter Survey
(ADC); Global Neighbors (ADC); Literature Connection Activity: Common Sense (ADC);
Culminating Activity: Act From The Heart (ADC); Supreme Court Voting Rights Cases (SRV); In
The Right (SRV); Voting Rights Act Of 1965 (SRV); The Power Of One (SRV); Voicing Your
Opinion (AC); Creative Expressions (AC); Literature Connection Activity: Teen Power Politics
(AC); Culminating Activity: Service-learning Action Plan (AC)
Self-Discipline
Campaign Issue (EVE); Registration Simulation (EVE); An Hour Or Two (EVE); Voter Survey (ADC);
Global Neighbors (ADC); Choosing An Issue (ADC); My Turn: Targeting A Problem For Teens
(AC); Helping An Organization (AC); Culminating Activity: Service-learning Action Plan (AC)
Civic-Mindedness
Election Judge Trainees (EVE); An Hour Or Two (EVE); Registering New Voters (EVE); Assisting
People With Disabilities (EVE); Culminating Activity: Candidates’ Night (EVE); Voter Survey
(ADC); Register Your Opinion (ADC); Culminating Activity: Act From The Heart (ADC); Voicing
Your Opinion (AC); Helping An Organization (AC); Literature Connection Activity: Teen Power
Politics (AC); Culminating Activity: Service-learning Action Plan (AC)
EDUCATOR’S GUIDE
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9–12 EDUCATOR’S GUIDE
SKILL
ACTIVITIES
Cooperation
Leader Or Politician (EVE); Selling The Candidates (EVE); Build Your Voter IQ (EVE); Exit
Polling (EVE); Literature Connection Activity: Presidential Leadership (EVE); Culminating
Activity: Candidates’ Night (EVE); Experiencing America (ADC); Literature Connection Activity:
Common Sense (ADC); Supreme Court Voting Rights Cases (SRV); In the Right (SRV); We The
Women (SRV); The Power Of One (SRV); Literature Connection Activity: Voting And The Spirit
Of American Democracy (SRV); Culminating Activity: A Game Of Cards (SRV); Public Agenda (AC);
The Election Of 1800 (AC); Voicing Your Opinion (AC); Political Cartoons (AC); Koosh Ball Catch
(AC); Creative Expressions (AC); Teaching An Elementary Lesson (AC); Literature Connection
Activity: Teen Power Politics (AC); Culminating Activity: Service-learning Action Plan (AC)
Knowledge of
Institutions
Election Judge Trainees (EVE); Voting And Local Government (EVE); Build Your Voter IQ (EVE);
Voting Simulation (EVE); Democracy: What Is It Really? (ADC); Democracy As A Sport (ADC);
It’s Party Time (ADC); Athenian Democracy (ADC); Literature Connection Activity: Common
Sense (ADC); Supreme Court Voting Rights Cases (SRV); Literature Connection Activity: Voting
And The Spirit Of American Democracy (SRV); Culminating Activity: A Game Of Cards (SRV)
Knowledge of
Social Issues
Campaign Issue (EVE); An Hour Or Two (EVE); Experiencing America (ADC); Culminating
Activity: Act From The Heart (ADC); Supreme Court Voting Rights Cases (SRV); In The Right
(SRV); 1965 Alabama Literacy Test (SRV); We The Women (SRV); Voting Rights Act Of 1965 (SRV);
Nelson Mandela Votes In The Election Of 1994 (SRV); Stop That Teenager Before He Votes (SRV);
The Power Of One (SRV); Literature Connection Activity: Voting And The Spirit Of American
Democracy (SRV); Culminating Activity: A Game Of Cards (SRV); In The News: Fact Or Fiction?
(AC); Public Agenda (AC); Choosing An Issue (AC); Debate The Issue (AC); Voicing Your Opinion
(AC); Letter To The Editor (AC); Political Cartoons (AC); Creative Expressions (AC); My Turn:
Targeting A Problem For Teens (AC); Helping An Organization (AC); Literature Connection
Activity: Teen Power Politics (AC); Culminating Activity: Service-learning Action Plan (AC)
Communication
Skills
Voting And Local Government (EVE); Leader Or Politician? (EVE); An Hour Or Two (EVE);
Registering New Voters (EVE); Assisting People With Disabilities (EVE); Exit Polling (EVE);
Literature Connection Activity: Presidential Leadership (EVE); Culminating Activity: Candidates’
Night (EVE); Democracy: What Is It Really? (ADC); Experiencing America (ADC); Voter Survey
(ADC); Register Your Opinion (ADC); Save Your Rights (ADC); Global Neighbors (ADC); Literature
Connection Activity: Common Sense (ADC); Supreme Court Voting Rights Cases (SRV); We The
Women (SRV); Voting Rights Act Of 1965 (SRV); Stop That Teenager Before He Votes (SRV); The
Power Of One (SRV); Literature Connection Activity: Voting And The Spirit Of American
Democracy (SRV); Culminating Activity: A Game Of Cards (SRV); In The News: Fact Or Fiction?
(AC); Public Agenda (AC); Choosing An Issue (AC); Debate The Issue (AC); The Election Of 1800
(AC); Voicing Your Opinion (AC); Letter To The Editor (AC); Koosh Ball Catch (AC); Teaching An
Elementary Lesson (AC); Culminating Activity: Service-learning Action Plan (AC)
EDUCATOR’S GUIDE
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9–12 EDUCATOR’S GUIDE
INDEX TO ACTIVITIES BY DISCIPLINE
TO LOCATE THE LISTED ACTIVITIES BY THEME, USE THE FOLLOWING ABBREVIATIONS:
EVE = Elections and the Voting Experience
ADC = American Democracy and Citizenship
SRV = Suffrage and the Right to Vote
AC = Active Citizenship
DISCIPLINE
ACTIVITIES
Reading
Campaign Issue (EVE); Literature Connection Activity: Presidential Leadership (EVE); Democracy:
What Is It Really? (ADC); Register Your Opinion (ADC); Athenian Democracy (ADC); Literature
Connection Activity: Common Sense (ADC); Culminating Activity: Act From The Heart (ADC);
Supreme Court Voting Rights Cases (SRV); In The Right (SRV); We The Women (SRV); Voting
Rights Act Of 1965 (SRV); Nelson Mandela Votes In The Election Of 1994 (SRV); Stop That Teenager
Before He Votes (SRV); Literature Connection Activity: Voting And The Spirit Of American
Democracy (SRV); In The News: Fact Or Fiction? (AC); Public Agenda (AC); Choosing An Issue
(AC); The Election Of 1800 (AC); Voicing Your Opinion (AC); Letter To The Editor (AC); My Turn:
Targeting A Problem For Teens (AC); Literature Connection Activity: Teen Power Politics (AC)
Writing
Voting And Local Government (EVE); Campaign Issue (EVE); Registering New Voters (EVE);
Literature Connection Activity: Presidential Leadership (EVE); Democracy As A Sport (ADC);
Registering Your Opinion (ADC); Global Neighbors (ADC); Supreme Court Voting Rights Cases
(SRV); In The Right (SRV); Stop That Teenager Before He Votes (SRV); Literature Connection
Activity: Voting And The Spirit Of American Democracy (SRV); In The News: Fact Or Fiction?
(AC); Choosing An Issue (AC); The Election Of 1800 (AC); Voicing Your Opinion (AC); Letter To
The Editor (AC); My Turn: Targeting A Problem For Teens (AC); Teaching An Elementary Lesson
(AC); Literature Connection Activity: Teen Power Politics (AC)
Math
Voting And Local Government (EVE); Exit Polling (EVE)
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9–12 EDUCATOR’S GUIDE
INDEX TO ACTIVITIES BY ADDITIONAL CATEGORIES
TO LOCATE THE LISTED ACTIVITIES BY THEME, USE THE FOLLOWING ABBREVIATIONS:
EVE = Elections and the Voting Experience
ADC = American Democracy and Citizenship
SRV = Suffrage and the Right to Vote
AC = Active Citizenship
CATEGORY
ACTIVITIES
Service-learning
Election Judge Trainees (EVE); An Hour Or Two (EVE); Registering New Voters (EVE);
Assisting People With Disabilities (EVE); Exit Polling (EVE); Culminating Activity: Candidates’
Night; Culminating Activity: Act From The Heart (ADC); Voicing Your Opinion (AC); Helping
An Organization (AC); Literature Connection Activity: Teen Power Politics (AC); Culminating
Activity: Service-learning Action Plan (AC)
Local Elections
Election Judge Trainees (EVE); Voting And Local Government (EVE); Exit Polling (EVE);
Culminating Activity: Candidates’ Night (EVE); Political Cartoons (AC)
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9–12 EDUCATOR’S GUIDE
THE TEACHER AND THE TOWN
A unique and wonderful aspect of Kids Voting USA is that it ties the classroom, the home, and the
town together. However, there are some important preplanning considerations to keep in mind
while you forge these links as a classroom teacher:
1. PROTECT THE NONPARTISAN CHARACTER OF YOUR SCHOOLS AND THE KIDS VOTING USA PROGRAM.
Some sample scenarios: When you invite candidates to speak on your campus, invite all candidates
for the office to participate. If a candidate cannot attend, ask that some representative of the
campaign speak instead, or request a position statement to use with the students. Do not hand out
campaign literature to students. Students may be assigned to gather information about candidates
and issues; campaign literature may be a part of this assignment. Allow students to gather and
disseminate all information, including literature. Your role should be as a guide or facilitator.
Direct discussion and assure that all sides are represented equally.
2. BE SENSITIVE TO PARENTS/GUARDIANS WHO ARE UNABLE OR UNWILLING TO VOTE.
There may be family members of students who are unable or unwilling to participate in the vote
due to religion, illegal status in this country, fear of elections due to experience in other countries,
criminal records, etc. Please be sensitive to these issues, encouraging the involvement of everyone
and providing support in appropriate situations, but never forcing or overextending the invitation.
3. KEEP PARENTS/GUARDIANS “IN THE LOOP.”
Communicate with parents regarding the Kids Voting USA program. Some possibilities include
sending home a letter about the program (samples of parent letters can be found on our Web site,
www.kidsvotingusa.org; just go to the “In the Classroom” section and select Educator’s Guide) or
involving families in suitable Kids Voting USA classroom activities.
4. BE CREATIVE! BRING THE COMMUNITY IN OFTEN.
Invite candidates to observe and then address the school’s Student Government election assembly.
Hold a Candidate Forum on the cable TV local access channel, where kids pose questions to local
candidates. Have students shadow candidates and/or elected officials for a day and report back to
the class. Everyone benefits when the community is involved!
“The only title in our democracy superior to that of President is the title of citizen.”
– Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis
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KIDS VOTING USA
9–12
ELECTIONS AND THE
VOTING EXPERIENCE
9–12 ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE
INTRODUCTION TO THEME
The intent of this theme is to educate students about elections, from gaining an appreciation of the power of
voting to studying the candidates and issues to understanding the registration process and participating in an
election. The theme’s activities fall under four main learning objectives:
•
•
•
•
Students will develop an appreciation for the power and influence of voting.
Students will learn how to study the candidates and issues relevant to an election.
Students will understand what is involved in the registration and voting process.
Students will learn how to stay involved with civic affairs after an election.
GENERAL ACTIVITIES
CONCEPT 1: MY VOTE GIVES ME POWER
Election Judge Trainees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Voting And Local Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
CONCEPT 2: I STUDY THE CANDIDATES AND ISSUES
Campaign Issue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Leader Or Politician? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Selling The Candidates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
CONCEPT 3: I REGISTER AND VOTE
Build Your Voter IQ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Registration Simulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Voting Simulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
CONCEPT 4: I CONTINUE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
An Hour Or Two . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Registering New Voters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Assisting People With Disabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Exit Polling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
OVERARCHING QUESTIONS
Questions for Concept 1: My Vote Gives Me Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Questions for Concept 2: I Study the Candidates and Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Questions for Concept 3: I Register and Vote . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Questions for Concept 4: I Continue to Make a Difference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
LITERATURE CONNECTION ACTIVITY
Presidential Leadership edited by James Taranto and Leonard Leo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
CULMINATING ACTIVITY
Candidates’ Night . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Grades 9-12 ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
1
Vote Gives
9–12 ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE My
Me Power
ELECTION JUDGE TRAINEES
(Time varies)
OBJECTIVE
Students learn the significance of voting as
they assist at the polls during an election.
MATERIALS
A local phone book
GET READY
Contact your local elections or voter information
office. Invite someone to come and speak to
the class about the election process and the
importance of voting.
Talk with the entity in your area responsible
for elections about the possibility of involving
your students as election officials with
responsibilities, election judge trainees.
See “Elections” in the Appendix.
INSTRUCTIONS
Invite your guest speaker to talk with your
class about the election process.
The next day in class, have students discuss
which part of the election process presented by
the guest speaker they are most interested in.
Since poll workers are getting older and seeking
volunteers is sometimes challenging, there is
enthusiasm in some locations for involving
youth in this capacity. Let your class know
about the possibility of them serving as an actual
election official. (Be sure to clear permission
for this activity with your school principal.)
Some of the duties of election judge trainees
could include:
Helping regular adult election judges
with opening and closing the polls
Being responsible for all election materials
Ensuring that only qualified voters are
permitted to vote and that each qualified
voter is permitted to vote only once
Distributing ballots, ensuring that all
votes are cast in secret
Helping voters who require assistance
Maintaining order in the voting place
throughout the day
Obtaining the results after the polls
are closed
Certifying the precinct election results
If serving as judge trainees is not feasible
because of state election laws or other restrictions, an alternative volunteer opportunity
might incorporate a range of more modest
activities including: helping set up equipment
at the polling places, answering phones, getting
refreshments for poll workers, welcoming voters,
handing out ballots, providing translation
services, providing assistance for those with
special needs, assisting in counting ballots,
and packing up equipment and supplies.
After completing the service activity, ask
students to discuss or write about their
experiences as poll workers.
Grades 9-12 ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
2
Vote Gives
9–12 ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE My
Me Power
ELECTION JUDGE TRAINEES
(continued)
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# Why is voting so important?
# How has the voting process changed over time?
# How do election laws or the voting process
differ from state to state?
# What are some of the challenges that have
disenfranchised voters (e.g. poll taxes, butterfly
ballots)?
# How do you think the voting process can be
improved?
# How and why does the election process work
the way it does?
# What contributions do poll workers make to
the election process?
# Was your service activity hard to do? Fun?
# What did you learn about voting and elections
from your experience?
Grades 9-12 ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
3
Vote Gives
9–12 ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE My
Me Power
VOTING AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT
(Time varies)
OBJECTIVE
Students research the individuals, groups, and
committees that make up their local city
government and determine what part voting
plays in how local government operates.
MATERIALS
Local phone book; access to the Internet
GET READY
Find some Internet sites that would connect
students to the people/entities that make up
their local government.
INSTRUCTIONS
Using a phone book and/or the Internet, have
students develop a list of the individuals, groups,
and committees that make up their local
government. For each person/entity, students
should gather the following information, if
needed by contacting someone at City Hall:
Name of individual position, group
or committee
Contact information (name, phone
number and/or e-mail address)
List whether individuals in this group
are appointed, elected, or hired
Pooling their information, students can construct
a flow chart to determine how voting contributes
to the makeup of the local government.
Next, have students e-mail someone from each
group or committee to find out how voting
plays a role in the functioning of the group.
Do the groups use voting to make decisions?
How often? About what types of topics?
After students receive replies to their messages,
ask them to reflect on and discuss the role
of voting in local government groups and
committees.
Have your students continue their research
and write a report about a government group
or committee explaining how voting is important to the functioning of that group/committee.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# Do many groups in our local government
make decisions by voting? Which ones?
# Are there any groups that do not use voting?
How do those groups make decisions?
# What would happen to local government
groups if there were no elections for members?
# How do certain government committees use
voting at meetings?
Grades 9-12 ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
4
Study the Candidates
9–12 ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE Iand
Issues
CAMPAIGN ISSUE
(Time varies)
OBJECTIVE
Students write papers describing several
candidates’ positions on selected campaign
issues.
MATERIALS
Newspapers; library access; local phone book;
Internet access
GET READY
Arrange a time for your class to meet with the
school’s librarian so they can learn how to
effectively/efficiently research their candidate.
Organize a list of the current candidates for
the students to choose from.
INSTRUCTIONS
Have your students read newspapers and watch
the news to determine the issues of central
concern in an upcoming local election. They
could also contact campaign offices to get candidates’ views on the issues of greatest concern.
Each student should choose one issue to
address. This should be an issue the student
cares about and that is relevant for youth.
The next task is to collect information on
this issue from a variety of sources (books,
newspapers, journals, Web sites). Students
could work individually, in pairs, or in small
groups as they research an issue.
Next, have your students research the candidates’ positions on the issue. Each student can
focus on the candidates running for one elected
position. They can find the candidates’
positions from news articles, Web sites,
campaign literature, contacting the candidates’
campaign offices, or interviewing the candidates
in person or via e-mail.
Students should then develop their own position
on the issue and decide which candidate’s
views are most aligned with their own.
Have students write a paper summarizing
their research. Each student should include
the following:
An overview of the issue locally,
nationally, and historically
A summary of several candidates’ views
on this issue
The student’s position on the issue with
a rationale for why he/she has chosen
this perspective
Actions the student could take to
influence candidates’ views on this issue
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# What made you choose your campaign issue?
# What did you learn about the issue that
interested you the most? Why?
# Which candidate’s position did you agree with
the most? Why?
# How are you going to stay involved in the
issue after the election?
MORE!
Students can develop, publish, and distribute a
print or electronic newsletter that includes
information about each candidate running for
office, including their positions on the key issues.
Grades 9-12 ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
5
Study the Candidates
9–12 ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE Iand
Issues
LEADER OR POLITICIAN?
(30-40 minutes)
OBJECTIVE
Students construct ideal qualities for political
leadership to evaluate the qualities of past
leaders and current candidates.
MATERIALS
Brainstorming List handout
GET READY
Duplicate a copy of the handout for each student.
Divide students into groups of three or four.
INSTRUCTIONS
Ask your students to use their Brainstorming
List handouts to individually brainstorm
adjectives that come to mind when thinking of
the word “politician.” Then ask your students
to do the same for the word “leader.”
When the individual lists are completed, ask
the groups to fill out the Venn diagram on the
handout together, using all the students’
adjectives as well as adding any others the
students can come up with as a group. Say,
The place where the two circles overlap should
show qualities that an outstanding political
leader needs. Examples might be “voter popularity” or “eloquent speaking ability” as well
as “creativity” or “integrity.”
When the Venn diagrams are completed, ask
the groups to choose a political leader of the
past who embodies the overlap in their
diagram. Ask the groups to explain how that
leader possessed all of the overlapping qualities
of their diagram.
Invite the groups to share their diagrams with
the class.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# Were the adjectives for “politician” similar to
those of the “leader”? Why or why not?
# How can we encourage more of the “best and
brightest” Americans to go into politics?
# Out of all the qualities a politician and leader
must have, which are the most important?
# Which of our past leaders would you elect
today if he/she were still alive? Why?
VOTE QUOTE
“When I was a boy I was told that anybody
could become President. I’m beginning to
believe it.” – Clarence Darrow
Grades 9-12 ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
6
LEADER OR POLITICIAN?
BRAINSTORMING LIST
1. Write down the words that come to mind when you think of the word “politician.”
2. Write down the words that come to mind when you think of the word “leader.”
POLITICIAN
LEADER
Grades 9-12 ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
7
Study the Candidates
9–12 ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE Iand
Issues
SELLING THE CANDIDATES
(45 minutes)
OBJECTIVE
Students analyze candidates’ television
advertisements to identify techniques of
persuasion and fallacies of logic.
MATERIALS
If possible obtain The Classics of Political TV
Advertising (video); Selling The Candidates
handout
GET READY
If you do not have a collection of political TV
commercials, have students tape some and
bring them to class.
Duplicate the Selling The Candidates handout
for each student.
INSTRUCTIONS
If possible screen and discuss the landmark
1964 ad by Lyndon Johnson (assailing Barry
Goldwater) where a small girl counted petals
on a daisy as a mushroom cloud appeared
behind her. This is a classic example that
appeals to emotion, convincing viewers to form
an opinion by arousing fear.
Give groups a few minutes to decide which
techniques of persuasion were used in the ad,
whether the commercial contained any of the
logical fallacies, what they were, and why they
matched examples on their handouts.
Show several political commercials and have
your students consider the items listed above
for each ad.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# Which seemed to be the most prevalent
fallacies? Techniques of persuasion?
Why might these predominate in politics?
# In political commercials, which of the techniques of persuasion seem best justified? Why?
# Why is media purchase, especially in the form
of television commercials, so critical to
candidates today?
MORE!
Groups can find a product commercial which
parallels the techniques and fallacies they
discovered in a political commercial.
(Example: the landmark 1964 advertisement
by Lyndon Johnson and most mouthwash
commercials. Both persuade with generalities,
and sell to customers by arousing strong
emotions.) The end product could be a poster.
Grades 9-12 ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
8
SELLING THE CANDIDATES
SELLING THE CANDIDATES
TECHNIQUES OF PERSUASION
1. Plain Folks: emphasizes similarities with the
average citizen. (“I was born in a two bedroom
house and walked to school with my brother.”)
2. Bandwagon: encourages the listener to do
something because it’s the popular thing to do.
(“More and more of us want new blood in
Washington, and we’re voting for Jones.”)
3. Name Calling: uses negative labels to
stigmatize opponents. (“Michael Dukakis is a
card-carrying liberal.”)
4. Testimonial: shows an endorsement by a
famous and respected person. (“I’m voting for
George Bush,” declared Ronald Reagan.)
5. Glittering Generalities: says little specifically,
but conveys emotion. (“John Jones has made
this nation a better place.”)
6. Transfer: uses symbolic images to enhance a
candidate’s profile. (Visits to war memorials,
scenes with heads of state from other
countries, etc.)
7. Card Stacking: presents the evidence in a
partial or slanted way. (“The average income
of Americans has risen every year since the
election of President Jones,” omitting the
statistic that the income of all citizens except
the top 20% has actually fallen.)
LOGICAL FALLACIES
1. Hasty Generalization: bases a conclusion on
insufficient evidence, usually a fractional
sampling. (“Somalians don’t want our help —
look what they did to an American soldier.”)
2. False Dilemma: presents only two choices
when there are a variety of possibilities.
(“Choose Smith and you’ll get inflation; choose
Jones and the budget will be balanced.”)
3. Loaded Questions: constructs biased questions
with predetermined answers. (“When did you
abandon your party’s platform on that issue,
Senator Smith?”)
4. False Cause: insists on a causal relationship
because one event preceded the other.
(“As soon as Jones was elected, congressional
corruption was revealed.”)
5. Slippery Slope: claims that one event will
lead to an uncontrollable chain reaction.
(“First they outlaw machine guns, and then
they will take your hunting rifles.”)
6. Appeal to Emotion: summons fear, anger, or
pity to secure agreement with an argument or
position. (“If we don’t fight crime my way, your
child won’t feel safe walking the streets.”)
8. Straw Man: sets up an opponent’s weak
argument so that it can be knocked down.
(“They believe that a 12-year-old child should
be able to sue her parents, and they are wrong.”)
Grades 9-12 ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
9
9–12 ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE I Register and Vote
BUILD YOUR VOTER IQ
(30-40 minutes)
OBJECTIVE
Students gather, use, and disseminate information
about voter registration/voting procedures and
conduct a voter registration drive.
MATERIALS
Telephone directory; newspaper voting guides;
community guides; Voter Information
Quotient Page handout
GET READY
Divide students into groups of three or four.
Collect one telephone directory for each group
of students as well as any municipal directories,
community guides, newspaper voting guides,
etc. available.
Copy one Voter Information Quotient Page
handout for each student, plus one additional
copy per group.
As a class, create a composite class form.
The composite Voter Information Quotient
Page could be designed by your class and
duplicated for all participants.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
# Do most citizens know this information?
# Could the government do a better job of
informing citizens?
# How much responsibility belongs to the citizen
when it comes to knowing this information?
# Is the Internet making changes in voter
information dissemination and procedures?
How so?
# What changes to the voting process do you
predict technology will bring?
VOTE QUOTE
“We must be the change we want to see in
the world.” – Mohandas Gandhi
INSTRUCTIONS
Assign the students in each group to divide
the Voter Information Quotient Page tasks as
they choose.
Using the telephone books and brochures,
they should record the information needed.
If students do not finish, ask them to exchange
telephone numbers or e-mail addresses and
complete the task for homework.
After groups have recorded the information,
invite them to share and compare their responses.
Grades 9-12 ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
10
BUILD YOUR VOTER IQ
VOTER INFORMATION QUOTIENT PAGE
1. What are the qualifications to be a voter in your state?
2. Where can you register to vote if you are qualified? (Addresses and telephone numbers)
3. What documentation must you have with you to register? What documentation will you receive
when you have registered?
4. When you declare party allegiance or independence in your state, how does this affect your voting
in the primary elections?
5. Where would you vote during a state or federal election?
6. Where do you find out when elections are scheduled, and what will be on the ballot?
Office:
Address:
Telephone:
7. Where in your area can you get information about ballot choices?
Address
Telephone
Democratic Party Headquarters:
Republican Party Headquarters:
Other parties’ headquarters:
League of Women Voters:
Public Library:
8. Where will you seek media coverage of electoral issues? (Which political programs on TV?
Which newspaper features? etc.)
Grades 9-12 ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
11
9–12 ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE I Register and Vote
REGISTRATION SIMULATION
(30 minutes)
OBJECTIVE
Students simulate registration to become
familiar with the process.
MATERIALS
Voter Registration Application handout;
Application Instructions handout; Internet
access; a piece of lined paper
GET READY
Download the national mail voter registration
form and instructions from www.lwv.org/ and
make a copy for each student, or use the copy
and instruction sheet provided.
INSTRUCTIONS
Show your students how to fill out the forms
and registration sheet, reminding them that
this is only a simulation.
Fold a piece of lined paper down the middle
and ask your students to sign their names on
the left, to use as a registration sheet for the
voting simulation activity.
# Why might some people be reluctant to
register to vote?
# Are there or have there recently been any
changes made in state registration policies?
If so, what are they?
# As of the summer of 1999, the California State
Assembly had passed a bill allowing
registration on voting day. What are the
advantages and disadvantages of this?
# Could you influence others to register? How?
MORE!
Go to www.rockthevote.org/ for information on
volunteering to help citizens register.
Information is available for organizing a
registration day at school for parents as well as
to request forms for stickers, posters, etc.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Discuss questions that arise from the activity plus
the following:
# Why are registration requirements different in
each state? Should they be? Or should there be
a federal law?
# What criteria is essential for voter registration?
Grades 9-12 ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
12
REGISTRATION SIMULATION
VOTER REGISTRATION APPLICATION – FOR U.S. CITIZENS
Please print in blue or black ink
1 Mr. Last Name
2
First Name
Mrs.
Miss
Ms.
Address (see instructions) – Street (or route or box #)
Middle Name
Jr Sr II III IV
Apt. or Lot #
3 Address Where You Get Your Mail If Different From Above
4 Date of Birth
Month Day
7
Circle One
5 Telephone Number (optional)
City/Town
State
Zip Code
City/Town
State
Zip Code
6 ID Number (see item 6 in the instructions
for your State)
Year
Race or Ethnic Group (see item 8 in the
Choice of Party (see item 7 in the instructions for your State)
8 instructions for your State)
Please sign your full name (or put your mark)
9 I swear/affirm that
• I am a United States Citizen.
• I meet the eligibility requirements of my state and subscribe
to any oath required.
(see item 9 in the instructions for your State before you sign.)
• The information I have provided is true to the best of my
knowledge under penalty of perjury. If I have provided false
information I may be fined, imprisoned, or (if not a U.S.
citizen) deported from or refused entry to the United States.
Date
Month Day
Year
Grades 9-12 ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
13
REGISTRATION SIMULATION
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
Box 1 – Name
Put in this box your full name in this order – Last, First,
Middle. Do not use nicknames or initials.
Box 2 – Home Address
Put in this box your home address (legal address). Do not
put your mailing address here if it is different from your
home address. Do not use post office box or rural route
without a box number.
Box 3 – Mailing Address
If you get your mail at an address that is different from the
address from Box 2, put your mailing address in this box.
Box 4 – Date of Birth
Put in this box your date of birth in this order – Month,
Day, Year.
Box 5 – Telephone Number
Most states ask for your telephone number in case there
are questions about your application. However, you do not
have to fill in this box.
Box 6 – ID Number
Many states use an ID number for record-keeping purposes.
To find out what ID number, if any, you need to put in this
box, see item 6 in the instructions under your state.
Box 7 – Choice of Party
In some states, you must register with a party if you want to
take part in that party’s primary election, caucus, or convention. To find out if your state requires this, see item 7 in the
instructions under your state. If you want to register with a
party, print in the box the full name of the party of your
choice. If you do not want to register with a party, write in
“no party” or leave the box blank. Do not write in the word
“independent” if you mean “no party” because this might be
confused with the name of a political party in your state.
Box 8 – Race or Ethnic Group
A few states ask for your race or ethnic group, in order to
administer the Federal Voting Rights Act. To find out if
your state asks for this information, see item 8 in the
instructions under your state. If so, put in Box 8 the choice
that best describes you from the list below.
• American Indian or Alaskan native
• Asian or Pacific Islander – not Native Hawaiian
• Black; not of Hispanic Origin
•
•
•
•
•
Hispanic
Multi-racial
Native Hawaiian
White, not of Hispanic Origin
Other
Box 9 – Signature
Review the information in item 9 in the instructions
under your state. Before you sign or make your mark,
make sure that:
1. You meet your state’s requirements, and
2. You understand all of Box 9.
Finally, sign your full name or make your mark, and
print today’s date in this order – Month, Day, Year.
Box 10 – Name of Assistant
If the applicant is unable to sign, put in this box the
name, address, and telephone number (optional) of the
person who helped you.
If your STATE INSTRUCTIONS are unavailable, use
the generic instructions.
6. ID Number. The last 4 digits of your social security
number and your Indian Census number (if you have
one) are requested.
7. Choice of Party. You must register with a party if
you want to take part in that party’s primary election,
caucus, or convention.
8. Race or Ethnic Group. Leave blank.
9. Signature. To register you must:
• be a citizen of the United States
• be a resident of this state at least 29 days preceding
the next election
• be 18 years old on or before the next general election
• not have been convicted of treason or a felony
(or have had your civil rights restored)
• not currently be declared an incapacitated person
by court of law
(If you were actually registering you would now mail or
take your registration to the local voter registration office.)
Grades 9-12 ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
14
9–12 ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE I Register and Vote
VOTING SIMULATION
(30-40 minutes)
OBJECTIVE
Students vote in a simulated polling place to
become familiar with the voting process.
MATERIALS
Paper for ballots; material for a ballot box and
voting booth; Polling Place Diagram handout
GET READY
Choose an issue that will impact the students
rather quickly. For instance, vote on what to
have for homework that night or what topic
the class will study next.
Prepare ballots or determine a way to vote on
blank pieces of paper.
Prepare a simple ballot box and voting booth.
Arrange the classroom to resemble a polling
place as shown in the diagram.
Let each student go through the process
of voting.
Instruct the marshal to tally and announce
the vote.
Implement the vote.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# Who can enter a polling place?
# How would individuals know where to go to
vote? If they don’t know, how can they find out?
# What makes you an eligible voter?
# Have you voted at the Kids Voting booth
before? What was it like?
# Where will you go to cast your Kids Voting
vote this election?
# What are some rules you need to abide by at
a polling place?
# What do you think is acceptable behavior for a
polling place?
INSTRUCTIONS
Explain the duties of the precinct workers
and assign students to take on their roles.
Seat them as shown in the diagram.
Give one of the judges the registration sheet
derived from the Registration Simulation
activity.
Give the clerks lined paper to record the voters
as they come in.
Hand the ballots to the other judge.
Seat the marshal by the ballot box.
Ask a student to demonstrate by casting the
first vote.
Grades 9-12 ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
15
VOTING SIMULATION
POLLING PLACE DIAGRAM
At the polls there are usually: one inspector; two judges — one
Republican, one Democrat; two clerks — one Republican, one
Democrat; and one marshal.
As you enter you will generally meet:
1
A judge with the register, a list containing the names of
registered voters in the precinct, who will ask your name,
find it in the register, and ask you to sign beside it
2
Two clerks, one for each party, who will add your name to a
list to witness that you have voted
3
Another judge, who will hand you your ballot, and help you
understand how to cast your ballot
4
A voting booth
5
The marshal, who will take your ballot and place it in the
ballot box
6
The inspector, who oversees the polling place and assigns all
the workers their duties
Poll workers have other duties. For
instance the marshal makes sure that
the law is kept. She watches that no one
campaigns within 150 feet of the polls
and she checks to see that everyone in
line when the poll closes gets a chance
to vote.
You, the voter, will:
1. Sign in by writing your name in
the register
2. Take a ballot from a judge
3. Go to the booth and vote
4. Return your ballot to the marshal
Grades 9-12 ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
16
Continue to
9–12 ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE IMake
a Difference
AN HOUR OR TWO
(20 minutes of class time; service hours)
OBJECTIVE
Students work for a cause or candidate in
the community.
MATERIALS
An empty bulletin board; index cards
GET READY
Several weeks in advance, prepare a bulletin
board called “An Hour or Two.” It should highlight volunteer opportunities in the community.
You can find this information on the Internet
or by contacting local organizations directly.
(Students can also bring in information on
volunteer organizations, though you should
start the bulletin board to give your students
an idea of what they are looking for.)
Prepare one index card per student.
INSTRUCTIONS
Once your bulletin board is full of listings,
send students to the board to shop the
opportunities. Ask them to select two
volunteer positions that interest them.
Ask students to record information about the
volunteer openings they selected on the index
card, along with the following information:
I’m for them because:
If I volunteered here, I might do tasks like:
Assign students to call both places by an assigned
date, decide which place they will volunteer,
and arrange for service hours. Add parent
permission to a volunteer contract you draw up.
Assign students to write brief journal entries
regarding activities and thoughts while
volunteering.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
After students have begun volunteer service, ask
them to write the answers to these questions and add
them to their journal entries.
# Where did you volunteer? Why did you choose
this cause? Has your volunteer work
reinforced your original opinion?
# What was the most important agenda being
met by this group?
# Who shares this agenda and who opposes it?
Why? What solutions do you have?
# What tasks did you perform? What were
positive (and negative) aspects of the
experience?
# What might you otherwise have been doing
during your volunteer hours?
# How do you think the community benefited
from your volunteer work?
VOTE QUOTE
“Any fool can see what’s wrong. But can you
see what’s right?” – Winston Churchill
Grades 9-12 ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE
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17
Continue to
9–12 ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE IMake
a Difference
REGISTERING NEW VOTERS
(45 minutes)
OBJECTIVE
Students distribute voter registration
information to adults who are not currently
registered to vote.
MATERIALS
A local phone book; a student directory;
writing paper; writing utensils.
GET READY
Work with your local Board of Elections or voter
registration office on this activity. They may
have additional ideas about how to seek out
those who are not currently registered to vote.
INSTRUCTIONS
Ask students to brainstorm about how to find
adults who are not registered to vote. In general,
individuals who are younger or less educated
are less likely to be registered to vote.
Have students seek out high school students
who are at least 18 years old and/or local
college students.
Have students prepare flyers to be given to
individuals they find who are not currently
registered to vote. The flyer could be designed
by individual students, small groups, or the
class as a whole. The flyer might include any of
the following:
How to register to vote
(include several options)
Why it is important to register to vote
How your vote can make a difference
Statistics about close votes, percentage
of voters in certain age groups, etc.
In addition to giving flyers to those who are
not currently registered, students could post
their flyers in public locations or mail flyers to
relatives and friends in other states.
(If flyers are mailed out of state, make sure to
check the voter registration guidelines for that
state and send along the appropriate information in a cover letter to accompany the flyer.)
Have students keep track of how many flyers
they distribute as a class.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# If each of those who received flyers registered
and then asked someone else to register to
vote, how many new voters would we have?
# Is this an effective way to get people to register?
Why or why not?
MORE!
Students can conduct a voter registration drive
at the high school.
Grades 9-12 ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
18
Continue to
9–12 ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE IMake
a Difference
ASSISTING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
(Time varies)
OBJECTIVE
Students develop and carry out plans to assist
individuals with disabilities in registering to
vote and voting.
MATERIALS
Internet access; a local phone book
GET READY
Make arrangements to have a speaker come to
the class who works with people with disabilities
in the community.
If possible, ask the speaker to invite a person
with a disability to come to the class with
him/her to speak.
INSTRUCTIONS
There are roughly 43 million Americans with
disabilities. Many of these people are adults of
voting age. With support from the Americans with
Disabilities Act, the U.S. government has a legal
responsibility to assist individuals with disabilities
in living full and productive lives. Have students
brainstorm the types of disabilities that could
affect how one registers to vote or how one votes.
Have students research existing services for
people with disabilities in terms of registering
to vote and voting.
Have students prepare questions in advance to
ask your guest speakers about issues, problems,
and services for people with disabilities related
to registering and voting.
At a class session after the speakers’ visit, brainstorm as a class how to assist people with disabilities in registering and voting. Have students,
either individually or in small groups, develop
a plan to assist people with a specific disability
in registering and voting in a local election.
Have students collaborate with the voter
registration office, local agencies that serve
people with disabilities, or the local elections
commission to increase the numbers of people
with disabilities who are registered and who
vote. Students could volunteer their time and/or
make suggestions to the elections commission.
Where appropriate, individual students who are
completing the service activity can then be
paired with a person with a disability to help
them register and/or vote in a local election.
If individuals with disabilities require
transportation to the polls, it may be possible
to use school buses with special accommodations
for this purpose.
After the election, have students who engaged
in the direct service with people with disabilities
talk about their experiences in class.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# What accommodations are available at your
local voter registration office and local polls?
# Could some types of disabilities deter an
individual from registering or voting at all?
# Why is it important for people with disabilities
to be able to register and vote?
# Did you make a difference with your assistance?
Grades 9-12 ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
19
Continue to
9–12 ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE IMake
a Difference
EXIT POLLING
(30-40 minutes over two days)
OBJECTIVE
Students poll voters after they participate in
an election.
MATERIALS
Exit Polling Survey handout; graphing paper
or access to a computer graphing program
GET READY
Make three copies of the Exit Polling Survey
handout for each pair of students.
If you don’t have access to a computer graphing
program, make sure you have graphing paper
available.
INSTRUCTIONS
Break your students up into pairs. Give each pair
three copies of the Exit Polling Survey handout.
Take a few minutes to discuss the survey with
your class, letting them know that they will be
asking these questions of voters as they leave
the polls. Tell your students to politely ask voters if they would like to participate in the exit
poll. (If voters choose not to participate, students should say, “Thank you anyway and have
a great Election Day!”)
Have your students go to various adult voting
polls to survey voters as they leave. Students
should only go to the polls with adult supervision and stand a good distance from the
polling place exit.
Have your students bring their voter responses
to school. As a class, compile all of the information into specific graphs (candidate-focused
graphs, issue-oriented graphs, fairness of
election graphs, etc.).
Discuss the graphs as a class and try to make
predictions for the outcomes of the election.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# How was this activity for you? Did most people
want to participate? Why do you think some
people chose not to participate?
# Are you able to make any conclusions or
predictions from the graphs? Like what?
# Were there any responses that surprised you?
If so, why?
# How many people did the class survey? Do you
think the class’s results and predictions are an
accurate depiction of the greater population?
Why or why not?
Grades 9-12 ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
20
EXIT POLLING
EXIT POLLING SURVEY
On a scale of 1-10 (1 being not interested and 10 being extremely interested) how interested were
you in this year’s election?
