Civil Discourse Toolkit

Civil discourse is key to sustaining democracy

Every generation of citizens has the responsibility to strive for a “more perfect union” by engaging with differing perspectives, democratic values, and our shared history.

This toolkit is designed to promote civil discourse for adult learners, including college classes, individuals, and community groups. Using civil discourse, we advance the goals of democracy and reinforce the principles enshrined in the Constitution.

Toolkit modules

  • Principles of the Constitution

    What is the distinction between a republic and a democracy? Do our constitutional principles still matter today?

    Lesson plan

  • The Evolution of Political Parties

    Have our political parties always been this contentious? What purposes do political parties serve?

    Lesson plan

  • Women's Rights

    How far have women’s rights come, and how much further do we need to go?

    Lesson plan

  • Civil Rights

    How did Reconstruction amendments, civil rights legislation, and court cases shape the evolution of American civil rights?

    Lesson plan

  • Citizenship

    How has the concept of citizenship evolved since America’s founding? What does it mean to be an American citizen?

    Lesson plan

About the Civil Discourse: An American Legacy toolkit

This project was funded under the 2022 Leonore Annenberg Civic Mission of the Nation Initiative, sponsored by the Leonore Annenberg Institute for Civics. LAIC is a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania.

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