There are a number of civics courses and documents out there that list or summarize the basic building blocks of American government: how many representatives do we have, how long is the President’s term, and so on. But if you really want to understand how America’s government works and what makes it unique, you need to understand what lies beneath those building blocks and where they came from.

ELN’s Civics: What You Need to Know guide is the only place you can get all of that information in one easy-to-understand package.

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Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, the founder and namesake of the O’Connor Institute, put the importance of this topic this way:

I’ve seen first-hand how vital it is for all citizens to understand our Constitution and unique system of government, and participate actively in their communities. It is through this shared understanding of who we are that we can follow the approaches that have served us best over time — working collaboratively together in communities and in government to solve problems, putting country and the common good above party and self-interest, and holding our key governmental institutions accountable.

Having a thorough knowledge of the foundations of our democracy provides people with the context and the tools to take effective action as citizens. Civics: What You Need to Know provides that critical context and tools by addressing four of the country’s most important foundational principles:

1. Representative democracy
2. Federalism
3. Individual rights
4. Separation of powers

Each of these is codified in, and protected by, the U.S. Constitution.

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