If you don’t mind sharing, please tell me what candidates you voted for?
Were you satisfied with the choice of candidates?
Generally speaking, do you think of yourself as a Republican, a Democrat, an Independent,
or something else?
What would you say is the most important issue this election?
Do you ever discuss politics with family or friends? If yes, about how often?
Did anyone from one of the political parties send you mail/call you about the campaign this year? If
yes, which party?
How long before the election did you decide that you were going to vote the way you did?
In some countries, people believe their elections are conducted fairly—in others, unfairly. Thinking
about the election we just had, would you say it was very fair, somewhat fair, neither fair nor unfair,
somewhat unfair, or very unfair?
Grades 9-12 ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
21
9–12 ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE
OVERARCHING QUESTIONS
MY VOTE GIVES ME POWER
# What does voting entail? How old do you have to be? Where do you go? What do you do?
# What does voting accomplish?
# Does voting make a difference? How?
# What’s involved in an election?
# What is the purpose of an election?
# Are there different kinds of elections? If so, what are they? What makes them different?
# What power does voting give those who vote?
# What is apathy? Why are so many people apathetic when it comes to voting?
# What happens when people do not vote?
I STUDY THE CANDIDATES AND ISSUES
# What are the qualities of a good candidate?
# What tactics and strategies do candidates use to make themselves popular when running for office?
# How do candidates hope to portray themselves to the public?
# Do you know any candidates in this election?
# What are some issues being argued during this election?
# What issues are important to you?
# Why is it important to study the candidates?
# Why is studying the candidates’ stances on issues important?
# How can you educate yourself on the candidates and major issues?
I REGISTER AND VOTE
# What does it mean to be a ‘registered voter’?
# What does registering to vote involve?
# What happens if you want to vote and you aren’t registered?
# Why is it important to vote?
# What do you accomplish when you register and vote? Do you think it makes sense to be 18 and not
exercise your right to vote?
# Have you ever been to a polling place? What was that like?
I CONTINUE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
# Give some examples of how citizens can make a positive difference in their community.
# Does voting make a difference?
# What, in addition to voting, can you do to make a difference?
# Why do candidates make promises? What sort of promises do they make?
# Do all candidates keep their promises once they are elected?
# What can you do to make sure that candidates keep their promises when they are elected?
Grades 9-12 ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
22
9–12 ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE
LITERATURE CONNECTION ACTIVITY
Presidential Leadership edited by James Taranto and Leonard Leo
OBJECTIVE
Students examine the qualities of effective
presidents.
MATERIALS
Presidential Leadership – James Taranto and
Leonard Leo, Editors
GET READY
Obtain a copy of Presidential Leadership, edited
by James Taranto and Leonard Leo, for your
classroom. (If possible, secure a copy for each
group of students.)
This activity is most effective when students
are familiar with presidents. If students do not
have a knowledge of presidents, consider
investigating various presidencies with your
students before engaging in this activity.
See “The Office of President” in the Appendix.
INSTRUCTIONS
Engage your class in a discussion of the
qualities that make a good leader. Make sure to
ask your students to share the qualities that
make an effective president.
Write the qualities the students came up with
on the board under a heading called, “Good
Presidential Leadership Qualities.” Give your
students a few minutes to write down the name
of the president who they think exemplifies the
qualities previously discussed. Have a few
students share and explain their choices.
Next, familiarize your students with the book,
Presidential Leadership. Explain that it is a
series of essays on the presidents written by
prominent Americans. Mention that the book
ranks the presidents from best to worst. Ask,
How can we rank presidents? Can they be
ranked by the qualities we listed on the board?
Are there other things by which we judge and
rank presidents? What are those? Write these
items on the board under a heading called,
“Criteria for a Good President.”
Now ask your students to look at the names
they had written down before. Ask, Do your
choices from before still hold up? Why or why
not? Does anyone want to change who they
think the best president is/was? Why do you
want to change your choice?
Say, Now that we have examined what makes
a good president and the criteria for judging
presidents, I want you to make a final decision on
who you think is/was the best president in our
country’s history. You need to make that decision and be able to defend it against the qualities and criteria listed on the board.
Without discussion, have your students write
their new choice on a piece of paper. Have
everyone that names the same president group
together. (If any students are alone, have them
make a second choice based on the current
presidential groups.)
Tell each group that they must work as a team
to develop their argument. They must also
select one or two people who will make the
argument on behalf of the group.
Grades 9-12 ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
23
9–12 ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE
LITERATURE CONNECTION ACTIVITY
Tell each group that they must use Presidential
Leadership as a source in their argument. They
may use it to both support their claims and/or
to explain why other presidents do not meet
the criteria. (Ideally, each group will have its
own copy, but if not try to have multiple
sources on presidential leadership available.)
Provide class time for students to work together
to prepare their arguments.
Give each group a specified amount of time
to make their argument. Encourage students
to take notes on what they hear from the
other groups.
Engage the class in a discussion of the
presentations, asking if any students were
persuaded and why.
Have a final vote on the most effective president.
Remind students to think in terms of the
qualities and criteria listed on the board. (You
can mark votes off next to the team names on
the board.) Discuss reasons why this president
was selected.
(continued)
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# If you did not choose the final selection, could
you understand why other students did? Why
or why not?
# Did this activity change your thinking as to
the qualities needed of our president. If yes,
how so?
# Were there any arguments that you found
especially convincing? Which ones? Why were
they so convincing?
# How does this activity relate to living in a
democracy?
Grades 9-12 ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
24
9–12 ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE
CULMINATING ACTIVITY: CANDIDATES’ NIGHT
(Time varies)
OBJECTIVE
Students organize a Candidates’ Night at their
high school prior to an election.
MATERIALS
Access to an auditorium or large room;
additional resources as needed
GET READY
Identify the different persons/groups required
for this event.
Talk to your principal or vice principal to secure
a large room/auditorium for this activity.
INSTRUCTIONS
Begin planning the Candidates’ Night several
months in advance of the event. For a
November election, planning should begin
soon after school starts in the fall. One option
is to design the Candidates’ Night around
issues of concern to youth.
Have your students contact all of the local
candidates to see if they can attend the event.
A successful Candidates’ Night should have
most of the local candidates in attendance. It is
also possible that some state-level candidates
would be willing to come. Make sure that
candidates know you will be inviting
parents, neighbors, and other adult community
members to attend the event; this will likely
increase their interest in participating.
A student planning committee (or one class)
should develop a general plan for the event.
For example, will candidates take turns speaking from a podium in the auditorium or will
they be assigned to different classrooms at varied
times? The planning committee can decide
which of the following work groups are needed
to prepare Candidates’ Night:
Publicity – gets the word out to community
members about the event. This could be
a large committee to handle designing
flyers, posters, news articles, public service
announcements and so forth as well as
distributing flyers or putting up posters
around the community.
Candidates’ liaison – keeps in touch with
each candidate to ensure their participation, obtain campaign literature for
information tables, and fulfills any requests
the candidates may have for the event.
Facilities – makes sure there are
microphones, chairs, etc. in the
appropriate locations.
Information tables – collects written
information and sets up staffing for a
table to distribute campaign literature
for all the candidates (including those
who could not attend in person).
Voter registration – gathers the appropriate
forms and information and sets up
staffing for a table to register voters.
Program – designs and prints a program
to be handed out to those who attend as
they enter the school. Includes a map of
the school if candidates are going to be
located in different classrooms.
Refreshments – provides simple
refreshments (e.g. cookies and cider)
for those in attendance.
Follow-up – writes thank you letters to
the candidates after the Candidates’ Night.
Grades 9-12 ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
25
9–12 ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE
CULMINATING ACTIVITY: CANDIDATES’ NIGHT (continued)
Consider inviting parents and other community
partners to assist with this event through one
or more of the work groups.
At the Candidates’ Night, students should make
sure that all tables are staffed, that some students
are assigned to be greeters/program distributors,
and that each candidate has a student assistant
to help with any last minute needs.
Students should develop and distribute a short
evaluation form for those in attendance to
complete before they leave the Candidates’
Night. (Provide examples or instructions for
students on how to design an effective
evaluation.) This feedback should be helpful
for planning similar events in the future.
Following Candidates’ Night — now that the
students are fully informed on the candidates
and issues — have your students participate in
your local Kids Voting USA election. If you are
not sure who your contact person is for your
class’s participation in the election (whether a
grade-level chair, school principal, etc.) visit
our Web site at www.kidsvotingusa.org and
click on “Affiliate Network.” It will give you the
contact information for your local Kids Voting
USA affiliate.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# How do you think Candidates’ Night went?
# What were some of the night’s successes?
# What would you do differently next time?
# Do you think the event was a success for
the candidates?
# What kind of feedback have you received?
Anything positive? Any constructive criticism?
MORE!
Have your students write articles about the
event for the school newspaper or local
newspapers.
Grades 9-12 ELECTIONS AND THE VOTING EXPERIENCE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
26
KIDS VOTING USA
AMERICAN
DEMOCRACY
9–12
AND CITIZENSHIP
9–12 AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP
INTRODUCTION TO THEME
The intent of this theme is to provide an understanding of and a context for American democracy and
citizenship, from the rights and responsibilities of students in their local, state, and national communities to
the world beyond. The theme’s activities fall under four main learning objectives:
•
•
•
•
Students will understand the principles that make a government democratic.
Students will understand how America fits the model of a democracy.
Students will learn the rights and responsibilities of an American citizen.
Students will learn the context of American democracy within the world.
GENERAL ACTIVITIES
CONCEPT 1: WHAT IS DEMOCRACY?
Democracy: What Is It Really? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Democracy As Sport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
CONCEPT 2: DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA
It’s Party Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Experiencing America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
CONCEPT 3: A CITIZEN’S RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Voter Survey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Register Your Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Save Your Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
CONCEPT 4: DEMOCRACY IN THE WORLD
Global Neighbors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Athenian Democracy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
OVERARCHING QUESTIONS
Questions for Concept 1: What is Democracy? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Questions for Concept 2: Democracy in America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Questions for Concept 3: A Citizen’s Rights and Responsibilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Questions for Concept 4: Democracy in the World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
LITERATURE CONNECTION ACTIVITY
Common Sense, Rights of Man, and Other Essential Writings of Thomas Paine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
CULMINATING ACTIVITY
Act From The Heart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Grades 9-12 AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
1
9–12 AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP What is Democracy?
DEMOCRACY: WHAT IS IT REALLY?
(60 minutes over one or two days)
OBJECTIVE
Students internalize the meaning of democracy
as a process for both individuals and societies.
In class, discuss the quotes, the time period or
events with which they are associated, and the
changing views of democracy they exemplify.
MATERIALS
Democracy: What Is It Really? handout;
Democracy in U.S. History handout; Internet
access (optional)
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# What is the linkage between democracy
and voting? How have changes in voting
requirements modified ideas about the nature
of democracy?
# In your opinion, what are the benefits of a
democratic system?
# After reading “Democracy: What Is It Really?”,
do you remember what the four conditions are
that need to be present in order for a
democracy to work effectively?
# Do you have any strong opinions on how the
U.S. currently defines “the people” — those
that are sovereign and have the right to vote?
What would you think if the U.S. extended the
voting right to resident aliens who pay taxes
or felons who have been released from prison
and paid their debt to society?
# Do you believe in penalizing those that are
eligible to vote but don’t utilize this right?
Please explain…
# Is anyone familiar with one of the other 75
democratic nations? If so, would you like to
describe any differences or similarities that
nation has with the U.S.?
GET READY
Photo copy the Democracy: What Is It Really?
and Democracy in U.S. History handouts for
each student in your class.
INSTRUCTIONS
Ask your students to read the Democracy:
What Is It Really? handout.
Engage the class in a discussion of what they
think democracy is about. Ask, Does the
definition of democracy change as you consider
governments outside of the U.S.? Interested
students could explore the Human Rights
Watch Web site to learn more about
democracies around the world.
(http://www.hrw.org/).
Have your students read the quotes on the
Democracy in U.S. History handout.
Tell your students that it is important for them
to understand how the terms “democracy” and
“voting” are linked.
Ask each student to choose one or two quotes
that best exemplify his or her views on the nature
of democracy. Have students discuss or write a
short paper about their views on democracy
incorporating the quote(s) they have selected.
Grades 9-12 AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
2
DEMOCRACY: WHAT IS IT REALLY?
DEMOCRACY: WHAT IS IT REALLY?
PAGE ONE
Some say democracy means the majority rules. Some say it means freedom while others claim that it
means rule by the people. To interpret the word literally we must look back to the ancient Greeks who
developed the idea. Linguists often translate “demos” to mean mob, and “kratia” to rule or govern, but
do any of us associate democracy with mob rule (mobocracy)? Probably not.
The Greeks conceived of democracy in the context of a relatively small City-State, where citizens could
express their views directly on a particular issue. In other words the people could govern themselves
without relying on elected leaders to decide matters for them. The small scale of Athens, for example,
made it possible for this kind of pure democracy to flourish.
The United States required a type of democracy which placed responsibility for governing in the hands
of elected leaders. We call this representative democracy and it has allowed us to address both practical
considerations of governing an extended Republic, comprised of numerous States, and certain
theoretical concerns about how to mitigate the potential tyranny that is inherent in majority rule.
Representative government doesn’t let ordinary citizens off the hook in terms of public policy. Indeed,
the legitimacy of representative government depends on the transfer of power that can only occur in
democratic terms as a result of an election. This transfer is essential because the people are believed to
hold sovereign power, and only through their collective agreement to be governed can the
government be empowered to act on behalf of all citizens.
An important, related concept is that we are bound together as citizens by certain core beliefs but
beyond these shared beliefs, religious freedom for example—our interests and views can be decidedly
different. We use elections to vote for representatives, legislative and executive, who will best
represent our interests and views in the process of deciding public policy.
In order for democracy to work well at least four additional conditions must be present. First, all
citizens must have equal voting power. This does not mean that they are equally influential. Some,
because of wealth, education, natural talent, and willingness to participate responsibly, may have more
influence on policymakers. At the polls, however, each person may only have one vote.
Second, all voters must have equal access to information, competing viewpoints, and the ideas of all of
the candidates. Free media and strong educational programs are important in this regard. Third,
people must be free to organize with others in order to achieve political goals. Persons acting alone
are at a disadvantage when trying to make their views known or change policies.
Finally, elections must be decided one way or the other by majorities or at least pluralities. It is also
generally thought that majority rule must be constrained by a stated set of minority rights. This
responds to the concerns about the possibility of a mobocracy developing. Regular elections help as
well because they give the minority a chance to organize and try to become a majority.
Democracy is best understood in relation to time, place and circumstances. It is an ongoing social
project, one that is still in progress and often seen in different ways by those people who are part of
the experiment. As people have changed, so have many of our ideas. One of the major issues in the
United States and in other nations as well has been to decide on exactly who “the people” are. We
Grades 9-12 AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
3
DEMOCRACY: WHAT IS IT REALLY?
DEMOCRACY: WHAT IS IT REALLY?
PAGE TWO
usually say that “the people”—those who are sovereign and have the right to vote—must be “citizens.”
Today most citizens who are over 18 years of age—including men and women of all races and ethnic
groups—who meet certain residency requirements and register to vote can do so. It is when they vote
that they become sovereign.
All of the people who have the right to vote now have not always had it. When the nation was founded
only white male property holders could vote. Some states even limited voting to those who belonged
to particular churches. Over the years, voting rights accorded by ownership of property, church
membership, color of skin, gender, and other limitations have been done away with. Citizenship has
remained a requirement, but there are many today who believe that voting rights should be extended
to resident aliens who pay taxes. There are those, as well, who believe that felons who have been
released from prison have paid their debt to society and should not be kept off of the voting rolls.
Some states have made it easier to register to vote. Same-day registration and motor voter registration
laws are examples of this trend.
At the same time we hear about people who contend that those who do not vote in a certain number
of elections should lose their right to vote. Several groups have proposed laws that would force
citizens who do not vote to pay a fine or penalty. Others believe that ballots should be printed only in
English, which would keep non-English readers from voting. Voting and the right to vote are related
to how democratic a nation really is.
Today over 75 nations claim to have democratic governments. However, opinions vary on just how
democratic they really are. In 2000, 10 nations attended a special conference in Warsaw, Poland, where
they initiated an organization known as The Community of Democracies. Among various democraticrelated goals the founders stated, “The Community would enable democracies to work together more
cohesively, more forcefully and effectively on issues common to democracies.”
Their efforts have drawn the attention of another organization called Human Rights Watch, the
worldwide defender of people’s basic rights. In a letter to The Community of Democracies, Kenneth
Roth, executive director of HRW, laid out several points of concern in relation to the true democratic
nature of some of the Community’s members. He asked that the organization not “render its name
meaningless” by allowing nations who are democratic in title only to belong.
Roth reports that the Russian government is controlling a once free press, that Egypt has arrested a
democratic reform agent for criticizing election procedures, and that human rights activists in Tunisia
have been unfairly detained and deprived of their basic rights. He summarizes the concerns of HRW
by urging “the convening states to consult closely with individuals and organizations independent of
the government in these countries of concern to determine whether their participation will advance
or hinder the cause of democracy.” (http://www.hrw.org/)
So, what is a democracy, really? The famed philosopher of government, John Locke, believed
that a government should be based on the will of the people. Who are “the people?” What is your will
for your democratic government? It is a question we must all answer for ourselves and yet, in true
democratic form, perhaps we need to consider others’ views too.
Grades 9-12 AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
4
DEMOCRACY: WHAT IS IT REALLY?
DEMOCRACY IN U.S. HISTORY
1.
“An honest man can feel no pleasure in the exercise of power over his fellow citizens.”
– Thomas Jefferson
2.
“…call on Almighty God who rules over the universe to help the American people find
liberties and happiness under a government instituted by themselves.” – George Washington
3.
“You degrade us and then ask why we are degraded. You shut our mouths and ask
why we don’t speak. You close your colleges and seminaries against us and then ask
why we don’t know.” – Frederick Douglas
4.
“The ballot is stronger than the bullet.” – Abraham Lincoln
5.
“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”
– Emma Lazarus
6.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men and women are created equal…
Whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right
of those who suffer from it to refuse allegiance to it, and insist upon the institution
of a new government.” – Declaration of Sentiments
7.
“History has thrust on our generation an indescribable important destiny — to complete
a process of democratization which our nation has developed too slow.”
– Martin Luther King Jr.
8.
“We propose that he (the President) test the young people of America…let us see what
happens if service to democracy is made ground for exemption from the military draft.”
– Students for a Democratic Society
9.
“I think it should be the popular vote. I think the electoral vote works in most cases, but
this one. I think our new Congress should look at that. The popular vote is how a true
democracy should work. I’d like to see the end of the Electoral College.” – Jeremy Shankel
10. “I can’t see why people who have been in prison and have served their sentence cannot
vote when they get out. We say that they have paid their debt to society, but some states
won’t let them vote.” – Anonymous
11. “September 11 is a day that will live in history because once again it proved that
democracy and freedom will prevail…We all feel like true New Yorkers today.”
– Norway’s Ambassador to the U.S.
Grades 9-12 AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
5
9–12 AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP What is Democracy?
DEMOCRACY AS SPORT
(45 minutes)
OBJECTIVE
Students internalize the meaning of democracy
by connecting it to their favorite sport.
MATERIALS
Democracy As Sport handout
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
# What sport did you choose and why?
# How did you use this sport to represent a
democracy?
# What did you learn about the democratic
system through this activity?
GET READY
Copy the Democracy As Sport handout for
each of your students.
INSTRUCTIONS
Have your students read the Democracy As
Sport handout.
Have your students write their own analogy
comparing their understanding of democracy
to a sport of their choice.
Make sure your students identify who they are
in the game. Have them indicate what democratic
roles some of the other athletes are playing.
Remind your students that democracy is the
process of participation, not the product of it.
In other words, it is how the game is played
that matters to democracy, not who wins!
Grades 9-12 AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
6
DEMOCRACY AS SPORT
DEMOCRACY AS SPORT
“A democracy must ask itself a series of questions. What if we held an election and no one showed
up at the polls? What if problems emerged and no one took the initiative to put them on the public
agenda? What if everyone simply said ‘let somebody else do it’ and no one did? Abandoning the
political arena does not mean that nothing will be done but rather that the agenda and preferences
of others will dominate. Politics are controlled by those who take initiative to guide it.
“Democracy is a participatory game of contact and blocking, not a spectator sport. It may be able
to survive with some of the population simply cheering from the sidelines or even blissfully
unaware that the game is being played. But the number of participants can decline to the degree
that democracy exists in name only, since the level of participation declines, so does its
representativeness. The fewer the people who get involved, the less likely they are to reflect the
concerns of the general population.”
– Steven E. Frantzich
Citizen Democracy
NY: Rowman & Littlefield, 1999.
Directions:
Write your own analogy comparing your understanding of democracy to the sport of your choice.
Indicate who you are in the game! Indicate what democratic roles some of the other athletes are
playing. And remember that democracy is the process of participation, not the product of it. In
other words, it is how the game is played that matters to democracy, not who wins!
Grades 9-12 AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
7
9–12 AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP Democracy in America
IT’S PARTY TIME!
(60 minutes over two days)
OBJECTIVE
Students use their knowledge of political parties
to analyze the actions of current political leaders.
MATERIALS
It’s Party Time! handout; Internet access
GET READY
Copy the It’s Party Time! handout for each
student.
INSTRUCTIONS
Have your students read the It’s Party Time!
handout.
Ask your students to use the Internet and other
sources of information to find information about
the Republican and Democratic parties. They
should use this information to fill in the handout.
Have your students use the Internet or other
sources to research an additional political
party of their choice. Your students should use
the chart on the handout to describe the
party’s history and values.
Discuss your students’ findings for the major
parties. If possible, invite local representatives
of the two major parties to class to explain the
views of their party. Discuss the other parties
students chose to research.
For homework, ask students to read the
government section of a newspaper and find an
article about a Democrat or a Republican.
Students should bring the article to class and
be prepared to give an example of an action the
person in the article took, or comments the
person made, that demonstrates his/her
political affiliation.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# What does the Democratic Party stand for?
# What does the Republican Party stand for?
# Do you think there are important differences
in what Republicans and Democrats stand for?
If yes, what are some differences?
# How many other political parties have you
heard of besides the Democratic an Republican
Parties? How many are represented locally?
Grades 9-12 AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
8
IT’S PARTY TIME!
IT’S PARTY TIME!
In the presidential election of 2004, over 100 people announced their candidacy for president of the
United States of America. This group of candidates represented at least 20 different political parties,
most from the two most popular and powerful political parties, Republican and Democratic. The
people in these organizations share in the effort to get laws passed, to support candidates that
support their issues, and to organize elections at the local level where we vote.
To learn about the differences between the two major parties, research them using the Web site
addresses provided in the chart below. List a brief history and the important values or principles of
the Republicans and the Democrats in the appropriate columns. In the third column, research one
other political party and write there about its history and values.
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY
Republican Party Web site
http://www.rnc.org/
Democratic Party Web site
http://www.democrats.org/
THIRD PARTY:
Research other political
parties at this Web site:
http://www.vote-smart.org
Grades 9-12 AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
9
9–12 AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP Democracy in America
EXPERIENCING AMERICA
(50-60 minutes over several days)
OBJECTIVE
Students conduct research and interview
adults about historical events.
MATERIALS
Access to the library and/or Internet
GET READY
Divide your students into groups of three or four
INSTRUCTIONS
Inform your students that they will be
researching various events in American
history. Explain that they will then interview
adults on the topic they were assigned.
Assign each group an event to research:
Conservatism and the rise of
Ronald Reagan
Nixon’s accomplishments and defeats
(Watergate)
Kennedy and his 1968 assassination
President Truman and the dropping of
the Atomic Bomb
Brown v. Board of Education – 1954
World War II
Franklin D. Roosevelt and the New Deal
Have the groups do background research on
the event they were assigned. The groups
should gather research from various sources
and then develop 10 interview questions based
on the research.
Individual group members should start
brainstorming adults they want to interview,
including family members. (Note: Students
need to make sure their interviewees were
alive at the time of their respective event!)
Your students should next use the interview
questions they developed to learn from their
interviewee about what it was like to be an
American during the specified period.
Students should take the interview responses and
their group research and create a well-thoughtout and cohesive essay on the event/topic.
Conclude the activity with your students
sharing aspects of their interviews and essays
with the class.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# What did you learn about your interviewee’s
experience with the event?
# What did you learn about the event that you
did not know before?
# What were you surprised to learn from your
interviewee?
# How did this assignment impact your
understanding of your country?
Grades 9-12 AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
10
Rights
9–12 AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP AandCitizen’s
Responsibilities
VOTER SURVEY
(Time varies)
OBJECTIVE
Students survey adults to learn why they vote
or don’t vote.
MATERIALS
Paper and writing implements (pencils, pens)
GET READY
Arrange for your students to have access to the
Internet, if possible.
INSTRUCTIONS
As a class, decide how many adults each
student will survey — each student should
plan to talk to 5-10 adults to provide adequate
data. Require students to go beyond just their
parents or other relatives and to attempt to
reach a diverse spectrum of the general voting
public. (A more time efficient way to collect
data might be to use e-mail; some parents
might be willing to provide their children with
e-mail addresses of their friends and/or coworkers for this purpose.)
Have your students brainstorm possible
questions to ask on the survey. Be sure that
students’ questions are clear and neutral.
Questions might include the following:
Did you vote in the last presidential
election?
If yes, what were your reasons for voting?
If no, why did you decide not to vote?
Have the class determine what demographic
information to collect along with answers to
the survey questions. Possibilities include:
gender, age, ethnicity, occupation, and
education level.
Make sure students keep accurate records of
their survey results. A common form should be
made and copied to ensure this outcome.
In small groups, have students compare their
survey results.
Compiling all the information from the class,
have students develop a profile of the typical
voter from their community. Compare this
profile with data from local exit polls (contact
your local voter registration office) or with
national survey data from a Web site.
Have students reflect on what they learned
from this activity.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# What percentage of people voted? Does there
seem to be any relationship between any of
the demographic information collected and
whether a person voted or not? What are the
most common reasons adults gave for voting?
What reasons did they give for not voting?
# Based on the reasons adults gave for voting
and not voting, what are some strategies for
increasing voter participation?
# What other ideas might hold promise for
increasing the number of voters in future
U.S. elections?
# Is voting a right, a responsibility, or both?
Grades 9-12 AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
11
Rights
9–12 AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP AandCitizen’s
Responsibilities
REGISTER YOUR OPINION
(60-90 minutes)
OBJECTIVE
Students explore voter registration and voting
and write letters to the government expressing
their own opinions.
MATERIALS
Register Your Opinion handout; access to the
Internet (optional)
GET READY
Make each of your students a copy of the
Register Your Opinion handout.
INSTRUCTIONS
Ask students to read the information on the
Register Your Opinion handout.
Read the following to the students: As current
or future voters, what suggestions would you
have for your representatives to improve the
system of voter registration and voting to make
it more appealing or accessible to you? Ask
students to write their responses in class or as
homework.
In class, discuss your students’ ideas. Brainstorm
a variety of possibilities and encourage students
to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of
each. This information could be written up in a
chart on the board. Interested students could
research voting practices in other democratic
countries in the world. Which countries have high
voter turnout? Can we learn something from
them to increase the voter turnout in the U.S.?
Have students individually or in small groups
write letters to their representatives explaining
their suggestions while utilizing facts from the
handout or from the following Web site:
http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/voting/hava/hava.html
If your students receive responses to their
letters, encourage them to share the responses
with the class or to post them in a special
location in the classroom.
Further discussion in class could focus on how
school elections are held. Do the current
procedures ensure a valid outcome? How could
the process be improved?
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# Do current voting procedures ensure a valid
outcome or do you think they are outdated
and hinder the voting turnout?
# How could the voting process be improved?
# What can you, personally, do to help the
voter turnout?
MORE!
Have your students follow the link on the Rock
the Vote Web site (www.rockthevote.org) to find
information on voter registration for each state.
Have each student choose a state in which he/
she has a friend or relative of voting age who is
not registered to vote. Ask each student to
write a letter to his or her friend or relative in
another state explaining how to register in that
state. Students should include at least three
reasons why everyone should register to vote.
Encourage your students to mail their letters
and let the class know if they receive a response.
Grades 9-12 AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
12
REGISTER YOUR OPINION
REGISTER YOUR OPINION
On October 29, 2002, President Bush signed the “Help America Vote Act of 2002” into law. The “Help
America Vote Act of 2002” (HAVA) is the most comprehensive voting reform effort of the last few
decades. Created in the response to issues that arose during the 2000 election, HAVA impacts every
part of the voting process, from provisional ballots to voting machines and from poll worker training
to voter registration.
The legislation aims to improve the administration of elections in the United States, primarily
through three means:
1. Creating a new federal agency to serve as a clearinghouse for election administration
information
2. Providing funds to states to improve election administration and replace outdated voting systems
3. Creating minimum standards for states to follow in several key areas of election administration
Election officials, legislators, and advocates in each state are responsible for implementing HAVA.
Under HAVA, states must meet the new federal requirements, which include the following criteria:
1. A system that allows voters to review the accuracy of their selections indicated on the voting
machine before the ballot is finally cast
2. A means to allow the voter to correct any votes
3. The provision of an audit of the votes cast, or a “permanent paper trail” of the votes cast,
which would facilitate a more efficient and reliable recount
4. A means to ensure that voters with disabilities, including voters with visual impairments,
will be able to vote independently without third party assistance by providing each polling
place with at least one direct recording electronic voting system or other voting system
equipped for individuals with disabilities
5. The furnishing of multi-lingual ballots in required election districts
6. A system which produces an error rate that does not exceed the error rate standards
established under section 3.2.1 of the voting systems standards issued by the Federal
Election Commission
7. Establishment of uniform and non-discriminatory standards as to what constitutes a “vote”
Which aspects of HAVA do you think would significantly improve the U.S. system of voter registration
and voting? Which ideas, if any, could potentially limit voting rights? What other ideas do you have
that might prove useful?
Adapted from http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/voting/hava/hava.html and http://www.demos.org/page54.cfm.
Grades 9-12 AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
13
Rights
9–12 AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP AandCitizen’s
Responsibilities
SAVE YOUR RIGHTS
(45 minutes)
OBJECTIVE
Students select the rights most important to
them and develop a rationale for protecting
Constitutional guarantees.
MATERIALS
Save Your Rights handout; Save Your Rights
Scorecard handout
GET READY
Duplicate one copy of the Save Your Rights
handout, with the 10 rights listed, for each
student.
Copy the chart from the Save Your Rights
Scorecard handout onto the board.
INSTRUCTIONS
Distribute the Save Your Rights handout. Read
the top of the handout aloud to your students.
Review the 10 Bill of Rights guarantees by
giving and asking for examples of what each
right protects.
Give each student five minutes to individually
select the five rights that he/she wishes to
keep, and to prioritize them (5=most valued,
1=least valued). One sentence justifying each
choice must be written.
For the next 15 minutes, allow students to share
their selections in small groups and come to a
consensus. Instruct each group to choose a
group reporter to announce their selections
and justifications.
Record each group’s numerical choices on the
blackboard matrix, and total the values in each
cell of the matrix. (See Save Your Rights
Scorecard handout.)
Review which rights the class deemed most
important. Ask the students why they thought
these rights were especially important.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# Which right had the highest value to this
class? Would a representative from a group
that selected this right give us the group’s
rationale? (Continue discussing reasons for
various choices.)
# Which rights were not selected among our top
five? Why not? How might your life change if
we lost those rights?
# What did you learn by making these choices?
# What could happen to these rights if voters
do not participate in choosing their leaders
and lawmakers?
MORE!
Examine newspapers, television, magazines, etc.,
to look for examples of these rights being used.
Grades 9-12 AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
14
SAVE YOUR RIGHTS
SAVE YOUR RIGHTS
What guarantees in the Bill of Rights are most important to you?
Imagine if our forefathers had not created all 10 rights guaranteed by the Bill of Rights. What if they had only
created nine rights — which nine would you want kept? Now imagine if there were only eight rights created.
Which would you keep? And what if there were only seven rights…six rights…only five rights guaranteed in
the Bill of Rights? Which could you not give up?
Designate five rights from the Bill of Rights as indispensable. First, decide which rights you will eliminate and
then cross them off your list. Organize the remaining five rights from your most essential (5 points) to least
essential (1 point).
The following five rights should be saved:
Ten of the Guarantees
in the Bill of Rights
5 points:
Reason:
Freedom of speech
Freedom of the press
4 points:
Reason:
Freedom of religion
Freedom to assemble
Right to bear arms
3 points:
Reason:
Protection from unreasonable
searches and seizures
Protection from self-incrimination
2 points:
Reason:
Right to a jury trial
Protection from cruel and unusual
punishment
1 point:
Reason:
Access to legal counsel
Grades 9-12 AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
15
SAVE YOUR RIGHTS
SAVE YOUR RIGHTS SCORECARD
Groups:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Total
Speech
Press
Religion
Assembly
Arms
Search/seizure
Self-incrimination
Jury trial
Punishment
Counsel
Grades 9-12 AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
16
9–12 AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP Democracy
in the World
GLOBAL NEIGHBORS
(Time varies)
OBJECTIVE
Students contact other students around the
globe to learn about different democracies.
MATERIALS
Appropriate letter writing materials: paper,
pens/pencils, envelopes, etc.
GET READY
Arrange for your students to learn about
various global democracies by coordinating
exchanges between them and students from
different countries.
Write to World Wise Schools
1990 K Street N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20526
for information on pen pal exchanges.
Look for pen pal opportunities on the
Internet. One site worth visiting is
www.stonesoup.com/main2/penpal.html.
Designate a time for students to share what
they learned from their friends overseas.
Over a specified period of time, have your
students put together profiles on the countries
where their pen pals are from. Have your
students include information they got directly
from their pen pal friends. These profiles should
both explain how the countries in question are
similar to and different than America.
Examine the country profiles as a class.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# What similarities are there between our
government and your pen pal’s government?
How are the governments different?
# What did you especially like about the other
country you researched? Are there any things
you did not like?
# What did you learn when we examined all the
country profiles? Were there certain things
unique to America?
INSTRUCTIONS
Assign each student to someone roughly their
age in a different country. Explain to your
students that they will use their letters to
participate in a dialogue on democracy.
Give your students sample questions they can
ask in their letters, such as: How is your
country different than America? How are
elections run in your country? Who has the
right to vote in your country?
Grades 9-12 AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
17
9–12 AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP Democracy
in the World
ATHENIAN DEMOCRACY
(30-40 minutes)
OBJECTIVE
Students learn the basic structure of Athenian
government and how it functioned; they compare
Athenian democracy with American democracy.
MATERIALS
Athenian Democracy at Work handout;
Athenian Democracy Questions handout
GET READY
Duplicate the Athenian Democracy at Work
handout for each student.
Duplicate the Athenian Democracy Questions
handout for each student.
Write the word “democracy” on the board prior
to class.
INSTRUCTIONS
Begin class by asking students to write a
definition for the word “democracy” on a sheet
of paper. Allow 1 minute (maximum) to write.
Have a few students read their definitions, then
explain the Greek roots of the word. In Greek,
demos means “people,” and kratos (cracy)
means “rule by.” You should also read to your
students a dictionary definition of democracy.
Pass out the Athenian Democracy at Work
handout.
Assign each student a partner and have the
pairs silently read the handout.
Next, chose students at random to read the
Athenian Democracy at Work handout aloud
and in order (10 different students to read
items 1 through 10).
Lead a discussion on Athenian democracy,
drawing connections to American democracy.
(Use the questions listed below.) Consider dividing
the class into two groups during the discussion,
half the class as 21st century Americans and
the other half as fifth century B.C. Athenians.
Pass out the Athenian Democracy Questions
handout and have your students complete it
in pairs.
Lead a follow-up discussion based on the questions from the Athenian Democracy Questions
handout. Consider assigning individual roles.
Proportionally in a class of 30 students: 10
would be slaves, 10 would be women, 2 would
be metics (resident aliens), 2 would be males
under 18 and 6 would be males over 18.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# How did Athenians feel about participating in
their government?
# How does this compare to how Americans feel
about participating in their government?
# How is our version of democracy different
from that of Athens?
# Which system of government, if any, is more
democratic?
# How would an Athenian of the fifth century
B.C. criticize our present-day representative
democracy? Of what would he or she approve?
# What was the relationship between slavery
and democracy in ancient Greece?
# Was there a relationship between slavery and
the development of democracy in U.S. history?
VOTE QUOTE
“We alone regard a man who takes no interest in
public affairs, not as harmless, but as a useless
character; and if few of us are originators, we
are all sound judges of a policy. The great
impediment to action is, in our opinion, not
discussion, but the want of that knowledge
which is gained by discussion preparatory to
action.” – Pericles’ Funeral Speech given in
430 B.C. to honor those Athenian soldiers who
died in the first year of the Peloponnesian War.
Grades 9-12 AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
18
ATHENIAN DEMOCRACY
ATHENIAN DEMOCRACY AT WORK
PAGE ONE
1. Athenian government in the fifth century B.C. was perhaps the first true democracy. The
government was of the people and for the people, like ours, but it was also by the people to a
much greater degree than the large representative democracies of modern times. However, the
Athenian definition of the “people” was far narrower than ours today, excluding everyone but free
adult males. In Athens, all male citizens from the age of 18 were expected by law to participate in
the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government. Young men first served two years
of military service, then at 20 they had access to the assembly. We rely on elected politicians to
run our government for us, but we have a far broader electoral base.
2. To a considerable extent, this direct, participatory democracy was a function of the relatively
small size of the population. Athens at that time had approximately 300,000 inhabitants, about
100,000 of whom were unenfranchised slaves and 100,000 of whom were unenfranchised women.
About 15,000 to 20,000 inhabitants were metics, or resident aliens. Out of the 100,000 or so
males left, perhaps 50,000 or 60,000 were 18 or older. This limitation of political rights makes
participation much more feasible than in the mass societies of the 20th century.
3. The supreme political body was the Athenian Assembly. It was open to all free males over 20
whose father was Athenian. In 451 B.C., citizenship was restricted to males over 18 whose father
and mother were Athenian. All males falling into these groups were citizens, regardless of
income or class, and every male citizen was subject to universal political service as well as
universal military training. The Assembly met about 40 times per year at the Pnyx, a natural
amphitheater on one of the hills west of the Acropolis. Their main task was to enact legislation.
Attendance was normally about 2,000 or 3,000 men, for it was difficult to take four days per
month off from work. Mostly craftsmen and artisans attended the assemblies, farmers being too
busy and aristocrats seeing it as beneath their station in life. Usually a summons and an agenda
had to be posted at least five days before a meeting.
4. Meetings convened at dawn and the sometimes reluctant citizens were swept up from the Agora
(marketplace) by slaves holding the ends of a long rope wet with red paint, which would mark
their clothes and thus make liable for a fine anyone who lingered or attempted to escape the call
of duty. Once in the Pnyx, voting was usually taken by a show of hands. This prevented secrecy
and encouraged people to follow group leaders in their choices.
5. In addition to votes on many specific matters, the assembly set aside nine scheduled meetings
per year in which members would approve or disapprove of how magistrates were handling their
jobs. They would dismiss them for mismanagement of funds, etc. After all normal business was
finished, the Assembly voted on the measures initiated by the Council of 500, called the Boule.
Grades 9-12 AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
19
ATHENIAN DEMOCRACY
ATHENIAN DEMOCRACY AT WORK
PAGE TWO
6. The Council of 500 prepared the official agenda for the meetings of the Assembly. The Council
was made up of 50 men selected from each of the 10 Attic tribes. These tribes corresponded to
local villages or territories and were of different sizes. Council members were chosen by lot from
a list of volunteers, all of them being male citizens over 30 years of age. A Council member could
serve only two years in his lifetime, and only one year at a time. They were paid for their
services, which helped to compensate for lost wages on their jobs.
