Challenges of American Citizenship in the new Millennium
Guiding Question
- What attributes of good character, or virtues, are necessary for human flourishing, for self-government and for the survival of a republic?
Objectives
- Students will identify civic virtues that are essential to self-government.
- Students will recognize the civic virtues implied in the U.S. Constitution.
- justice
- individual responsibility
- Constitution
- Thomas Jefferson
- republic
- George Washington
- virtue
- equality
- liberty
- Founders
Have students read the essay, Challenges of American Citizenship in the New Millennium. As they read, they should circle or highlight each virtue named in the essay.
Have students work in small groups to compare the virtues they highlighted when reading the essay. After a brief check-in with each group to be sure they understand the definitions of the virtues, point out the quote from George Washington’s First Inaugural Address, “there is no truth more thoroughly established than that there exists in the economy and course of nature an indissoluble union between virtue and happiness… the propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right which Heaven itself has ordained” (George Washington, “First Inaugural Address,” April 30, 1789).
Have students work in their groups to paraphrase Washington’s statement. Ask to what extent they agree with the idea that true happiness cannot exist without virtues such as the ones they marked in the essay.
Challenges of American Citizenship in the New Millennium Activity: Identifying Civic Values in the Constitution
In Handout A: Civic Virtues and the Constitution, students will read each of the following quotations and decide what civic values it requires of citizens. They will consider the following values: Courage, Initiative, Honor, Justice, Moderation, Perseverance, Respect, Responsibility, Resourcefulness, and Vigilance. Some quotations may have more than one answer.
Challenges of American Citizenship in the New Millennium Activity: Identifying Civic Virtues in Current Events
Using Handout B: Identifying Civic Virtues in Current Events, have students conduct a “scavenger hunt” for examples of civic virtue in everyday life. They may describe a situation that happens in your family or another event that they witness, or they may use online, broadcast, or print media to find examples of civic virtue in the news. For each event that they find, they should complete the summary and attach the clipping/printed online article.
Ask students to think of a time when they witnessed someone doing the right thing even through difficult circumstances. If they cannot think of such a time, ask them to imagine one. Have them write a brief description of that (actual or imagined) incident and its effects. Note that the outcome is not always “Everybody lived happily ever after,” and sometimes requires a person to make sacrifices of some kind, but the effort to do the right thing is always worthwhile.
