Fulfill your High School Civics requirement at home with training from Penn Foster High School. We’ll guide you through the course with class notes, textbooks and unlimited instructor support. Each lesson has been specifically designed for independent study – you’ll learn Civics in no time.

Course Description
 
After briefly exploring the history of government, Civics relates how American colonists adopted, in large part, the English form of government. Next, it reviews the changes brought about by the Continental Congress, the Articles of Confederation, the American Revolution, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the other Amendments. Students also learn about the federal government with its three major branches, state and local governments, citizenship, political parties, and elections. It concludes with the basic issues of government and foreign policy.

The course comes with four Study Guides:

• The Origins of American Government
• The United States Constitution
• Government in the United States
• The Political Process.
• There are four multiple-choice exams. 

• Define government and explain its purpose
• Describe, and give examples of, the different forms of government
• Outline how the English government served as a model for the American government
• Name and discuss the different types of government in the early American colonies
• Describe the events that caused unrest and led to the American Revolution
• Summarize the provisions of the Articles of Confederation
• List the major events and battles of the Revolutionary War
• Explain the problems early Americans had with the Articles of Confederation
• Outline the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan
• Describe the compromise made at the Constitutional Convention, and ratification
• List the three main parts of the Constitution and outline what each includes
• Explain how the Constitution can be amended, and list the Amendments
• Discuss several Supreme Court cases involving interpretations of the Constitution
• Outline the powers and responsibilities of the federal government’s legislative branch
• Explain the law-making process and two bills: the Wagner Act and the Brady Bil
• Describe the powers and responsibilities of the President and Vice President
• List some of the executive branch’s departments, agencies, and programs
• Outline the organization of the federal court system
• Describe the powers and responsibilities of the federal government’s judicial branch
• Summarize several landmark cases handled by the U.S. Supreme Court
• Briefly describe how state, county, city, and township governments operate
• Differentiate between a natural-born citizen and a naturalized citizen
• Outline the process for becoming a United States citizen
• Explain the rights and responsibilities of citizens in a democratic nation
• Describe how citizens let elected officials know their opinions on various matters
• Outline the origins of the Democratic Party and the Republican Party
• Summarize how Americans elect their President, Vice President, and others
• Define special interest groups and political action committees, and give examples
• Explain where governments get their money and how they spend it
• Briefly describe the role of the media in public opinion
• Define foreign policy; describe what U.S foreign policy has been over its history

Study Unit 1: The Origins of American Government

Government: Definition, Purpose, and Types; Early Colonists; Influence of the Magna Carta, Parliament, and Prime Minister; Government in the Early Colonies; Types of Colonies; Unrest; First Continental Congress; Second Continental Congress; Articles of Confederation; American Revolution; Treaty of Paris; Declaration of Independence

Study Unit 2: The United States Constitution

Problems with Articles of Confederation; Constitutional Convention of 1787; Virginia Plan; New Jersey Plan; Compromise; Ratifying Constitution; Preamble to and Articles of Constitution: Bill of Rights; Additional Amendments; Major Ideas in Constitution; Interpreting Constitution; Withstanding Test of Time

Study Unit 3: Government in the United States

Federal Government: Legislative Branch: Powers and Responsibilities; Senate; House of Representatives; How Laws Are Made; Legislative Branch in Action; Executive Branch: President; Powers and Responsibilities; Vice President; Executive Departments; Federal Agencies; Executive Branch in Action; Judicial Branch: Supreme Court; Landmark Cases; Powers and Responsibilities; Federal Courts; Other Governments: State; County; City; Township; State Government Comparisons

Study Unit 4: The Political Process

Citizenship Definition; Types of Citizens; Becoming a U.S. Citizen; Rights of Citizens; Responsibilities; Making Your Voice Heard; Voting Rights and Responsibilities; Political System; Two-Party System; Third Parties; Election Process; Special Interest Groups; Political Action Committees; Basic Issues of Government; Paying for Government; Protecting the Nation; Public Opinion; Media Influence; Foreign Policy

There are four exams that need to be passed to complete your course in Civics and you’ll have up to 15 weeks to complete the course.
 
Support
If you should ever need help with your studies, you can e-mail or call our instructors who will gladly help you with any questions that you might have.

Study Time
Since there is no set class schedule, you study when and where it’s convenient for you. You can complete your course as quickly as you’d like.

Completion
When you have successfully completed your course, you will receive a letter of completion along with an official transcript listing your completed course(s) and grades. You can apply your course towards our Diploma Program or a diploma from your local High School (be sure to check with your school authorities regarding mandatory attendance policies and whether they agree that the Penn Foster High School Program is acceptable toward the completion of your high school education). 
 
Accreditation
Penn Foster High School is accredited by The Middle States Commission on Secondary Schools; has met the high standards of integrity and performance set by the Accrediting Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC), Washington D.C., and is licensed by the Pennsylvania State Board of Private Licensed Schools.

Whether you’re looking for accelerated studies or credit recovery, regionally and nationally accredited Penn Foster High School provides the courses you need to complete your High School Diploma.