7. The way in which Council members, jurors, and office holders were chosen is called allotment
(lot) or sortition. In the fifth century B.C. this was often done by placing a number of white and
black beans in a box equal to the number of candidates who volunteered. The white beans would
match the number of offices to be filled and the black beans would match the extra candidates.
Each candidate would reach in to the receptacle and pull a bean out, white indicating that he
was chosen and black that he was not. This system guaranteed absolute fairness in the selection
of council members, jurors or office holders. In the fourth century B.C. much more elaborate
voting machines were developed, but they followed the same random principle.
8. The 50 members selected from each tribe acted as a unit in the Council and held the collective
presidency (called the Prytany) for the Council for one-tenth of the year. This reduced the
amount of time men had to be away from work. The members of the Prytany met every day and
in effect administered the government. The Prytany changed 10 times a year and its chairmanship changed daily. Thus 365 citizens each year would serve as head of state: an adult male, if he
lived long enough, would have a good chance of holding the highest office. The Prytany prepared
legislation, tried magistrates accused of misdeeds, and inspected cavalry and ships.
9. By rotating the Prytany every tenth of a year, by not allowing anyone to sit on the Council for
more than one year and through the system of allotment, no man was in office long enough to
entrench himself and to establish a following. However, in reality, the 10 generals representing
the 10 tribes could be re-elected year after year and they often were. In addition, they were voted
in by ballot, not by the random drawing of beans. They played a continuing role in non-military
affairs and established a strong following, becoming the most important Athenian officials.
10. As you can see, the Athenian system of direct democracy was not perfect. Another serious flaw was
its extensive reliance on slavery. Many craftsmen, farmers and shopkeepers who participated in the
Council and the Assembly had slaves to do their work while they were away running the government.
This dependence on slaves allowed free men the time to participate actively in their government
and to perform their naval service. Perhaps in this context we should raise the question of whether
or not modem representative democracy is more just than the direct democracy of ancient Athens.
Adapted from: Peter Cheoros, Jan Coleman-Knight, Rhoda Himmell and Linda Symcox, The Golden Age of Greece: Imperial Democracy 500-400 B.C., A
Unit of Study for Grades 6-12., pages 23-25 (Los Angeles: National Center for History in the Schools at UCLA, 1991).
Grades 9-12 AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
20
ATHENIAN DEMOCRACY
ATHENIAN DEMOCRACY QUESTIONS
1. What role did each of the following play in the Athenian system of government?
PURPOSE
WHO PARTICIPATED
HOW CHOSEN
THE ASSEMBLY
THE BOULE
THE PRYTANY
2. Who got to participate in Athenian democracy?
3. What groups could not participate in the political process?
4. Do you think the groups that could not participate still influenced politics in Athens? If so, how?
5. Who was eligible to vote in ancient Athens?
6. Who is eligible to vote in the U.S. today?
7. What Athenian group(s) would not be able to vote under America’s political system?
8. Identify three kinds of voting (or selection) in Athens.
What were the advantages/disadvantages of each?
VOTING / SELECTION SYSTEM
ADVANTAGES / DISADVANTAGES
Grades 9-12 AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
21
9–12 AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP
OVERARCHING QUESTIONS
WHAT IS DEMOCRACY?
# What does the word “democracy” mean to you?
# Who has the power in a democracy?
# How are decisions made in a democracy?
# How can a person make his/her voice heard in a democracy?
# Why is it important that even if a person’s opinion does not follow that of the majority they take a
stance and express their point of view?
# What other types of governments are there besides democracy?
# Do you think you can say that one form of government is better than another? Why or why not?
# What are your feelings towards democracy? What are the pros and cons?
# As students under the age of 18 (most likely), how can you participate in a democracy?
# Do you think that the majority of our society understands democracy? If not, what can you do to help
others understand?
DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA
# What qualifies America as a democracy?
# Who makes the decisions in America?
# What do adults do to contribute to our government?
# What are some of the benefits our government provides us?
# How do you support your country?
# What do you think of our government? Do you agree or disagree with the way our country is run?
What do you think can be done to improve it?
# What qualities do you need to be an effective leader or president?
# Do you know people that don’t care about our government? Why would people be apathetic
to our government?
# Do you think all Americans benefit from our government? If not, who do you think is missing out?
# If the majority of Americans think something is right/correct/beneficial, does that mean those that
disagree are wrong?
# Do you think democracy is the fairest form of government? Why or why not?
Grades 9-12 AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
22
9–12 AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP
OVERARCHING QUESTIONS
(continued)
A CITIZEN’S RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
# The constitution guarantees us many rights. Why do you think our forefathers wanted to protect our rights?
# What is the Bill of Rights? Why do you think it was created?
# What are some of our protected rights?
# Are some of our rights more important than others? Why or why not?
# What does freedom of speech mean to you? Does freedom of speech give you the right to say whatever
you want whenever you want? What are the limitations and why?
# What does the word “freedom” mean to you?
# Do you think children, teenagers, and young adults have enough rights? Do you think there are certain
rights denied to you or children younger than you that you should have?
# What are some things you need to do in order to be considered a responsible and active citizen?
# What have you done to be a responsible and active citizen?
DEMOCRACY IN THE WORLD
# Are all governments in the world the same? What differentiates various forms of government?
# Can you think of differences between your lifestyle, here in America, and someone else’s in a different
country? Give an example.
# Would you consider our government unique? If so, why?
# Can you think of a country that has dealt with some of the same struggles and triumphs as America?
What are the similarities and what are the differences?
# Why do you think America has attracted millions of people over the last 200 years, drawing them away
from their native countries?
# How do you think the influx of foreign people has shaped our country?
# What impact do you think our nation has on the rest of the countries of the world?
Grades 9-12 AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
23
9–12 AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP
LITERATURE CONNECTION ACTIVITY
Common Sense, Rights of Man, and Other Essential Writings of Thomas Paine by Thomas Paine
OBJECTIVE
Students become familiar with the tenets that
are the basis of American democracy.
MATERIALS
Common Sense, Rights of Man, and Other
Essential Writings of Thomas Paine –
Thomas Paine
GET READY
Arrange for students in your class to have
copies of Common Sense by Thomas Paine.
INSTRUCTIONS
Provide some background for the reading of
Common Sense, including information on
Thomas Paine and the period in which he lived.
Read aloud (or have a student read) the short
introduction. After reading the introduction,
engage your class in a brief discussion, asking,
Who is the “long and violent abuser of power”
that Paine references? What did Paine mean
when he said, “The cause of America is in a
great measure the cause of all mankind?”
What impression does the introduction give
you of what is to come?
Inform your students that Common Sense
essentially has four parts:
“Of the origin and design of government
in general”
“Of monarchy and hereditary succession”
“Thoughts on the present state of
American affairs”
“Of the present ability of America”
Ask your students to conjecture what each section
is about. Have your students share their guesses
with the class.
Next, break your students up into four groups,
one group for each section of Common Sense.
(The group that covers “Thoughts on the
present state of American affairs” should be
slightly larger as it is a longer section.)
Have each group read their section of
Common Sense carefully. (This can be
assigned for homework.)
Tell each group that they need to think of a
creative way to relate the information in their
section to the rest of the class. Provide class
time for students to brainstorm ideas.
(Encourage students to think of all
possibilities: video, visual arts, dramatics, etc.)
Inform the groups they need to include in their
presentations the more substantive points
Paine makes in the section they were assigned.
The groups should determine these points
before developing their presentations.
Give each group time to prepare their
presentations.
Have each group present in the order that their
section appears in the book, each presentation
followed by a question period from the class.
After the last presentation, engage the class in
a discussion on the complete Common Sense.
(You can use the questions provided.)
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# Why do you think Thomas Paine structured
Common Sense to have the four sections we
discussed?
# Why do you think Common Sense caused such
a sensation among Americans?
# Why do you think Thomas Paine named his
work Common Sense?
# Do you think Common Sense resonates in our
country today? How so?
Grades 9-12 AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
24
9–12 AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP
CULMINATING ACTIVITY: ACT FROM THE HEART
(Time varies)
OBJECTIVE
Students use evidence to emphasize a point,
recognize the relationship between goal, action,
and outcomes. They also demonstrate an
understanding of democracy as a process.
MATERIALS
Act From The Heart handout
GET READY
Make a copy of the Act From The Heart
handout for each of your students.
INSTRUCTIONS
Have your students read the Act From The
Heart handout describing how the Clearys
worked to increase safety on college campuses.
Engage your students in a discussion on the
Clearys’ work (using the discussion questions
provided).
Encourage your students to learn more about
the Clearys’ work and Security On Campus by
going to http://www.campussafety.org.
Tell your students that they will have the
opportunity to choose an issue of importance
to them and then figure out a way to impact
that subject; they will learn about a problem,
just as the Clearys did, and then determine
how they can make a difference. Say the
following to the students: A nationwide survey
of junior high and high school students found
that drunk driving, depression and teen
suicide, guns at school, improving schools/
education, discrimination, violence in school,
drugs, self-esteem, AIDS, and abuse at home
are teens’ top 10 concerns. List the 10 causes on
the board and then ask your students if there
are any other issues they would add to this list.
Have your students divide into groups of four or
five. Have each group choose from the list the
topic most important to them. In class or for
homework, have the groups write about their
topic; they should state the topic of interest,
what they already know about this topic or issue,
and various questions to guide their learning.
The next day, provide time for your students to
pursue learning about their chosen topic via
library resources, the Internet, calls to
community agencies, and surveys of students
in the school or adults in the community.
Have each group share with the class what
they have learned about their issue.
Brainstorm with your students ways they can
use the democratic process in order to impact
the problems they researched (letter writing to
local and national office holders, petitioning,
lobbying, etc.).
Give the groups time to develop strategies for
their topics that make use of the democratic
process. Have the groups share their favorite
ideas with the class.
Ask the groups to implement one of their ideas
for making a difference. Allow for a specified
amount of time to pass and then ask your
students to share with the class what they have
done in respect to the issue/cause they selected.
Grades 9-12 AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
25
9–12 AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP
CULMINATING ACTIVITY: ACT FROM THE HEART
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# What, in the Clearys’ minds, were the needs
for campus crime disclosure acts.
# Describe the goals that Connie and Howard
Cleary had in mind when organizing their
information service, Security On Campus.
# The Clearys’ efforts resulted in a very important
federal law. What exactly does this law do?
(continued)
# What amendments were made to the law since
its first passage?
# What were some of the challenges the Clearys
had to overcome to get their law passed?
# What does this story tell you about what
people can accomplish in a democracy?
# What issue did your group target? What did
you and your group accomplish?
Grades 9-12 AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
26
ACT FROM THE HEART
ACT FROM THE HEART
In 1987, the parents of Jeanne Cleary received an out-ofcourt settlement from Lehigh University over their lawsuit
accusing the school of failing to protect their daughter, who
as a freshman, was raped and murdered in her dorm room
one year earlier. Using this money, the grieving parents
organized a nonprofit information service called Security
On Campus, with the hope of bringing about awareness of
campus violence in the U.S. The Clearys’ research showed
that 57 violent acts are committed every day at America’s
colleges and universities and that the governing bodies,
(sometimes called Boards of Regents), often used their powers
to hide incidents of crimes committed by and against
students. Statistics that indicated that as many as one out
of 10 women become rape victims during their college
years, and the fact that 90% of these crimes involve alcohol,
made the Clearys determined to do something. They
decided to find a legal way to force colleges to disclose
crime information in an effort to reduce campus violence.
They began their work at the state level, realizing that
passing a federal law would be especially difficult since it is
state laws that deal with most crimes. Colleges are typically
state or private institutions that are regulated by the states.
By 1988, through fact gathering and lobbying they had their
first success. The Pennsylvania College and University
Security Information Act was passed by the legislature in
that state. Ten more states soon followed with similar laws
requiring colleges to report crime statistics. Those who
failed to do so were told that they would lose state funding.
As each state wrote its own version of the legislation, some
even adding criminal charges for failure to disclose
information, it became evident that uniform codes would
make it easier for the public to understand the data and to
put it to use in deciding which schools were safest to attend.
The Clearys pointed out that a federal law would make it
possible to compare crime rates across state lines.
Since it is necessary that proponents of federal legislation
demonstrate the need for state consistency, this fact
became significant to their efforts at the national level. In
addition, the Clearys also pointed out that if a state did
not pass its own information act it could easily become a
haven for violent student offenders.
and Campus Security Act. To emphasize its seriousness
the federal law would include a penalty limiting federal
school funding if a university or college violated the act.
Opponents voiced their fear that the government’s
intervention into higher education institutions would be
too costly, might encourage misunderstanding of statistics
and might possibly hurt the reputation of the schools
involved. In spite of these objections the bill passed
unanimously in both houses of the U.S. Congress.
When the U.S. Department of Education threatened schools
with loss of federal funds if they did not comply with the
new law and open their police records, opponents of the
legislation claimed that such action publicized confidential
education records. They also said that the federal government had no right to intrude into state and local matters.
In an ensuing two-year battle Congress eventually negated
the lobbying effort of the opponents of the law by amending
the original bill to declare campus law enforcement records
as unprotected, non-confidential education information.
Through the year 2000, additional amendments have been
attached to The Student Right To Know Bill, broadening
the reporting of sexual assaults, expanding crime categories,
adding hate crimes to the list, and making available information concerning sex offender registration on campus. The
Clearys’ dream, to ensure that their daughter’s life not be
in vain, has come true and continues to make college life
safer for millions of students across the United States.
Two concerned parents working with friends and allies
conducted the research, collected the data, wrote letters to
the editor, appeared before the media, contacted legislators
first in the state of Pennsylvania, and then in other states
and prevailed in getting state laws passed. They learned
how the judicial system in the United States works and,
citing the need for consistency, convinced members of the
Congress of the United States of the validity of their
position. They were confronted by powerful interests such
as various Boards of Regents, university bureaucracies,
and people who dislike federal intervention into state
issues. Their diligence and hard work paid off and demonstrates how much power individuals in a democracy have.
The Clearys found two U.S. senators willing to introduce
into Congress a federal bill called the Student Right to Know
Grades 9-12 AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
27
KIDS VOTING USA
9–12
SUFFRAGE AND
THE RIGHT TO VOTE
9–12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE
INTRODUCTION TO THEME
The focus of this theme is for students to understand what suffrage is and how and when it was granted to
different populations over the course of American History. The theme’s activities fall under three main
learning objectives:
•
•
•
Students will understand what suffrage is within the context of American history.
Students will learn the history of America’s minority populations and the right to vote.
Students will understand what advantages and obstacles there are to suffrage in America today.
GENERAL ACTIVITIES
CONCEPT 1: WHAT IS SUFFRAGE?
Supreme Court Voting Rights Cases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
In The Right . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
CONCEPT 2: EXPANDING THE RIGHT TO VOTE
1965 Alabama Literacy Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
We The Women . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Voting Rights Act Of 1965 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Nelson Mandela Votes In The Election Of 1994 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
CONCEPT 3: SUFFRAGE TODAY
Stop That Teenager Before He Votes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
The Power Of One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
OVERARCHING QUESTIONS
Questions for Concept 1: What is Suffrage? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Questions for Concept 2: Expanding the Right to Vote . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Questions for Concept 3: Suffrage Today . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
LITERATURE CONNECTION ACTIVITY
Voting and the Spirit of American Democracy edited by Donald W. Rogers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
CULMINATING ACTIVITY
A Game Of Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Grades 9-12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
1
9–12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE What is Suffrage?
SUPREME COURT VOTING RIGHTS CASES
(45 minutes)
OBJECTIVE
Students study Supreme Court voting rights
decisions to gain a greater appreciation for
what shapes the right to vote.
MATERIALS
Dunn v. Blumstein handout; Reynolds v. Sims
handout; Kramer v. Union Free School District
handout
GET READY
Duplicate copies of Dunn v. Blumstein for a
third of your students, copies of Reynolds v.
Sims for the second third, and Kramer v. Union
Free School District for the last third.
Divide the class into three sets of “Justices.”
INSTRUCTIONS
Review concepts important to the handouts:
required residency, apportionment, majority
and dissenting opinions in the Supreme Court.
Assign one case to each of the three groups
and distribute the case handouts.
Assign each group to review the facts and
arguments of the case they received. Each
group should prepare to present these facts
and arguments to the class.
Give group members one of three tasks: a few
group members will give the facts of the case;
a few will present the majority opinion; the last
few will sum up the dissent.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# How did these voting rights cases impact the
right to vote?
# In these three cases, did the Court act to extend
or to limit the power of an individual’s vote?
# In all three of these cases, did the Court act to
extend or limit the power of the states to
restrict voting?
# How would you have decided each case?
Why should ordinary citizens like you and me
understand the decisions of the Supreme Court?
MORE!
Have a law professor speak with your class
about the Supreme Court and voting cases.
Send the speaker this lesson and the handouts
ahead of time, so he/she is familiar with the
cases. Follow some Supreme Court cases
currently on the docket, through news
magazines and newspapers. Post articles on a
bulletin board.
VOTE QUOTE
“When nothing seems to help, I go and look at a
stonecutter hammering away at his rock perhaps
a hundred times without so much as a crack
showing in it. Yet at the hundred and first blow
it will split in two, and I know it was not that
blow that did it—but all that had gone before.”
– Jacob Riis
Grades 9-12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
2
SUPREME COURT VOTING RIGHTS CASES
DUNN V. BLUMSTEIN
Dunn v. Blumstein, 405 U.S. 330, 92 S.Ct. 995 (1972):
Durational Voting Rights and the Right to Travel
James Blumstein moved to Tennessee on June 12,
1970, to begin working as a law professor at Vanderbilt
University. When he attempted to register to vote on
July 1, 1970, the county registrar refused to let him
register because he had not resided in the state or
county for the amount of time required by Tennessee
law. Blumstein challenged this requirement in court.
After exhausting all of his remedies, a three-judge
federal court ruled that this Tennessee law was
unconstitutional because it impermissibly interfered
with the right to vote and because the state had created
a “suspect” classification penalizing some Tennessee
residents because of recent interstate movement. The
United States Supreme Court affirmed the lower court’s
decision and held that it is illegal for a state to require
that an individual reside for any length of time in that
particular state, or particular county in that state, in
order to exercise their right to vote.
The Tennessee law required that in order for a person to
vote, “a would-be voter must have been a resident for
one year in the state and three months in the county.”
The Court struck down the additional durational
residence requirements because they violated the Equal
Protection Clause and, in effect, penalized those persons
who travel from one place to another for jobs or for any
other reasons. According to the majority, such laws
discriminate against new residents as a class because
they deny them the opportunity to vote altogether. By
denying some citizens the right to vote, the state denied
this group of new residents the constitutionally
protected right to participate in elections on an equal
basis with other citizens in the jurisdiction.
In rendering the majority opinion for the Court, Justice
Marshall reasoned that the Tennessee legislature did
not have a substantial or compelling reason for
imposing durational residence requirements. By
impinging on “a second fundamental right, the right to
travel, the durational residence laws single out the
class of bona fide state and county residents who have
recently exercised this constitutionally protected right
of travel, and penalize those travelers directly.” Such
laws force a person who wishes to travel and change
residences to choose between travel and the basic right
to vote. A state may not do this without a compelling
interest using the least restrictive means possible.
Tennessee argued that the durational requirements
were necessary in order to insure against voter fraud —
to insure the purity of the ballot box by protecting
against fraud through colonization and the inability to
identify persons offering to vote — and to afford some
assurance that the voter will be a knowledgeable voter
and exercise the right to vote intelligently. Justice
Marshall reasoned that voter fraud is best avoided by
requiring that people register to vote 30 days before the
election, which Tennessee already required, and that
the additional durational requirements do nothing to
further deter voter fraud.
He further stated that in light of modern technology, it
is relatively simple to check the validity of a person’s
voter registration, and 30 days is sufficient time to
check. Also, it is impossible for a state to determine
intelligent and knowledgeable voters simply by duration
of residency; there are always some voters who are
more informed than others, regardless of how long
they have resided in the state. Because the state failed
to show a compelling enough interest, Justice Marshall
held that the Tennessee law was unconstitutional and
violated the new resident’s right to vote.
As the lone dissent, Justice Burger reasoned that it is
“no more a denial of equal protection for a state to
require newcomers to be exposed to state and local
problems for a reasonable period, such as one year before
voting, than it is to require children to wait 18 years
before voting.” It is permissible for the individual state to
draw a line where it wants to regarding who is allowed
to vote, because in all cases “some informed and
responsible persons are denied the vote, while others
less informed and less responsible are permitted to vote.”
Grades 9-12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
3
SUPREME COURT VOTING RIGHTS CASES
REYNOLDS V. SIMS
Reynolds v. Sims, 377 U.S. 533, 84 S.Ct. 1362
(1964): One Person, One Vote
In 1964, the United States Supreme Court decided two
major cases which determined that voters of the United
States had the right of one person to one vote, and that
a state could not reapportion voting districts so as to
substantially dilute individual votes. The case which
decided this for federal elections was Wesberry v. Sanders,
376 U.S. 1, 84 S.Ct. 526 (1964),which stated that Article
I of the United States Constitution required that, as
much as possible, one’s vote in a congressional election
is worth the same as another’s vote. The case which
established this for state elections was Reynolds v. Sims.
The Alabama legislature had not reapportioned voting
districts since 1901, even though it was required to do
so every 10 years. This resulted in malapportioned
voting districts where only 25% of the state’s total
population resided in districts represented by a
majority of the members of the House and Senate. The
Court struck down the Alabama apportionment scheme
based on grounds that it violated the Equal Protection
Clause of the 14th Amendment.
Chief Justice Warren reasoned in the majority opinion
that the “Equal Protection Clause requires that the
seats in both houses of a bicameral state legislature
must be apportioned on a population basis” because
“legislators represent people, not trees or acres.
Legislators are elected by voters, not farms or cities or
economic interests.” If a state’s districting scheme gave
unequal weight to the votes of citizens from one area of
the state over those of another, then those citizens’
right to vote would be unconstitutionally impaired.
Chief Justice Warren went on to say, “Diluting the
weight of votes because of place of residence impairs
basic constitutional rights under the 14th Amendment
just as much as invidious discriminations based upon
factors such as race or economic status.” Our
representative democratic system is based upon the
provision that the majority vote will derive from the
majority population, and that the legislature will be
elected by the majority of the population through their
exercise of the right to vote.
Justice Harlan, in his dissenting opinion, stated that
the 14th Amendment did not restrict the states from
apportioning their voting districts in any way they
wanted. He feared that the majority opinion gave the
federal courts the unwarranted power to regulate an
individual state’s own voting scheme. He believed the
states themselves should have the sole power to determine
how to apportion voting districts for state elections.
Grades 9-12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
4
SUPREME COURT VOTING RIGHTS CASES
KRAMER V. UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT
If a state determines that only a select group of voters
will be affected by the outcome of an election on
specific issues, the state may limit voting access to
those people affected. The New York legislature passed
a law that in certain New York school districts residents
who are otherwise eligible to vote in state and federal
elections may vote in the school district election only if
they own or lease taxable real property in the district or
have children enrolled in local public schools. The
United States Supreme Court found that this type of
voting restriction violates the Equal Protection Clause
of the 14th Amendment.
For example, a person who resides in the district with
his parents, pays taxes, and is interested in and affected
by the school board decisions, has no vote. However,
“an uninterested, unemployed young man” who pays
no taxes but rents in the district, can participate in the
vote. In fact, the law excluded many with distinct and
direct interest in school meeting decisions, such as “senior
citizens and others living with children or relatives and
parents who neither own nor lease qualifying property
whose children are too young to attend school or who
attend private school.” The classification restrictions
were not tailored narrowly enough so that the state
could achieve its goal of limiting the vote to those
primarily affected and interested. Because of this, the
New York law violated the Equal Protection Clause and
was found unconstitutional by a majority of the Court.
Chief Justice Warren, writing the majority opinion,
declared that the New York law limiting the right to
vote to those two particular classes for school district
elections was not necessary to further compelling state
interests when the scheme was reviewed with strict
scrutiny by the Court. While the state may restrict the
right to vote in some instances to “those primarily
interested or primarily affected” by the election, the
New York law was not sufficiently tailored to the
alleged goal of limiting the vote to those people
primarily interested in school affairs.
The dissent, led by Justice Stewart, argued that the
New York State Legislature had every right to draw the
line at whatever requirements it reasonably believed
should apply. He stated, “So long as the classification is
rationally related to a permissible legislative end,” then
there has been no denial of equal protection. He went
on to say that because all of the voters elected the state
legislature fairly through their participation in the
vote, that they in effect agreed to abide by the
legislature’s determinations and were not denied the
right to participate in the representative system.
Kramer v. Union Free School District No. 15,
395 U.S. 621 (1969): Voting Rights Restrictions
and “Interested Voters”
Grades 9-12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
5
9–12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE What is Suffrage?
IN THE RIGHT
(40-50 minutes of class time)
OBJECTIVE
Students become familiar with suffrage and
how it has evolved over the years.
MATERIALS
Research material for student assignments
GET READY
Since your students will be conducting
research, it is important for them to have
different avenues of research available: library
access, Internet access, etc.
Before doing the activity, provide background
information on suffrage to your class. Inform
your students that suffrage is the civil right
to vote. Explain to them that modern
democracies, including the United States,
extend that right to almost all adult citizens
(at least 18 years of age) and this is a condition
known as universal suffrage.
Have your students break up into five groups;
each group will tackle a different question.
INSTRUCTIONS
Ask your students to list the current criteria
needed to vote within the United States. Have your
students brainstorm who was not allowed to vote
when the Constitution was created but can today.
Listen to student responses and make sure
they understand that many United States
citizens, including African-Americans, Native
Americans, and women, were long excluded
from the voting process. When the Constitution
was written, not only was suffrage restricted to
white males, but it was further limited by religious, property, and taxpaying qualifications.
Students should also know that the U.S.
Constitution did not regard or mention the
right to vote, which meant the regulation of
voting lay in the hands of the states.
Divide your students into five groups that will
individually tackle questions relating to suffrage.
Each group will have to conduct research to
answer their question and then present their
findings to the class.
The five questions are:
Why did our founding fathers not
define voting rights in the Constitution?
Trace the history of African-Americans
and the fight for suffrage from the
15th Amendment to the Voting Rights
Act of 1965.
Trace the history of women’s struggle for
suffrage in the United States.
What are the present-day requirements
for suffrage in the United States? What
purpose do these restrictions serve?
Suffrage may be considered a right, a
privilege, or a responsibility. How do
these interpretations differ and with
what implications?
Give the groups two or three days to research
their question and provide class time for them
to work on their presentations.
Have the groups present their research, allowing
time for questions and discussion.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# What challenges did you face while
researching your questions?
# Why is learning about suffrage and its history
important for young citizens of the United States?
# Did anything surprise you while researching
your questions?
# What conclusions can you draw about suffrage
in the United States?
Grades 9-12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
6
9–12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE Expanding the Right to Vote
1965 ALABAMA LITERACY TEST
(45 minutes)
OBJECTIVE
Students experience the injustice of voter
discrimination.
MATERIALS
1965 Alabama Literacy Test handout;
Answers to Alabama Literacy Test handout
GET READY
Duplicate a 1965 Alabama Literacy Test for
each student. Note: this test should be administered after students have studied both the
Constitution and the obstruction of AfricanAmerican voting. (Students should be aware,
for instance, that white voters did not have to
take these tests because of “Grandfather Clauses.”)
INSTRUCTIONS
Say, The U.S. Constitution is so important to
citizenship that you should know it perfectly
without needing previous study time.
No textbooks may be consulted.
Pass out the 1965 Alabama Literacy Test and
provide 25 minutes of serious, uninterrupted
and monitored test time.
Students will trade papers and score the tests
as you read each item with its full correct
response.
Say, You just took the 1965 Alabama Literacy
Test to determine whether you were qualified
to vote. If you missed more than seven answers,
the registrars would have refused you.
Ask for students to share their thoughts on the
difficulty and fairness of the exam. (Most will
comment on how difficult and unfair it was.)
Give your students the task of finding primary
sources that describe what it was like to
experience voter injustice before the civil
rights movement.
Have your students share the accounts of voter
discrimination they found.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# Were you upset when you thought this test
might harm your grade? How would you feel if
it robbed you of your right to vote?
# Why did Southerners want to keep AfricanAmericans away from the polls? What were
they afraid of? (political power, economics, etc.)
# Nationally, what are the requirements today
for registration and voting in any region of the
United States?
MORE!
Assign students to write a short story about
a character that took a literacy test in the
South and failed it (or passed it).
What happened next?
VOTE QUOTE
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice
everywhere.” – Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Thanks to Dr. Robert Marlon, University of Redlands, now deceased, who obtained the 1965 Alabama Literacy Test during his
involvement with the civil rights movement.
Grades 9-12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
7
1965 ALABAMA LITERACY TEST
1965 ALABAMA LITERACY TEST
Name_______________________________________
1. Which of the following is a right guaranteed by
the Bill of Rights?
____Public Education ____Employment
____Voting ____Trial by Jury
2. The federal census of population is taken each five
years. ____True ____False
3. If a person is indicted for a crime, name two rights
which he has.
____________________________________________
4. A U.S. senator elected at the general election in
November takes office the following year on what
date?_______________________________________
5. A President elected at the general election in
November takes office the following year on what
date?_______________________________________
6. Which definition applies to the word
“amendment?”
____Proposed change, as in a Constitution
____Making of peace between nations at war
____A part of the government
7. A person appointed to the U.S. Supreme court is
appointed for a term of________________________.
8. When the Constitution was approved by the
original colonies, how many states had to ratify it
in order for it to be in effect?____
9. Does enumeration affect the income tax levied on
citizens in various states? _______
10. Persons opposed to swearing in an oath may say,
instead: (solemnly__________________________)
11. To serve as President of the United States, a
person must have attained:
____25 ____35 ____40 ____45 years
12. What words are required by law to be on all coins
and paper currency of the U.S.?
____________________________________________
13. The Supreme Court is the chief lawmaking body
of the state. ____True ____False
14. If a law passed by a state is contrary to provisions
of the U.S. Constitution, which law prevails?
____________________________________________
15. If a vacancy occurs in the U.S. Senate, the state
must hold an election, but meanwhile the place
may be filled by a temporary appointment made
by__________________________________________
16. A U.S. senator is elected for a term of ____ years.
17. Appropriation of money for the armed services
can be only for a period limited to ____ years.
18. The chief executive and the administrative offices
make up the _____________ branch of government.
19. Who passes laws dealing with piracy?
____________________________________________
20. The number of representatives which a state is
entitled to have in the House of Representatives is
based on ____________________________________
21. The Constitution protects an individual against
punishments which are _________________
and _________________.
Grades 9-12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
8
1965 ALABAMA LITERACY TEST
1965 ALABAMA LITERACY TEST
22. When a jury has heard and rendered a verdict in
a case, and the judgment on the verdict has become
final, the defendant cannot again be brought to trial
for the same cause. ____True ____False
23. Name two levels of government which can levy
taxes: _______________________________________
24. Communism was the type of government in:
____U.S. ____Russia ____England
25. Cases tried before a court of law are two types,
civil and ____________________________________
26. By a majority vote of the members of Congress,
the Congress can change provisions of the
Constitution of the U.S. ____True ____False
27. For security, each state has a right to form a
____________________________________________
28. The electoral vote for President is counted in the
presence of two bodies. Name them:
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
29. If no candidate for President receives a majority
of the electoral vote, who decides who will become
President?___________________________________
30. Of the original 13 states, the one with the largest
representation in the first Congress was
____________________________________________
31. Of which branch of government is the Speaker of
the House a part?
____Executive ____Legislative ____Judicial
32. Capital punishment is the giving of a death
sentence. ____True ____False
33. In case the President is unable to perform the
duties of his office, who assumes them?
____________________________________________
PAGE 2
34. “Involuntary servitude” is permitted in the U.S.
upon conviction of a crime. ____True ____False
35. If a state is a party to a case, the Constitution
provides that original jurisdiction shall be in
____________________________________________
36. Congress passes laws regulating cases which are
included in those over which the U.S. Supreme
Court has ________________________ jurisdiction.
37. Which of the following is a right guaranteed by
the Bill of Rights of the U.S. Constitution?
____Public Housing ____Education
____Voting ____Trial by Jury
38. The Legislatures of the states decide how
presidential electors may be chosen.
____True ____False
39. If it were proposed to join Alabama and
Mississippi to form one state, what groups would
have to vote approval in order for this to be done?
____________________________________________
40. The Vice President presides over _______________
41. The Constitution limits the size of the District of
Columbia to _________________________________
42. The only laws which can be passed to apply to an
area in a federal arsenal are those passed by
_______________ provided consent for the purchase
of the land is given by the ______________________
43. In which document or writing is the “Bill of
Rights” found? _______________________________
44. Of which branch of government is a Supreme
Court justice a part?
____Executive ____Legislative ____Judicial
45. If no person receives a majority of the electoral
votes, the Vice President is chosen by the Senate.
____True ____False
Grades 9-12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
9
1965 ALABAMA LITERACY TEST
1965 ALABAMA LITERACY TEST
PAGE 3
46. Name two things which the states are forbidden
to do by the U.S. Constitution.
____________________________________________
58. On the impeachment of the chief justice of the
Supreme court of the U.S., who tries the case?
____________________________________________
47. If election of the President becomes the duty of
the U.S. House of Representatives and it fails to act,
who becomes President and when?
____________________________________________
59. Money is coined by order of:
____U.S. Congress ____The President’s Cabinet
____State Legislatures
48. How many votes must a person receive in order
to become President if the election is decided by the
U.S. House of Representatives? __________________
60. Persons elected to cast a state’s vote for U.S.
President and Vice President are called presidential
____________________________________________
49. How many states were required to approve the
original Constitution in order for it to be in effect?
____________________________________________
61. Name one power which is exclusively legislative
and is mentioned in one of the parts of the U.S.
Constitution above. ___________________________
50. Check the offenses which, if you are convicted of
them, disqualify you for voting:
____Murder ____Issuing worthless checks
____Petty larceny ____Manufacturing whiskey
62. If a person flees from justice into another state, who
has authority to ask for his return? ______________
51. The Congress decides in what manner states
elect presidential electors. ____True ____False
52. Name two of the purposes of the U.S.
Constitution. ________________________________
____________________________________________
53. Congress is composed of
____________________________________________
54. All legislative powers granted in the U.S. Constitution may legally be used only by_______________
55. The population census is required to be made
every ____ years.
56. Impeachments of U.S. officials are tried by
____________________________________________
57. If an effort to impeach the President of the U.S.
is made, who presides at the trial?
____________________________________________
63. Whose duty is it to keep Congress informed of
the state of the union? ________________________
64. If the two houses of Congress cannot agree on
adjournment, who sets the time?
____________________________________________
65. When presidential electors meet to cast ballots for
President, must all electors in a state vote for the same
person for President or can they vote for different
persons if they so choose? ______________________
66. After the presidential electors have voted, to
whom do they send the count of their votes?
____________________________________________
67. The power to declare war is vested in ___________
68. Any power and rights not given to the U.S. or
prohibited to the states by the U.S. Constitution are
specified as belonging to whom? ________________
____________________________________________
Grades 9-12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
10
1965 ALABAMA LITERACY TEST
ANSWERS TO ALABAMA LITERACY TEST
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
Trial by Jury only
False (every 10 years)
Habeas Corpus (immediate presentation
of charges); lawyer; speedy trial
January 3
January 20
Proposed change, as in a Constitution
Life (with good behavior)
Nine
Yes
Affirm
35
In God We Trust
False
U.S. Constitution
The governor
Six
Two
Executive
Congress
Population (as determined by census)
less untaxed Indians
Cruel and unusual
True
State and local
Russia
Criminal
False
Militia
House of Representatives, Senate
House of Representatives
Virginia
Legislative
True
The Vice President
True
The Supreme Court
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49.
50.
51.
52.
53.
54.
55.
56.
57.
58.
59.
60.
61.
62.
63.
64.
65.
66.
67.
68.
Co-appellate
Trial by jury
True
Congress and the legislatures of both states
the Senate
10 miles square
Congress; state legislatures
Constitution
Judicial
True
Coin money; make treaties
The Vice President, until the House acts
26
9
Murder
False
(Preamble statements) “to form a more perfect
union, establish justice, insure domestic
tranquillity, provide for the common defense,
promote the general welfare, and secure the
blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.”
House of Representatives and Senate
Congress
10
The Senate
The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
The Senate
The U. S. Congress
Electors
Pass laws, coin money, declare war
The Governor
The President
The President
They can vote for different people.
Vice President (President of the Senate)
Congress
The states; the people
Grades 9-12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
11
9–12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE Expanding the Right to Vote
WE, THE WOMEN
(60-90 minutes over one to two days)
OBJECTIVE
Students take the part of women suffragists
and their opponents to understand the need
for legal protection.
MATERIALS
Remarks of Orestes A. Brownson handout;
Remarks of Abraham L. Kellogg handout;
Remarks of Reverend Father Walsh and Representative Clark handout; Jane Addams & Alice
Stone Blackwell Respond to the Anti-suffragists
handout; Women’s Suffrage Timeline handout
GET READY
Divide the class into groups of four or five.
Duplicate one anti-suffrage statement passage
and one copy of the Jane Addams & Alice
Stone Blackwell Respond handout for each
group. (Note that there are two long and two
short anti-suffrage statement passages, for
groups of varying ability.) Duplicate a Women’s
Suffrage Timeline handout for everyone.
INSTRUCTIONS
Instruct each group to read its Anti-suffrage
Statement passage and the Jane Addams &
Alice Stone Blackwell Respond handout.
Inform the groups that they need to adapt
their Anti-suffrage Statement and one of the
responses from the Jane Addams & Alice Stone
Blackwell Respond handout to create a
dialogue to present to the class.
Have the students in each group work together
to write a script based on the handouts where a
suffragist and an anti-suffragist exchange
opinions about women and the right to vote.
Each group should designate two people to act
the roles of the suffragist and the anti-suffragist.
Have the groups rehearse a two-minute scene
in which the anti-suffragist presents one or
two of his arguments and “Alice Stone
Blackwell” or “Jane Addams” responds.
Have each group act out its skit in front of
the class.
After the groups present their scenes, ask the
questions below.
Next, review the process of amending the constitution (3/4 states ratification). Pass out the
Women’s Suffrage Timeline handout and ask
students to highlight the five events they feel
were most crucial in winning the vote for women.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# One viewpoint common to both suffragists and
anti-suffragists was the conviction that women
would vote differently from men. Was that the
case then? Do they today? What has been the
effect of women’s suffrage on elections and
policy decisions?
# What do you think of the anti-suffragists
arguments? Why do you think people used to
support the anti-suffragists in great numbers?
# Could you use the women in your family as
examples of why the anti-suffragists were
wrong? How?
# Which trends and events in American history
in the late 19th and early 20th centuries
changed the role of women in society?
Grades 9-12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
12
9–12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE
WE, THE WOMEN
(continued)
MORE!
Look up the “woman vote” in a recent election.
News magazines often have this reportage. Was
gender a factor in the result?
VOTE QUOTE
“I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do
everything, but still I can do something. I will
not refuse to do the something I can do.”
