Desks of Power: A U.S. Government Guide for Kids

Article brought to you by: Phillip Donaldson

The United States has enjoyed a long and interesting history based upon principles that were established over two hundred years ago. At one time in the history of the U.S. they were under the control of the British. As a part of the British Empire, the people who were living in the thirteen original colonies, had to follow all of the laws and rules established for them thousands of miles away. The colonists did not like not having a say in what happened to them and rebelled.

This led to the colonies signing the Declaration of Independence which established their claim to be an independent country and not be in control by the British. With this Declaration the colonies fought for independence in the Revolutionary War, and when the British surrendered, the War ended and the colonies were now free! And with the freedom came the need to set up a government and country.

The now free colonies created the United States Constitution which established rules and procedures in how the government would function. One of the biggest parts of the Constitution was creating the different branches of government each with a way to monitor the actions of the others. This system of checks and balances assured that no one would have too much power in the government.

The United States government and history is interesting and is something that all citizens should be familiar with. And, younger people can learn about the many aspects of the government. To help kids find out about how the country was founded and how it runs, we have put together a number of links and information. We hope you enjoy learning about the United States and how the government works!

Elections

• Introduction to Elections – Informative page from the U.S. Congress teaching kids about elections.
• Presidential Elections – Kid focused site with an explanation on how a President is elected.
• Elections and Voting – Helpful information for kids and everyone about the election and voting process.
• Learn About Elections – Article to help parents teach their children about United States Elections.

U.S. History

• American History – Useful site containing information and resources to teach kids about history.
• History for Kids – Website with games and activities that will help children learn about United States history.
• American History for Kids – Collection of information and resources on a number of topics in history.
• Kids History Resources – Resourceful site with information and links to additional sources of historical information for kids.
• U.S. History Programs – Information and more from PBS on various programs regarding American history.

Branches of Government

• Constitution for Kids – Information for younger children about the United States Constitution.
• Bill of Rights – Educational look at the Bill of Rights and how it affects the country.
• Guide to the Government – Age appropriate site help teach children about the various functions of the U.S. government.
• Branches of Government – Helpful presentation for kids teaching them about the three branches of the American government.

How Laws Get Passed

• Kids in the House – Fun and educational site providing information on how bills become laws.
• How Laws are Made – Informative page for kids on how laws come into being.
• Making Laws – Page for Middle School aged children teaching them about making laws.
• State Laws – Information on the state governments and how it differs from the national government.

Patriotic Symbols

• Patriotic Symbols – Collection of games and activities aimed at introducing children to the various United States patriotic symbols.
• Kids Patriotic Symbols – Useful page with brief information on some common symbols of the U.S.
• History of Patriotic Symbols – Web site with information on the history of various American patriotic symbols.
• Flag Day and Patriotic Symbols – Informative page with a variety of links and information on patriotic symbols and the observance of Flag Day in the U.S.
• Teaching About Patriotism – Helpful page providing information on how you can teach patriotism to children.

General Resources

• Government Resources – Useful page with information for kids and teens about the U.S. government.
• Government Resources for Kids – Web page containing a variety of links for kids about the United States government.
• Government Sites – Informative and helpful page of links to a number of sites about the government.

Teaching Resources

• Social Studies for Teachers – Educational sites and information for teachers are highlighted in this page.
• Government for Teachers – Helpful page containing information and resources that teachers can use to teach government to kids.
• History Resources – Web site for teachers providing a number of resources to help teach children about U.S. history.
• Teaching Resources – Informative page providing resources for teachers on the U.S. Electoral College.
• Government Resources for Teachers – Collection of printable pages and lesson plans on the government to present to children.There are many different types of leather office chairs and you will find most at beyondtheofficedoor.com. We have ergonomic leather seating, executive leather office chairs and leather home office chairs at industry low pricing!