Civics in the Secondary School
Reading edition
ALBERT H. SANFORD, Editor.
THE CORRELATION OF AMERICAN HISTORY AND CIVICS.
In the year 1906 a committee of the North Central History Teachers’ Association made an investigation of the relations existing between American History and Civics in secondary schools, their report being printed in the Proceedings of that date. A portion of the report consisted of an outline showing the possibility of correlating many topics in these two subjects. In response to numerous requests this portion of the report is here re-printed. In their conclusions, the committee recommended correlation as far as this is feasible; but they emphasized the fact that many important topics in Civics would not be adequately treated by this method, and hence should be taught separately. The arguments supporting this and other conclusions are to be found in the full report referred to above. The committee consisted of the following: Albert H. Sanford, Carl Russell Fish, Mildred Hinsdale, C. C. Bebout, and Mary Louise Childs.
An Outline Showing the Correlation of American History with Civics.
(1) COLONIAL HISTORY.
HISTORY TOPICS.CIVICS TOPICS.
A—Local Governments.
Town Type in New England.Town Organization of To-day.
Aristocratic County Type in the South.County Organization in Southern States.
Combined Town and Democratic County Type in Middle Colonies.Towns and Counties in all Western States.
It is not intended that the Civics topics stated above shall be treated exhaustively; the mere fact of the existence of the organizations that correspond to the colonial types is the extent of the correlation at this point. (Reasons for this restriction will be stated later.) The important thing is that the pupil be taught not to associate these institutions exclusively with the localities in which they originated, but to regard them as the typical forms of organization of those different elements of our population which they carried, or rather under which they marched, westward.
HISTORY TOPICS.CIVICS TOPICS.
B—Colonial Governments.
Colonial House of Representatives.State House of Representatives, or Assembly.
Colonial Governor’s Council.State Senate.
Colonial Governor and Courts.State Governor and Courts.
Colonial Charter.State Constitution.
C—British Empire.
Control of Foreign Affairs, Peace and War, Indians, ungranted land, and Commerce by Parliament.Control of same affairs by Congress.
Privy Council.United States Supreme Court.
(2) REVOLUTIONARY AND CRITICAL PERIODS.
HISTORY TOPICS.CIVICS TOPICS.
The Formation of State Governments and adoption of State Constitutions.The Existing States and State Constitutions.
Continental Congresses and Articles of Confederation.The Central Government.
The Impotence of Congress.Our strong central powers.
Prominence of State Feeling.The National spirit.
Attitude of Foreign Nations.Position of the United States to-day.
It will be noticed in (1) and (2) that the comparisons are between particular facts of our history and some of the more general features of our National government. The details of present conditions may not be understood by students who have not studied Civics separately.
(3) CONSTITUTIONAL PERIOD.
Under the topics that follow, we find the history of our present National government, seen in the formation of the Constitution and the workings of the government thus formed. The natural correlation, then, is between the event (either in the Constitutional Convention or in our later history) and that part of the Constitution which thus came about, or which forms the basis for the action of the government described.
The historical topics are not arranged in strictly chronological order, but in the sequence in which they are usually treated. In most cases no mention has been made of events which show the working of the government under a clause of the Constitution that has once been included; for instance, not all the important treaties of our history are mentioned. Enough attention should be devoted to the clause when first mentioned to fix it in the mind of the pupil. In some instances, however, there is repetition of this kind, particularly where the interpretation has changed from time to time.
A. The Constitutional Convention.
Art.Sec.Clause.
Legislative Department11
142
The House121, 3, 5
The Senate131, 2, 4, 5
Additional Compromise provisions171
194
Executive Department211, 4, 5, 6
Judicial Department311
Commerce questions183
191, 5, 6
Surrender of powers by States1101, 2, 3
Grant of these powers to U. S.181, 3, 5, 11
Ratification of the Constitution7
The first ten Amendments6 and Amdts. 1-10
B. The Administrations.
The election of President and Vice-President, 1789211, 2
The oath of office taken by Washington217
Organization of Departments1818
The Cabinet, composed of heads of depts.221
The Cabinet responsible to the President[6]222, 3
The Treasury Department197
The first revenue bills181
Establishment of mint and coinage185, 6
Census of 1790123
Provisions for U. S. and State debts182
61
The National Bank, broad and strict construction1818
Legislation on western lands432
Admission of Vermont and Kentucky431
The Whiskey Insurrection23
1815
221
Washington’s refusal to receive Genet23
Jay’s Treaty222
Case of Chisholm vs. GeorgiaAmendment 11
Threatened war with France1811, 12, 13,14
Naturalization act184
Sedition lawAmendment 1
Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions,Preamble.
the nature of the government1818
62
Amendments 9, 10.
Organization of the District of Columbia1817
Election of 1801212
Amendment 12.
Adams’s “midnight judges”189
222
Case of Marbury vs. Madison321
Impeachment of Chase24
125
136, 7
Louisiana Purchase222
1818
Cumberland Road appropriation187, 18
Burr’s trial331, 2
323
Prohibition of slave trade191
Embargo Act183
Clay as Speaker125
Action of New England States as regards militia1815, 16
New England opposition to War of 1812,Preamble.
and Hartford Convention1818
62
Amendments 9, 10.
Treaty of Ghent (another method of negotiating treaties)222
Supreme Court decisions as to jurisdiction of States and Nation—Influence of Marshall321
Protective tariff, 1816181, 18
Internal improvement laws and vetoes187, 18
172
Missouri Compromise432
421
Election of 1824 by House of RepresentativesAmendment 12.
Nullification by South CarolinaPreamble.
1818
62
Amendments 9, 10.
Public lands432
Spoils system222
“Gag rule”Amendment 1.
Censure and expunging resolution153
Independent treasury1818
Succession of Tyler to Presidency215
Annexation of Texas by joint resolution173
Declaration of war against Mexico1811
Influence of patent and copyright systems188
Wilmot Proviso—Squatter sovereignty discussion432
Fugitive slave law423
Abolition of slave trade in District of Columbia1817
Personal liberty laws and underground railroad62
Amendments 6, 7.
Attempted expulsion of Brooks152
Dred Scott decision321
432
Lincoln-Douglas debates; election of U. S. Senator131
Secession and Buchanan’s policy—LegalPreamble.
position of seceding States1818
62
Amendments 9, 10.
Lincoln’s policy in reinforcing Ft. Sumter217
23
The U. S. army and navy, and the draft1812, 13, 15
221
Suspension of the writ of habeas corpus192
Congressional taxation and bonds acts181, 2
Legal tender act182, 5
Emancipation proclamation221
National bank act1818
Supreme Court decision on the nature of the UnionPreamble.
1818
62
Amendments 9, 10.
Civil Service Act222
Interstate Commerce and Anti-Trust Laws183
Income tax decision123
194
Reciprocity acts1811
Annexation of Hawaii173
222
Free coinage185
Restriction of Suffrage in SouthAmendment 14, Section 2.
Gold standard act, 1900185
Immigration laws183
Injunctions in labor disputes321
Postal Savings Banks187