– Helen Keller
Grades 9-12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
13
WE, THE WOMEN
REMARKS OF ORESTES A. BROWNSON
(1869 AND 1873)
The conclusive objection to the political enfranchisement
of women is, that it would weaken and finally break up
and destroy the Christian family. The social unit is the
family, not the individual; and the greatest danger to
American society is, that we are rapidly becoming a
nation of isolated individuals, without family ties or
affections. The family has already been much weakened,
and is fast disappearing. We have broken away from the
old homestead, have lost the restraining and purifying
associations that gathered around it, and live away
from home in hotels and boarding-houses. We are daily
losing the faith, the virtues, the habits, and the
manners without which the family cannot be sustained;
and when the family goes, the nation goes too, or
ceases to be worth preserving…
Extend now to women suffrage and eligibility, give
them the political right to vote and to be voted for;
render it feasible for them to enter the arena of
political strife, to become canvassers in elections and
candidates for office, and what remains of family union
will soon be dissolved. The wife may espouse one
political party, and the husband another, and it may
well happen that the husband and wife may be rival
candidates for the same office, and one or the other
doomed to the mortification of defeat. Will the husband
like to see his wife enter the lists against him, and
triumph over him? Will the wife, fired with political
ambition for place or power, be pleased to see her own
husband enter the lists against her, and succeed at her
expense? Will political rivalry and the passions it never
fails to engender increase the mutual affection of
husband and wife for each other, and promote domestic
union and peace, or will it not carry into the bosom of
the family all the strife, discord, anger, and division of
the political canvass? …
for it nature has specially qualified her. Her proper
sphere is home, and her proper function is the care of
the household, to manage a family, to take care of
children, and attend to their early training. For this she
is endowed with patience, endurance, passive courage,
quick sensibilities, a sympathetic nature, and great
executive and administrative ability. She was born to be
a queen in her own household, and to make home
cheerful, bright, and happy. We do not believe women,
unless we acknowledge individual exceptions, are fit to
have their own head. The most degraded of the savage
tribes are those in which women rule, and descent is
reckoned from the mother instead of the father.
Revelation asserts, and universal experience proves that
the man is the head of the woman, and that the woman
is for the man, not the man for the woman; and his
greatest error, as well as the primal curse of society, is
that he abdicates his headship, and allows himself to be
governed, we might almost say, deprived of his reason,
by woman. It was through the seductions of the woman,
herself seduced by the serpent, that man fell, and
brought sin and all our woe into the world. She has all
the qualities that fit her to be a nurse, their early
instructress, their guardian, their life-long friend; to be
his companion, his comforter, his consoler in sorrow,
his friend in trouble, his ministering angel in sickness;
but as an independent existence, free to follow her own
fancies and vague longings, her own ambition and
natural love of power, without masculine direction or
control, she is out of her element, and a social anomaly,
sometimes a hideous monster, which men seldom are,
excepting through a woman’s influence. This is no
excuse for men, but it proves that women need a head,
and the restraint of father, husband, or the priest of God.1
Woman was created to be a wife and a mother; that is
her destiny. To that destiny all her instincts point, and
Aileen S. Kraditor, Editor, Up from the Pedestal, (Chicago, Quadrangle Books, 1970), pp. 192-194.
1
Grades 9-12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
14
WE, THE WOMEN
REMARKS OF ABRAHAM L. KELLOGG
NEW YORK STATE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION (1894)
No, Mr. President, the true glory of womanhood is not
in sitting upon the jury, not in being clothed in judicial
ermine, not in being sent to the halls of legislation, not
in following the example of the publican, who prayed
aloud in public places to be seen and heard of men, but
rather by such fond devotion in that sacred place where
she stands as a queen in the eyes of all mankind,
unrivaled and unsurpassed, as will enshrine her forever
in the hearts of the father, the husband and the son.
Their pathway to enduring fame is in teaching their
daughters lessons of virtue and their sons to be manly,
self-reliant and independent. Would the sons of Sparta
have been more heroic or patriotic, had their noble
women possessed the ballot when they uttered the
historic words: “Come back rather upon your armor than
without it”? Would the influence of the noble women of
the late war, God preserve the memory of their heroic
deeds, have been more refining, had they been educated
in the mire of politics? Would it have added delicacy to
the touch of the hand upon the fevered brow of the dying
soldier? No, Mr. President, a thousand times no. It would
have robbed the flower of its beauty and fragrance.
With my last breath will I defend from the realm of
politics and partisan strife, the institution which has
cost untold suffering heroic sacrifice and the priceless
blood of patriots to preserve…
Women of the great State of New York, the diffusion of
Christianity, no matter of what creed, will emancipate
you more than the ballot can possibly do. Let the hand
which rocks the cradle teach the coming young men
and women of America the Lord’s Prayer and the Ten
Commandments, and you will do more for your
emancipation and for every right which you may possess
in the whole realm of human rights, than you can do
with both hands full of white ballots. Do this and it will
not be necessary for you to teach them political ethics
or shine in the political firmament, to make them love
you, fight for you and die for you. Do this and they will
revere their country and love their flag.
A few of the excellent and worthy women who are in
this Convention demanding the right to vote, I concede
would do so. There are thousands of bad women who
would also vote, at least, upon some questions, thus
enforcing upon millions of modest and retiring mothers
responsibilities from which they shrink, and rightly so…
For a number of years the best minds of our State have
been engaged in solving the question how shall we
purify our politics, how best can honest government be
attained and how shall we defend the suffrage against
bribery and corruption? That some progress has been
made in the right direction, I think all good men will
admit. But, sir, before doubling twice over the voting
population of the State, with its untold possibility of
corruption, before we burden our taxpayers with a
great expense to pay for such extension of the suffrage,
let, rather, this Convention… use its time and bend its
efforts towards purifying the augean stables which we
now have to contend with, rather than to incur the
possibility of new evils which we know not of, and
which it is not possible for the wisdom of man at this
time to comprehend.
Gentlemen of the Convention, let us not at this time,
by woman suffrage, or by its submission to the people,
but rather by such wise efforts for entire religious
liberty, for the diffusion of knowledge and the maintenance of our institutions of learning, for dispensing
the greatest charity possible, consistent with the cause
of good government, by demanding the strictest
honesty in the discharge of all public affairs and by
defending the sanctity and purity of the fireside,
preserve this lovely land, this glorious liberty, this
priceless legacy of freedom transmitted to us by our
fathers. (Applause)1
Aileen S. Kraditor, Editor, Up from the Pedestal, (Chicago, Quadrangle Books,1970),pp.196-198.
1
Grades 9-12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
15
WE, THE WOMEN
REMARKS OF REVEREND FATHER WALSH
“A woman’s brain evolves emotion rather than intellect and whilst this feature fits
her admirably as a creature burdened with the preservation and happiness of the
human species, it painfully disqualifies her for the sterner duties to be performed by
the intellectual faculties. The best wife and mother and sister would make the worst
legislator, judge and police.
“The excessive development of the emotional in her nervous system, ingrafts on the
female organization, a neurotic or hysterical condition, which is the source of much
of the female charm when it is kept within due restraints. In … moments of
excitement … it is liable to explode in violent paroxysms … Every woman,
therefore, carries this power of irregular, illogical and incongruous action; and no
one can foretell when the explosion will come.”1
– Reverend Father Walsh
REMARKS OF REPRESENTATIVE CLARK
In 1915, the 3rd session of the 63rd Congress, Representative Clark of Florida stated:
“I do not wish to see the day come when the women of my race in my state shall
trail their skirts in the muck and mire of partisan politics. I prefer to look to the
American woman as she always has been, occupying her proud estate as the queen of
the American home, instead of regarding her as a ward politician in the cities. As the
mother, as the wife, as the sister she exercises a broader and deeper and mightier
influence than she can ever exercise or hope to on the stump and in the byways of
politics in this land. The American mother, the American woman, has my
admiration, my respect, and my love—.” 2
AiIeen S. Kraditor, Editor, The Ideas of the Woman Suffrage Movement (New York, W.W. Norton and Co., 1981), pp. 20.
Ibid, p. 26.
l
2
Grades 9-12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
16
WE, THE WOMEN
JANE ADDAMS & ALICE STONE BLACKWELL
RESPOND TO THE ANTI-SUFFRAGISTS
JANE ADDAMS RESPONDS
Women who live in the country sweep their own
dooryards and may either feed the refuse of the table to
a flock of chickens or allow it innocently to decay in
the open air and sunshine. In a crowded city quarter,
however, if the street is not cleaned by the city
authorities no amount of private sweeping will keep the
tenement free from grime; if the garbage is not
properly collected and destroyed a tenement house
mother may see her children sicken and die of diseases
from which she alone is powerless to shield them,
although her tenderness and devotion are unbounded.
She cannot even secure untainted meat for her
household, she cannot provide fresh fruit, unless the
meat has been inspected by city officials and the
decayed fruit which is so often placed upon sale in the
tenement districts, has been destroyed in the interests
of public health. In short, if a woman would keep on
with her old business of caring for her house and
rearing her children she will have to have some
conscience in regard to public affairs lying quite
outside of her immediate household. The individual
conscience and devotion are no longer effective… If
women would effectively continue their old avocations
they must take part in the slow upbuilding of that code
of legislation which is alone sufficient to protect the
home from the dangers incident to modern life.
– from Jane Addams, “Why Women Should Vote,” Ladies Home Journal,
1909, reprinted in Aileen S. Kraditor, The Ideas of the Woman Suffrage
Movement (New York: W.W. Norton and Co., 1981),p. 69
ALICE STONE BLACKWELL RESPONDS
Professor Goldwin Smith says:
That the sex has its privileges in America, no
woman, it is presumed, will deny. Does the
woman’s rights party expect to combine the
prerogatives of both sexes, and have equality and
privileges too? … Chivalry depends on the
acknowledged need of protection, and what is
accorded to a gentle helpmate would not be
accorded to a rival. Man would neither be inclined
not bound to treat with tenderness and forbearance
the being who was fighting and jostling him in all
his walks of life, wrangling with him in the law
courts, wrestling with him on the stump,
maneuvering against him in elections, haggling
against him in Wall Street, and perhaps
encountering him on the race course and in the
betting ring. But when woman has lost her
privilege, what will she be but a weaker man?
If we were at present arguing the propriety of letting
women practice law, make public speeches, take part in
political canvassing, speculate in stocks, or bet at races,
these remarks would be more to the point. But women
already are as free before the law to do all these things
as men are, and society does not seem to have been
seriously overturned in consequence. Some of them, like
public speaking, are perfectly fit for women to do; others,
like betting, are not fit for anybody to do. But none of
them have any immediate connection with voting.
What Prof. Smith means is that men would no longer
show chivalry or tenderness to women if women were
admitted to the suffrage. So Bishop Vincent is reported
to have said that if women were allowed to vote, he
should never again offer a lady his seat in a horse-car.
But the Bishop has forgotten his logic. Why does he
now offer a lady his seat? Is it because she cannot vote,
or because she is presumably not so well able to stand
as he is? So far as the chivalry now shown to women
has any rational basis, the same ground for it will
continue to exist, and it will, doubtless, continue to be
manifested by men of a chivalrous nature… It is a
matter of education and custom more than anything
else. The Mohammedan thinks women would cease to
be respected if they walked the streets with faces
unveiled. So they would in the East, where custom has
caused it to be regarded as shocking… Justice is better
than chivalry, if we cannot have both; but the two are
not at all incompatible. On the contrary, they help each
other. ‘As all the vices play into one another’s hands, so
all the virtues stand shoulder to shoulder.’
–from Alice Stone Blackwell, “Losing Her Privilege,” Woman’s Journal,
January, 1890, reprinted in Aileen S. Kraditor, Editor, Up From the
Pedestal (Chicago: Quadrangle Books,1970), pp. 204-205
Grades 9-12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
17
WE, THE WOMEN
WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE TIMELINE
1848 Seneca Falls Convention for women’s rights: 68
women (inducting organizers Lucretia Mott and
Elizabeth Cady Stanton) sign a “Declaration of
Rights and Sentiments” which includes the first
formal demand made in the United States for
women’s right to vote.
1912 Oregon, Kansas, and Arizona adopt women’s
suffrage.
1850 First National Women’s Rights Convention,
Worcester, Mass.
1917 New York state adopts women’s suffrage;
Jeanette Rankin of Montana is formally seated
in the U.S. House of Representatives, the first
woman elected to Congress.
1866 At the end of the Civil War, African-American
men get the vote but women do not; suffragists
bring petitions signed by 10,000 to Congress.
1872 For casting a ballot in the presidential election
of 1872, Susan B. Anthony is arrested, tried, and
fined in New York.
1878 Senator Sargent of California introduces a
women’s suffrage amendment in Congress, the
wording of which remains unchanged until it is
finally passed by Congress in 1919.
1890 Wyoming is admitted to the Union; women had
been granted voting rights in Wyoming
Territory since 1869. The American Women
Suffrage Association and the National Women
Suffrage Association merge, becoming the
National American Woman Suffrage Association
(NAWSA), pledged to state-by-state campaigns
for suffrage.
1914 Largest women’s suffrage parade ever held takes
place in New York City; Montana and Nevada
adopt women’s suffrage.
1918 Michigan, South Dakota, and Oklahoma adopt
women’s suffrage; President Wilson first states
his support of the federal women’s suffrage
amendment.
1919 In an urn directly in line with the White House
front door, the National Women’s Party builds a
perpetual “watchfire for freedom,” in which
they burn speeches by President Wilson.
Members of the NWP who have been imprisoned
for picketing the White House tour the country
on a train called the “Prison Special.” At each
stop they speak about their experiences.
1919 The House and Senate pass the 19th Amendment.
1920 Tennessee becomes the 36th and final required
state to pass the 19th Amendment. Women’s
suffrage becomes law on August 26th.
1890s Colorado, Utah, Idaho, and Washington become
additional states with women’s suffrage.
1911 Women’s suffrage succeeds in a California
election, after a huge campaign. The National
Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage is
founded.
Excerpted with permission from “Years of Hope, Years of Struggle,” in the gazette Women Win the Vote.
Grades 9-12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
18
9–12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE Expanding the Right to Vote
VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1965
(60 minutes over two days)
OBJECTIVE
Students consider the impact of the Voting
Rights Act Of 1965.
MATERIALS
Voting Rights Act Of 1965 handout
GET READY
Copy the Voting Rights Act Of 1965 handout
for each of your students.
INSTRUCTIONS
Engage your students in a discussion of
voting rights. Start the discussion by asking,
Can anyone tell me restrictions there used to
be on people trying to vote? Listen to student
responses.
Students will likely mention race and/or
ethnicity as factors in people being prohibited
from exercising their right to vote. Explain
that the Voting Rights Act Of 1965 was passed
to make sure that no one would be denied
their right to vote due to their race or ethnicity.
Pass out the Voting Rights Act Of 1965 handout and have your students read it individually.
Have your students break up into small groups
and discuss the contents of the Voting Rights Act
excerpt. Make sure the students understand its
components as they are stated on the handout.
Discuss the right of a voter to not have to take
any tests or pass any requirements before he or
she votes (besides proof of age, citizenship,
etc.) Further discuss how the taking of tests
and the passing of certain requirements was
representative of racial prejudices in our country.
Tell the groups they are going to make a presentation in respect to the Voting Rights Act Of
1965. They need to devise an unjust voting
scenario that would have occurred prior to the
Act, and explain how the Voting Rights Act
corrected that injustice; students can write a
narrative, write a script and act it out, create
a PowerPoint or video, etc.
The groups should focus their scenarios
around one of the “tests or devices,” as stated
on the handout, whereas no one shall be denied
the right to vote due to requirements to:
Demonstrate the ability to read, write,
understand, or interpret any matter
Demonstrate any educational
achievement or his knowledge of any
particular subject
Possess good moral character
Prove his qualifications by the voucher
of registered voters or members of any
other class
Your students should do research on actual
instances of voter discrimination in order to
lend their scenarios legitimacy. Tell each group
that they will need to reference and describe at
least one true account of voter injustice.
Have the groups share their scenarios with the
class and explain how the Voting Rights Act Of
1965 corrected the injustice taking place in
their scenario. The groups should also cite and
describe the true account of voter discrimination they researched.
Grades 9-12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
19
9–12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE Expanding the Right to Vote
VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1965
(continued)
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# Why was the Voting Rights Act Of 1965 passed?
# Who benefited from the Voting Rights Act Of
1965? What challenges to voting had this
population experienced prior to the passing
and implementation of the Voting Rights Act?
# What surprised you in your research of an
actual case of voter discrimination?
# What other changes to voting rights have
there been since 1965? (Lowering the voting
age to 18, etc.)
Grades 9-12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
20
VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1965
Voting Rights Act Of 1965
To assure that the right of citizens of the United States to vote
is not denied or abridged on account of race or color, no citizen
shall be denied the right to vote in any Federal, State, or local
election because of his failure to comply with any test or device
in any State…
The phrase “test or device” shall mean any requirement that a
person as a prerequisite for voting or registration for voting (1)
demonstrate the ability to read, write, understand, or interpret
any matter, (2) demonstrate any educational achievement or
his knowledge of any particular subject, (3) possess good moral
character, or (4) prove his qualifications by the voucher of
registered voters or members of any other class…
Grades 9-12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
21
9–12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE Expanding the Right to Vote
NELSON MANDELA VOTES IN THE ELECTION OF 1994
(45 minutes over two days)
OBJECTIVE
Students compare voting injustices in South
Africa to those of the United States.
MATERIALS
Nelson Mandela Votes In The Election Of 1994
handout
GET READY
Copy the Nelson Mandela Votes In The Election
Of 1994 handout for each student in your class.
INSTRUCTIONS
Ask your students if America was the only country
in the world to suffer voting injustices. Ask for
examples of countries that had similar problems.
Make sure to mention South Africa as an example
if it is not brought up. Further mention that
South Africa was ruled by apartheid, and explain
what apartheid is if students do not know.
Talk to your class about Nelson Mandela. Ask,
Does anyone know who Nelson Mandela is?
Do you know why he is famous? Listen to
student responses and provide additional
information on Nelson Mandela to create a
context for the handout.
Tell your students that you are going to have
them read an excerpt from Nelson Mandela’s autobiography. Ask your students to read the Nelson
Mandela Votes In The Election Of 1994 handout.
Tell your students that you had them read the
handout so that they could see the importance
of racial equality and the right to vote the
world over and draw connections between
South Africa and America. Ask them to share
their comments and questions.
For homework, or possibly as an in-classroom
assignment, have your students (either in
groups or as individuals) research instances
of voter discrimination in another country,
past or present.
Have your students describe before the class at
least one instance of voting injustice in another
country that they researched. Students should
present both how this event mirrors America’s
voting history and how it differs.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# Why did Nelson Mandela quote Martin Luther
King, Jr. in his speech?
# What connections can you make between
suffrage in South Africa and suffrage in America?
# Nelson Mandela mentioned, “heroes who have
sacrificed” so that South Africans may have a
freely elected government. Who are America’s
“heroes who have sacrificed” so that we may
have a freely elected government?
# What did you learn about voting injustice as a
global phenomena? Do you think there are
still voting injustices in the world today?
Can you give an example?
# What do you think it will feel like the first
time you vote?
Grades 9-12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
22
NELSON MANDELA VOTES IN THE ELECTION OF 1994
NELSON MANDELA VOTES IN THE ELECTION OF 1994
I voted on April 27, the second of the four days
of voting, and I chose to vote in Natal to show the
people in that divided province that there was no
danger in going to the polling stations. I voted at
Ohlange High School in Inanda, a green and hilly
township just north of Durban, for it was there that
John Dube, the first president of the ANC, was buried.
This African patriot had helped found the organization in 1912, and casting my vote near his grave site
brought history full circle, for the mission he began
eighty-two years before was about to be achieved.
As I stood over his grave on a rise above the
small school below, I thought not of the present but
of the past. When I walked to the voting station, my
mind dwelt on the heroes who had fallen so that I
might be where I was that day, the men and women
who had made the ultimate sacrifice for a cause that
was now finally succeeding. I thought of Oliver
Tambo, and Chris Hani, and Chief Luthuli, and Bram
Fischer. I thought of our great African heroes, who
had sacrificed so that millions of South Africans
could be voting on that very day… I did not go into
that voting station alone on April 27; I was casting
my vote with all of them…
I marked an X in the box next to the letters
ANC and then slipped my folded ballot into a simple
wooden box; I had cast the first vote of my life.
The images of South Africans going to the
polls that day are burned in my memory. Great lines
of patient people snaking through the dirt roads and
streets of towns and cities; old women who had waited half a century to cast their first vote saying that
they felt like human beings for the first time in their
lives; white men and women saying they were proud
to live in a free country at last. The mood of the
nation during those days of voting was buoyant. The
violence and bombings ceased, and it was as if we
were a nation reborn…
It took several days for the results to be counted. We polled 62.6 percent of the national
vote…Some in the ANC were disappointed that we
did not cross the two-thirds threshold, but I was not
one of them. In fact I was relieved; had we won twothirds of the vote and been able to write a constitution unfettered by input from others, people would
argue that we had created an ANC constitution. I
wanted a true government of national unity.
On the evening of May 2, Mr. de Klerk made a
gracious concession speech. After more than three
centuries of rule, the white minority was conceding
defeat and turning over power to the black Majority.
That evening the ANC was planning a victory celebration at the ballroom of the Carlton Hotel in downtown
Johannesburg…Mrs. Coretta Scott King, the wife of
the great freedom fighter Martin Luther King Jr., was
on the podium that night, and I looked over to her as I
made reference to her husband’s immortal words.
“This is one of the most important moments in
the life of our country. I stand here before you filled
with deep pride and joy — pride in the ordinary,
humble people of this country. You have shown such
a calm, patient determination to reclaim this country on your own, and now the joy that we can loudly
proclaim to the rooftops — free at last! Free at last! I
stand before you humbled by your courage, with a
heart full of love for all of you…This is a time to heal
the old wounds and build a new South Africa.”
–Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
(pp.538–540)
(Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1994)
Grades 9-12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
23
9–12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE Suffrage Today
STOP THAT TEENAGER BEFORE HE VOTES
(60 minutes over one to two days)
OBJECTIVE
Students evaluate and respond to commentary
on teen-voters.
MATERIALS
What is Your Ideology? handout; Stop That
Teenager Before He Votes handout
GET READY
Print one copy of the What is Your Ideology?
handout for yourself.
Duplicate a copy of the Stop That Teenager
Before He Votes handout for each student in
your class.
INSTRUCTIONS
Say to your class, A couple of reasons that people
use to explain why 18- to 20-year-olds don’t vote
in large numbers is that they don’t have any
opinions on the issues. You’re not quite 18 (in
most cases), so let’s see about that. Take the What
is Your Ideology? handout and choose statements
from the document to present to the class. Ask
students for their opinions on the various issues.
Encourage your students to respectfully
engage one another in a discussion of the
issues you bring up.
Say, It turns out that you do have some very
definite opinions, and a very good reason to
vote your mind — on a Kids Voting ballot now
or an official one, as soon as you turn 18.
Say, Now I am going to give you an article
from a man who does not think that teenagers
should be encouraged to vote. Have the
students read the article.
Ask, How did that article make you feel? Is
there anything you would say to Mr.
Rosenberg in response to his article? Listen to
a couple of responses and then give your
students an opportunity to list why they think
teenagers 18 years and older deserve to vote
(pay taxes, participation in armed forces, etc.)
Provide your students the opportunity to draft
letters to local/national newspaper editors
explaining why young adults should be encouraged, not discouraged, to vote. (Refer to the
Letter to the Editor activity in the Active
Citizenship theme.)
Have students share their written responses
with the rest of the class and then mail them
(optional).
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# Did you find that you had stronger opinions
on the issues than you thought? If yes, what
does that tell you about yourself?
# Why do you think Mr. Rosenberg felt the need
to write that article? What do you think about
his reasoning?
# Was this activity powerful in making you want
to vote? How so?
# Do you have the right to vote? What are the
current requirements for suffrage?
# Some people think the voting age should be
lowered to 17 or maybe even 16. How do you
feel about that? (Ask students to defend their
point of view.)
# What are your responsibilities in regards
to voting?
Grades 9-12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
24
STOP THAT TEENAGER BEFORE HE VOTES
WHAT IS YOUR IDEOLOGY?
An ideology is a systematic set of values that enables a person to view policy issues in a consistent way.
Your answers to these questions will indicate if your political values lean toward the liberal or conservative
ideologies. Circle T for true or F for false in response to the following statements.
1.
The federal government places too many restrictions on the way corporations
conduct their business.
T
F
Unions reduce productivity by discouraging workers from performing tasks not
agreed to in a labor management contract.
T
F
3.
High government taxes discourage citizens from working hard.
T
F
4.
Most people on welfare would prefer a real job.
T
F
5.
Government should create programs that will reduce America’s large number of poor people.
T
F
6.
The best way to help the poor is to set policies that help businesses earn a profit
so they can hire the underprivileged.
T
F
Taxes should be used to redistribute income by taking from the wealthy and giving
to the poor.
T
F
8.
The government has a special responsibility to protect and assist disadvantaged minorities.
T
F
9.
Government programs on behalf of the disadvantaged discourage people from
helping themselves.
T
F
10. America’s high crime rate is directly traceable to the persistence of poverty and
discrimination.
T
F
11. America’s high crime rate is due to courts being too lenient with criminals.
T
F
12. Crime, unemployment and poverty will be reduced if Americans return to the
traditional values of hard work, self discipline and belief in God.
T
F
13. Government should censor or restrict films and publications that undermine
the nation’s moral fiber.
T
F
14. The First Amendment should protect pornography from government censorship.
Adults must be free to think and speak as they wish.
T
F
15. Most Third World unrest can be traced to Communist attempts to inspire anti-Western
revolutions in these areas.
T
F
T
F
2.
7.
16. Most Third World unrest is caused by weak governments and economics, poverty, famine
and internal conflict—legacy of Western political and economic imperialism.
Note: This survey is designed to measure students’ value orientations on key ideological issues. It does not
scientifically determine ideology. The answers are below: L is for liberal and C for conservative.
1.
2.
3.
4.
T-C
T-C
T-C
T-L
F-L
F-L
F-L
F-C
5.
6.
7.
8.
T-L
T-C
T-L
T-L
F-C
F-L
F-C
F-C
9.
10.
11.
12.
T-C
T-L
T-C
T-C
F-L
F-C
F-L
F-L
13.
14.
15.
16.
T-C
T-L
T-C
T-L
F-L
F-C
F-L
F-C
Reprinted with permission from the Newsweek Education Department.
Grades 9-12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
25
STOP THAT TEENAGER BEFORE HE VOTES
STOP THAT TEENAGER BEFORE HE VOTES
By ELLIOT ROSENBERG
Each fall I commit an act of willful
sabotage. It is premeditated, unabashed
and performed in an American classroom beneath the Stars and Stripes.
And when the deed is done, I harbor no
feelings of guilt. For in weakening, ever
so slightly, one pillar of democratic
mythology, I have helped preserve the
Republic.
New York City’s Board of Education
would disagree. My high school's
administration would, too. Also, my
union, the United Federation of
Teachers, and every Republican and
Democrat who has ever run for public
office, anywhere. And, most vehemently
of all, the League of Women Voters.
What is this act of possible sedition? Through tactically indirect means,
I discourage some teenagers from voting, checkmating the vigorous campaigns to register them and get them
into those curtained booths. I do it for a
good reason: Many teenagers do not
deserve to vote. Their teacher should
know. Let me explain: Each campaign
season my immediate superior, the
Social Studies Department chairman,
asks whether any of my classes hold sizable numbers of 18-year-olds. Instead of
taking the cowardly way out and simply
saying “No,” I welcome two genteel,
well-dressed women from the League of
Women Voters into my classroom. As
the well-meaning pair talk about citizen
responsibility, the duty of all eligible
teenagers to make their collective voice
heard across the land, their opportunity
to make democracy truly work, they
never take note of the fidgeting bodylanguage signs before them. Nor the
subtle eye-to-eye contact by which students query me: “When they gonna finish?”
When the lecture ends, the women
distribute several pamphlets and a
manila voter-registration form to all the
18-year-olds. Self-addressed by the
Board of Elections, it spares teenagers
any inconvenience on the road to
becoming good citizens. And it’s
marked, “No Postage Necessary If
Mailed In The United States,” fulfilling
one’s civic duty also becomes financially
painless. And if a journey to the nearest
mail box might prove arduous, arrangements are in place for a table-top “drop”
site in the school lobby.
Then the women make their first
major mistake. Instead of leading their
quarry line by line through the rows of
questions on the registration form, they
depart.
“Hey, what’s the color of my eyes
for item 7?”
“Can I get in trouble if I sign the
aff-i-dav-it?”
“What do I write in the box marked
‘For Official Use Only’?”
Possibly the league representatives
figure any 18-year-old can fill out a simple form. That seems a logical conclusion by any group also capable of presuming all 18-year-olds belong in a voting booth. Or perhaps they assume I’ll
enthusiastically pick up where they
enthusiastically leave off.
Another grievous mistake.
I’ll go this far: “Your eyes are
hazel… you won’t get in trouble if your
answers are honest… don’t write anything in the box marked ‘Official Use’.”
But not a step further.
“Mr. Rosenberg, I don’t want to
register and I don’t care about voting.
Do I have to?”
“Say, If I fill this thing out, will you
give me extra credit?”
Effective sabotage need not be violent. It can be as subtle as an ambiguous shrug or its verbal equivalent.
“I’m not telling you to vote; I’m
not telling you not to vote. That’s your
decision to make.”
Then I add the fatal caveat: “If you
decide to vote, take the trouble to be
informed, learn the candidates’ backgrounds, learn the issues, learn where
the candidates stand on those issues.”
That strikes some in the room as
too much spinach, not enough candy.
So the number of uncompleted manila
registration forms I find in the waste
basket at the end of the school day
never alarms me.
If we hesitate to let teenagers drink
until they’re 21, why entrust them with
shaping the fate of the Republic at 18?
Since the 26th Amendment’s ratification in 1971, about 400 youngsters have
passed through my economics and history classes each school year. Many I’d
happily escort, umbrella in hand, to the
polls on a stormy day. But many others
constitute a sleeping giant best left
unwakened.
After marking a few tests, a teacher
is a better judge of a youngster's readiness to share in his country’s governance than any voter-action group,
however well-intentioned. In social
studies class, a platter is placed before
the student containing the roots and
structure of American government, the
essence of our Constitution, its evolution, its enduring issues. And if he
leaves his plate untouched, the nation
will be better served if he also leaves no
fingerprints on a voting booth lever.
Consider an essay on government
that informs the reader that the president “passes” laws but Congress can
veto them and the Supreme Court can
make the law work anyway by overriding Congress’s veto. Or a history essay
that affirms Franklin Roosevelt was to
blame for the Depression that took
place in the 1950s, but he made up for
it by winning World War II after the
Chinese bombed Pearl Harbor.
“Getting Out the Vote” is an important endeavor. To my mind, “Keeping
‘Em Away” is often just as necessary.
Mr. Rosenberg is a high-school
teacher in New York.
Reprinted with permission from The Wall Street Journal, September 29, 1988
Grades 9-12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
26
9–12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE Suffrage Today
THE POWER OF ONE
(60 minutes over one to two days)
OBJECTIVE
Students learn to overcome apathy and
appreciate how one vote can make a difference.
MATERIALS
Just One Vote! How Important Am I? handout;
Teacher’s Example handout; Internet access
(optional)
GET READY
If possible, arrange for your students to have
access to the Internet.
Photocopy the Just One Vote! How Important
Am I? handout for your class.
Review the Teacher’s Example handout and do
any extra research you feel is necessary.
INSTRUCTIONS:
Break your class up into groups of three or four.
Read to the class your Teacher’s Example
handout. (Read aloud the event followed by the
event description).
Give each group a copy of the Just One Vote!
How Important Am I? handout to read.
Inform the groups that they will be researching
one of the events on the handout.
Tell the groups to pick by consensus their top
three choices in terms of interesting voting
events.
Go from group to group asking for their top
choice, their second choice if the top choice is
already taken, and a third choice if their top
two are taken, etc. No two groups should be
researching the same topic.
Have your class use the Internet or print
resources to briefly answer the questions below.
Have each group present their findings to the
rest of the class.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# Why is your topic significant?
# How did the subject you researched impact
history?
# Who was the “one vote” in your historical
event? Was it a citizen? A member of the
Electoral College? A senator?
# What would have happened had that one
person not practiced their right to vote?
# How would things be different today if the
outcome of the vote you researched was
different?
# What did you learn about the importance of
a single vote?
Grades 9-12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
27
THE POWER OF ONE
JUST ONE VOTE! HOW IMPORTANT AM I?
In 1845, one vote brought Texas into the Union.
In 1845, one vote admitted California, Oregon, and Washington into statehood.
In 1867, The Alaska Purchase was ratified by just one vote paving the way for the eventual
admission of America’s largest state in 1958.
In 1868, Andrew Johnson was impeached; one vote saved him from removal.
In 1875, one vote changed France from a monarchy to a republic.
In 1890, by a one vote margin, Idaho became a state.
In 1916, if presidential hopeful Charles E. Hughes had received one additional vote in each of
California’s precincts, he would have defeated President Woodrow Wilson’s re-election bid.
In 1920, one vote in a last minute decision ratified the 19th Amendment to the Constitution —
giving women the right to vote.
In 1923, one vote gave Adolf Hitler leadership of the Nazi party.
In 1941, one vote saved Selective Service (drafting into the armed services) — just weeks before
Pearl Harbor was attacked.
In the 1960 presidential election, an additional one vote per precinct in Illinois, Missouri, New
Jersey, and Texas may have altered the course of America’s modern history by denying John F.
Kennedy the presidency and placing Richard Nixon in the White House eight years earlier.
In 1962, the governors of Maine, Rhode Island, and North Dakota were all elected by a margin of
one vote per precinct.
In 1994, the U.S. House of Representatives enacted a law banning specific classes of assault
weapons. The vote was initially tied but one member changed his vote to approve the ban.
In 2000, George W. Bush won the Electoral College vote over Al Gore by receiving 271 votes, just
one more than the 270 needed to win.
Grades 9-12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
28
THE POWER OF ONE
TEACHER’S EXAMPLE
In 1876, one vote gave Rutherford B. Hayes
the presidency of the United States.
Elected by a heavy majority, Hayes entered Congress in December 1865, troubled
by the “rebel influences…ruling the White House.” Between 1867 and 1876 he
served three times as Governor of Ohio. Safe liberalism, party loyalty, and a good
war record made Hayes an acceptable Republican candidate in 1876.
He opposed Governor Samuel J. Tilden of New York. Although a galaxy of famous
Republican speakers, and even Mark Twain, stumped for Hayes, he expected the
Democrats to win. When the first returns seemed to confirm this, Hayes went to
bed, believing he had lost.
But in New York, Republican National Chairman Zachariah Chandler, aware of a
loophole, wired leaders to stand firm: “Hayes has 185 votes and is elected.” The
popular vote apparently was 4,300,000 for Tilden to 4,036,000 for Hayes. Hayes’s
election depended upon contested electoral votes in Louisiana, South Carolina,
and Florida. If all the disputed electoral votes went to Hayes, he would win; a
single one would elect Tilden.
Months of uncertainty followed. In January 1877 Congress established an
Electoral Commission to decide the dispute. The commission, made up of eight
Republicans and seven Democrats, determined all the contests in favor of Hayes
by eight to seven. The final electoral vote: 185 to 184.
Source:
http://clinton4.nara.gov/textonly/WH/glimpse/presidents/html/rh19.html
Grades 9-12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
29
9–12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE
OVERARCHING QUESTIONS
WHAT IS SUFFRAGE?
# Do you know that the right to vote is called suffrage? What does having the right to vote mean?
# Do those with the right to vote have more power than those without?
# Does everyone have the right to vote? Who does? Who doesn’t?
# Can you name some groups of people that have earned the right to vote over the course of American history?
# How did they earn the right to vote?
# How does it/how would it feel to not have the right to vote in your own country?
# Why is suffrage so important to the people who have it?
EXPANDING THE RIGHT TO VOTE
# Have all minority groups in America always had the right to vote? Who did not? What did they do
to earn the right to vote?
# Why do people fight for the right to vote?
# Why has it taken so long for some groups to gain the right to vote?
# Is the history of voting rights over, or are there more rights to be won?
# Is America the only country in the world to have denied voting rights to certain groups of its
population? Can you give other examples?
# What do you think it felt like to be denied the right to vote? What do you think it felt like to earn the
right to vote?
SUFFRAGE TODAY
# Who has the right to vote today?
# What are the only requirements for registration and voting across the United States?
# How might our country be different if the right to vote was still denied to women and ethnic minorities?
# What are some barriers that keep people from voting today?
# Do you think everyone who deserves the right to vote has the right to vote? Do you foresee additional
groups gaining the right to vote? If so, who?
# Why do you think 18-24-year-olds do not vote as much as other age groups in our country?
# In general, why do you think there is so much voter apathy? Is there anything we can do to change this?
# What is the state of suffrage today?
# What was it like the first time you voted or what do you think it will feel like the first time you vote?
Grades 9-12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
30
9–12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE
LITERATURE CONNECTION ACTIVITY
Voting and the Spirit of American Democracy edited by Donald W. Rogers
OBJECTIVE
Students investigate the history of voting
rights in America.
MATERIALS
Voting and the Spirit of American Democracy
– Donald W. Rogers, Editor
GET READY
Secure eight copies of Voting and the Spirit of
American Democracy.
INSTRUCTIONS
Inform your students that they will be
investigating the history of voting rights in
America through the text, Voting and the
Spirit of American Democracy.
Explain that the book is comprised of eight
essays, each essay detailing one chapter of the
history of American suffrage.
Break your class up into eight groups, one group
for each essay in the book. Assign each group
to an essay. (Each essay is about 10-15 pages.)
Ask the groups to look at the title of their
assigned essay and conjecture what it is about.
Give the group members a couple of minutes
to consult with each other, and then have
them share with the class what they think
their essay is going to cover.
Have each group read their essay. (This can be
assigned for homework.)
Tell each group that they need to think of a
creative way to relate the information in their
essay to the rest of the class. Provide class time
for students to brainstorm ideas. (Encourage
students to think of all possibilities: video,
visual arts, dramatics, etc.)
Make sure that each group knows that it needs
to include in its presentation the more substantive points made in the essay they were
assigned. The groups should determine these
points before developing their presentations.
Give each group time to practice their
presentations.
Have each group present in the order in which
their essay appears in the table of contents.
Each presentation should be followed by a
question period from the class.
After the last presentation, engage the class in
a discussion on the complete Voting and the
Spirit of American Democracy. (You can use
the questions provided, at least in part.)
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# What are some of the significant changes to
suffrage that have been made in America?
# Were you surprised by what you read or by
what another group presented? If so, what
surprised you?
# What trends can you detect in the development
of the right to vote in the United States?
# What are some of the challenges that face
suffrage in America today?
# The title of the book is “Voting and the Spirit
of American Democracy.” After studying this
book, what do you think is the spirit of
American democracy?
Grades 9-12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
31
9–12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE
CULMINATING ACTIVITY: A GAME OF CARDS
(60-90 minutes over two days)
OBJECTIVE
Students recognize the progressive
empowerment of groups in the United States.
MATERIALS
Index cards; Chronology of the Growth of
Suffrage handout
GET READY
Prepare an index card for every student,
marking the backs of the cards with one of the
following symbols. Make an equal number of
cards with each symbol.
@ = White male with property
% = White male without property
^ = African-American male
& = Female
* = Native American
_ = Immigrant noncitizen
+ = Apathetic nonvoting citizen
O = Citizen too young to vote
At this point, do not indicate in any way what
the symbols stand for.
Make a copy of the Chronology of the Growth
of Suffrage handout for each student
INSTRUCTIONS
Have students choose a ballot issue to
actually decide (for example, selecting a guest
speaker or a field trip site).
Distribute at random the cards you have prepared; deflect attention away from what is on
the backs of the cards, even if asked about it.
