Following a review of the nation's beginnings and the impact of the Enlightenment on U.S. democratic ideals, students build upon the tenth grade study of global industrialization to understand the emergence and impact of new technology and a corporate economy, including the social and cultural effects. An emphasis is placed on the expanding role of the federal government and federal courts as well as the continuing tension between the individual and the state.
Students consider the major social problems of our time and trace their causes in historical events.
They learn that the United States has served as a model for other nations and that the rights and freedoms we enjoy are not accidents, but the results of a defined set of political principles that are not always basic to citizens of other countries. Students understand that our rights under the US Constitution comprise a precious inheritance that depends on an educated citizenry for their preservation and protection.