The National Security Council is a group of top advisors tasked with providing guidance on foreign policy matters and implementing the president’s decisions. Learn how the president’s advisors protect U.S. national security and help with foreign policy decision-making and coordination across the executive branch.
What Is Government?
Governments have been around for almost four thousand years. Throughout that time, they have shared the same central function: to lead and protect their people. Despite that similarity, governments do not all look or act the same way. This video explores what government is and to what extent your voice is heard by those in power.
U.S. History Mini Simulations
In this series of historical mini simulations, students step into the shoes of policymakers to advise the U.S. president on how to respond to major foreign policy moments in U.S. history. These eight historical simulations cover crucial U.S. decisions from the 19th to 21st centuries. Designed with a U.S. history survey course in mind, the simulations can fuel a lively discussion to supplement your curriculum and encourage civic engagement.
What Roles Do Congress and the Executive Branch Play in U.S. Foreign Policy?
This Council on Foreign Relations Education resource helps students understand what the Constitution says about foreign policy. Students explore how the powers of Congress and the president protect and advance the country’s interests abroad. Through infographics, charts, and case studies, students will learn how the balance of power between these branches of government might look different in theory and practice.
Laws, Norms, and Democratic Backsliding
Democracies around the world are under siege—not by foreign invaders but by domestic leaders who are weakening their countries’ institutions that protect political freedoms and civil liberties. That trend is known as democratic backsliding. This multimedia resource explores the principles that underpin democracy and the countries in which they are under threat.
How Do Forces Outside Government Influence Policymaking?
The president of the United States leads the country’s foreign policy. However, presidents face many checks to their power within the government. In this multimedia resource, learn how journalism, social media, public opinion, and lobbies are all a part of American democracy and influence U.S. foreign policy.
Take the Political Party Quiz to Find Out Where You Fit!
Have you ever wondered where you fit on the political spectrum? To help you find out, PBS NewsHour partnered with the Pew Research Center to create a simple quiz that helps calculate your partisan status and how you compare with others.
Down-Ballot Voting and the Role of Local Elections
Students will analyze the role of state and local government and the merits of candidates and ballot measures in their local elections.
Decoding Media Bias
Students will examine where people in the U.S. get their news, how news selection amplifies one’s political views, and how media organizations decide to cover stories.
Reinventing American Democracy
The purpose of this lesson is to introduce students to the challenges facing American democracy and then spur a conversation around suggestions for revitalizing civic engagement and strengthening democratic values.