Say, Write your name on the front of the card
and below your name, write your selection
(Example “Legislature” or “Court” in the case
of selecting a field trip site.)
Collect all the cards with @ on them. Count
the results and announce that the decision has
been made. Report the outcome.
Students whose cards were not collected may
demand that their cards be counted as well.
Think about this, and then collect the ballots
marked %. Again, excluded students will complain;
respond by collecting cards marked ^. The
final time, collect ballots marked & and *, and
express that no more votes are included. Tally
those you collected and announce the decision.
Explain to the students what the symbols represent and that their ballots have been accepted
in the order in which the vote was extended to
each group in the United States. (Those students
with cards marked _, +, and O do not vote
because either their symbols represent groups
who have not acquired suffrage or groups that
have the right to vote and choose not to use it.)
Distribute copies of Chronology of the Growth
of Suffrage for students to read. Encourage
your students to read over it carefully.
Next, break your class up into groups of four.
Give each group a stack of 30 large index cards
or 30 half-pieces of paper. Tell the groups to
copy the events from the handout onto the
index cards/pieces of paper without the dates.
(It is very important that your students do not
copy the dates because they will be building a
timeline without the aid of the handout.)
Grades 9-12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
32
9–12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE
CULMINATING ACTIVITY: A GAME OF CARDS
Have each group put their handouts away and
create a suffrage timeline by putting the events
in chronological order from earliest event to
most recent.
Go over the sequencing of the events and reward
the team that creates a correct timeline first.
Finally, assign each of your students one of the
dates from the timeline. Have your students
conduct further research on these events and
write short essays that summarize the impact
each event had on the expansion of suffrage.
(Encourage your students to support their
assignments with primary information.)
In the order of the Chronology of the Growth
of Suffrage timeline, have each of your students
read aloud their event and essay.
(continued)
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# Why were groups so anxious to gain the right
to vote? Did the franchise bring them what
they hoped it would? Why or why not?
# To the students with the + cards: What message
would you give to the class about your
experience? (You can ask any of the groups to
share their experience in this activity.)
# Will additional groups ever be given the vote
in the United States? Why or why not?
# Were you surprised by the dates of some of the
events? If so, what surprised you?
# Was it difficult to create the suffrage timeline?
What made it challenging?
# What did you learn about the event you
researched that really interested you?
# Do you think it’s possible that years from now
there will be new events to add to the
timeline? If yes, what do you think are some
possible events?
Grades 9-12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
33
A GAME OF CARDS
CHRONOLOGY OF THE GROWTH OF SUFFRAGE
1776 At the time of the signing of the Declaration
of Independence, the right to vote is based on
property ownership. Suffrage is reserved
primarily for white, male Protestants over the
age of 21. There are a few instances of
African-Americans owning property.
1787 With the drafting of the Constitution, states
are given the power to regulate their own
suffrage laws and they favor white, male
property owners.
1789 George Washington is elected president by
the Electoral College. Only six percent of the
entire population is involved in the election.
1791 Vermont, the 14th state, moves the country
along with a pioneering spirit as they declare
all adult, white males, irrespective of property
ownership or religious preference, can vote.
1816 Twenty-five years later, Indiana, Illinois, and
Alabama join the Union and establish voting
rules similar to Vermont’s. By 1821 Connecticut,
Massachusetts and New York follow suit.
Between 1820 and 1830 the voting electorate
doubles. Voter population increase is an
impetus to the development of political parties.
1842 Rhode Island does not join most other states
with reformed voting rights and continues to
require property ownership to qualify to vote.
This issue causes much controversy, and rival
state governments are elected in Providence
and Newport. Thomas W. Door begins a
movement known as the Door Rebellion
which is victorious and forces Rhode Island to
adopt a new constitution in 1843. This
provides broader suffrage provisions.
1848 African-Americans and women are still
subject to discriminating practices at the
polls and no significant advancement for their
cause has occurred, even though reformers
have long voiced opposition to the white male
only vote. The plight of women is denounced
by Elizabeth Cady Stanton at a gathering of
100 women’s rights advocates in Seneca Falls,
New York, in 1848. She reads a proclamation
that “all men and women are created equal”
and the convention passes several resolutions
which call for women being given the vote.
The Women’s Suffrage Movement has begun.
1865 A Civil Rights Act defines citizenship and
prohibits discrimination based on race.
However, President Andrew Johnson vetoes
the bill, stating that it favors the rights of
African-Americans over whites. The
Republican Congress overrides the veto,
hoping to lure the vote of former slaves.
1868 Slave states allow no African-American person
to vote. After the Civil War, lawmakers enact
the 14th Amendment to the Constitution
granting citizenship to African-Americans and
permitting them to vote. However, state
officials still attempt to deny them this right.
1869 The National American Women Suffrage
Association is founded, with Susan B.
Anthony as president.
1870 The 15th Amendment to the Constitution is
ratified, providing African-Americans the
right to vote and prohibiting state and local
governments from denying that right.
1872 Victoria Woodhull contends that under the
provisions of the 14th and 15th Amendments,
women are citizens of the United States and
should be allowed to vote.
Grades 9-12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
34
A GAME OF CARDS
CHRONOLOGY OF THE GROWTH OF SUFFRAGE
1872 Susan B. Anthony votes and is arrested for
violating a federal law that forbids the votes
of confederates or traitors.
1875 The Supreme Courts rules in Minor v.
Happersett that suffrage is not coexistent
with the right to citizenship granted in the
14th Amendment, and that the extent of
women’s rights is up to state legislatures.
1876 Poll taxes, grandfather clauses, and literacy tests
are introduced in many southern states. These
measures are designed to restrict the ability of
African-Americans to register and vote.
1890 Wyoming becomes a state and is the first to
provide suffrage for women in its
constitution.
1913 The 17th Amendment to the Constitution is
ratified. It allows popular election of U.S.
senators. No new group receives the right to
vote, but the voting power is expanded.
1920 The 19th Amendment to the Constitution
guarantees suffrage for women.
1940 Native Americans are made citizens by an act
of Congress. However, in New Mexico and
Arizona, Native Americans cannot vote
because they do not pay property taxes.
1943 Georgia lowers its voting age from 21 to 18 in
state and local elections.
1947 Miguel Trijillo, a Native American and former
Marine, wins a suit against New Mexico for
not allowing him to vote. Since Native
Americans pay most forms of taxes, they are
subject to taxation without representation.
New Mexico and Arizona are required to give
the vote to all their Native American citizens.
CONTINUED
1957 By provisions of the Civil Rights Act of 1957,
the Justice Department may punish interference or disruption of protection for
African-American voters.
1960 The Civil Rights Act of 1960 allows courts to
appoint federal referees to protect voting
rights. Obstruction of these court orders is a
federal offense.
1961 The 23rd Amendment to the Constitution
allows residents of the District of Columbia to
vote for president and vice-president. Until
this amendment, residents were unable to
vote since the District is not a state.
1964 The Civil Rights Act of 1964 guarantees the
right to register to vote without fear of reprisal.
1964 The 24th Amendment to the Constitution
guarantees that no person can be denied the
right to vote due to an inability to pay a tax
prior to voting. The “poll tax” is now
considered unconstitutional.
1965 Martin Luther King, Jr. leads 25,000 people
on a march from Selma to Montgomery,
Alabama, to dramatize the need for more
voting rights.
1965 The Voting Rights Act is amended to ban the
use of literacy tests, poll taxes, and other
barriers to voting.
1971 The 26th Amendment to the Constitution
lowers the voting age to 18.
Grades 9-12 SUFFRAGE AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
35
KIDS VOTING USA
9–12
ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
9–12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
INTRODUCTION TO THEME
The intent of this theme is for students to learn how to evaluate information and to intelligently form,
communicate, and act on the decisions they make. The theme’s activities fall under four main learning objectives:
•
•
•
•
Students will learn how to gather and weigh information and form an opinion.
Students will learn how to clearly and effectively communicate their position with others.
Students will learn how to work together effectively.
Students will consider how they can have an impact in their community.
GENERAL ACTIVITIES
CONCEPT 1: GATHERING AND WEIGHING INFORMATION
In The News: Fact Or Fiction? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Public Agenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Choosing An Issue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
CONCEPT 2: COMMUNICATING YOUR POSITION
Debate The Issue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
The Election Of 1800 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Voicing Your Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Letter To The Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
CONCEPT 3: WORKING TOGETHER
Political Cartoons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Koosh® Ball Catch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Creative Expressions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
CONCEPT 4: HAVING AN IMPACT
My Turn: Targeting A Problem For Teens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Helping An Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Teaching An Elementary Lesson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
OVERARCHING QUESTIONS
Questions for Concept 1: Gathering and Weighing Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Questions for Concept 2: Communicating Your Position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Questions for Concept 3: Working Together . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Questions for Concept 4: Having an Impact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
LITERATURE CONNECTION ACTIVITY
Teen Power Politics by Sara Jane Boyers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
CULMINATING ACTIVITY
Service-learning Action Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Grades 9-12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
1
9–12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP Gathering and Weighing Information
IN THE NEWS: FACT OR FICTION?
(50-60 minutes)
OBJECTIVE
Students write a newspaper article that
incorporates a headline, lead paragraph, body,
and conclusion.
MATERIALS
Copies of a local or national newspaper
GET READY
Cut out examples of newspaper article
headlines from a newspaper.
INSTRUCTIONS
Make sure your students are fluent in the
components of a newspaper article: the
headline is what catches the reader’s attention,
the lead paragraph tells the important
information about the news story, the body
gives the supporting information and detail for
the lead, and the conclusion sums up the
content of the article.
Go into detail about what makes a news article
compelling: a persuasive headline, strong
details, quotes, etc.
Share with your students the headlines you
cut out. Ask them what makes these headlines
effective or ineffective, and then have your
class look through the newspaper to identify
other interesting headlines.
Remind your students that they are only to look
for headlines and are not to read any articles.
Instruct your students to choose a headline
of interest to them and then to put all the
newspapers away.
From the headline they selected, your students
need to create newspaper articles, that include
all the components of a newspaper article that
were already discussed. Your students only
have the headlines to go by, so encourage them
to be creative.
Tell your students to aim for credibility and
professionalism in their articles, because the
rest of the class will be guessing if their work
is the real article or not.
One at a time, have your students read aloud
both their article and the real one. Have the
class guess (by a show of hands) which the
original is and which one is made up.
Make sure to have each student mention who
wrote the original article after the guessing
is over.
Follow up this exercise with a discussion
of what makes a good news article and what
some students did to make their articles
convincing.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# What makes an article compelling to read?
# What makes an article sound professional?
# What helps make an article credible?
# What are the most important aspects of a
newspaper article?
# What in hindsight would you have done
differently with your article?
Grades 9-12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
2
9–12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP Gathering and Weighing Information
THE PUBLIC AGENDA
(1 hour over two days)
OBJECTIVE
Students gather and classify media coverage to
determine national, state, and local issues.
MATERIALS
Newspapers and news magazines
GET READY
Obtain copies of a week’s worth of newspapers
and news magazines to form a classroom
resource center for students.
INSTRUCTIONS
For homework one night, assign your students
the job of finding three articles from three
different sources (newspapers or magazines).
The articles should be about issues that the
American people think the federal government
should do something about.
Have your students bring their articles to class.
Give them time to share their articles with
each other in small groups. They should
specify what issue each of their articles is
about and why they think these issues are
important to Americans.
Have the small groups of students sift through
the additional newspapers and magazines you
collected. They should continue to look for the
major issues.
Have the groups list as many important issues
as they can think of. They can mention issues
that their articles addressed or issues they
came across in the articles you provided.
Make a list of the major issues on the board by
having your students share their lists of the
issues. Students should be careful not to repeat
issues already mentioned by others.
Vote by a show of hands to determine the 10
issues the class considers the most important.
Have your students compare their major issues
list with one compiled by www.publicagenda.org.
Have them go to the Web site and click on the
“Issue Guides” section. They will find the
major issues listed for the last year as well as
the major issues for the current year.
Have your students compare their list to the lists
on the Web site.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# Different agenda items belong to different
levels of government. Are there issues that
belong on the state or local agenda instead of
the national one? Are there “crossover” issues
that belong on all three? What are they?
# Are there items which you, as high school
students, would like to place on the national
agenda? How could you help to get them on
the agenda if they are not already there?
Is this a part of activism?
# What could we as a class do now to influence
the local/national agenda?
MORE!
Students can continue to monitor changes
and developments in the national agenda by
posting articles, concerning the 10 areas
chosen, on a National Agenda Bulletin Board.
VOTE QUOTE
“Political parties serve to keep each other
in check one keenly watching the other.”
– Dwight D. Eisenhower
Grades 9-12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
3
9–12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP Gathering and Weighing Information
CHOOSING AN ISSUE
(Time varies)
OBJECTIVE
Students research an issue of interest to them
and write a report about what they learned.
MATERIALS
Internet access; information on how to correctly
conduct an interview (from the local library/
media center or Internet); magazines, newspapers,
and/or books related to the students’ topics
GET READY
Set up a time for your students to meet with the
school librarian to show them how to conduct
research in the library (or show them yourself).
Arrange for a technology teacher or a librarian
to show your class how to properly search for
resources on the Internet (or show them
yourself).
Hand out guidelines about how to properly
conduct an interview (Some rules of
thumb may be found at
http://www.kosmicki.com/102/htinterview.htm.)
INSTRUCTIONS
Ask students to think about and choose a
social or political issue that interests them.
Possibilities include: crime, drug abuse, teen
suicide, teen pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, preservation
of national wilderness areas, animal rights, etc.
Have students research the issue in both its
local and national contexts through two or
more of the following activities:
Searching the Internet
Interviewing an expert
Reading newspaper or magazine articles
Contacting a community agency or
national organization that focuses on
the issue
Have students write a report about what they
learned. The report should include information
from their research as well as their own
opinions and ideas about the issue.
They should include:
A discussion of the issue and why it is
of concern to others
A list of organizations and/or individuals
working on this issue
Current approaches to addressing the
issue that reflect opposing positions
Opinions about the issue including ideas
for community service and other future
action
How voting and government action at
the local, state, and/or national levels has
impacted this issue historically
Have students share what they learned with
the rest of the class. Ask each student to
highlight in their presentation the five most
important points in their reports.
Following the presentations, have the class
discuss the connections they see between the
different issues they researched. Instruct your
students to listen for and take notes on these
connections.
Grades 9-12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
4
9–12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
CHOOSING AN ISSUE
(continued)
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# What was the most intriguing thing you
learned from this project?
# What was difficult about this research paper?
# What went especially smoothly while
conducting your research? What was most
challenging?
# What are some suggestions you could give
someone about researching and writing a
research paper on a current issue?
# What would you have done differently?
# Why is it important to conduct good research
before writing a report?
Grades 9-12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
5
6– 8 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP Communicating Your Position
DEBATE THE ISSUE
(Two 45-minute sessions)
OBJECTIVE
Students debate a topic and communicate
effectively with one another.
MATERIALS
Debate The Issue handout; Debate Ballot
handout; stopwatch; debate films
GET READY
Generate a resolution (topic) for the debate.
Activities in this resource may lead you to a
topic or the class may vote together on a
choice of resolution.
Phrase the resolution in the affirmative, such
as “Resolved: that our state must fund
education better.”
Thoughtfully select two teams (an affirmative
team and negative team). Each team needs
four students.
Make eight copies of the Debate The Issue
handout, so that each of your debaters has one.
Copy the Debate Ballot handout so that you
have enough ballots for your class.
Have a stopwatch nearby.
INSTRUCTIONS
On Day 1, assign eight students to one of the
two teams of four: the affirmative team and the
negative team.
Have the class watch a film of presidential
debates, preferably the 1960 or 1992
Presidential Debates (The Great Debates or
1992 Live Debate Analysis, in “Recommended
Films,” Appendix) while debaters prepare.
Give each of your debaters a Debate The Issue
handout.
Ask team members to choose parts. The least
threatening is Opening Argument which may
be written ahead of time and simply read aloud;
the hardest and longest is Question Session.
Ask debaters to prepare their ideas in two
columns on a separate piece of paper: “Our
Arguments” and “If They Say, We Say.” Students
may finish preparations as homework that night.
On Day 2, hand out the ballots and hold the
debate, keeping to time limits. Have students
circle the winning side and list the most
convincing argument, but leave their names
off the ballots. Read the most convincing
arguments as the results are compiled.
Have a different group of students participate
in a debate at another time.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# Which arguments impressed you most and
helped you make a decision?
# Was it difficult to separate argument values
from performance and personality aspects?
How does this relate to Kennedy/Nixon or
Bush/Clinton (or another set of presidential
debaters)?
# Is this an effective format to discuss
democratic ideas? Why? Why not?
MORE!
Students could watch and evaluate winners of
political debates on TV, applying the same
standards they used with their peers.
Grades 9-12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
6
DEBATE THE ISSUE
DEBATE THE ISSUE
Topic: “Resolved: that ___________________________________________.”
Affirmative Team Members
Negative Team Members
1.
1.
2.
2.
3.
3.
4.
4.
Sequence of the Debate (follow the numbers for proper order of speakers):
Affirmative Team
Time
Negative Team
Time
1.
Opening Statement
3 min.
2.
Opening Statement
3 min.
3.
Rebuttal Argument
3 min.
4.
Rebuttal Argument
3 min.
5.
Question Session
5 min.*
6.
Question Session
5 min.*
7.
Summary
3 min.
8.
Summary
3 min.
*Debater answers 4 questions, one from each member of the opposite team; if time, also answers questions from the floor.
Grades 9-12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
7
DEBATE THE ISSUE
DEBATE BALLOT
The winning team was (circle one):
AFFIRMATIVE
NEGATIVE
This team won the debate because (List at least one argument which convinced you that this side won):
In making your choice of the winner, you may consider only the evidence and logic which is actually
presented during this debate. Any additional knowledge which you individually may possess about the topic
must not enter into your decision about the debate. Remember, you are judging the relative strength of each
team’s arguments, not your personal opinion.
Try to be objective in your decision, by ignoring everything except the ideas presented. Forget about
personalities of the debaters, any pet theories that you may have about the topic, and any awkwardness in
the manner in which the debaters express their ideas.
DEBATE BALLOT
The winning team was (circle one):
AFFIRMATIVE
NEGATIVE
This team won the debate because (List at least one argument which convinced you that this side won):
In making your choice of the winner, you may consider only the evidence and logic which is actually
presented during this debate. Any additional knowledge which you individually may possess about the topic
must not enter into your decision about the debate. Remember, you are judging the relative strength of each
team’s arguments, not your personal opinion.
Try to be objective in your decision, by ignoring everything except the ideas presented. Forget about
personalities of the debaters, any pet theories that you may have about the topic, and any awkwardness in
the manner in which the debaters express their ideas.
Grades 9-12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
8
9–12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP Communicating Your Position
THE ELECTION OF 1800
(45 minutes)
OBJECTIVE
Students design campaign signs, buttons, and
bumper stickers for John Adams, Federalist
Party, and Thomas Jefferson, DemocraticRepublican Party.
MATERIALS
Election Of 1800 handout; Election Media
handout; overhead or blackboard
GET READY
Copy the Election Of 1800 and Election Media
handouts for each student in your class.
Make sure there are markers and rulers
available for your entire class.
INSTRUCTIONS
Split the class into two sections, one for each
party (Federalist Party and DemocraticRepublican Party). Students should be sitting
in groups of four Federalists or four
Democratic-Republicans as they brainstorm
possible slogans and work on their buttons,
signs, and posters.
Distribute the Election Of 1800 and Election
Media handouts to your students. (Explain to
your students that bumper stickers and campaign
signs, etc. are most effective when they incorporate catchy slogans that succinctly celebrate
or attack a specific candidate/political party.)
Have your students read the Election Of 1800
handout to get their instructions and to gain
an understanding of the differing views of John
Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and their respective
political parties.
Use an overhead or blackboard to start the
brainstorming of campaign slogans. Examples:
“Vote Federalist: You Can Bank On it!” and
“It’s Adams Who’s Alien to the American Way!”
After students finish their Election Media
handouts, each group should choose their best
slogans and present them to the class.
Share your insights on what the groups did
well and what they might have wanted to do
differently.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# In 1800, there were probably few buttons and
surely no bumper stickers. There were, of
course, signs. What other campaign devices
might have been used? (Personal appearances
and speeches, newspapers, flyers, songs, etc.)
# Would today’s Democrats or today’s
Republicans be more likely to support:
A smaller government? Higher tariffs?
Additional taxation? Farming interests?
Supporting foreign revolutions for liberty?
# How was this election resolved?
(In the House of Representatives)
MORE!
Each party could script and film a TV commercial
for the candidate. Ask groups to choose (from
the list of presidential elections contained at
the end of their textbooks) elections like
1800, which exemplified truly polar political
philosophies. (Examples: 1860; 1932; 1964)
Grades 9-12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
9
THE ELECTION OF 1800
ELECTION OF 1800
CAMPAIGN RHETORIC: THE FIRST POLITICAL PARTIES SELL THEMSELVES IN THE ELECTION OF 1800!
Background Information: Most public officials today — whether they are at the local, state, or national level —
belong to the Democratic Party or the Republican Party. Although there have been many political parties
during the history of the United States, there were none at the time George Washington became president in
1789. Washington’s ability and popularity made him a natural choice to become the nation’s first chief
executive. Since no one ran against him in the election, he was chosen by unanimous vote.
Two members of President Washington’s cabinet were Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson. During the
1790s, these two developed different ideas about the power of the national government. They also differed on
many issues having to do with domestic and foreign policy. The followers of Hamilton called themselves the
Federalists. Those who sided with Jefferson were known as Democratic-Republicans. These were the first two
political parties in the United States.
George Washington served as president from 1789 to 1797. John Adams, a Federalist, succeeded him to office.
When Adams ran for reelection in 1800, he was opposed by Thomas Jefferson of the Democratic-Republican
Party. The political parties to which these men belonged had different ideas on how the government should be
run. (Information about the Federalist and the Democratic-Republican parties is given below.)
Instructions: Pretend it is 1800 and you are a party member who is helping to make campaign signs and buttons.
The class will be divided in half so that each party has a group of workers. Write the name of your candidate
and his party (ADAMS: FEDERALIST or JEFFERSON: DEMOCRATIC-REPUBLICAN) on the top of this page.
Whichever group is yours, you must read the information provided below about both parties, and then design:
1) A CAMPAIGN SIGN
2) A BUTTON
3) A BUMPER STICKER
Put your designs on the Election Media handout. Each sign and button must:
1) Mention the name of your party and your candidate
2) Include information about what your candidate and party believe in or want to do; or attack what
the other side believes in or wants to do. (Refer to the information below.)
Candidate-Political Party Information:
FEDERALIST PARTY CANDIDATE: John Adams
• Party supporters were the rich and well-born, the old aristocratic families, large landowners,
and wealthy businessmen; the party was strong in the New England states.
• The party favored a strong central government and weaker state governments.
• The party thought the government should be controlled by the rich because they were better
educated and therefore better prepared to run the government.
DEMOCRATIC-REPUBLICAN PARTY CANDIDATE: Thomas Jefferson
• Party supporters were farmers, the poor, small businessmen, city workers, and Southern plantation
owners; the party was the strongest in the South.
• The party favored a weak central government and stronger state governments and rights of states.
• The party thought the government should be controlled by the “common man.”
Grades 9-12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
10
THE ELECTION OF 1800
ELECTION MEDIA
Vote for ____________________________ in the Election of 1800!
BUTTON
CAMPAIGN SIGN
BUMPER STICKER
Campaign worker’s name: _____________________________________________
Grades 9-12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
11
9–12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP Communicating Your Position
VOICING YOUR OPINION
(Time varies)
OBJECTIVE
Students attend a meeting (school board, town,
city council, etc.) and voice their views on a
selected issue either verbally or in writing.
MATERIALS
Newspapers; public opinion surveys; printed
materials from the school board or city council.
GET READY
Call the city council office and the superintendent
of schools and ask to be put on a mailing list
for the locations, dates, times, and agendas of
public meetings.
List current community issues that will be
addressed at the meetings. (Your students will
be choosing one.)
INSTRUCTIONS
Have your students select a current community
issue, that is of concern to youth, that will be
discussed at an upcoming school board or city
council meeting.
Ask students to find out all they can about this
issue, the various perspectives held by
community members, and the options for
action. Newspapers, public opinion surveys,
and printed materials from the school board
or city council will be the best sources of
information. (See the lesson on Choosing an
Issue for further ideas on how to have students
research an issue.)
Have students develop their own position on
the issue. Their positions should be written in
essay form and should include: a) a brief
description of the issue; b) a discussion of
different perspectives and ideas for action on
the issue; c) the student’s own perspective; and
d) reasons supporting the student’s perspective.
Students should choose whether they would
like to express their opinion in a letter to the
city council or school board or publicly at the
group’s meeting. If students write letters, have
them send them ahead of the meeting the
students will attend. If students plan to speak
publicly, they can write out a few notes on an
index card to remind them of their key points.
If possible, with your class, obtain and watch
part of a videotape of a past city council or
school board meeting. After watching the tape,
discuss with your students how the meetings
are organized. What are the rules for who can
speak? When will students speak? Will they
remain seated, stand up or speak from a podium?
Attend the meeting as a class, if possible.
The next day in class, discuss the meeting and
the students’ contributions.
Grades 9-12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
12
9–12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
VOICING YOUR OPINION
(continued)
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# Do any of you have issues of concern that you
would like to try to get on a community
group’s agenda in the future?
# Do you feel like it is worth your time
expressing your views to a community group?
Why or why not?
# Do you think the community group’s meeting
that we attended made a difference in regards
to the issue the class was interested in?
# Did you feel that your views were heard and
respected?
MORE!
Continue to stay informed about this
community issue. Encourage students to bring
in news clippings and/or attend future public
meetings where this issue is addressed and
report back to the class. Have a bulletin board
in the room or school hallway where students
can post news clippings.
Grades 9-12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
13
9–12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP Communicating Your Position
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
(60-90 minutes over two days)
OBJECTIVE
Students write letters to the editor of a local
newspaper about a candidate or issue.
MATERIALS
Letter writing materials; sample letters to the
editor; Internet access (optional)
GET READY
You can find some excellent ideas on advocacy
letter writing in Just Add Consciousness: A Guide
to Social Activism, published by Oxfam America
and Campus Outreach Opportunity League, 2000.
This publication is available on the web at the
following address: http://www.oxfamamerica.org/.
Collect examples of letters to the editor to
share with your class.
INSTRUCTIONS
Students should research candidates and/or
issues and decide which candidate/issue they
wish to write their letter about.
Share with your students examples of letters
to the editor. Point out what makes each letter
effective or ineffective.
Have students write individual letters and send
them to a local newspaper. In addition to the
community’s daily paper(s), consider other publication outlets such as the high school paper, local
college paper, alternative newspapers, and
community organization newsletters, as well as
national news magazines and news shows (such
as National Public Radio’s Morning Edition).
Students may have greater odds of getting their
letters published in smaller publications. Have
several students send their letters to the same
newspaper. It is likely that at least one will be
chosen for publication. Encourage students to
consider the following guidelines in developing
their letters:
Be direct – The letter should be short
and focus on one or two main points
(such as asking for others to support a
candidate or highlighting how an issue
impacts their life).
Be timely – The chances of publication
will increase if students refer to a recent
article, editorial, or letter in the newspaper they are sending their letters to.
Students should include the title, author,
and date of any article referenced.
Check the format – Students should
examine other letters to the editor from
the newspaper and develop their letters
in a similar style in terms of length,
number of paragraphs, etc.
Be professional – Have students address
the letter to the editor by his/her name.
Students should type their letters,
proofread them before mailing, and make
sure they have included contact
information (student’s name, address,
phone number and e-mail).
In addition to the student proofreading his/her
letter, have students review a peer’s letter and
make sure that you read all letters before they
are mailed.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# What was your letter about? What made it
effective?
# Why is it important to publicly express your
thoughts and opinions?
# Do you think publicly posting your letter
impacted other people’s thoughts and beliefs?
Grades 9-12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
14
9–12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP Working Together
POLITICAL CARTOONS
(40-50 minutes)
OBJECTIVE
Students analyze symbolism and messages
in political cartoons and draw one on a
current issue.
MATERIALS
Political Cartoon by Steve Benson handout;
political cartoons from newspapers
GET READY
Divide the class into groups of four.
Duplicate one Political Cartoon by Steve Benson
handout for each group of four students.
Collect political cartoons from local and
national newspapers. Ask students to bring
them in as well, so that you have one for each
student in your class.
INSTRUCTIONS
Distribute the Political Cartoon by Steve
Benson handout. Also distribute four additional
political cartoons to each group (so that each
group member has one).
Say, Political cartoons have varied agendas;
they may entertain, challenge viewpoints,
satirize, and champion causes. In this cartoon,
Steve Benson is satirizing and challenging the
viewpoint of senior citizens in Arizona
retirement communities who will not allow
children into their planned communities.
Review the questions you will ask later about
all the cartoons (see the discussion questions).
Say, After your group has answered these
questions for the Benson cartoon, each person
should examine these same questions for their
own cartoon. Students can ask their group
members for help, if needed.
Ask your students to share their political
cartoon analyses with the class.
Students should now select a current issue for
their own original cartoon (example: voter apathy
among local 18-year-olds). They need to find
symbols that could be used in their cartoons.
They can ask their groups members for help:
What are symbols I could use for apathetic 18year-olds? (Teen in our school’s sweatshirt in
front of a TV?) What about a symbol for voter
responsibility? (Uncle Sam tapping the TV
watcher on the shoulder?)
Have your students share their political
cartoons with the class.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# For the cartoons they analyzed: What do the visual
symbols stand for? Does it entertain? Challenge
a viewpoint? Satirize? Champion a cause?
What is the political message of your cartoon?
# The Benson cartoon would alienate many
readers. Why do political cartoonists sometimes choose to be deliberately offensive?
# How do political cartoons influence voters?
# Explain how the cartoon you drew qualifies as
a political cartoon.
MORE!
Invite a political cartoonist to your classroom.
Provide an overhead projector for the
presentation, so that the professional can draw
for students and show them past cartoons.
Thanks to Pulitzer prize-winning cartoonist Steve Benson of the Arizona Republic for sharing the cartoon in this lesson.
Grades 9-12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
15
POLITICAL CARTOONS
POLITICAL CARTOON BY STEVE BENSON,
THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC
Grades 9-12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
16
9–12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP Working Together
KOOSH® BALL CATCH
(30 minutes)
OBJECTIVE
Students play and modify a ball game to discover
the power of group deliberation in a democracy.
MATERIALS
Shaggy rubber Koosh ball; four other small
balls; stopwatch
GET READY
Gather the shaggy rubber Koosh ball (easy to
catch), the four other balls, and the stopwatch.
Arrange all class members in a circle.
INSTRUCTIONS
Say: Each person will throw the Koosh ball to
another person across the circle. Once you have
received the ball, raise your hand so that you will
not get it twice. Add: There are only two things to
remember: Who threw the ball to you? To whom
did you throw the ball? Let’s start with “Jill.”
Make sure each member of the class has
received the ball. The last person sends it back
to “Jill.” Practice the same passing pattern
twice. (Hand raising is only for the first passing
sequence.) The process should quicken.
For the third practice run, warn the class that
it’s going to get livelier this time. After the first
few passes, start a second ball with “Jill,” and
then a third, fourth, and fifth. The class will
have no problem repeating the pattern, even
when all five balls are in the air at once.
Say, You are getting really speedy! I am going
to clock you this time. Announce the results
(probably about 30 seconds for 30 students).
Say, Raise your hand if you think the group
can do this in less than 15 seconds. (Pause)
Under 5 seconds? (Few, if any, will keep their
hands up.) Say, I will give you exactly two
minutes to figure out how to do it faster.
At this point, ask the students to confer. One
may say, “Let’s stand in the order we threw in
and pass the balls down the line.” Another may
suggest that they need only touch the Koosh
ball in order. Some groups may pile their hands
on top of the ball, pulling each hand away
swiftly. All methods will reduce the time greatly.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# Did you believe that the group could succeed
when you were thinking about the task
individually? What happened when you conferred?
# When groups discuss civic problems together,
they often find and attempt solutions they
never would have tried alone. What are some
examples of this? (Neighborhood Watch
programs; city bond issues)
# A paradigm is a pattern of thinking that is so
ingrained that it limits our ability to think
creatively about a subject. Which paradigms
did you break at the end of the Koosh ball game?
# What problems in our society may need
paradigm breaks to be solved?
# Is anyone working on those problems?
# Why might young people be particularly good
at breaking paradigms to solve problems?
VOTE QUOTE
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful
committed citizens can change the world.
Indeed it’s the only thing that ever has.”
– Margaret Mead, Anthropologist
From Igor Ovchinnikov, Golubka (The Dove) Center for Experiential Education for Social Change and Democracy, Moscow.
Grades 9-12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
17
9–12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP Working Together
CREATIVE EXPRESSIONS
(Time varies)
OBJECTIVE
Students create an artistic display or a public
performance to educate the school community
about different perspectives on a school issue.
MATERIALS
Varies depending on the artistic display/
performance
GET READY
Depending on the activity, involve the drama
and/or art department.
INSTRUCTIONS
As a class, decide which school issue to focus
on for this activity.
Have students research the issue using a
variety of resources and personal contacts.
Make sure that all perspectives on the issue are
represented in students’ findings.
Determine the purpose and message of this
activity. Do students want to raise awareness,
educate others about diverse views on the
issues, promote various solutions to a problem?
Decide as a class whether to create one type of
display/performance or to have small groups
work on different ways of educating the school
community about the issue. If the former,
have the students use voting, along with a
discussion of the pros and cons of each
possible activity, to make their decision.
Possibilities for artistic displays and
performances include the following:
Visual arts – drawings, paintings,
sculpture, collages, quilts, murals etc.
Music – composing and/or performing
songs about the issue
Theater – street theater, plays,
pantomimes, puppet shows, musicals,
readers’ theater, rap
Dance – ballet, jazz, modern, tap, with or
without narration or music
Technology – photos, slide show, videos,
interactive computer games
As a class, choose a suitable date, time, and
location for the event. If students choose only
a visual display, seek a location that will
feature the display for a week or longer. If
appropriate, publicize the event so that parents
and community members can attend. In
addition, students could form committees to
obtain needed props for performances.
Have a short survey form for each person who
views the event to complete. Include on the form
name, age, your thoughts on this issue, and
feedback on the event, including if or how the
event influenced your thinking about the issue.
Back in the classroom, have students reflect on
the event and read the feedback they received
in the survey forms.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# How did most of the people attending feel
about the issue?
# Did the event have any impact on their thinking?
# What was the most difficult aspect of this project?
# If you could do this project over, what would
you have done differently?
# What were some positive things you learned?
Grades 9-12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
18
9–12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP Having an Impact
MY TURN: TARGETING A PROBLEM FOR TEENS
(60-90 minutes of class time; time needed out of class varies)
OBJECTIVE
Students learn about different problems
affecting teenagers, choose one, and brainstorm
ways to make a difference.
MATERIALS
Taking Action handout
GET READY
Make a copy of the Taking Action handout for
each of your students.
If possible, arrange for Internet and/or phone
access in the classroom
INSTRUCTIONS
Tell students that they will have the opportunity
to choose an issue of importance to teens and
to learn about the problem and how they could
make a difference. Read the following to the
students: Do Something, a nationwide network
of young people conducted a nationwide survey
of 1,238 students in grades 7-12. Do Something’s
2001 Top Teen Causes Poll found that drunk
driving, depression and teen suicide, guns at
school, improving schools/education,
discrimination, violence in school, drugs, selfesteem, AIDS, and abuse at home are teens’
top 10 concerns, and two-thirds of teens (67%)
plan to get involved during the next year with
the issues that are important to them.
Ask your students if there are any concerns that
they would add to this list or any concerns that
they would remove from it. Have your class
determine a final list of 10 concerns important
to teens.
List the 10 causes on the board and ask
students to think about which one they would
like to choose to learn more about. In class or
for homework, have students write about their
topic; they should state the topic of interest,
what they already know about this topic or
issue, and questions to guide their learning.
The next day, provide time for your students to
pursue learning about their chosen topic via
library resources, the Internet, calls to
community agencies, and surveys of students
in the school or adults in the community. If
several students have chosen the same issue,
encourage them to work in a group and share
the information and resources they have
found. Note: For more information about
Do Something, teens can visit:
www.dosomething.org,
e-mail [email protected], or write
Do Something, 24-32 Union Square East,
4th Floor South, New York, N.Y. 10003
Have students develop either a flyer or a poster
about their issue, listing key facts about the
problem they investigated. Have each student
or group share their issue briefly with the class.
Brainstorm with your students the many ways
that they could take action in regard to the
problems they researched. Then, individually
or in small groups, have students fill out the
Taking Action handout on the following page.
Give students the opportunity to share their
favorite ideas with the class.
Ask your students to implement one of their
ideas for making a difference. Allow for a
certain amount of time to pass and then ask
your students to informally share with the
class what they did in respect to the
issue/cause they selected.
Grades 9-12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
19
9–12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
MY TURN: TARGETING A PROBLEM FOR TEENS
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# Are you surprised about the issues of
importance to teens? Why or why not?
# Do you think some of the issues are less
important or more important than others?
Explain why you feel this to be true?
# Did you already know a lot about the issue
you selected? If yes, where did you learn this
information? If no, did you learn a lot more
about your issue?
# Did your impression of the issue change once
you researched it? (Does it seem more
overwhelming? Does it seem harder to
understand? Easier to understand?)
(continued)
# Was it difficult to come up with ideas for
taking action in respect to your issue?
If yes, what made it difficult?
# Did you implement one of your ideas for
taking action? Was it difficult to undertake?
Do you think you made an impact?
# How do you now feel about the issues we listed
that are most important to teens? Are you
more knowledgeable about them? Do you
think teens can help solve these problems?
Grades 9-12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
20
MY TURN: TARGETING A PROBLEM FOR TEENS
TAKING ACTION
The problem for teens I chose is: ___________________________________.
What I know…
Ways I can make a difference…
(List here the FACTS you have learned
about the problem.)
(List here your ideas for how you can take
action on this issue.)
When you have listed as many ideas as you can think of, put a star by the three ideas that are your favorites.
(Think about which are cost and time effective and which are likely to have the greatest impact.)
Grades 9-12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
21
9–12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP Having an Impact
HELPING AN ORGANIZATION
(Time varies)
OBJECTIVE
Students identify an organization working on
an issue of concern to them and assist the
organization with one of its projects.
MATERIALS
A list of local, national or international
organizations; Internet access; newspaper or
magazine articles; information on how to
properly conduct an interview
GET READY
The school or the local community may deem
some organizations inappropriate for this
assignment. You may want to screen students’
selections before students complete their
research. Another option would be for you to
give students a list of organizations to choose
from. If possible, encourage students to help in
developing the criteria for selecting an
organization; let the students know up front
the limits to their choices.
You will also need to decide whether the
organizations for this activity will be local (e.g.
senior center, animal shelter, soup kitchen),
national (e.g. Habitat for Humanity, Society for
the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals),
international (e.g. Red Cross, UNICEF,
Amnesty International, Oxfam) or all three.
Each provides different types of opportunities
in terms of service: direct, indirect or advocacy.
Hand out any guidelines you can find about
how to properly conduct an interview.
(For example:
http://www.kosmicki.com/102/htinterview.htm.
INSTRUCTIONS
Have students choose an organization working
on an issue of concern to them.
Have students research the organization through
at least two of the following resources: Internet,
organization’s publications, newspaper or
magazine articles, interviewing someone who
works for or with the organization.
