Interactive Civics: Home
Learn about the branches of government, citizenship, congress, and U.S. history with fun interactive games and learning tools.
Fall Celebrations
- Constitution Day and Citizenship Day"September 17, 1787, the Founding Fathers signed the U.S. Constitution. For the past 225 years, the Constitution has served as the supreme law of the land. The Constitution, along with the Bill of Rights and other amendments, define our government and guarantee our rights. Each year, on September 17, Americans celebrate Constitution Day and Citizenship Day. In addition, September 17-23 is also recognized as Constitution Week. During this time, USCIS encourages Americans to reflect on the rights and responsibilities of citizenship and what it means to be a U.S. citizen."-U.S. (Citizenship and Immigration Services).
- Welcoming America: Welcome Week"Welcoming Week is an annual series of events where neighbors, immigrants, and long-term residents come together in a spirit of unity. These events demonstrate that in places large and small, people of all backgrounds can come together and create stronger communities by building meaningful connections and affirming the benefits of being welcoming to everyone. "
Ben's Guide
- Ben's Guide
"Ben's Guide to the U.S. Government, a service of the Government Publishing Office (GPO), is designed to inform students, parents, and educators about the Federal Government, which issues the publications and information products disseminated by the GPO's Federal Depository Library Program."
Games and Interactive Websites
- Name that State"The Bureau of Labor Statistics produces data for all 50 states. Think you know your geography? Try this quiz!"
- America's Story: From America's Library"This Web site is brought to you from the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., the largest library in the world and the nation's library. We hope you will find this Web site entertaining and fun to use."
- Kid's in the House"The Kids in the House website is a public service provided by the Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives. Our mission is to provide educational and entertaining information about the legislative branch of the United States Government to students of all ages."
- Immigration Stories of Yesterday and Today"Explore the history of immigration in America and learn what it is like to be an immigrant today." scholastic
- Civics and Government"Resources located under Civics and Government focus on the relationships between governments and individuals, and international relations. Classrooms can explore videos to compare the Magna Carta and the United States Constitution, examine an interactive map to study United States diplomatic relationships across the globe, or create a document-based questions using a collection of resources that analyzes Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. Topics such as the history of the Supreme Court, the role state and local governments play in the United States, and the path a bill takes to become law are also examined." (PBS Learning Media)
Info-graphics
- Branches of GovernmentLearn about the three main branches of the "U.S.government, their roles and responsibilities, and how they work together to ensure that no one branch has too much power."
- How Laws are Implemented"Once a bill becomes law it needs to be implemented, or put into action in our everyday lives. Learn how a new law is implemented by an agency of the executive branch."
Apps
- Congress Creates the Bill of Rights
"The mobile app is an interactive learning tool for tablets that situates the user in the proposals, debates, and revisions that shaped the Bill of Rights. Its menu-based organization presents a historic overview, a detailed study of the evolving language of each proposed amendment as it was shaped in the House and Senate, a close-up look at essential documents, and opportunities for participation and reflection designed for individual or collaborative exploration." - iCivics"DBQuest introduces students to major questions in civics and history. A Big Question acts as guiding light for deep examination of three selected primary resources. Each document challenges students to dig into the text itself and find the relevant information through document–based supporting questions."
Study Materials for Civics Test
- Citizenship TestTest your civics knowledge
Government Websites
- America's Founding Documents"These three documents, known collectively as the Charters of Freedom, have secured the rights of the American people for more than two and a quarter centuries and are considered instrumental to the founding and philosophy of the United States."
- Founders Online"George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams (and family), Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison. Over 183,000 searchable documents, fully annotated, from the authoritative Founding Fathers Papers projects."
- Immigration Bills"Use this page to browse bills in the U.S. Congress related to the subject Immigration, as determined by the Library of Congress."
- Basic Readings in U.S. Democracy: Part X: A More Inclusive America"The motto of the United States, E pluribus unum, means "out of many, one."...Words, foods and customs from other countries all found their way into the American culture, enriching it over the centuries. Oscar Handlin, the noted historian, began his classic study of immigration, The Uprooted (1951), with the following observation: "Once I thought to write a history of the immigrants in America. Then I discovered that the immigrants were American history."
- About the United States"Have a question about the USA? Learn where to find answers to the most requested facts about the United States of America."
- Constitution Annotated"The Constitution Annotated provides a comprehensive overview of how the Constitution has been interpreted over time and is now available on this new site with upgraded search capabilities. The online Constitution Annotated includes discussions of the Supreme Court’s latest opinions."
E-books
- Unsettled: A Story of U.S. Immigration enhanced ePub"The triumph, tragedy, and contradictions of the immigrant experience come alive in this immersive multimedia exploration of history and economics from the Voice of America. The Epub features: Over a dozen video clips totaling more than 20 minutes of features , Charts, maps, infographics, Archival films, audio, and stills." Free enhanced ebook is available through Apple iBookstore (Requires iTunes account), Barnes & Noble NOOK Book Store, or Google Play eBookstore. (GPO Bookstore)
Access Services and Government Information
Annenberg Civics Knowledge Survey
- Americans’ Civics Knowledge Increases But Still Has a Long Way to Go
“A quarter of U.S. adults can name only one of the three branches of government and more than a fifth can’t name any. The resilience of our system of government is best protected by an informed citizenry. And civics education and attention to news increase that likelihood.” (Kathleen Hall Jamieson,)
Civic Engagement
- Youth Engaged 4 Change
"We provide youth-focused resources and opportunities that inspire and empower young people to make a difference in their lives and in the world around them by improving their knowledge and leadership skills." - Civic EngagementCome learn about the four constructs of civic engagement at youth.gov.
Virtual Tours
- The white house: 360 virtual tour"Come and explore the inside residence halls of The United States President and even walk around The Oval office."
- Tour of the House of Representatives"You will find video tours of historic rooms and spaces, some of which are not open to the public, research resources, and teaching materials that will help bring the U.S. House to your classroom."