Common Planner
K–12 Standards

Grade 12: Principles of American Democracy (History-Social Science Framework)

Other California History-Social Science Frameworks sets

Overarching IdeasG.A

  • 1

    What are the key elements of representative democracy, and how did they develop over time?G.A.1

  • 2

    What rights and responsibilities does a citizen have in a democracy?G.A.2

  • 3

    How do people get elected?G.A.3

  • 4

    Why does the government work sometimes and not others?G.A.4

  • 5

    What problems are posed by representative government, and how can they be addressed?G.A.5

Fundamental Principles of American DemocracyG.B

  • 1

    Why do we need a government?G.B.1

  • 2

    How much power should government have over its citizens?G.B.2

  • 3

    What do the terms liberty and equality mean, and how do they relate to each other? G.B.3

  • 4

    What are the dangers of a democratic system?G.B.4

  • 5

    What are the trade-offs between majority rule and the protection of individual rights?G.B.5

Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens in a DemocracyG.C

  • 1

    What rights and responsibilities does a citizen have in a democracy?G.C.1

  • 2

    What does it mean to be a citizen?G.C.2

  • 3

    How can citizens improve a democracy?G.C.3

Fundamental Principles of Civil SocietyG.D

  • 1

    What is a civil society, and why do we want to have one?G.D.1

  • 2

    What are the limits of individual liberty?G.D.2

  • 3

    What are the dangers of majority rule?G.D.3

  • 4

    What is the role of religion in a democracy?G.D.4

  • 5

    How do government actions impact civil society?G.D.5

The Three Branches of Government as Established by the U.S. ConsititutionG.E

  • 1

    Why does the Consitution both grant power and take it away?G.E.1

  • 2

    What is the most powerful branch of government?G.E.2

  • 3

    Why does it take so long for government to act?G.E.3

Interpreting the Constitution: The Work of the U.S. Supreme CourtG.F

  • 1

    What is judicial review, and how does it work?G.F.1

  • 2

    What makes a law or an action unconstitutional, and does that determination ever change?G.F.2

The Electoral ProcessG.F.3

  • 1

    How do you get elected?G.G.1

  • 2

    Who gets elected, and who does not?G.G.2

  • 3

    What impact do polls, political parties, and PACs have upon elections?G.G.3

  • 4

    How can I get involved in a campaign?G.G.4

  • 5

    Why should I vote?G.G.5

Federalism: Different Levels of GovernmentG.H

  • 1

    Why are powers divided among different levels of government?G.H.1

  • 2

    What level of government is the most important to me--local, state, tribal, or federal?G.H.2

  • 3

    What level of government is the most powerful--local, state, tribal, or federal?G.H.3

The Fourth Estate: the Role of the Media in American Public LIfeG.I

  • 1

    To whate extent are the press and the media fulfilling a watchdog role?G.I.1

  • 2

    Do media outlets provide enough relevant information about government and politics to allow citizens to vote and participate in a well-informed way?G.I.2

  • 3

    How has the Internet revolution impacted journalism, and what are its effects on the coverage of public affairs and current issues?G.I.3

Comparative Governments and the Challenges of DemocracyG.J

  • 1

    Do citizens have rights that the state must respect; if so, what are they?G.J.1

  • 2

    What is the role of civil dissent and when is it necessary?G.J.2

  • 3

    Why have some revolutions been followed by purges of dissidents, mass arrests of political opponents, murder of "class enemies," suppression of free speech, abolition of private property, and attacks on religious groups?G.J.3

  • 4

    Why do authoritarian governments spy on their citizens and prevent them from emigrating? Why do they jail or harass critics of their government? Why is only one party allowed in an authoritarian state? Why do ordinary people risk their lives to flee or transform authoritarian states?G.J.4

  • 5

    How do individual countries combat terrorist organizations that do not recognize international norms or boundaries? How can individual citizens or nongovernmental organizations improve civil society? How can multinational alliances work together to combat climate change?G.J.5

Frequently asked questions

What grade levels do these standards cover?
Grade 12
Where can I read the official document?
History and Social Studies Frameworks Questions (2016)

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