As part of learning about the organization, ask
students to find out what kinds of projects and
programs the organization is involved in and how
the organization’s mission is connected to public
policy. Students should consider which of these
projects presents an opportunity for them to
get involved in helping to make a difference.
Students can reflect on and share their efforts
with others by creating a photo essay, a poem,
or a poster about the organization and the
assistance they provided.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# What are some of the advantages and/or
limitations to different types of service (direct,
indirect, and advocacy)?
# Did you feel like you were able to assist your
organization to the best of your ability?
# Would you have wanted more or less time to
work on your organization’s project?
# Did you come away from the project feeling
like you made a difference? Why or why not?
# What were some of the challenges you faced
while working with your organization?
# What did you gain from this experience that
could help you tackle similar projects down
the line?
Grades 9-12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
22
9–12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP Having an Impact
TEACHING AN ELEMENTARY LESSON
(Time varies)
OBJECTIVE
Students teach a lesson on an aspect of civic
participation to an elementary class.
MATERIALS
Access to elementary teachers’ phone numbers
(through principal of the school, teacher
directory, etc); any supplies needed for the
students’ lessons
INSTRUCTIONS
Invite two or three elementary teachers from
a local elementary school to your class to
speak with your students about possible ideas
for collaboration between the high school
students and elementary students around
civic participation.
Have your students contact and follow up with
any elementary teachers interested in a 30 to
45 minute civic participation lesson in his/her
class. (If enough teachers are interested, have
students work one on one with a teacher, but if
not either pair or group your students).
Each student or group should collect the
following information:
The name of the elementary teacher
The grade of the class
The number of students in the class
The location of the school
The discipline/management system used
in the class
In class, have your students develop a
brainstormed list of possibilities for the
elementary teacher to choose from. These
should be sent to the teacher at least one month
ahead of the scheduled day for the lesson.
Possibilities include:
Teaching a Kids Voting USA activity
from the Kids Voting USA Classroom
Activities: K-8 resource
Teaching a lesson of the teacher’s
choosing from the social studies
curriculum
High school students designing and
teaching a lesson on a suitable topic:
city government, voting, elections,
the U.S. presidency, and so forth
After the high school students successfully
teach their lessons, have them write short
reflections about how the lessons went.
Have your students send the participating
elementary school teachers a short evaluation
form to fill out and return. Questions on the
form might include the following:
Were the high school students
responsible and well prepared to teach?
How did the lesson go? How did your
students respond?
Do you have any suggestions for
improving this collaboration?
Would you like to participate in this
collaboration again?
Grades 9-12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
23
9–12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
TEACHING AN ELEMENTARY LESSON
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# Did you accomplish your goals?
# How did the elementary students respond to
your lesson?
# What was the most rewarding aspect?
# What did you struggle with the most while
coming up with a lesson? What was the most
difficult part of teaching your lesson?
# What did you learn from this experience about
elementary youth’s knowledge and interest in
the topic about which you taught?
(continued)
MORE!
Students can organize an after-school
“Kids Voting” club for upper elementary or
middle school students interested in learning
about voting, politics, and ways they can get
involved in their community.
Grades 9-12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
24
9–12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
OVERARCHING QUESTIONS
GATHERING AND WEIGHING INFORMATION
# Name some sources of information?
# Are some sources more dependable than others?
# Explain what makes information reliable?
# What’s your thought process when making a decision?
# Describe a decision you have made. Explain whether or not you think it was good decision?
COMMUNICATING YOUR POSITION
# Why is communicating your opinion/point of view in a constructive way important?
# What does it take to be an effective communicator?
# Are there times it’s inappropriate to share your opinion? Are there times that are extremely important
you communicate your opinion? Give examples.
# People aren’t always going to agree with you. What are the appropriate ways in handling such a situation?
# What is the difference between informed communication and uninformed communication?
WORKING TOGETHER
# What does it mean to work well with others?
# Why can it get stressful or difficult to work with groups of people?
# What is an active listener?
# What are the positive aspects of working with people?
# When have there been times you’d rather work with people opposed to alone?
# What is the most important advice you can give someone working in a group?
HAVING AN IMPACT
# What does it take to create a community? Give examples of different types of communities.
# Have you heard of or noticed any problems that your community faces/faced? If so, what are they?
# Who contributes most to a community? Community leaders? Parents? Teenagers? Young children?
Young adults? Others?
# Have you thought of ways you can positively impact your community?
# What does it take to create change in a community? What’s the most difficult aspect about change? How
can you as an individual help to start/establish change?
# Was there a time that you did something good for your community? Describe that time.
Grades 9-12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
25
9–12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
LITERATURE CONNECTION ACTIVITY
Teen Power Politics by Sara Jane Boyers
OBJECTIVE
Students implement service projects to create
positive change in their communities.
MATERIALS
Teen Power Politics – Sara Jane Boyers
GET READY
Secure several copies of Teen Power Politics for
your students.
Divide your students into small groups of four
or five.
INSTRUCTIONS
Give each group a copy of Teen Power Politics.
Have each group turn to page 66, which is the
beginning of the section on activism and service.
Have each group read the quote on the top of the
page. Instruct each group to interpret the quote.
Have a member from each of the groups share
their interpretation of the quote.
Next, instruct the groups to investigate the work
other teens have done to address community
problems. Each group should evaluate a case
study. These case studies can be found on
pages 67, 71, 73, 75, 77, and 79. Assign each
group to one of these examples. The groups
should capture what the problem was, how the
student(s) addressed the problem, and what
the result of the activism/service was.
Have each group present their case study to
the class.
Inform your students that they are going to
create positive change in their community, just
as did the student(s) in their case studies –
each group will identify a community problem
and implement a service project that helps
address the problem they identified.
Have the groups read the rest of the section
on activism and service. Tell the groups to use
the material in the book to help them brainstorm community problems and possible
service solutions.
Have the groups weigh the problems and
solutions they identified using the questions
on top of page 69. The groups should use these
questions to:
Identify the community problem that
most affects them
Design a service solution to the
identified problem, and
Consider the impact of their proposed
service solution
Have the groups research their community
problem and submit service proposals to you.
Help the groups shape their projects within
the bounds of reasonable scope and available
resources.
Have each group implement their service projects.
Have the groups report on their service
projects just as they did their case studies.
Grades 9-12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
26
9–12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
LITERATURE CONNECTION ACTIVITY
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# Are there any commonalities to the case
studies we examined? If so, what are they?
# Did your group have challenges in identifying
a community problem to focus on? If so, what
where they?
# Did you know a lot about the problem before
your group created a service plan? If not, how
did you educate yourself about the problem?
# Did your group have challenges in designing a
service project? If so, what were the
challenges?
# What was difficult about implementing your
service project? How did your group overcome
these difficulties?
(continued)
# What kind of impact did your group make? Do
you think you made a difference? How so?
# What did you learn over the course of your
project? Did you develop any valuable skills?
Grades 9-12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
27
9–12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
CULMINATING ACTIVITY: SERVICE-LEARNING ACTION PLAN
(Time varies)
PART ONE: IDENTIFY AREAS FOR SERVICE
(50-60 minutes)
OBJECTIVE
Students list problems facing their community
and choose an area for service.
MATERIALS
No materials are necessary for this part of
the activity.
GET READY
Become familiar with the Move to the Problem
Activity, described below.
INSTRUCTIONS
Step 1: Generate a list of problems and needs
for service.
Have students brainstorm a list of needs and
problems facing their community. Write these
needs and problems on the board. Possible
problems may include: voter apathy,
pollution, etc.
Step 2: Identify cause/effect for each need
and problem.
Next to each problem or need write the
cause/effect. This will help students determine
ideas for action.
Step 3: Use the Move to the Problem Activity
to select problems or needs to work on.
Assign an area in the classroom for each
problem (Example: The left side of the
classroom is for Voter Apathy).
Ask students to move to the problem they feel
is the most important. Encourage students to
talk among themselves while they are deciding
where to move.
When all the students have chosen a problem,
ask them to share why they made their decision.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# How did you feel when you made your decision?
# Was your decision based on the issue or a friend?
# Was it difficult to choose?
# How is decision-making an important skill for
all of us?
Step 4: Narrow the Focus
Have students work together to determine how
many of the problems to address. Explain that
the class will continue to address these problems.
Grades 9-12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
28
9–12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
CULMINATING ACTIVITY: SERVICE-LEARNING ACTION PLAN (continued)
PART TWO: DETERMINE SERVICE SOLUTIONS
OBJECTIVE
Students work in groups to determine service
activities to solve problems identified in Part One.
MATERIALS
Kids Voting Service-learning Menu handout;
Service Solutions Process handout; large paper
and markers
GET READY
Make copies of Kids Voting Service-learning
Menu and Service Solutions Process (one copy
per group).
Gather large sheets of paper and markers for
each group.
INSTRUCTIONS
Divide your students into small groups.
Ask students to consider solutions to the
previously identified problem(s) (See Part One).
Brainstorm solutions using the Service
Solutions Process which follows.
Service Solution Process (Adapted from Tribes
A New Way of Learning and Being Together
by Jeanne Gibbs.)
Teacher Directions
Have students meet in small groups of
three to five students.
Distribute a large sheet of paper,
markers, and one copy of the Kids Voting
Service-learning Menu to each group.
Give each group 10 minutes to determine
at least three service ideas. They may write
ideas from the Kids Voting Servicelearning Menu handout and/or ideas of
their own. They should record these ideas
on the large sheet of paper you gave them.
After 10 minutes, ask each group member
to vote for their favorite three service ideas.
They should assign 25 points to their first
choice, 15 points to their second choice,
and five points to their third choice.
(See Service Solutions Process handout.)
Have each group total the points for each
idea and then read their top three service
ideas to the class. Make sure that each
idea is well-defined and oriented towards
the problem(s) identified in Part One.
Student Directions (also found on Service
Solutions Process handout)
For 10 minutes, brainstorm what you
and your fellow students can do about
the problem. Have one person record all
ideas on your large paper.
VOTE – Each person selects their top
three choices with an assignment of
points (1st choice = 25 points; 2nd
choice = 15 points; 3rd choice = 5 points).
Add up the total points for each idea.
Present the top three solutions to the class.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
# How did the process of voting work for your
group?
# Share one positive thing about your group
working together.
# Can all of your solutions be applied in your
group?
Grades 9-12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
29
9–12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
CULMINATING ACTIVITY: SERVICE-LEARNING ACTION PLAN (continued)
PART THREE: PLAN AND TAKE ACTION
OBJECTIVE
Students work together to develop and
implement a plan of service.
MATERIALS
Service-learning Action Plan handout;
envelopes, stamps, lined paper, phone books
GET READY
Make copies of Service-learning Action Plan
(2–3 copies per group)
Gather envelopes and stamps
Gather phone books
Obtain Internet access (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
Step 1: Explain Action Plans
Explain what an action plan is, if necessary:
An Action Plan designates tasks, persons
responsible for each task, and expected time
for completion. The action plan should be
posted, reviewed daily and revised and added
to as necessary. An action plan is a group
contract which reminds people of their
accountability to one another.
Step 2: Complete Service-learning Action Plan
handout
Give each group a copy of the Service-learning
Action Plan handout.
Encourage students to think about each step
necessary for completing the plan. It may be
necessary to discuss task analysis in order for
students to understand how to break the
solution into steps.
Assist groups in beginning their action plans.
Step 3: Implement Action Plans
Allow students ample time to work on their
plan. Some supplies/resources to have on hand
to assist them are: extra copies of the Servicelearning Action Plan handout, paper,
envelopes, stamps, phone books, internet access.
Encourage the groups to share their plans and
progress throughout the project.
Grades 9-12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
30
9–12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
CULMINATING ACTIVITY: SERVICE-LEARNING ACTION PLAN (continued)
PART FOUR: CELEBRATE YOUR SUCCESS
OBJECTIVE
Students evaluate their success and are
recognized for their efforts.
MATERIALS
Student Evaluation Form handout
GET READY
Copy the Student Evaluation Form handout
for each of your students.
INSTRUCTIONS
Step 1: Have Students Evaluate Their Work
Give each student the Student Evaluation
Form. Ask them to evaluate their work.
Ideas for recognizing students’ work:
School newspapers and school
announcements
Broadcast media
Newspapers
Letters to businesses in your community
Write Kids Voting USA. We may be able
to use your story in the future in one of
our newsletters.
Kids Voting USA
3933 South McClintock Drive
Suite 505
Tempe, Arizona 85282
Attn: Education Specialist
Step 2: Recognize and Reinforce Students’ Work
One way to recognize the service projects is to
ensure that students receive publicity.
Grades 9-12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
31
SERVICE-LEARNING ACTION PLAN
KIDS VOTING SERVICE-LEARNING MENU
Many of these ideas are from Kids Voting Programs. You may want to incorporate some of these ideas
into your Service Solutions.
KIDS VOTING ARIZONA
• Students at Sunnyslope High School in Phoenix, Arizona create a newspaper voting guide every
two years and distribute it to over 10,000 readers in the community. Students earn over $1200
through the sale of advertising space on its pages.
KV NORTH ALASKA
• Students from West Valley High School produced a short video encouraging their fellow students
to vote that was shown to all classes. The school’s government class researched and produced
pamphlets, listing position statement for state candidates, which were available to all students.
KV COLORADO
• High school students from all five Mesa County Valley School District 51 high schools lead a
candidate forum for two state house races. Students attended a training session and then
hosted the entire event including moderating, asking questions of the candidates, timekeeping
and greeting candidates when they arrived.
KV CENTRAL OHIO
• Columbus-area high school students attended a U.S. Naturalization ceremony, after which they
registered U.S. citizens to vote.
KV SOUTHWEST OHIO
• The White House or Bust Election Exhibit at the Mercer Museum was created by two high
school students as their graduation project. The exhibit received national mention in the Wall
Street Journal regarding innovative election-related exhibits around the country.
MORE IDEAS:
• Book Share: select books about the voting process and read to a younger child.
• Volunteer at a candidate’s headquarters.
• Volunteer at your local Kids Voting USA affiliate.
• Help younger kids learn about democracy by being a guest speaker in an elementary classroom.
Grades 9-12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
32
SERVICE-LEARNING ACTION PLAN
SERVICE SOLUTIONS PROCESS
• Brainstorm what you and your fellow students can do about the problem
for 10 minutes. (See Guidelines for Brainstorming.)
• VOTE – Each person selects three top choices with an assignment of points
(1st choice = 25 points; 2nd choice = 15 points; 3rd choice = 5 points).
• Add up the total points for each idea.
• Present the top three solutions to the class.
GUIDELINES FOR BRAINSTORMING
• Appoint one group member as recorder. The recorder writes down all ideas.
• No criticism of any idea is acceptable.
• “Free-wheeling” is welcome. The wilder the idea the better. It is easier to
tame down than to think up.
• Quantity is the key. The more ideas, the more likelihood of real winners in
the group.
• Combining ideas and improving ideas is encouraged.
Grades 9-12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
33
SERVICE-LEARNING ACTION PLAN
SERVICE-LEARNING ACTION PLAN
Problem:
Service Solution:
Names of all group members:
What?
Who?
By When?
Grades 9-12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
34
SERVICE-LEARNING ACTION PLAN
STUDENT EVALUATION FORM
Describe your service project.
Explain how your project was or was not successful.
What was the most successful part of this project?
What was the biggest challenge?
If you were to work on this project again what would you do differently?
List at least three important things you learned from working on this project.
How did your group work together?
What are some things your group could work on to improve the group?
Grades 9-12 ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
35
APPENDIX
APPENDIX
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ELECTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
FACTORS WHICH INFLUENCE POLITICAL BELIEFS AND BEHAVIORS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
THE LINKS BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND VOTING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
THE MEDIA AND POLITICS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
THE OFFICE OF PRESIDENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
POLITICAL PARTIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
POLITICAL PROPAGANDA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
THE RIGHT TO VOTE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
SERVICE-LEARNING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
USE OF POLLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
VOTER APATHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
APPENDIX
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
1
APPENDIX
ELECTIONS
QUALIFICATIONS FOR VOTING
The United States Constitution gives each state the right to decide who is qualified to vote and for
much of our history there were significant differences among the states. However, since 1964 the
U.S. Department of Justice has been charged with enforcing the Voting Rights Act, which has
resulted in uniform voting qualifications in all states.
To be qualified to vote one must be:
A United States citizen
18 years of age or older
A resident of a state or the District of Columbia
Able to write or make his/her mark
One must not be:
A convicted felon (unless civil rights have been restored)
Legally insane
REGISTERING TO VOTE
Before the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, voter registration was, in some states, an
intimidating and difficult process. Several instances brought attention to this topic, resulting in
the Voting Rights Act of 1964.
Today, the trend in most states is to make registering to vote easier and more convenient. In many
states it is now possible to register by mail or when getting a driver’s license.
When registering to vote, one typically fills out a card which asks a series of questions designed to
determine eligibility. It is also necessary to declare party allegiance or independence of party
allegiance at the time of registration in most states. Each person is assigned to a voter precinct at
the time of registration and can vote only at that precinct or by absentee ballot.
Limiting voters to a particular precinct is a way to control voter fraud and to facilitate the management of elections, but in today’s increasingly mobile society it also prevents some people from voting.
The application of computer technology is beginning to make some variations in the precinct system
possible. For example, in some states it is now possible to register at the polls. If a person changes
names, moves, or wants to have a different political party affiliation it is necessary to reregister.
POLLING PLACE PROCEDURE
Polling place procedures may vary slightly in some locations, but in general there is a great similarity.
Elections and voting are under the jurisdiction of county governments. An election board is
appointed for each precinct and it is its job to conduct the election according to the instructions of
the county elections department. Also present at each polling place are representatives of the major
political parties whose role is to be sure the election is conducted properly.
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ELECTION PRECINCTS
The governing board for each county is responsible for establishing a “convenient” number of
voting precincts. New precincts may be established by the governing body as necessary. In states
where precinct irregularities are judged to have occurred, the process must be approved by the
U.S. Department of Justice. The county recorder is responsible for advising voters of any change in
their precincts. Special districts (school districts, utilities, etc.) may be established and polling
places designated for each precinct.
ELECTION BOARD AND TALLY BOARDS
Election officials (whose titles may vary from state to state) representing the two major parties are
appointed for each precinct. To be appointed, a person must be a qualified voter of the jurisdiction
certifying the election. State employees associated with the election procedure are prohibited from
being appointed as representatives of political parties. Lists of alternates are available if vacancies
occur on the morning of an election.
ELECTION LAWS
Federal law governs all national elections and has been widely adopted by the states. Accordingly,
one will find the following to be true at most elections:
In primary elections only, ballots are printed on materials of a different color for each
represented party.
When there are two or more candidates for a nomination, the names are rotated in top,
bottom, and middle positions. In primary elections where voting machines are used, electors’
names shall appear in alphabetical order.
The fifty-foot limit requires a sign marking the boundary be posted and that only those voting
and those working in the polls be allowed within the fifty-foot limit.
The United States flag will be displayed at polling places.
VOTING EQUIPMENT
Generally, it is state law which governs the type and number of voting devices which must be
provided for the registered voters of each precinct, but it is the counties who are responsible for
financing the purchase and maintenance of voting equipment and supplies.
ABSENTEE VOTING
All states make provisions for absentee ballots to be cast. See your Kids Voting Teacher Handbook
for the specifics in your state.
RECOUNTS
An automatic recount of votes is required when the margin is less than one-tenth of one percent.
The expense of the count will be borne by the state or county, depending on the office or measure
involved.
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GENERAL ELECTIONS
According to federal law, elections for federal offices will be held on the first Tuesday after the first
Monday in November on even-numbered years. This is also the date adopted by most states for the
election of state officials. These elections are called general elections.
QUALIFICATIONS FOR HOLDING OFFICE:
The president and vice president are required by the U.S. Constitution to be at least 35 years of
age, reside in the country for the last 14 years, and be natural-born citizens.
Senators are required to be at least 30 years of age, reside in the state they represent, and be
citizens for at least nine years.
Representatives are required to be at least 25 years of age, reside in the state they represent,
and be citizens for at least seven years.
LENGTH OF TERMS
Depending on the office, candidates are elected for two-, four-, or six-year terms:
The president and vice president are elected every four years.
Senators are elected to six-year terms, but the terms are staggered so that one-third are
elected every two years. Every state has two U.S. senators.
Representatives are elected to two-year terms. The entire house is elected every two years.
Since the total number of representatives is set by law at 435, changes in population require a
reapportionment. This occurs every 10 years after the national census is taken. The Census
Bureau determines the number of representatives to which each state is entitled, but it is up
to the states to redraw their own congressional districts. To eliminate the practice of
gerrymandering, the federal government oversees the drawing of congressional districts
according to the Voting Rights Act of 1964.
Some states conduct elections for state executive offices in conjunction with federal general
elections, and other states conduct state elections in off years. Also on the general election ballot
may be several issues concerning the state that will be decided by the voters.
INITIATIVES
This measure allows citizens to make laws directly without action by the legislature or governor.
There are two types of initiatives. One can be used to change a state constitution and the other to
make a law. Both kinds of initiatives require that petitions be signed by registered voters. The
number of signatures needed follows a formula determined by state law. The signatures must be
collected within a certain time and validated by state or county officials. Before the election, the
state publishes a pamphlet containing all proposals.
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REFERENDUMS
This measure provides a way for the citizens to vote on a new law or constitutional amendment
after the legislature has approved it. Referendums get on the ballot in one of two ways. First, the
legislature may want to have the voters make the ultimate decision about whether a law is
desirable or not. In that case, the legislature can by law place it on the general election ballot.
Second, the public may pass petitions and get a sufficient number of signatures to force a law
passed by the legislature to be put to a vote.
JUDICIAL ELECTIONS
Judicial elections generally occur during a general election. Some states have a system for selecting
judges that allows voters to affirm more than one judge. For instance, there may be 20 judges up
for affirmation, and voters may be allowed to select three judges to affirm. Other states have a
system through which voters cast negative votes against a judge. For instance, there may be 20
judges up for affirmation, and a voter only votes against those he/she does not want affirmed.
PRIMARY ELECTIONS
The primary is a tool of the political parties to let them determine who their candidate will be in
the general elections in case there are several persons who would like to run for the same office.
Primaries did not become a dominant factor in presidential nominations until the 1960s. Until
then candidates were typically selected by party activists who attended the national conventions.
The party then presented the candidates to the electorate. The rise of primaries involved voters
more directly in the selection process, and in so doing it diminished the power of the major
parties. Around the turn of the century, the reformers interested in making the nominating
process more democratic began to press the state governments to provide more direct voter
participation. The primary was the technique most of them favored. In 1901 Florida enacted the
first presidential primary law. This gave party officials the option of holding a primary to choose
delegates to the national presidential convention. Within a few years, a number of states took the
next important step by establishing the “preferential” presidential primary. Oregon pioneered this
new system, by which voters would cast a ballot for their preferred candidate and the delegates
would be legally bound to that candidate at the national convention.
In 1912 preferential primaries were held in one-quarter of the states. The former President
Theodore Roosevelt won the Republican vote in most of them. However, the Republican National
Convention nominated the incumbent William Howard Taft. Indeed, until 1968, party leaders
remained firmly in control of the nominating process.
In 1960 John Kennedy concentrated on two primaries—Wisconsin and West Virginia—and by
winning them, convinced party leaders to support him at the convention. In 1964 and 1968 there
were dramatic primary competitions among the major candidates. Barry Goldwater’s victory over
Nelson Rockefeller in the California Republican primary in 1964 assured him the nomination, and
the emotional Democratic primaries of 1968 pitted Eugene McCarthy, Robert Kennedy, and
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Hubert Humphrey against each other. Robert Kennedy’s death at the hand of an assassin,
following his dramatic victory in the California primary, clouded the primary vote that year.
Humphrey went on to win the nomination at the strife-torn national convention in Chicago.
Before the 1972 convention, some Democrats (led by South Dakota Senator George McGovern) began
to exert pressure aimed at changing the complex nominating rules to allow broader voter participation.
The first beneficiary of the changed rules was McGovern himself, who used the primary process to
win the nomination. In 1976 the little-known Jimmy Carter won the nomination by pursuing a
skillful primary campaign, and in 1980 Carter and Ronald Reagan earned their parties’ nominations
by winning majority votes in more than 35 primaries. This was the high water mark for primaries.
After the defeat in the 1980 election, the Democrats began to wonder at the wisdom of the system
that absorbed so much time (candidates beginning to run the year before the election and
campaigning in primaries from March through June) and seemed to discourage members of the
party from running. By 1984 the number of primaries was reduced to 27. In 1988 the number was
25 for the Democrats and 28 for the Republicans, and nearly half of these were scheduled on the
same date, March 8, “Super Tuesday.”
Even so, the primary has remained the most important method of determining the major candidates
for president. One of the consequences has been to diminish the role and influence of the political
party in such matters. As a rule, party leaders interested in winning general elections seek moderate
candidates who will appeal to coalitions of diverse voters. The primary process often demands that a
candidate commit to groups with very specific political goals—the advocates, women’s rights organizations, gay activists, ethnic minority groups—before these groups will grant their vote in a primary.
By the time of the general election, these candidates may be seen as tools of special interests. Finally,
the primary system is so cumbersome and so long that some major candidates simply cannot find the
time, energy, or money to run. Some scholars now argue that reforms that would strengthen the
primary system—shorten the campaign, diminish the influence of special interest groups, and control
the spiraling expenditures necessary to run for the presidency—would benefit the country. But we
should keep in mind that the expansion of the primary method was also intended to benefit the country.
LOCAL ELECTIONS
Local elections are set by the individual city councils or school boards. They tend to be in spring
rather than fall when the primaries and general elections are held. Some examples of local
elections are:
City Council and Mayoral Elections, Bond Elections. Bond elections are held to get voter
approval to spend money, generally for construction projects. It may be that a particular
school district would like to build more schools or a city needs to build a new sewer plant.
Override Elections. Override elections allow the voters to exceed the legal limit placed on
taxing and spending.
Recall Elections. In most states all elected officials, including judges, are subject to recall by
the voters. To recall, petitions must be circulated and a specified number of signatures obtained.
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APPOINTED OFFICIALS
Governmental entities have appointed officials, such as the city managers and school
superintendents, who generally serve at the pleasure of their top elected officials. In most cases,
these appointees actually run the day-to-day business while the elected officials set the governing
policies. The elected officials often rely on the professional opinions of the appointed officials.
In many cases, governing entities have created volunteer citizen panels to help oversee the
governmental process. Cities and counties, for instance, have planning and zoning boards to
approve location of shopping centers and to ensure that liquor stores are not right next to churches.
The people on these boards are interested individuals who, in most cases, serve without pay.
THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE
To be elected president, a candidate must successfully win three different kinds of contests.
First, the candidate must win delegate support at the state level. Second, the candidate must be
nominated at the party’s national convention. Finally, the candidate must win a majority of the
nation’s electoral votes in the nationwide election held every fourth year on the Tuesday following
the first Monday in November.
Following the selection of candidates at the party conventions in the summer, the country
witnesses a nationwide campaign for the presidency, generally with two major candidates. The
campaign usually heats up in early September and continues until Election Day in early November.
Voters who participate in the national election, however, are not actually voting directly for a
presidential candidate. Rather, they are voting for electors—members of the Electoral College. The
Electoral College actually chooses the president and vice president. Each state is assigned a number
of electors equal to its total United States representatives (435) and senators (100). In addition, the
District of Columbia has three electoral votes, making the total number of electors for the entire
country 538. A presidential hopeful who wins the majority of electoral votes wins the election.
Currently, the candidate who wins the greatest number of popular votes (not necessarily a
majority) in a state receives all of that state’s electoral votes. There are two exceptions to the rule.
Maine and Nebraska both use an alternative method of distributing their electoral votes, called the
Congressional District Method. With the Congressional District Method, a state divides itself into a
number of districts, allocating one of its state-wide electoral votes to each district. The winner of
each district is awarded that district’s electoral vote, and the winner of the statewide vote is then
awarded the state’s remaining two electoral votes.
The candidate who wins a majority of the electoral vote is then elected president. On a few
occasions in our history, the candidate with the plurality of popular votes has actually lost the
election in the electoral college. Despite suggestions for changing the system, the U.S. Congress
does not seem interested in doing so.
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In the event that no candidate receives a majority of the electoral vote, the selection for president
is made by the U.S. House of Representatives. Each state has one vote. In the 1824 election, with
four major candidates running, Andrew Jackson, the candidate with the most electoral votes (99)
and the greatest number of popular votes (153,544), lost the presidency to John Quincy Adams
who had only 84 electoral votes and 108,740 popular votes. With three opponents, Jackson failed
to win a majority of the total electoral votes. When the House voted to choose the president (as
provided in the U.S. Constitution), Jackson’s opponents united against him, and a majority of the
states’ representatives voted for Adams.
Before election day in November, each party with a candidate running for the presidency selects a
slate of potential electors. Each state is given a number of electors equal to its total number of
United States representatives and senators. (The District of Columbia was given three electoral
votes by the 23rd amendment, which was ratified in 1961.) Thus, on election day in November,
voters actually are choosing which slate of electors will be sent to the state capital to vote in
December. The current practice in all states is that the candidate who wins the largest number of
state’s popular votes (not necessarily a majority) in the November general election receives all that
state’s electoral votes. Therefore, if a candidate wins by one percent in your state, that candidate
will receive every one of your state’s electoral votes.
FACTORS WHICH INFLUENCE POLITICAL BELIEFS AND BEHAVIORS
There are four major influences on voter decisions:
1. The background of the voter
2. The degree of voter loyalty to political parties
3. The issues of the campaign
4. The voter’s image of the candidates
BACKGROUND:
Age
Education level
Religious beliefs
Ethnicity
Social/economic status
LOYALTY TO POLITICAL PARTIES:
Strong versus weak party voters vote in different numbers; weak party voters cast votes
less frequently.
Independent voters’ votes are cast for persons or issues without regard for party affiliation.
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ISSUES IN THE CAMPAIGN:
The media (television, radio, newspapers, and Internet) presents issues to a wide audience.
The degree to which the personal lives of voters are impacted by issues (e.g., pollution, energy,
inflation, school busing, gun control, crime, unemployment and women’s rights) in
campaigns affects voters’ attitudes.
CANDIDATE’S IMAGE:
How a candidate is perceived by the voters is extremely important in an election. Generally, the
most important considerations are:
Leadership qualities
Problem-solving abilities
Trustworthiness
THE LINKS BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND VOTING
Voters directly impact government in the following ways:
At the national level
At the state, county, and local levels
AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL:
The voter affects the party platform, which delineates the party’s stand on specific issues.
The party in power determines the amount of spending on various programs.
The party in power determines the direction of domestic and foreign policies.
AT THE STATE, COUNTY, AND LOCAL LEVELS:
Taxes (bond elections) to support various kinds of construction (e.g., new schools, highways,
improvement districts)
Educational systems (school boards)
Environmental issues (clean air regulations, waste disposal)
Transportation (public transit, highway systems)
THE MEDIA AND POLITICS
Any study of politics must take into account the importance of media in American politics. Not
only are journalists and their programs the most important information sources in society, but
also the media depend on the political system for much of the news they report. Almost all of the
functions of the media have political implications and some are essential to the democratic process.
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FUNCTIONS OF MEDIA
The media’s functions include:
Entertainment – providing material that is simply interesting, diverting or fun
Reporting the news – mass media’s primary goal
Identifying public problems – investigative function, presentation of policy alternatives
Socializing a new generation – transmission of historical information
Providing a political forum – officeholders attempt to gain support for policies, image of
leadership; viewers and readers share their own insights with the community
Making money – private ownership; commercial media are profit-making enterprises
TELEVISION
Television is particularly influential in the realm of politics. TV may also portray issues more
superficially than newspapers and news magazines because it operates within significant time
constraints, and because it gives special emphasis to the visual impact of stories. Television
journalism connects with viewers especially strongly on an emotional level. Print media have
some advantages in reaching their audience on an intellectual level.
POWER OF MEDIA
The media comprise a powerful tool in political communication. They serve as vehicles for paid
political advertisements, while also covering news that candidates may see as positive or negative.
The media can manage news coverage based on particular interests. The media also can play a roll
in creating special political events, such as presidential debates.
MEDIA AND GOVERNMENT
The media conduct investigative reporting related to elected officials on a regular basis. This can
affect the way an office holder or an administration sets and pursues its agenda. Given limited
time and space, journalists must make decisions about which issues and personalities to
emphasize. Those decisions are influenced by personal and institutional values. As a result most
journalists believe it is critically important to make special efforts to insure that their work is
accurate, thorough, fair and balanced.
REGULATIONS
The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects the right of media to do their work
without unwarranted interference, and to share that work with an audience. The electronic media
are restricted in some ways by government control, exercised through the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC). The FCC requires electronic media to provide equal time to political
candidates. This equal time restriction does not apply to print media.
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MEDIA AND THE PRESIDENT
The White House has a press corps and a press secretary. The press secretary works to
communicate the position of the president. The press corps is comprised of media representatives
who have the White House as a “beat” to cover. The White House can also create media events,
such as “fireside chats.”
MEDIA AND THE SELECTION OF CANDIDATES
The role of the media in the selection of candidates cannot be overlooked. For good or bad it is
there. In 1928, Al Smith’s chances for election as president were greatly reduced by his nasalsounding voice, which was a disaster on radio. In the 1960 presidential debates of Nixon and
Kennedy, television viewers gave the edge to Kennedy while radio listeners gave it to Nixon. The
Reason: Nixon appeared to be sweaty and nervous, and seemed to have a five o’clock shadow while
Kennedy appeared cool, collected and confident. While broadcast journalism may be more constrained
in some ways by government licensing, the print media are able in some respects to be less inhibited.
Newspapers frequently support candidates and take stands on issues of local, state and national
importance. In recent years, however, television has come under great scrutiny as a source of political
influence. Newspapers now cover politicians’ TV advertising campaigns as carefully as they cover
actual campaign appearances. The needs of television have come to shape presidential campaigns.
Here are a few examples:
Primaries are now much more national in character. Before television, candidates in the
primaries concentrated on local issues: farm problems in agricultural states, industry
problems in industrial states. The primaries today, however, are covered by national television
and offer candidates an early arena for national exposure. As a result, primaries today are
fought largely on the grounds of national issues as opposed to local issues and candidates are
often hesitant to take strong stands on controversial issues as opposed to local issues.
Speech writing has changed substantially. In 1858 the Lincoln-Douglas debates went on for hours
and were reported in-depth by the newspapers. In electronic journalism, though, time is
expensive. The candidate may get one or two minutes on the evening news, but usually no more.
Speech writers now construct speeches to contain “sound bites,” as the networks call them—
20- and 30-second highlights that can be dropped directly into television and radio newscasts.
Television schedules dictate that most major campaign speeches are given early in the day, to
give the networks time to locate the “sound bites” and edit them for use on the evening news.
Television is an enormously persuasive medium, but the telegenic candidate may not always
be the best qualified. Nor is the campaign that is best designed for television necessarily the
one with the most substance. In recent years, newspapers have expanded their coverage of
issues, by meeting with readers to get questions that are then submitted to candidates.
Newspapers also make extensive efforts to compare candidates’ positions on important issues
in some detail. It is the voters’ duty to study the personalities, analyze the issues, and learn all
they can about the candidates, in order to make informed and responsible decisions.
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THE OFFICE OF PRESIDENT
THE POWERS OF THE PRESIDENT
The office of the president of the United States is one of the most powerful positions in the world.
There are only a few hundred words in the U.S. Constitution about the president’s duties and
powers but those few words give him/her powers of many kinds.
Time and tradition have also developed expectations and powers that are not carefully spelled out
in the U.S. Constitution. Still, the origin of all presidential power is in the U.S. Constitution and
to understand the presidential role as it is currently exercised, one must understand the
constitution. Presidential powers are found in Article II, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution.
CLAUSE 1
Text:
“The President shall be commander-in-chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the
militia of the several states when called into the actual service of the United States; he may require
the opinion, in writing, of the principal officer in each of the executive departments, upon any
subject relating to the duties of their respective offices, and he shall have power to grant reprieves
and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment.”
Interpretation:
When the framers of the U.S. Constitution made the president commander-in-chief of the armed
forces, they were thinking of several important points:
1. They ordered that the head of the armed forces should be elected by the people
2. They prevented any military officer of the armed forces from seizing the government and
making himself/herself president
3. They also prevented any president from becoming a dictator since he/she can be head of the
armed forces only as long as he/she is president—and a president can be impeached or voted
out of office
4. They placed in the hands of one person the great governmental and military power that must
be used together in time of war. The words “principal officer in each of the executive departments” suggests that there will be various departments to help the president carry out his/her
duties. The heads of these departments have come to be known as the president’s Cabinet.
CLAUSE 2
Text:
“He shall have power, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to make treaties, provided
two-thirds of the Senators present concur; and he/she shall nominate and, by and with the advice
and consent of the Senate, shall appoint ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, judges
of the Supreme Court, and all other officers of the United States, whose appointments are not
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herein provided for and which shall be established by law; but the Congress may by law vest the
appointment of such inferior officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the courts of
law, or in the heads of departments.”
Interpretation:
The rule that the U.S. Senate must approve any treaty keeps the president from making important
agreements with other nations against the wishes of the elected representatives of the American
people. But there are other kinds of foreign agreements, less important than treaties, which the
president can make without Senate approval. In Clause 2, the U.S. Constitution makes separate
rules for selecting two different kinds of officers:
1. Very important officers who are appointed by the president only after a majority of the U.S.
Senate has approved them
2. Inferior officers, who can be chosen by the president, by his/her Cabinet officers, or by judges
without Senate approval of them. These so-called “inferior officers” are not necessarily
unimportant. Among the very important officials whom the president can appoint only with
the approval of the U.S. Senate are high officers of the armed forces, leading postmasters, head
customs officials, and members of key agencies such as the Atomic Energy Commission, the
Federal Reserve Board and the Interstate Commerce Commission.
CLAUSE 3
Text:
“The President shall have power to fill up all vacancies that may happen during the recess of the
Senate, by granting commissions which shall expire at the end of their next session.”
Interpretation:
In Clause 3, the U.S. Constitution says that if one of these important jobs becomes vacant while
Congress is not meeting, the president may choose a person for the job without waiting to get
Senate approval. Such an appointment is known as an ad interim, or “for the interval,”
appointment. When Congress meets again, the U.S. Senate votes either for or against the person
chosen by the president.
THE DUTIES OF THE PRESIDENT
ARTICLE 2, SECTION 3
Text:
“He shall from time to time give to the Congress information of the state of the Union, and
recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient; he may,
on extraordinary occasions, convene both houses, or either of them, and in case of disagreement
between them, with respect to the time of adjournment, he may adjourn them to such time as he
shall think proper; he shall receive ambassadors and other public ministers; he shall take care that
the laws be faithfully executed, and shall commission all officers of the United States.”
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Interpretation:
One of the president’s duties is to give information and advice to the U.S. Congress in messages on
the “state of the Union.” Hundreds of thousands of government employees throughout the
country and around the world report back to their head officers. These officers in turn report to
the president. Such messages are strong political tools for the president. Another tool is his/ her
power to call special sessions of Congress. Among the most important duties of the president is
“to take care that the laws be faithfully executed.” He/she is too busy to do all this himself/herself
but there are many officers in the executive branch of the government to help him/her enforce the
laws. The presidential job, as described in the U.S. Constitution, is a medley of compromises. Today
a president is asked to play countless roles that are not carefully spelled out in the U.S. Constitution.
Modern-day presidents are much more powerful than those of the last century despite the fact that
their constitutional powers have not changed. Attempting to describe presidential power is difficult,
as the exact dimension of executive power at any given moment is largely the consequence of the
incumbent’s character and energy, combined with the needs and challenges of the time.
