There
are many great resources on the Internet for parents and teachers
who want to teach children about our government. Senator Kyl encourages
you to visit some of these excellent websites. If the Senator
can provide any further information, please do not hesitate to
contact him.
Visit the U.S. Information Agency's site, Government
and Politics, for a comprehensive overview of the U.S. Government
and the nation's political system. It includes biographies of
government officials, information about the U.S. Constitution,
the operation of the three branches of our national government,
the electoral process, and the role of state and local governments.
Help guide your students to officials at the appropriate
level of government to address the particular concerns they have.
Are they concerned about the environment? Encourage them to be
in touch with the President, their U.S. Senators, and Congressman.
Have a question about the legal driving age in Arizona? Direct
them to the Governor, their representatives in the state legislature
in Phoenix, or the Motor Vehicle Division of the Arizona Department
of Transportation. A problem with local bus service or roadways?
Have them contact their city's or county's roads division, or
their mayor, town council, or county Board of Supervisors. A
Country of Many Governments includes an excellent discussion
of the different responsibilities of the federal, state, and local
governments.
The
United States Senate
Learning
about the Legislative Process is an informational site provided
by the U.S. Senate. This site has a good glossary of terms. It
includes Senate
history and the Biographical Directory of the United States
Congress, which allows you to search for archival, biographical,
and bibliographical information about every current and former
Senator. Also found on this site is a special page with information
about current and former Arizona
Senators.
You can take a virtual
tour and visit the U.S. Capitol without leaving home.
Senate Oral History Program: Since
1976, the Senate Historical Office has collected a series of oral
history interviews with former Senators and retired members
of the Senate staff. Both biographical and institutional in scope,
these continuing interviews include personal recollections of
careers within the Senate and discussions of how Congress has
changed over the years.
THE UNITED STATES SENATE YOUTH PROGRAM
The United States Senate Youth Program is an opportunity for high school juniors and seniors to deepen their knowledge of the Senate and the federal government overall, as well as receive a one-time five thousand dollar college scholarship to the undergraduate college of their choice. Begun in 1962 through Senate Resolution, the program is sponsored by the Senate each year to encourage high school students to pursue careers in public service.
Two high school juniors or seniors are selected each year from each state, the District of Columbia and the Department of Defense Education Activity to serve as delegates to Washington Week, a week-long educational program that takes place in Washington, D.C. Public and private high school teachers and principals nominate qualified students beginning in early fall. To qualify students must hold student body office or another elected or appointed position in their communities and show academic interest and aptitude in government, history and politics. The chief state school officer in each state makes the final selection by December 1. The program is merit-based and highly competitive and the chosen delegates are consistently outstanding. For more information, please go to: www.ussenateyouth.org.
The
United States Capitol
The Architect of
the Capitol has a website for everyone who wants to learn
more about the Capitol and what it means.
Historical
Documents
You can access several important historical
documents online through the Government Printing Office. Some
of the many documents included on this site are:
- The Articles of Confederation
- The Bill of Rights
- A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S.
Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1873
- The Constitution of the United States of America
- The Declaration of Independence
- The Federalist Papers
- Supreme Court Decisions
The
Legislative Process
- The
Legislative Process, by the U.S. Senate. This is a very
detailed discussion of how the Senate works.
- Tying
It All Together: A summary explanation of how the legislative
process works provided by the House of Representatives.
- How
Our Laws Are Made, Revised and Updated by Charles W. Johnson,
Parliamentarian, United States House of Representatives.
The
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress website provides links to very interesting
Online
Exhibits.
American
Memory is the online resource compiled by the Library of Congress
National Digital Library Program. With the participation of other
libraries and archives, the program provides a gateway to rich
primary source materials relating to the history and culture of
the United States. American Memory also has a Learning
Page organized to help students, teachers, and lifelong learners.
The Local
Legacies Project created the opportunity for citizens to participate
in the Library of Congress Bicentennial celebration. Working through
their U.S. Senator or Representative and with hometown libraries,
folklife organizations, and other cultural institutions and groups,
Local Legacies participants documented America's grassroots heritage
in every state, the U.S. Trusts and Territories, and the District
of Columbia.
The
National Archives
The Digital
Classroom encourage teachers of students at all levels to
use archival documents in the classroom. The Digital Classroom
provides materials from the National Archives and methods for
teaching with primary sources.
Federal
Resources for Educational Excellence (FREE)
More than 30 federal agencies formed a working group to
make hundreds of federally supported education resources available
at this web
site.
