American Government

Some of these overlap into economics:

Definitely check out resources at The National Center for Constitutional Studies:http://www.nccs.net/

the “5000 Year Leap” has gotten great reviews. It could even be done as a family; my husband and I are going to do it.

Along the same line is a Co. called Liberty Books. They sell books of first hand writings and books from our Founders. You can get books about our Founding Documents that were written at the time and shortly after. I have John Adams “Thoughts on Government” from the 1770’s, from which the Consitutional Convention drew it’s ideas of three branches, among other things. I highly recommend the reading og first-hand, primary documents, creading for one-self instead of letting so-called scholars tell you what the Founders meant; you can read it in their words. Look under ‘Books’ and ‘American FOunding and Constitution’ and ‘American History’;  http://www.libertyfund.org/search.aspx

David Barton’s Materials I highly recommend (of Wallbuilders)http://www.wallbuilders.com/

Books called Uncle Eric books:http://www.bluestockingpress.com/uncle-eric-books.htm

A course by Ray Notgrass on the American Government; I haven’t used it or looked at it, just the Ga. State one, but I think Sonya has used it:http://www.notgrass.com/american-government-high-school-curriculum.php

A personal read that I have read that I recommend to everyone I can on the view of Freedom, not a specific book on the structure of our Gov., just on History without our form of gov., how unique it was in the history of this earth. She wrote it very close to WW 2, either during or right after, I can’t remember on the effects of centralized Gov. throughout History. It’s by Laura inglass Wilder’s journalist dd; she is considered to be one of the”mothers” of the Libertarian movement, along w/ Ayn Rand of “Atlas Shrugged” Fame’:http://www.amazon.com/Discovery-Freedom-Struggle-Against-Authority/dp/0930073002/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271985830&sr=1-1

Speaking of which; how about having him read “Atlas Shrugged” and “1984”? Those would be ideal literature to coincide with a study of American Government (basicly of how we’re not to be).

Lastly, a living book on Free Market economics and Freedom (they go hand-in-hand), “The Adventures of Johnathon Gullilble”:http://www.jonathangullible.com/jonathan-gullible

Lastly some DVD’s:I haven’t watched these, just have them saved in my notebook to get from Netflix (but originally seen at Christianbook).”The Foundations of American Government”http://www.christianbook.com/the-foundations-of-american-government/9780925279989/pd/279980?kw=279980&en=froogle&p=1013824&cm_mmc=CBDfeeds-_-froogle-_-videos-_-279980

Another:”Understanding Government”:http://www.christianbook.com/understanding-government-3/1594436002/pd/145522?item_code=WW&netp_id=370576&event=ESRCN&view=details

Lastly, though I haven’t seen them and dislike the use of the word Democracy in describing anything about our Country, these may prove useful. I found them at Netflix and Chritianbook. Just remember, they are used in the school system, so you may want to use a discerning eye/ear: The 3-Just the Facts Learning DVD’s here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00026L8KS/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_2?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B0007GP7V4&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1WM5V2WJ4QJ90ZRFYAFK

and these:http://www.sdteach.com/Just_The_Facts_America_s_Documents_of_Freedom_p/gh3413.htm

and these:http://www.sdteach.com/Just_The_Facts_Understanding_Government_p/gh1455.htm

Hope that gets your creative juices flowing; we need now more than ever to educate our youth about this country.

Rachel

I forgot to mention the obvious for high school government:

The Federalist Papers http://www.amazon.com/Federalist-Papers-Enriched-Classics/dp/0743487710/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272026049&sr=8-1

The Anti-Federalist Papers: http://www.amazon.com/Anti-Federalist-Constitutional-Convention-Debates-Classics/dp/0451528840/ref=reg_hu-wl_mrai-recs

Both can be found at the library, too.

Rachel

We used God and Government by Gary DeMar.  Excellent. Wallbuilders and Uncle Eric books are wonderful as well.  I haven’t seen the Notgrass.

Have it, Heather, read it—it’s comprehensive but dry.