SUMMARY OF CONSTITUTIONAL ROLES AND POWERS OF THE PRESIDENT:
Commander-in-chief
Conduct foreign policy
Negotiate treaties
Nominate top officials
Veto bills
Faithfully administer federal law
Pardon for federal offenses
Maintain order
Address Congress and nation
ADDITIONAL ROLES AND INFORMAL POWERS:
Morale builder
Party leader
Legislative leader
Coalition-builder
Crisis manager
Personnel recruiter
World leader
Budget setter
Priority setter
Bargainer and persuader
Conflict resolver
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STEPS IN ELECTING A PRESIDENT:
1. Candidate announces that he/she is entering the race; this usually happens one to two years
before the November election.
2. Members of the same party run against each other, trying to become the party’s candidate.
A. Primaries: Party members vote for candidates, win delegates to the convention.
B. Caucuses: Party members select delegates to the convention at meetings.
3. Voters vote for president; this is called the “popular vote.”
A. Voters are really voting for electors who are pledged to a candidate.
B. If a candidate wins the popular vote, he/she wins all of the electoral votes; this is
called “winner take all.”
4. The Electoral College is made up of all of the electors. The electors vote in December.
A candidate must get at least 270 out of 538 votes to win the election.
5. On January 6, Congress officially counts the ballots. If no candidate has at least 270 votes, the
U.S. House of Representatives selects the president and the U.S. Senate selects the vice president.
6. Inauguration Day: The president and vice president are sworn into office on January 20.
POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS
Every political candidate knows that issues are not all there is to a campaign. It is also necessary
to “sell” the voters on the candidate’s personality, values, character, and individual worthiness to
hold office. Today’s candidate usually wishes to be seen as warm, decent, and likable. Certainly it
remains important to be intelligent, calm, well-informed, strong, and decisive—the traditional
values of leadership—but voters also respond positively to an attractive personality and negatively
to a cold or distant one.
An industry has sprung up over the need to make candidates “human,” to stress personal qualities
to which voters can respond emotionally as well as intellectually. Given two candidates of
approximately equal ability, people will vote for the one they like. “I Like Ike” worked for several
reasons. It was simple, it was memorable, it stressed affection rather than admiration or respect—
attitudes Eisenhower already inspired—and it appealed to voters who were unfamiliar with or did
not care about his war record. His Democratic opponent in both 1952 and 1956, Illinois Governor
Adlai E. Stevenson, was an accomplished politician and, in private, a witty man, but he never
achieved Eisenhower’s broad popular appeal. And Stevenson’s slogan could not compare with
“Ike’s;” how memorable is “Madly for Adlai”?
Names can be an important part of a politician’s image. In the 1988 primary campaigns,
Democratic Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis, whose friends called him “Michael,”
campaigned as “Mike,” and Republican Delaware Governor Pierre Du Pont became “Pete.” U.S.
Vice President Lyndon Baines Johnson elevated to the presidency when John F. Kennedy was
assassinated, campaigned under his initials using the slogan “All the Way With LBJ.” Governor
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James Earl Carter of Georgia, who won the presidency in 1976, stressed his Southern roots and
lack of pretension by calling himself “Jimmy” throughout his political career.
Candidates traditionally emphasize their families. The candidate’s spouse and children usually play
an active role in the candidate’s campaign—appearing at most of the important public functions
and are invariably on hand at national conventions. The spirited part played by a candidate’s family
is a public affirmation of family values, and family values are generally important to the American
electorate. (America has had only one bachelor president, James Buchanan.)
In support of most campaigns, the political parties and the candidates’ advisors create an array of
buttons, posters, slogans, cheers and, more recently, television and radio advertisements. All these
tools seek to encapsulate a candidate’s appeal—to make it attractive to the largest number of
voters. “Tippecanoe and Tyler Too” (William Henry Harrison), “Honest Abe” (Abraham Lincoln),
“Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick” (Theodore Roosevelt), “The New Deal” (Franklin Delano
Roosevelt), “The New Frontier” (John F. Kennedy), “The Great Society” (Lyndon Baines
Johnson)—were all marketing devices that summarized a candidate’s appeal and attempted, on the
simplest level, to clarify the issues involved. As issues have become more complex and the media
(especially television) have made candidates more visible, marketing is an even more important
factor in political campaigns. One of the voter’s challenges is to differentiate between a candidate’s
image and the substance of the campaign.
POLITICAL PARTIES
There are many political parties in the United States, but the two largest ones, the Republicans and
Democrats, are so powerful that the U.S. is generally considered to have a two-party system. Many
of those who wrote the Constitution hoped that political parties would never develop in America,
but almost from the beginning there were Federalists and Anti-Federalists and by the middle of the
19th century the Republican and Democratic parties were well established. Despite the fears of our
founding fathers, political parties serve an important role in the election process.
THE IMPORTANCE OF POLITICAL PARTIES
Political parties are crucially important throughout the election process. They offer choices and
clarify issues. They play the key role in the selection of candidates for the presidency. They help to
administer the state conventions, caucuses, and primaries. Parties run the national conventions
from which the presidential and vice presidential candidates eventually emerge. At the
conventions, the nominees and influential party members create a platform that reconciles the
elements of the party that competed in the primaries. Parties are also very active in the November
general elections. They raise money for their candidates, mobilize volunteers, encourage voter
registration and participation, provide poll watchers, and create campaign materials. Once a party
wins an election, it is expected to develop policies and to govern, while the party out of power is
expected to provide constructive criticism of the party in power.
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SUMMARY OF THE ROLE OF POLITICAL PARTIES:
1. Recruit and nominate candidates
2. Simplify choice of candidates through primaries
3. Raise funds for political campaigns
4. Serve as the “loyal opposition” and oppose the policies of the other party
5. Register voters and help run elections
6. Describe and clarify issues and disseminate information
7. Mobilize voters
8. Find commonality for diverse interests
THE ORGANIZATION OF POLITICAL PARTIES
Each party has a national committee headed by a chairperson and a vice chairperson. In addition,
there are state party organizations and local organizations. In addition, each candidate also selects
a campaign chairperson, treasurer, media expert, etc. There are party leaders and campaign
organizations for each candidate in the different states as well.
THE FUNDING OF POLITICAL PARTIES
It costs hundreds of millions of dollars to conduct a nationwide campaign. Money is needed for
travel, advertisements, office rental, accommodations, etc. Candidates who receive a certain
percentage of primary votes and caucus support are eligible to receive financial assistance from
the government, which matches money the candidates receive from private sources. This
government support is made possible when citizens agree to contribute $3 when filing yearly
federal income tax returns. This method was initiated following the Watergate campaign incident.
In addition, nominees of the two major parties receive financial support from their parties
following the conventions. Candidates receive contributions from citizens provided the amounts
do not exceed the legal limits and are reported properly.
SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS
In recent years, special interest groups have founded PACs (Political Action Committees) to help
elect candidates that favor their interests. The amount of money that the PACs give to federal
candidates is limited, but some claim that regulation and enforcement is weak and that PACs exert
too much influence. Some PACs give funds to candidates of both parties so that whoever is elected
will be more willing to listen to their problems.
CONVENTIONS
Delegates chosen at the primaries, caucuses, and state conventions attend the national convention
of their party during the summer of the election year. The number of delegates from each state is
approximately proportional to the population of the state. Thus, in both the Democratic and
Republican conventions, California (which has the largest population of any state in the union)
has the most delegate votes, and New York has the second most.
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PARTY NOMINEE
At the convention, the candidate who receives a majority of the delegate votes becomes the
nominee of the party. In recent years, as a result of the primaries and caucuses, the nominees of
the two major parties have a majority of the delegates committed to their candidates before the
opening gavel. In 1988, however, some political analysts thought the sheer number of Democratic
candidates would prevent any of them from collecting a majority of delegate votes by convention
time. Thus the nomination of a “dark horse” (someone who had not been a candidate until the
convention) was considered a possibility. According to convention rules, if no candidate receives a
majority of votes on the first ballot, subsequent ballots are held until someone wins. When this
happens, candidates with little support are expected to release their votes to another candidate. No
convention, however, has gone over the first ballot since 1952.
PARTY PLATFORMS
Drafting a party platform is one of the major functions of a national convention. A platform is not
only a written declaration of party principles and policy positions, it is also a campaign statement
aimed at winning broad voter support. Usually, the drafters of a platform try to avoid taking
positions that might anger a major voting bloc. A party’s platform will take a specific stance on a
controversial issue only when certain issues are of particular importance to a large group that the
party is trying to win over. In the past, controversial platform planks have included prohibition,
social security, the Taft-Hartley law, and opposition to the Vietnam War. A major party might
incorporate certain planks of minor parties in the hope of attracting new voters into its coalition.
Because they are created to have broad appeal, platforms have been criticized as evasive,
ambiguous, and in the words of 1964 presidential nominee Barry Goldwater, “Like Jello…there is
usually little substance and nothing you can get your teeth into.”
PREPARATION OF THE PLATFORM
Each major party has a Committee on Resolutions, composed of two people from each state and
territorial delegation. This group assigns a platform committee to prepare the platform weeks
before the convention begins. This is to ensure that as many views as possible are expressed at
pre-convention hearings by interested groups, state and local organizations, and the presidential
candidates. These hearings are crucial in identifying areas of agreement and disagreement among
the party’s factions. Compromises and accommodations are made, and major provisions are agreed
upon before the resolutions in the platform go to the floor of the convention. The presidential
nominee exerts considerable influence on the content of the platform. At the convention, the
platform is usually adopted overwhelmingly.
ROLE OF THE PLATFORM
In addition to praising the principles and candidates of the party, platforms criticize those of the
opposing party. The record of an incumbent administration is especially open to attack by the
writers of the opposition platform. The platform can be taken as an outline of what a party hopes
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to accomplish in office. Despite the criticism that platforms do not bind candidates and are
basically designed to attract votes, many party pledges have been carried out as policy or have
been turned into legislation.
CHOOSING A VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE
The considerations of building harmony and voter appeal that go into shaping the platform also go
into shaping the selection of the vice president. This is called “balancing the ticket.” A vice
presidential candidate is chosen by the presidential nominee on the basis of how likely he or she is
to help the party achieve the presidency. One of the factors considered is regional appeal: where
does the presidential candidate need the most voter support? In recent elections, most successful
Democratic tickets have established a north-south balance, while winning Republican slates have
largely comprised candidates from the east and west. In 1952, on the winning Republican ticket,
Dwight D. Eisenhower was president of Columbia University in New York and chose California
Senator Richard M. Nixon as his running mate. Nixon, in turn, chose Maryland Governor Spiro T.
Agnew. Two winning Democratic tickets in the last 40 years were John F. Kennedy from
Massachusetts with Lyndon B Johnson from Texas, and Jimmy Carter from Georgia with Walter F.
Mondale of Minnesota. Political philosophy, ethnicity, congressional relationships and, more
recently, gender have also been factors in choosing the vice presidential candidate. In 1968 the
liberal Hubert Humphrey balanced his ticket by choosing Senator Edmund Muskie, a Polish
American moderate, to gain votes on the Eastern Seaboard and to balance his own Midwestern
liberal background. In 1984 Walter Mondale chose a woman, Geraldine Ferraro, for his running
mate. And in 1992, Bill Clinton chose fellow Southerner Albert Gore on the basis of political
philosophy. In conclusion, if a major party wishes to make a successful bid for the presidency, it
must develop both a platform and a ticket that appeal to a broad popular coalition.
THIRD PARTIES IN AMERICAN HISTORY
Third parties have never captured the presidency nor had more than a minimal influence in the
U.S. Congress. However, they have had an impact at the state and local level. Most importantly, they
serve as a forum for new ideas which have in some cases been adopted by the two main parties.
POLITICAL PROPAGANDA
Propaganda is one of the most misused words in the English language. It is almost always given a
negative connotation. A common statement is “well, that’s just propaganda.” Actually, any
communication intended to influence the opinions or actions of others is propaganda. A plea for
donations to a charity is propaganda. Television commercials urging you to try a product are
propaganda. Political advertisements seeking support for a candidate are certainly propaganda.
Propaganda is not inherently false; it is neither good nor bad. It is, simply put, slanted to a
particular view and basic to politics. Political propaganda appeals to logic or reason, but
sometimes also to fear, emotion or prejudice.
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The most commonly used propaganda techniques are:
Plain Folk – An attempt to win support by presenting the candidate as someone with things in
common with his/her audience. This may be as simple as adopting the dress of the audience
(bib overalls, for example, while speaking to farmers) or telling anecdotes that emphasize the
“common touch” such as, “my grandpa came to this country a penniless shoemaker.”
Bandwagon – This technique relies upon people’s need to conform, to go with the winner. The
candidate is presented not as an outsider but as having broad support. “Vote for the winner.”
Transfer – Associating a policy or candidate with objects that are honored and respected. For
instance, showing the candidate at the Grand Canyon if he/she wishes to enhance an image as
an environmentalist.
Card Stacking – Presenting only one side of the arguments by omitting, manipulating, or
distorting facts.
Name Calling – Instead of dealing with issues, the candidate attacks his/her opponent through
appeals to fear and prejudices. “My opponent is another spendthrift.”
Testimonials – Well-known and respected people are used to endorse the candidate.
Glittering Generalities – Using vague statements that seem exciting but have little substance.
Frequently, the appeal is to patriotism, peace, prosperity—things everyone agrees with but
which don’t really deal with the candidate or the issues.
THE RIGHT TO VOTE
The right to vote, also known as “suffrage,” is not quite the same as the right to free speech, to a
fair trial, or to any of the other civil rights. The right to vote is not a civil right, one belonging to
all persons. Rather, it is a political right, one belonging to all those who can meet certain
requirements set by law.
A CHRONOLOGY OF THE GROWTH OF SUFFRAGE IN THE UNITED STATES
1776: At the time of the signing of The Declaration of Independence, the right to vote is based on
property ownership. Suffrage primarily is reserved for white, male Protestants over the age of 21.
There are a few instances of African-Americans owning property.
1787: With the drafting of the Constitution, states are given the power to regulate their own
suffrage laws and they favor white, male property owners.
1789: George Washington is elected president by the Electoral College. Only six percent of the
entire population is involved in the election.
1791: Vermont, the 14th state, declares that all adult, white males, irrespective of property
ownership or religious preference, can vote.
1816: Indiana, Illinois, and Alabama join the Union and establish voting rules similar to Vermont’s.
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1821: Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York follow suit. Between 1820 and 1830 the voting
electorate doubled. Voter population increase was an impetus to the development of political parties.
1842: Rhode Island does not join other states with reformed voting rights and continues to
require property ownership to qualify to vote. This issue causes much controversy, and rival state
governments are elected in Providence and Newport. Thomas W. Door begins a movement known
as the Door Rebellion which is victorious.
1843: Rhode Island adopts a new constitution. This provides broader suffrage provisions.
1848: African-Americans and women are still subject to discrimination at the polls. No significant
advancement for their cause has occurred, even though reformers have long voiced opposition to
the white-male-only vote. Women could not vote, could not own property after marriage, and were
paid much less than men for doing the same work. The plight of women is denounced by Elizabeth
Cady Stanton at a gathering of 100 women’s rights advocates in Seneca Falls, New York. She reads
a proclamation that “all men and women are created equal” and the convention passes several
resolutions which call for women being given the vote. The Women’s Suffrage Movement has begun.
1865: A Civil Rights Act defines citizenship and prohibits discrimination based on race. However,
President Andrew Johnson vetoes the bill, stating that it favored the rights of African-Americans
over whites. The Republican Congress overrides the veto, hoping to lure the vote of former slaves.
1868: African-Americans have endured slavery in the United States for more than 70 years. Slave
states allow no African-American person to vote. Lawmakers enact the 14th Amendment to the
Constitution granting citizenship to African-Americans and permitting them to vote. However,
state officials still attempt to deny them this right.
1869: The National American Women Suffrage Association is founded, with Susan B. Anthony
as president.
1870: The 15th Amendment to the Constitution is ratified, providing African-Americans the right
to vote and prohibiting state and local governments from denying that right.
1872: Victoria Woodhull contends that under the provisions of the 14th and 15th Amendments,
women are citizens of the United States and should be allowed to vote. Susan B. Anthony votes
and is arrested for violating a federal law that forbids the votes of confederates or traitors.
1875: The Supreme Courts rules, in Minor v. Happerset, that suffrage is not coexistent with the
right to citizenship granted in the 14th Amendment, and that the extent of women’s rights is up
to state legislatures.
1876: Poll taxes, grandfather clauses, and literacy tests are introduced in many Southern states.
These measures restrict the ability of African-Americans to register and vote.
1876: The Supreme Court in Elk v. Wilkins, rules that Native Americans are not protected by the
14th Amendment, and therefore do not enjoy the rights of citizenship.
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1890: Wyoming becomes a state and is the first to provide suffrage for women in its constitution.
1913: The 17th Amendment to the Constitution is ratified. It allowed popular election of U.S.
senators. No new group received the right to vote, but the voting power was expanded.
1920: The 19th Amendment to the Constitution guarantees suffrage for women and indirectly
establishes the right of women to hold public office.
1940: Native Americans are made citizens by an act of Congress. However, in New Mexico and
Arizona, Native Americans cannot vote because they do not pay property taxes.
1943: Georgia lowers its voting age from 21 to 18 in state and local elections.
1947: Miguel Trijillo, a Native American and former Marine, wins a suit against New Mexico for
not allowing him to vote. Since Native Americans pay most forms of taxes, they are subject to
taxation without representation. New Mexico and Arizona are required to give the vote to all their
Native American citizens.
1957: By provisions of the Civil Rights Act of 1957, the Justice Department may punish
interference or disruption of protection for African-American voters.
1960: The Civil Rights Act of 1960 allows courts to appoint federal referees to protect voting
rights. Obstruction of these court orders is a federal offense.
1961: The 23rd Amendment to the Constitution allows residents of the District of Columbia to
vote for president and vice president. Until this amendment, residents were unable to vote since
the District is not a state.
1964: The Civil Rights Act of 1964 expands on the guarantee of the right to register to vote
without fear of reprisal. The 24th Amendment to the Constitution guaranteed that no person
could be denied the right to vote due to an inability to pay a tax prior to voting. The “poll” tax is
now considered unconstitutional.
1965: Martin Luther King, Jr. leads 25,000 people on a march from Selma to Montgomery,
Alabama, to dramatize the need for more voting rights.
1970: The Voting Rights act is amended to lower the voting age to 18 and to ban the use of
literacy tests.
1971: The 26th Amendment lowers the voting age to 18. National Voter Registration Act requires
that voters be allowed to register when applying for or renewing a driver’s license by mail; when
applying for certain types of public assistance; and at military recruiting offices. It also eliminates
the purging of voter names from registration solely for the failure to vote. Further amendments to
the Voting Rights Act require that many voting materials be printed in the language of various
minority groups.
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APPENDIX
SERVICE-LEARNING
WHAT IS SERVICE-LEARNING?
Service-learning can be found in the majority of U.S. public and private schools, though these
activities incorporate a wide array of topics and projects. Service-learning is a method by which
young people learn and develop through thoughtfully organized service experiences that meet
actual community needs, that are coordinated in collaboration with the school and community,
that are integrated into each young person’s academic curriculum, that provide structured time
for a young person to think, talk, and write about what he/she did and saw during the actual
service activity, that provide young people with opportunities to use newly acquired academic
skills and knowledge in real life situations in their own communities, that enhance what is taught
in the school by extending student learning beyond the classroom, and that help to foster the
development of a sense of caring for others. (ASLER, 1993, p.1)
Whether teachers choose to incorporate service-learning in the curriculum as an individual
homework assignment or a class activity, it is important that the experience include the essential
elements of quality service-learning (Alliance for Service-Learning in Education Reform, 1993;
Giles, Honnet, and Migliore, 1991; Wade, 1997). These elements include:
1. Careful planning and preparation
2. Collaboration with all who will be involved in the project (e.g. teachers, students, community
members, parents)
3. Opportunities for student input, decision making and leadership
4. Integration of the service experience with academic skills and/or content
5. Service that meets an important need or addresses a problem
6. Reflection opportunities for students to think about, discuss, and write about their
service experience
7. Evaluation of student learning and project outcomes
8. Celebration of students’ efforts
WHY SERVICE-LEARNING?
Teachers too often send the message to their students that school is preparing them for the future.
Truly, the message should be that the future is now. Students are already citizens and they can
make a difference! What will students gain from service-learning? Linking service to citizenship
develops knowledge, cooperation, critical thinking and enhances democratic values and beliefs.
WHAT ARE THE GOALS FOR KIDS VOTING USA SERVICE-LEARNING ACTIVITIES?
Develop more informed voters and increase voter turnout
Discover the value and power of voting
Develop skills and traits conducive to wise democratic living
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USE OF POLLS
“41% of Americans prefer a Democrat for president.”
“Survey finds Americans favor genetic engineering.”
Almost daily the mass media reports the results of a public opinion poll or survey. But just what is
a poll? Why do we have them? How are they used?
Polls and surveys can be used to:
1. Measure public opinion at the time the poll is conducted
2. Assess and analyze data
3. Focus attention on public questions
4. Stimulate discussion on these questions
In the political arena, polls and surveys are very important because they can influence a candidate’s
decision concerning a specific issue. Polls can be used by candidates to shape their campaigns,
tailoring both image and issues to voters’ concerns. Recently, though, some critics have suggested
that polls and pollsters can actually shape the opinions they are supposed to measure.
CONSTRUCTING A POLL
Three things must be considered when developing a poll:
1. Who is to be interviewed?
2. What kind of interview is to be conducted?
3. What is to be asked of the respondents?
SAMPLING
Since in most cases it is nearly impossible to poll every single person on a given topic, pollsters use
what is called a random sample. A random sample is a portion of a selected population surveyed in a
systematic way; for example, choosing every second or fourth person from a list such as the telephone
book. This can be done because the law of mathematical probability states that if the sample is large
enough and chosen at random, the result will be quite accurate—with a very small margin of error.
National polls typically select 1,500 households at random as their sample. One reason polls are sometimes flawed is that the sample is skewed—that is, not sufficiently random. A poll on farm issues that
included in its sample a much higher percentage of farmers than is found in the American population,
would be inaccurate because its sampling was skewed. Of course, sometimes a sampling should not
be random; a candidate who wants to know what farmers think will commission a poll of farmers only.
INTERVIEW
The basic polling tool is the questionnaire. Interviewees may respond to questionnaires in three
ways: in person, by telephone, or by mail. For an accurate and objective poll, it is important that
the pollsters get demographic information about each respondent, and that the respondents know
that all the information obtained will be kept confidential.
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QUESTIONING
A poll is only as good as the questions it asks. Therefore, questions should be simple, clear and,
above all, neutral. For example, instead of “Don’t you think that funding social programs is more
important than spending on defense?”—a more neutral question would be “Which do you feel is
more crucial, spending on social program or on defense?” There are two basic types of polling
questions, open and closed:
Open questions – questions that pose a problem and ask respondents for their opinions, as in:
“What do you feel is the most serious problem facing the United States?”
Closed questions – questions in which the responses must be from among choices offered,
as in: “Which of the following candidates do you favor at this time? a) Jones, b) Martinez,
c) Jackson, or d) none of the above.”
VOTER APATHY
There are a number of reasons why people don’t vote, from ignorance about elections to a belief
that one vote doesn’t count to facing barriers in voter registration and voting.
IGNORANCE ABOUT THE BASICS OF OUR POLITICAL SYSTEM
Less than 50% of the adult population knows the term for a U.S. representative or senator.
Less than 50% can tell the number of Supreme Court Justices or what the Bill of Rights includes.
Only 55% of adults know the number of senators from each state or know who their own
senators are.
LACK OF CONFIDENCE IN GOVERNMENT
Those who feel left out of the system often fail to vote, as do those who do not believe that
voting can affect real change in government.
Many people feel the efforts of a single individual are futile considering the millions who could vote.
BARRIERS TO VOTING
Many people find the hours polls are open and the fact that elections are always held during
the work week are barriers to voting.
The need to vote in the precinct where one lived at the time of registration is also a barrier to some.
The inconvenience of registering and the need to be registered a certain length of time before
an election also prevents many from voting.
Today, some states have made voting more convenient by allowing people to vote early by mail or
at designated polling sites. Also, in compliance with the 1993 National Voter Registration Act,
nearly all states allow people to register to vote by mail or at Motor Vehicle Offices.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
BIBLIOGRAPHY
TABLE OF CONTENTS
K-2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
3-5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
6-8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
9-12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
RESOURCES FOR INFORMATION ON CHILDREN’S LITERATURE BOOKS . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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K– 2 BIBLIOGRAPHY
K-2
Adler, David. A Picture Book of Thomas Jefferson. (Holiday House, 1990).
Summary: This picture biography of Thomas Jefferson discusses his life and ideas. Adler has
created picture biographies of a number of other Americans including Abraham Lincoln, Martin
Luther King, Jr., and Eleanor Roosevelt.
Archer, Jules. Winners and Losers: How Elections Work in America. (Harcourt, Brace &
Jovanovich, 1984).
Summary: This is an excellent resource book for the election process.
Barnes, Peter and Cheryl and Betty Shepard. A “Mice” Way to Learn about Government
Curriculum Guide. (VSP Books, 1999)
Summary: Helps teachers explain the concepts introduced in Woodrow, the White House Mouse,
House Mouse, Senate Mouse and Marshall the Courthouse Mouse. Guide includes classroom activities,
research topics, role-playing exercises, as well as helpful Web sites, glossaries and bibliographies.
Barnes, Peter and Cheryl. House Mouse, Senate Mouse. (VSP Books, 1996)
Summary: Teaches children about the nation’s Capitol and how laws are made, from the research
of a bill, through the signing at the president’s desk.
Barnes, Peter and Cheryl. Woodrow, the White House Mouse. (VSP Books, 1998, 2nd Ed.)
Summary: Tells the story of the presidency and the art, architecture and history of the White
House, through the adventures of Woodrow G. Washingtail, President of the United Mice of
America, and his family.
Barnes, Peter and Cheryl. Woodrow for President. (VSP Books, 1999)
Summary: Teaches about the process of electing a president from the primaries to Election Day.
Book includes a “Contract to Vote” between America’s kids and adults.
Begaye, Lisa Shook. Building a Bridge. Illustrations by Libba Tracy. (Northland Publishing, 1993.)
Summary: This book teaches us that instead of mistrusting differences, we can celebrate them.
Juanita, a Navajo girl, and Anna, an Anglo girl, start school and become friends.
Berenstain, Stan. The Berenstain Bears and the Big Election. (Random House, 1984).
Summary: Bear Country is falling apart, so Papa decides to run for president of the town council.
Brother and Sister become his campaign managers. Papa wins the election and soon discovers
that his campaign promises, like “honey in every pot,” are going to be difficult to keep.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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K– 2 BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bernstein, Richard. The Presidency (Into the Third Century). (Walker and Company, Inc., 1989).
Summary: This excellent resource book is one of a three-part series. It discusses the office,
powers, roles, and qualifications of the presidency. It also contains a chapter about presidents who
changed the office.
Block, Judy R. The First Woman in Congress: Jeannette Rankin. (C.P.I., 1978).
Summary: Traces the career of the first woman to be elected to hold a congressional office.
Bratman, Fred. Becoming a Citizen: Adopting a New Home. (Raintree Steck-Vaughn, 1993).
Summary: Examines the origins of citizenship and the role of the citizen as well as immigration,
illegal aliens, political asylum, the slave trade, becoming a citizen, and other related topics. This is
part of a good series called the “Good Citizenship Library.”
Brenner, Martha. Abe Lincoln’s Hat. (Scholastic, 1994).
Summary: Humorous true stories about Lincoln and his habit of keeping important papers in his hat.
Brown, Marc. Arthur and the Scare-Your-Pants-Off Club. (Little, Brown, 1998).
Summary: In this chapter book, Arthur and his friends mobilize to prevent the banning of their
favorite book series.
Brown, Marc. Arthur Meets the President. (Little, Brown, 1991).
Summary: Arthur enters an essay contest and wins a visit to the Capitol. He is given the
opportunity to read his “How I Can Make America Great” essay to the president. This is perfect
for kindergarten through third grade and may spawn a contest of your own.
Burby, Liza. A Day in the Life of a Mayor. (PowerKids Press, 1999).
Summary: A very good exploration of a typical day in the work of the former mayor of New York
City, Rudolph Giuliani, describing many of the activities that make up his busy schedule.
Burningham, John. Would You Rather? (Seastar Books, 2003).
Summary: Would you rather be covered in jam, soaked with water or pulled through the mud by a
dog? That’s one set of choices offered in this book of possibilities, ranging from the pleasant to the
ridiculous. Sure to provoke discussion and reactions from Yeah! to Yuck!
Cooney, Barbara. Miss Rumphius. (NY: Viking, 1982).
Summary: A story about Great-aunt Alice Rumphius who was once a little girl who loved the sea,
longed to visit faraway places, and wished to do something to make the world more beautiful.
(Literature Connection Activity for Active Citizenship)
Cronin, Doreen. Duck for President. (Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing, 2004).
Summary: Duck is tired of doing his chores and decides to hold an election to replace Farmer Brown.
Hilarious for kids and adults and includes a little math and quite a bit about the electoral process.
(Literature Connection Activity for Elections and Voting)
BIBLIOGRAPHY
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
3
K– 2 BIBLIOGRAPHY
DiSalvo-Ryan, DyAnne. City Green. (Morrow, 1994).
Summary: A young girl named Marcy decides to turn a useless lot into a growing space for everyone to enjoy. She is able to get the whole neighborhood involved.
DiSalvo-Ryan, DyAnne. Uncle Willie and the Soup Kitchen. (Harper Trophy, 1997).
Summary: This book provides a look into soup kitchens and community service.
Ditchfield, Christian. Freedom of Speech. (Children’s Press, 2004).
Summary: Describes what freedom of speech is, how and why it is guaranteed in the United
States, how it is expressed, what its limits are, what censorship is, and what some of the
surrounding debates are.
Ernst, Lisa Campbell. Squirrel Park. (Bradbury, 1993).
Summary: When a favorite tree is scheduled to be chopped down, a young boy and a squirrel
come to its rescue.
Flournoy, Valerie. The Patchwork Quilt. Pictures by Jerry Pickney. (Dutton, 1985).
Summary: A young African-American girl and her grandmother begin a patchwork quilt.
Fradin, Dennis B. Voting and Elections. (Children’s Press, 1995).
Summary: Beginning readers learn about the election process and voting.
Friedman, Ina R. How My Parents Learned to Eat. Illus by Allen Say. (Houghton Mifflin, 1984).
Summary: John, an American boy, and Aiko, a Japanese girl, learn each other’s eating habits.
Fritz, Jean. Just a Few Words, Mr. Lincoln. (Grosset & Dunlap, 1993).
Summary: Jean Fritz tells the story of the Gettysburg Address and the Civil War. This book has
good illustrations and photographs.
Greene, Carol. Congress. (Children’s Press, 1985).
Summary: Describes the structure, function, and interrelationship of the two houses of Congress.
Grodin, Eliza. D is For Democracy: A Citizen’s Alphabet. (Sleeping Bear Press, 2004).
Summary: Each letter from the alphabet introduces a person, place, thing or concept about the
U.S. and its government. (Literature Connection Activity for Democracy and the People)
Hamanaka, Sheila. All the Colors of the Earth. (Harper Collins, 1994).
Summary: Written in verse this book shows that despite outward differences children everywhere
are essentially the same and all are lovable.
Hurwitz, Johanna. Aldo Ice Cream. (Morrow, 1981).
Summary: A nine-year-old boy discovers the pleasures of doing volunteer work to help the older
citizens of the community.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
4
K– 2 BIBLIOGRAPHY
Hurwitz, Johanna. Class President. (Morrow Junior, 1990).
Summary: The fifth-grade class election becomes the setting for this story about elections,
leadership and friendship.
Johnson, Mary Oates. The President: America’s Leader. (Raintree, 1993).
Summary: A well-written book about the presidency; it is part of A Good Citizenship Series.
Lord, John V. The Giant Jam Sandwich. (Houghton Mifflin, 1973).
Summary: When four million wasps fly into their village, the citizens of Itching Down devise a
way of getting rid of them.
Maestro, Betsy. The Voice of the People. (Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1996).
Summary: A basic guide to voting and the election process in the United States.
Martin, A.M. Rachel Parker, Kindergarten Show-Off. (Holiday House, 1992).
Summary: A story of two girls finding out that they have a lot in common and their friendship.
McCloskey, Robert. Make Way for Ducklings. (Viking, 1969).
Summary: Mother duck takes her babies through town to meet father duck and causes a lot of
commotion on the way.
Milios, Rita. I Am. Illus by Clovis Martin. (Children’s Press, 1987)
Summary: Contrasts such differences as “I am big, you are small. I am short, you are tall.”
A book that emerging readers can read by themselves.
Nez, Redwing T. Forbidden Talent. (Northland Publishing, 1995).
Summary: A Navajo boy finds his talent for painting in conflict with what his grandfather calls,
“The Navajo Way.”
Nobleman, Marc Tyler. Election Day. (Compass Point Books, 2005).
Summary: Election Day contains full-color images and an easy-to-read text that describes
Election Day and how people vote.
Pascoe, Elaine. The Right to Vote. (The Millbrook Press, 1997).
Summary: This book is part of the Land of the Free series which helps readers better understand
the principles by which Americans live. This book covers one of Americas most important rights
and freedoms, the right to vote. It also covers a basic understanding of the Bill of Rights.
Patrick, Denise L. The Car Washing Street. Pictures by John Ward. (Tambourine, 1993).
Summary: Even though his parents don’t own a car, a little boy looks forward to the day when all
the people in his neighborhood wash their cars.
Pinkwater, Daniel. The Big Orange Splot. (Scholastic, 1977).
Summary: The story of what happens on one street when Mr. Plumbean decides to paint his
house differently.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
5
K– 2 BIBLIOGRAPHY
Provensen, Alice. The Buck Stops Here: The Presidents. (Harper & Row, 1990).
Summary: This wonderfully illustrated book is interesting for all ages. The pictures help the
reader make connections between the presidents and the events of their time in office. The rhyme
is intended to assist the learner in memorizing the president’s names.
Scher, Linda. The Vote: Making Your Voice Heard. (Raintree, 1993).
Summary: This book discusses voting requirements, how and where to vote, and how to vote
wisely. It is part of a very good citizenship series called the “Good Citizenship Library.”
Scriabine, Christine. Know Your Government: The Presidency. (Chelsea House, 1988).
Summary: Great resource book on the office of the president. A visual of the Oval Office allows
students to compare the renovations of the Oval Office completed by the Clinton administration.
Shuker-Haines, Frances. Rights and Responsibilities: Using Your Freedom. (Raintree SteckVaughn, 1993).
Summary: Examines the rights and responsibilities of being a citizen, discussing such topics as
free speech, interest groups, voting, taxes, jury duty, and running for office. This is part of a good
series called the “Good Citizenship Library.”
Sisulu, Elinor Batezat. The Day Gogo Went to Vote. (Little, Brown 1996).
Summary: Young Thembi and her beloved great-grandmother, who has not left the house for
many years, go together to vote on the momentous day in 1994 when black South Africans are
allowed to vote for the first time.
Stern, Gary M. The Congress: America’s Lawmakers. (Raintree Steck-Vaughn, 1993).
Summary: Discusses the origins of Congress, the members of Congress, how Congress works,
and notable debates and acts of Congress.
Strazzabosco, Jeanne. Learning about Forgiveness from the Life of Nelson Mandela.
(PowerKids Press, 1996).
Summary: A brief but very good biography of the South African civil rights worker and president
who serves as an example of forgiveness.
Weber, Michael. Our Congress. (Millbrook Press, 1994).
Summary: The Congress volume is part of a very good series called “I Know America.”
Weizman, Daniel. Take a Stand: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Government.
(Price, Stern, Sloan, 1996)
Summary: Describes how the United States government works, and how to get involved in politics
including school elections, letter-writing campaigns, and mock political debates.
Williams, Vera B. Music, Music for Everyone. (Greenwillow, 1984).
Summary: A story of cooperation. Rosa and her friends play music to make money and entertain
Rosa’s sick grandmother.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
6
3– 5 BIBLIOGRAPHY
3-5
Adler, David. A Picture Book of Thomas Jefferson. (Holiday House, 1990).
Summary: This picture biography of Thomas Jefferson discusses his life and ideas. Adler has done
picture biographies of a number of other Americans including Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther
King, Jr., and Eleanor Roosevelt.
Ander, Lloyd. The Beggar Queen. (Dutton, 1984).
Summary: Chaos reigns in Marienstat as Duke Conrad of Regia, the king’s uncle, plots to
overthrow the new government of Westmark and bring an end to the reforms instituted by Mickle,
now Queen Augusta, Theo, and their companions.
Barnes, Peter and Cheryl and Betty Shepard. A “Mice” Way to Learn about Government
Curriculum Guide. (VSP Books, 1999).
Summary: Helps teachers explain the concepts introduced in Woodrow, the White House Mouse,
House Mouse, Senate Mouse and Marshall the Courthouse Mouse. Guide includes classroom activities,
research topics, role playing exercises, as well as helpful web sites, glossaries and bibliographies.
Barnes, Peter and Cheryl. House Mouse, Senate Mouse. (VSP Books, 1996).
Summary: Teaches children about the nation’s Capitol and how laws are made, from the research
of a bill, through the signing at the president’s desk.
Barnes, Peter and Cheryl. Marshall, the Courthouse Mouse. (VSP Books, 1998).
Summary: Teaches children about the judiciary branch of government through Chief Justice
Marshall Mouse and his fellow justices on the Supreme Court of the United Mice of America.
Barnes, Peter and Cheryl. Woodrow for President. (VSP Books, 1999).
Summary: Teaches about the process of electing a president from the primaries to Election Day.
Book includes a “Contract to Vote” between America’s kids and adults.
Barnes, Peter and Cheryl. Woodrow, the White House Mouse. (VSP Books, 1998, 2nd Ed.).
Summary: Tells the story of the presidency and the art, architecture and history of the White
House, through the adventures of Woodrow G. Washingtail, President of the United Mice of
America, and his family.
Bernstein, Richard. The Presidency (Into the Third Century). (Walker and Company, Inc., 1989).
Summary: This excellent resource book is one of a three-part series. It discusses the office,
powers, roles, and qualifications of the presidency. It also contains a chapter about presidents who
changed the office.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
7
3– 5 BIBLIOGRAPHY
Block, Judy R. The First Woman in Congress: Jeannette Rankin. (C.P.I., 1978).
Summary: Traces the career of the first woman to be elected to hold a Congressional office.
Bratman, Fred. Becoming a Citizen: Adopting a New Home. (Raintree Steck-Vaughn, 1993).
Summary: Examines the origins of citizenship and the role of the citizen and discusses
immigration, illegal aliens, political asylum, the slave trade, becoming a citizen, and other related
topics. This is part of a good series called the “Good Citizenship Library.”
Brown, Marc. Arthur and the Scare-Your-Pants-Off Club. (Little, Brown, 1998).
Summary: In this chapter book, Arthur and his friends mobilize to prevent the banning of their
favorite book series.
Catrow, David. We the Kids: The Preamble to the Constitution of the United States. (Puffin Books, 2005).
Summary: This book inspires discussion of America’s most celebrated principles as they are
outlined in the Preamble to the Constitution.
Christelow, Eileen. Vote! (Clarion Books, 2003).
Summary: This book was written as a resource to discuss voting with children through a narrative.
Collier, James. The Winter Hero. (Four Winds Press, 1978).
Summary: Anxious to be a hero, a young boy relates how he becomes involved in Shays’ Rebellion
(started by farmers in western Massachusetts against unfair taxation levied on them by the Boston
government). Collier’s other books are also good, including My Brother Sam is Dead (ABC-Clio,
1988) which tells the story of a family split by the Revolution.
Colman, Penny. Fannie Lou Hamer and the Fight for the Vote. (Millbrook Press, 1993).
Summary: A biography of the civil rights activist who devoted her life to helping blacks register to
vote and gain a national political voice.
DiSalvo-Ryan, DyAnne. City Green. (Morrow, 1994).
Summary: A young girl named Marcy decides to turn a useless lot into a growing space for everyone
to enjoy. She gets the neighborhood involved.
DiSalvo-Ryan, DyAnne. Uncle Willie and the Soup Kitchen. (Harper Trophy, 1997).
Summary: This book provides a look into soup kitchens and community service.
Ernst, Lisa Campbell. Squirrel Park. (Bradbury, 1993).
Summary: When a favorite tree is scheduled to be chopped down, a young boy and a squirrel
come to its rescue.
Fleischman, Paul. The Borning Room. (Harper Collins 1991).
Summary: As an old woman is dying, she recounts the generations from slavery to WWI.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
8
3– 5 BIBLIOGRAPHY
Fradin, Dennis. Voting and Elections. (Children’s Press, 1985).
Summary: A brief history of elections and voting in the United States.
Fritz, Jean. Just a Few Words, Mr. Lincoln. (Grosset & Dunlap, 1993).
Summary: Jean Fritz tells the story of the Gettysburg Address and the Civil War. This book has
good illustrations and photographs.
Granfield, Linda and Steve Bjorkman. America Votes: How Our President is Elected.
(Kids Can Press, 2003).
Summary: A perfect voting primer for the young focusing on the election of the president.
Gutman, Dan. The Kid Who Ran for President. (Scholastic, 1996).
Summary: A 12-year-old runs for president in 2000. This is an entertaining introduction to the
election process.
Gutman, Dan. Landslide! A Kid’s Guide to the U.S. Elections. (Aladdin, 2000).
Summary: This is the 2000 edition but still very applicable. In a fun and snappy question-and-answer
format, this book explains our democratic process in action.
Harris, Nathaniel. Ideas of the Modern World: Democracy. (Raintree Steck-Vaughn, 2001).
Summary: An exploration of democracy from its roots in the ancient world to the issues of today.
(Literature Connection Activity for Democracy and the People)
Herold, M.R. A Very Important Day. Illus by C. Stock. (Morrow, 1995).
Summary: All over New York City, people from different nations are preparing for a very
important day—the day they become citizens of the United States.
Hesse, Karen. A Light in the Storm: The Civil War Diary of Amelia Martin (Scholastic, 1999).
Summary: In 1860 and 1861, while working in her father’s lighthouse on an island off the coast of
Delaware, 15-year-old Amelia records in her diary how the Civil War is beginning to devastate her
divided state. The whole “Dear America” series is excellent for girls.
Hopkinson, D. Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt. Illus by J. Ransome. (Knopf, 1993).
Summary: A slave girl maps out her escape to Canada on a quilt.
Hurwitz, Johanna. Aldo Ice Cream. (Morrow, 1981)
Summary: A nine-year-old boy discovers the pleasures of doing volunteer work to help the older
citizens of the community.
Hurwitz, Johanna. Class President. (Morrow Junior, 1990).
Summary: A fifth-grade class election becomes the setting for this story about elections,
leadership and friendship.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
9
3– 5 BIBLIOGRAPHY
Leinwand, Gerald. Patriotism in America. (F. Watts, 1997).
Summary: Examines some of the elements of the unifying phenomenon of patriotism in the
United States. Includes discussions of symbols of patriotism such as national monuments.
Lewis, Barbara, Espeland, Pamela, and Pernu, Caryn. The Kid’s Guide to Social Action.
(Free Spirit Publishing, 1998).
Summary: A simple-to-follow guide where young people, teachers, and parents can plan their
course of social action and expect to see results. Projects range from instigating cleanup of toxic
waste to youth-rights campaigns as well as Internet searching, an expanded section on lobbying,
and in-depth judicial information. (Literature Connection Activity for Active Citizenship)
Lord, John V. The Giant Jam Sandwich. (Houghton Mifflin, 1973).
Summary: When four million wasps fly into their village, the citizens of Itching Down devise a
way of getting rid of them.
Maestro, Betsy. The Voice of the People. (Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1996).
Summary: A basic guide to voting and the election process in the United States.
McCully, Emily Arnold. The Ballot Box Battle. (Knopf, 1996).
Summary: A young girl accompanies Elizabeth Cady Stanton as the suffragist attempts to vote in
1880 (against New Jersey law) and learns about courage in the process. Excellent for stimulating
discussions about who can vote and the history of suffrage in the United States.
Medler, Keith. Hail to the Candidate: Presidential Campaigns from Banners to Broadcasts.
(Smithsonian, 1992).
Summary: This book takes a look at 200 years of presidential campaigns.
Mitchell, Margaree King. Granddaddy’s Gift. Illus by Larry Johnson. (Bridge Water Books, 1997).
Summary: When her grandfather registers to vote while living in segregated Mississippi, an
African-American girl begins to understand why her grandfather insists that she attend school.
Mochizuki, Ken. Passage to Freedom: The Sugihara Story. (Lee & Low Books, 1997).
Summary: A Japanese diplomat in Lithuania defies his government and saves thousands of
Jewish refugees.
Myers, Walter D. The Journal of Scott Pendleton Collins: A World War II Soldier. (Scholastic, 1999).
Summary: A 17-year-old soldier from central Virginia records his experiences in a journal as his
regiment takes part in the D-Day invasion of Normandy and subsequent battles to liberate France.
This is part of the “My Name is America” series, an excellent boys counterpart to the
“Dear America” series.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
10
3– 5 BIBLIOGRAPHY
Paterson, Katherine. Rebels of the Heavenly Kingdom. (Dutton, 1983).
Summary: Abducted from his home by bandits, 15-year-old Wang Lee is rescued from slavery by a
mysterious girl who introduces him to the Taiping Tienkuo, a secret society partly based on
Christian principles and dedicated to the overthrow of the Manchu government.
Rand, Gloria. Prince William. (Henry Holt, 1992).
Summary: A young girl saves a seal pup and helps in the massive clean up and rescue efforts after
the 1989 Alaska oil spill.
Rinaldi, Ann. My Heart is on the Ground: The Diary of Nannie Little Rose, a Sioux Girl.
(Scholastic, 1999).
Summary: In this diary account of her life at a government-run Pennsylvania boarding school in
1880, a 12-year-old Sioux Indian girl reveals a great need to find a way to help her people. The
whole “Dear America” series is excellent for girls.
Ring, Susan. Election Connection: The Official Nick Guide to Electing the President.
(Chronicle Books, 2004).
Summary: This book is all about helping students make their voice heard. While it focuses on the
election of the president, it contends that good citizenship starts well before turning 18.
Roope, P. & C. Buttons for General Washington. (Carolrhoda, 1986).
Summary: Based on true accounts of the Darragh family who provided coded messages to the
General around 1777.
Sachs, M. Call Me Ruth. (Doubleday, 1982).
Summary: Set in 1909, immigrants struggle to fit into a new society.
Samuels, Cynthia. It’s a Free Country! A Young Person’s Guide to Politics and Elections.
(Antheneum, 1988).
Summary: This is an excellent resource book for learning about the election process. It uses case
histories of actual candidates to describe what it takes to be elected to office.
Scher, Linda. The Vote: Making Your Voice Heard. (Raintree, 1993).
Summary: This book discusses voting requirements, how and where to vote, and how to vote
wisely. It is part of a very good citizenship series called the “Good Citizenship Library.”
(Literature Connection Activity for Elections and Voting)
Scriabine, Christine. Know Your Government: The Presidency. (Chelsea House, 1988).
Summary: Great resource book on the office of the president. A visual of the Oval Office allows
students to compare the renovations of the Oval Office completed by the Clinton administration.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
11
3– 5 BIBLIOGRAPHY
Seuss, Dr. The Lorax. (Random House, 1971).
Summary: Explore citizenship and responsibility while learning about the Lorax and his fate.
This book is also good for discussions about environmental issues.
Shuker-Haines, Frances. Rights and Responsibilities: Using Your Freedom. (Raintree SteckVaughn, 1993).
Summary: Examines the rights and responsibilities of being a citizen, discussing such topics as
free speech, interest groups, voting, taxes, jury duty, and running for office. This is part of a good
series called the “Good Citizenship Library.”
Sisulu, Elinor Batezat. The Day Gogo Went to Vote. (Little, Brown 1996).
Summary: Young Thembi and her beloved great-grandmother, who has not left the house for
many years, go together to vote on the momentous day in 1994 when black South Africans are
allowed to vote for the first time. (Literature Connection Activity for The Right To Vote)
Sobel, Syl. How the U.S. Government Works. (Barron’s Educational Series, 1999).
Summary: A complex process is explained in terms that young readers will find both interesting
and understandable. Kids will come away with an appreciation of the priceless legacy left to all
Americans by the Founding Fathers.
Stern, Gary M. The Congress: America’s Lawmakers. (Raintree Steck-Vaughn, 1993).
Summary: Discusses the origins of Congress, the members of Congress, how Congress works,
and notable debates and acts of Congress.
Tate, E. Thank You, Dr. Martin Luther King! (Bantam Skylark, 1990).
Summary: In the 1980s, a girl discovers her heritage by participating in a commemorative play.
Weber, Michael. Our Congress. (Millbrook Press, 1994).
Summary: The Congress volume is part of a very good series called “I Know America.”
Weizman, Daniel. Take a Stand: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Government.
(Price, Stern, Sloan, 1996)
Summary: Describes how the United States government works, and how to get involved in politics
including school elections, letter-writing campaigns, and mock political debates.
Wesley, Valerie. Freedom’s Gifts A Juneteenth Story. Illus by Sharon Wilson. (Simon & Schuster, 2004).
Summary: When a girl from New York visits her cousin in Texas, she learns the origin of
Juneteenth, a holiday marking the day Texan slaves realized they were free.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
12
6– 8 BIBLIOGRAPHY
6-8
Adams, Colleen. Women’s Suffrage: A Primary Source History of the Women’s Rights Movement
in America. (The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc. 2003).
Summary: A primary source history of the women’s suffrage movement in America from 1776-1920.
Ander, Lloyd. The Beggar Queen. (Dutton, 1984).
Summary: Chaos reigns in Marienstat as Duke Conrad of Regia, the king’s uncle, plots to
overthrow the new government of Westmark and bring an end to the reforms instituted by Mickle
(now Queen Augusta), Theo, and their companions.
Barnes, Peter and Cheryl. Marshall, the Courthouse Mouse. (VSP Books, 1998).
Summary: Teaches children about the judiciary branch of government through Chief Justice
Marshall Mouse and his fellow justices on the Supreme Court of the United Mice of America.
Brindell, Dennis and Judith Bloom. Fight On! Mary Church Terrell’s Battle for Integration.
(Clarion Books, 2003).
Summary: A carefully researched biography about the life of the courageous and determined Mary
Church Terrell who spent nearly 60 years fighting for racial equality. (Literature Connection
Activity for Active Citizenship)
Catrow, David. We the Kids: The Preamble to the Constitution of the United States. (Puffin Books, 2005).
Summary: This book inspires discussion of America’s most celebrated principles as they are
outlined in the Preamble to the Constitution.
Colman, Penny. Fannie Lou Hamer and the Fight for the Vote. (Millbrook Press, 1993).
Summary: A biography of the civil rights activist who devoted her life to helping blacks register
to vote and gain a national political voice.
Fradin, Dennis. Voting and Elections. (Children’s Press, 1985).
Summary: A brief history of elections and voting in the United States.
Friedman, Mark. Government: How Local, State, and Federal Government Works. (The Child’s
World, 2005).
Summary: An examination of how government functions, from the separation of powers to
checks and balances. (Literature Connection Activity for Democracy and the People)
Gutman, Dan. The Kid Who Ran for President. (Scholastic, 1996).
Summary: A 12-year-old runs for president in 2000. This is an entertaining introduction to the
election process.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
13
6– 8 BIBLIOGRAPHY
Gutman, Dan. Landslide! A Kid’s Guide to the U.S. Elections. (Aladdin, 2000).
Summary: This is the 2000 edition but still very applicable. In a fun and snappy question-and-answer
format, this book explains our democratic process in action. (Literature Connection Activity for
Elections and Voting)
Hesse, Karen. A Light in the Storm: The Civil War Diary of Amelia Martin (Scholastic, 1999).
Summary: In 1860 and 1861, while working in her father’s lighthouse on an island off the coast of
Delaware, 15-year-old Amelia records in her diary how the Civil War is beginning to devastate her
divided state. The whole “Dear America” series is excellent for girls.
Horn, Geoffrey M. The Bill of Rights and Other Amendments. (World Almanac Library, 2004).
Summary: It provides key facts and concepts students need to understand about principles of
their government.
Howe, James. The Misfits. (Aladdin, 2003).
Summary: A story about four misfit middle school students who ban together to create their own
political party for the student council elections.
Lasky, Kathryn. A Time for Courage: The Suffragette Diary of Kathleen Bowen. (Scholastic, 2002).
Summary: A diary of an eighth-grade girl, who looks on as her older sisters, mother and aunt
take part in the movement to gain votes for women. (Literature Connection Activity for The
Right To Vote)
McCully, Emily Arnold. The Ballot Box Battle. (Knopf, 1996).
Summary: A young girl accompanies Elizabeth Cady Stanton as the suffragist attempts to vote in
1880 (against New Jersey law) and learns about courage in the process. Excellent for stimulating
discussions about who can vote and the history of suffrage in the United States.
Myers, Walter D. The Journal of Scott Pendleton Collins: A World War II Soldier. (Scholastic, 1999).
Summary: A 17-year-old soldier from central Virginia records his experiences in a journal as his
regiment takes part in the D-Day invasion of Normandy and subsequent battles to liberate France.
This is part of the “My Name is America” series, an excellent boys counterpart to the “Dear
America” series.
Nardo, Don. Democracy. (Lucent Books Inc., 1994).
Summary: This book introduces a workable definition of democracy as well as the history of
democracy in the United States of America up until the late 20th century.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
14
6– 8 BIBLIOGRAPHY
Paterson, Katherine. Rebels of the Heavenly Kingdom. (Dutton, 1983).
Summary: Abducted from his home by bandits, 15-year-old Wang Lee is rescued from slavery by a
mysterious girl who introduces him to the Taiping Tienkuo, a secret society partly based on
Christian principles and dedicated to the overthrow of the Manchu government.
Rinaldi, Ann. My Heart is on the Ground: The Diary of Nannie Little Rose, a Sioux Girl.
(Scholastic, 1999).
Summary: In this diary account of her life at a government-run Pennsylvania boarding school in
1880, a 12-year-old Sioux Indian girl reveals a great need to find a way to help her people. The
whole “Dear America” series is excellent for girls.
Ring, Susan. Election Connection: The Official Nick Guide to Electing the President.
(Chronicle Books, 2004).
Summary: This book is all about helping students make their voice heard. While it focuses on the
election of the president, it contends that good citizenship starts well before turning 18.
Sagan, Miriam. World History Series: Women’s Suffrage. (Lucent Books, Inc., 1995).
Summary: This book was created to acquaint readers with the basics of women’s suffrage in
America. In addition to helpful timelines, this book is highlighted by excerpts from primary and
secondary sources along with user-friendly indexes and suggestions for further reading.
Scher, Linda. The Vote: Making Your Voice Heard. (Raintree, 1993).
Summary: This book discusses voting requirements, how and where to vote, and how to vote
wisely. It is part of a very good citizenship series called the “Good Citizenship Library.”
Smith, Jane Wilcox. United States Government. (AGS Publishing 2005).
Summary: Each chapter and lesson in this book explains the people and events that shaped the
U.S. government. The book also details how the U.S. government interacts with other
governments of the world.
Sullivan, George. Campaigns and Elections: Ballots and Bandwagons. (Silver Burdett, 1991).
Summary: Studies the history of American presidential campaign management, showing strategy
and tactics the candidates have used over the decades to give themselves positive exposure and
their opponents negative exposure.
Teitelbaum, Michael. Our Government and Citizenship: The Bill of Rights. (The Child’s World, 2005).
Summary: An exploration of the Bill of Rights from their origin through history to today.
Wandberg, Robert. Volunteering: Giving Back. (Capstone Press, 2002).
Summary: Volunteering is something everyone can do and this book elaborates on how anyone
can get involved in their community as a volunteer.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
15
6– 8 BIBLIOGRAPHY
RECOMMENDED FILMS
Electing a President: The Process – This video traces the evolution of presidential elections from
Washington to Clinton. Rainbow, 1983.
If I’m Elected: Modern Campaign Techniques – This documentary video critically analyzes today’s
media-dominated political campaigns. It helps students to address the issue of what is the best
way to choose our leaders. Cambridge Educationals, 1993.
Inauguration ’93 – A special report from ABC News hosted by Peter Jennings and David Brinkley.
It features the oaths-of-office, Clinton’s Inaugural Address, the parade, and the balls.
More Perfect Union, A – Produced by CNN, this stimulating series investigates the origins and
development of the Constitution and its application to modern life. Video #7 discusses voting rights.
President Clinton: Answering Children’s Questions – Hosted by Peter Jennings, this news special
features President Clinton answering questions posed by sixth-eighth-graders and from different
states with a variety of problems and concerns.
U.S. Government in Action – The Senate, The House of Representatives, The Regulatory Agencies,
The Presidency, The Cabinet, & The Supreme Court. New York Times/Teaching Resources Films, 1988.
Explains our federal system of government and introduces basic civics and government concepts.
Your Vote – A history of voting rights in the United States with a focus on the struggles of women,
minorities, and 18-year-olds to win the right of suffrage.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
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9–12 BIBLIOGRAPHY
9-12
Boyers, Sara J. Teen Power Politics: Make Yourself Heard. (The Millbrook Press, Inc., 2000).
Summary: This book explains how voting in the United States works, how to get ready for
political action, and how to get involved in community service. (Literature Connection Activity
for Active Citizenship)
Mishler, William. A Measure of Endurance: The Unlikely Triumph of Steven Sharp.
(Random House Inc., 2003).
Summary: A heartwarming story of a courageous teenage boy, who, after being gravely injured
while using a farm machine, takes on its powerful manufacturer and wins.
Morin, Isobel V. Politics, American Style: Political Parties in American History. (21st Century, 1999).
Summary: Morin traces the history of political parties in the United States, explaining how they
both influenced and were affected by the issues and events of American history. She describes the
evolution of our two-party system from its birth in the factionalism that surrounded the
ratification of the Constitution to the present day.
Neuman, Nancy M., Editor. A Voice of Our Own: Leading American Women Celebrate the Right
to Vote. (Jossey-Bass Inc., Publishers, 1996).
Summary: This book was written by prominent American women and is a collection of 29 original
essays that celebrate the indomitable spirit of the American woman.
Paine, Thomas. Common Sense, Rights of Man, and Other Essential Writings of Thomas Paine.
(Plume, 1984).
Summary: This book gives insight into Thomas Paines’s “radical” ideas about freedom and
democracy. (Literature Connection Activity for American Democracy and Citizenship)
Ramen, Fred. Individual Rights and Civic Responsibility: Rights of the Accused.
(The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc., 2001).
Summary: Why do we have a Constitution or a Bill of Rights? Why did the remarkable people
behind the American Revolution feel the need to create a document that precisely laid out the
functions of the national government? Why did they choose the form that the Constitution
eventually took? How has our interpretation of their vision changed over the two centuries since
the Constitution was ratified? What do the Constitution and the Bill of Rights mean? The answers
to the first three questions can be found in the first few chapters of this book while the rest of the
book deals with the answers—if they exist—to the last two questions.
Rogers, Donald W. Voting and the Spirit of American Democracy. (University of Illinois Press, 1992).
Summary: An overview of the historical development of the right to vote. Leading historians and
political scientists trace the history of American voting from the Colonial period to the present,
incorporating the latest scholarship on suffrage reform, women’s suffrage, black voting rights and
electoral participation. (Literature Connection Activity for Suffrage and the Right to Vote)
BIBLIOGRAPHY
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
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9–12 BIBLIOGRAPHY
Severn, Bill. The Right to Vote. (Washburn, 1972).
Summary: This is the story of voting rights achieved by those who found an answer to changing
the system through democratic process, and who paved the way for the fight to increase the power
of the people in government.
Smith, Jane Wilcox. United States Government. (AGS Publishing, 2005).
Summary: Each chapter and lesson in this book helps you learn about the people and events that
shaped the U.S. government. The book also details how the U.S. government interacts with the
other governments of the world.
Sullivan, George. Campaigns and Elections: Ballots and Bandwagons. (Silver Burdett, 1991).
Summary: This book studies the history of American presidential campaign management,
showing strategy and tactics the candidates have used over the decades to give themselves positive
exposure and their opponents negative exposure.
Sullivan, Joan. An American Voter: My Love Affair with Presidential Politics. (Bloomsbury,
New York, 2002).
Summary: This is the story of young woman named Joan Sullivan who rediscovered a sense of
courage and hope in her life while working for Bill Bradley’s presidential campaign. Joan throws
herself into this strange new world of politics, with the intent of getting a political education. In a
whirlwind tour of the country, Joan campaigns for Bradley, taking to heart his message that
idealism and dreams are not dead in America.
Taranto, James and Leonard, Leo, Editors. Presidential Leadership. (Free Press, 2004).
Summary: Two editors, one from the Wall Street Journal and the other from the Federalist
Society, have put together Presidential Leadership: Rating the Best and Worst in the White House.
It includes essays on each president, plus several broader thematic essays on presidential leadership
from various authors. (Literature Connection Activity for Elections and the Voting Experience)
Tashjian, Linda. Vote for Larry. (Holt, 2004).
Summary: Second in a series about a high school activist. A 17-year-old runs for president to
focus attention on youth issues.
The League of Women Voters. Choosing the President 2004. (The Lyons Press, 2003).
Summary: This is a thorough yet accessible and completely nonpartisan look at the players and events
in a presidential election, explaining every important landmark on the road to the White House.
Waldman, Tom. The Best Guide to American Politics. (Renaissance Books, 2000).
Summary: A very readable, accessible, and practical volume for the average citizen to learn about
the American political system. Waldman covers state and local governments, political parties,
interest groups, and the media, among other things. Also included is valuable information about
how to contact government officials, agencies, and members of Congress.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
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9–12 BIBLIOGRAPHY
Wilson, Reginald. Our Rights: Civil Liberties in the United States. (Walker and Company Inc., 1992).
Summary: Wilson uncovers the events and personalities that have shaped the history of civil
liberties in the United States. He discusses current issues, such as the ERA and surrogate
motherhood, and looks at what may be the important questions in the future. His discussion
provides readers with a lively and provocative introduction to civil liberties in the United States.
RECOMMENDED FILMS
1992 Live Debate Analysis – Kathleen Jamieson, Dean of the Annenberg School of
Communication, joins Bill Moyers and other guests in discussing both the presidential and vice
presidential debates. (60 minutes)
Abe Lincoln in Illinois – The Raymond Massey classic includes memorable scenes of the LincolnDouglas debates and the election of 1860. (110 minutes)
Act of Congress, An – This made-for-TV documentary traces the progress of a bill (the Clean Air
Act of 1977) through the House of Representatives. It poses difficult questions: which is more
important, automotive jobs or cleaner air? (58 minutes)
All the King’s Men – Broderick Crawford plays Willy Stark, a corrupt politician based upon
Louisiana’s Huey Long, during his Depression-era rise from farm boy to governor. (109 minutes)
All the President’s Men – Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman portray Bob Woodward and Carl
Bernstein, the Washington Post reporters who uncovered the Watergate scandal. (135 minutes)
Animal Farm – George Orwell’s political satire about barnyard animals who slip into totalitarian
dictatorship, in animated cartoon version. (73 minutes)
Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, The – Cicely Tyson begins life as a slave, and ends up 110
years later as a voter. (110 minutes)
Best Man, The – Two presidential contenders lose integrity in pursuit of the nomination. Henry
Fonda and Cliff Robertson star. (104 minutes)
Bill of Rights in Action, The – The Town Hall and City Council of fictional Middleburg, USA,
debate such issues as juvenile curfews, banning library books, and permitting a student with AIDS
in public school. These are three separate American Bar Association films: The Right to Privacy
(57 minutes); Equal Protection (33 minutes); and First Amendment (34 minutes).
Candidate, The – Along the campaign trail, candidate Redford (set up to lose the race) loses his
idealism as well. (111 minutes)
Classics of Political TV Advertising, The – Two videocassettes show historic political commercials
from 1952 to 1984, and from the 1986 congressional campaigns. (120 minutes)
BIBLIOGRAPHY
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
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9–12 BIBLIOGRAPHY
Come See the Paradise – Randy Quaid plays a union organizer whose Japanese-American wife is
separated from him during the World War II Japanese-American internment. (135 minutes)
Conspiracy: The Trial of the Chicago Eight – A reconstruction in newsreel and interview style of
the trial of the radicals charged with incitement to riot at the 1968 Democratic National
Convention. (118 minutes)
“Dangerous” Songs: Censors, Rock, and the 1st Amendment – Interviews with teenagers, parents,
legislators and songwriters explore 1st amendment issues. (18 minutes)
Dave – In this update of The Prisoner of Zenda, an evil chief of staff replaces a corrupt U.S.
president (felled by a stroke) with good-hearted Kevin Kline, a presidential look-alike. The film is
filled with cameos by real politicians and newspeople. (110 minutes)
Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam – Among the actors reading these actual letters are
Robert DeNiro and Robin Williams. (84 minutes)
Eyes on the Prize Series – The PBS documentary in six one-hour films recreates the “Second
American Revolution,” the civil rights struggle between 1954 and 1965. A one-hour version of
excerpts from it is available, too.
First Monday in October – In this comedy, the fictionalized first female Supreme Court Justice is
conservative Jill Clayburgh, who locks opinions with liberal Justice Walter Matthau. The film
actually predated Sandra Day O’Connor’s appointment to the Supreme Court. (99 minutes)
Gideon’s Trumpet – Henry Fonda plays Clarence Gideon, who petitioned the Supreme Court in
1962 because he had been unable to afford legal counsel. (104 minutes)
Give ‘Em Hell, Harry! – This one-man stage production stars James Whitmore as Harry Truman,
reminiscing about his political career. (102 minutes)
Great Debates, The – ABC News culled selections from the watershed 1960 Kennedy-Nixon
debates. (60 minutes)
In the Land of Jim Crow – A short but effective version of the civil rights struggle. (22 minutes)
Inherit the Wind – The film about the Tennessee “Monkey Trial” of John Scopes is a favorite of
many teachers. The Clarence Darrow character is played by Spencer Tracy, and the William
Jennings Bryan character is Frederick March. (128 minutes)
Inventing a Nation – This episode from Alistair Cooke’s “America” series covers the long process
of writing and implementing the Constitution. (60 minutes)
BIBLIOGRAPHY
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
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9–12 BIBLIOGRAPHY
Indomitable Teddy Roosevelt, The – Narrated by George C. Scott, the film contains rare footage as
well as re-enactment. (94 minutes)
Killing Fields, The – Sam Waterston plays a New York Times reporter during the darkest
nightmare to emerge in the politics of the later 20th century, the Khmer Rouge massacres in
Cambodia. (142 minutes)
Lincoln-Douglas Debates, The: The House Divides – A short and clear version of the LincolnDouglas debates. (24 minutes)
Long Walk Home, The – Sissy Spacek and Whoopi Goldberg are part of the Montgomery Bus
Boycott. (95 minutes)
Malcolm X – Spike Lee’s biography of the black activist stars Denzel Washington. Based on The
Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X and Alex Haley. (201 minutes)
Marbury vs. Madison – The 1803 case established the responsibility of the Supreme Court to
review the constitutionality of congressional acts. (36 minutes)
Missiles of October, The – This made-for-TV version of the Cuban Missile Crisis features William
Devane as an uncannily accurate JFK. (155 minutes)
Modern Presidency Series (5 Presidents) – David Frost interviews five recent presidents for PBS.
(60 minutes each)
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington – Senator Jimmy Stewart triumphs over Washington corruption.
This film shows the daily workings of Congress effectively. (125 minutes)
Native Land – Narrated by Paul Robeson, this is a warning about human rights. It was based on
the Senate’s La Follette Committee findings about the Klan and union-busting by big business.
Norma Rae – Sally Field won an Oscar for her portrayal of an uneducated textile worker who
works with a labor organizer to unionize her plant. This is based on a true story. (114 minutes)
Point of Order – Paul Newman introduces this documentary culled from the Army-McCarthy
hearings, but this is otherwise unnarrated footage. A teacher’s guide is included. (107 minutes)
Power Game, The – There are four parts to this Hedrick Smith PBS series: “The Congress;” “The
Pentagon;” “The Presidency;” and “The Unelected” (Media, PAC’s and lobbyists). (60 minutes each)
BIBLIOGRAPHY
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
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9–12 BIBLIOGRAPHY
Profiles in Courage – Stories of political heroism inspired by John F. Kennedy’s book. Outstanding
portrayals: Robert Hooks as Frederick Douglass; Gary Merrill as John Marshall; and Martin Gabel
as Daniel Webster. (50 minutes each)
Salt of the Earth – A film made in 1953 by blacklisted McCarthy-era film makers—a lesson in
itself. Discusses the multiple issues of dignity and politics in a New Mexico 1951 mining strike by
Mexican-Americans. (94 minutes)
Separate But Equal – Sidney Poitier portrays NAACP attorney Thurgood Marshall in the story of
the landmark civil rights case Brown v. Board of Education. (194 minutes)
Seven Days in May – Will a “loose cannon” general depose a pacifist president? Burt Lancaster and
Kirk Douglas star. (117 minutes)
She’s Nobody’s Baby: A History of American Women in the 20th Century – This history of the
women’s movement in the 20th century is narrated by Marlo Thomas and Alan Alda. (60 minutes)
Skokie – An all-star cast reenacts the struggle over whether or not a neo-Nazi group may
demonstrate in Skokie, Illinois, a town containing many survivors of the Holocaust. (95 minutes)
State of the Union – In 1948, a Ross Perot prototype (played by Spencer Tracy) is drafted as a
presidential candidate. (124 minutes)
To Kill a Mockingbird – Many government teachers list this movie classic as their favorite.
Gregory Peck plays Atticus Finch, defense lawyer for a black man accused of rape in 1930s’
Alabama. (129 minutes)
Twelve Angry Men – Henry Fonda is the jury room protagonist. All 12 of the outstanding actors
shine. (95 minutes)
War Room, The – The viewer is taken behind the scenes in the Clinton campaign. “Ragin’ Cajun”
James Carville (whose language is a caveat here) and George Stephanapoulos are featured. (96 minutes)
Watergate Hearings, The – Hundreds of hours of congressional testimony and news coverage have
been distilled by PBS into two hours. (120 minutes)
Who Owns Our Government? – The health care industry is featured in this PBS study of the effect
of political contributions on public policy. (60 minutes)
BIBLIOGRAPHY
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
RESOURCES FOR INFORMATION ON CHILDREN’S LITERATURE BOOKS
The American Library Association publishes lists of award-winning children’s books. Contact ALA
at 50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611. E-mail: [email protected]. Web site: http://www.ala.org/
C Is For Citizenship: Children’s Literature and Civic Understanding, by Laurel R. Singleton
(1997). Contact SSEC, Box 21270, Boulder, CO 80308-4270. Phone: (303)492-8154
The International Reading Association publishes annual lists of books chosen by teachers and
students as the best newly published books. Contact IRA at Box 8139, Newark, DE 19714.
Customer Service Department: [email protected]
Public Information Office: [email protected]. Web site: http://www.reading.org/
Social Education, the primary journal of the National Council for the Social Studies lists “Notable
Children’s Trade Books” each year in the April/May issue. Contact NCSS at 8555 Sixteenth Street,
Silver Spring, Maryland, 20910. Web site: http://www.socialstudies.org/publications/se/
Social Studies and the Young Learner, a journal for elementary teachers published by the National
Council for the Social Studies, carries a regular column on children’s literature. Contact NCSS at
8555 Sixteenth Street, Silver Spring, Maryland, 20910. Web site:
http://www.socialstudies.org/publications/se/
The Children’s Literature Web Guide features commentary on children’s books, discussion boards,
quick references, and more. Contact at http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~dkbrown/
BIBLIOGRAPHY
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
23
GLOSSARY
A–C GLOSSARY
AFFIDAVIT OF REGISTRATION – Sworn, written evidence of voter eligibility
ANNEX – To bring property into city boundaries
APATHY – Lack of interest or concern
APPORTION – To divide seats in a legislative body among different geographic districts
BALLOT – Printed form or other item used in voting
BALLOT BOX – Container for cast votes
BOND – A written promise to pay someone a particular amount of money plus interest after a certain
amount of time
BOND ELECTION – An election asking voters to give the government the right to borrow money by
selling bonds
CAMPAIGN – Course of action designed to influence voters in an election
CANDIDATE – Person who seeks or is put forward by others for a political office
CAUCUS – Closed meeting of party members to determine nominations
CENSUS – Official count of the people of the United States required by the Congress every 10 years
CHARTER – The city’s constitution wherein the form of government is contained
CITIZEN – Person who was born in or chooses to live in and become a member of a country
CITY COUNCIL – A city’s governing body
CITY MANAGER – A person hired by the city council to administer the city's affairs
COMMISSIONER – A head of a department who shares with other commissioners power to make laws
(ordinances)
CONGRESS – Legislative group consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT – A political subdivision for the purpose of electing U.S. representatives
GLOSSARY
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
1
C –F GLOSSARY
CONSENSUS – A general agreement
CONSTITUENCY – All the voters of a particular district
CONVENTION – A formal meeting of members of a party to nominate candidates to run for president
or other political offices
COUNTY – A major unit of local government
CROSSOVER VOTE – A vote by a member of one party for a candidate of another party
DELEGATE – A person given power or authority to vote for others; a representative
DEMOCRACY – Government that is run by the people who live under it
DEMOCRAT – A member of the Democratic party, one of the two major political parties
DICTATOR – Person who has complete authority
DICTATORSHIP – Form of government headed by a dictator
ECONOMY – The way a country produces, divides up and uses its money and goods
ELECT – To choose by voting
ELECTION CAMPAIGN – Series of operations designed to win votes for a certain candidate, party or proposal
ELECTORAL COLLEGE – A group of representatives chosen by voters to elect the president and the vice
president of the United States
ELECTORATE – Those eligible to vote
ELECTORS – The individuals chosen by the voters to elect the president and vice president of
the United States (each state’s electors number the same as its senators and representatives)
FEDERAL – Of or describing a union of states having a central government
FELON – A person guilty of a crime more serious than a misdemeanor
FRANCHISE – The constitutional right to vote
GLOSSARY
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
2
G–N GLOSSARY
GENERAL ELECTION – Statewide elections held so that registered voters can decide the state and
national officials who will head the government
GERRYMANDERING – The drawing up of voting districts in unusual shapes in order to benefit a certain group
GOVERNMENT – The group of people in charge of ruling or managing a country, state, city or other place
GOVERNOR – The person elected to be head of the government of a state of the United States
GRANT-IN-AID – Federal money given to states or cities to pay for programs
GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION – The selection of a governor by a state’s voters
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES – The lower house of the Congress consisting of 435 members who each
serve two-year terms (and can be re-elected)
INCUMBENT – A person currently holding office
INDEPENDENT VOTER – A voter who does not belong to a political party
INITIATIVE – A method of enacting laws or ordinances that begins with petitions by citizens
ISSUES – Problems and ideas to be talked about, questioned, decided upon and voted on
JUDICIAL ELECTION – An election for judges
MAJOR PARTY – The Democratic or Republican Party (see Third Party)
MAYOR – Elected official in a city who has executive power
MUNICIPALITY – A city, town or district
NEUTRAL POLLING – Method of polling through which neutral questions are asked rather than
questions expressing and/or advocating a particular viewpoint
NOMINATE – To propose or offer the name of someone for political office
NOMINEE – The person that a political party names, or nominates, to represent it in a general election
NONPARTISAN – Not associated with a particular political party
GLOSSARY
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
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N–P GLOSSARY
NONPARTISAN ELECTIONS – Elections usually held at the state or local level: the candidate’s party
membership is not given on the ballot
OFFICE – A political position
ORDINANCES – The laws of a city
PARTISAN – Associated with a particular political party
PARTY – An organization working to gain political power or control
PARTY BOSS – A leader with great power within a political party; a party leader capable of affecting
voting and elections
PARTY PLATFORM – Statement of the principles or beliefs of a political group
PLANK – A stand on an issue by a political party; planks comprise a party platform
POLITICAL AFFILIATION – The party in which a voter is registered
POLITICAL CARTOON – A cartoon developed to represent a particular view through humor
POLITICAL PARTY – A group of people who join together because they share many ideas about what
government should do
POLLSTER – Person or company that researches public opinion
POLL – To collect opinions about important issues or happenings
POLL TAX – Tax levied on potential voters wanting to vote
POLLING PLACE – Place where votes are cast
POLLS – A place where votes are cast
PRECINCT – Divisions within a city, town or county for voting purposes
PRECINCT CLERK – Precinct election board worker responsible for recording those who have voted in a
booklet called a poll list and performing other duties as assigned by the precinct inspector
GLOSSARY
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
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P–R GLOSSARY
PRECINCT INSPECTOR – Precinct election board worker responsible for the complete operation of each
polling place
PRECINCT JUDGE – Precinct election board worker responsible for the set up of voting devices,
demonstrating the voting devices, issuing ballots and aiding disabled voters
PRECINCT WORKER – A person who works at a polling place
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION – An election to choose a president and vice president
PRIMARY ELECTION – Preliminary elections in which voters choose party candidates to run for office
on their party ticket in general elections
PROPAGANDA – Ideas or information that a group of people deliberately spread to try to influence the
thinking of other people
PUBLIC WORKS – Anything constructed by the government with public funds for the use or pleasure of
the general public such as libraries, roads, public housing
PUBLIC UTILITY – A public or privately-owned organization that provides essential products or services
such as light, water, and gas
RANDOM SAMPLE – A sample of research subjects which provides every person the same chance of
being selected, such as selecting every fourth person from the telephone book
RATIFY – To formally approve the vote
RECALL – Petition process by which voters can remove an elected official from office in midterm
REDISTRICTING – The redrawing of boundaries of political districts often based on shifts in population
REGISTER – The process by which a persons’ name is added to the list of eligible voters
REPUBLICAN – Member of the Republican political party, one of the two major political parties
RESIDENT – A person who lives in a specific jurisdiction
RESOLUTION – A statement or opinion by city government, such as declaring a public policy or
recognizing an achievement
GLOSSARY
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
5
R–Z GLOSSARY
RETURNS – The results of a vote
SENATE – The upper house of the Congress, with two members from each state (100 members total)
who each serve six-year terms
STATE ELECTION BOARD – Body charged with organizing and conducting state elections
SUFFRAGE – The right to vote
TALLY – To count votes
THIRD PARTY – A party organized as an alternative to the two major parties; also called a minor party
(see Major Party)
VOTE – A method by which people choose their leaders and decide public issues
VOTING BOOTH – An enclosure designed to ensure privacy for voting
VOTING MACHINE – Mechanical device for recording and counting votes at an election
VOTING ROSTER – An alphabetical list of people eligible to vote
ZONING – A form of planning where government or councils decide the use of buildings or the activities
than can occur in each area of the city
GLOSSARY
©2005 Kids Voting USA, Inc. – All rights reserved.
6