60-Second Civics Podcast
917 episodes - English - Latest episode: 2 days ago - ★★★★ - 75 ratings60-Second Civics is a daily podcast that provides a quick and convenient way for listeners to learn about our nation's government, the Constitution, and our history. The podcast explores themes related to civics and government, the constitutional issues behind the headlines, and the people and ideas that formed our nation's history and government.
60-Second Civics is produced by the Center for Civic Education. The show's content is primarily derived from the Center's education for democracy curricula, including We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution, Project Citizen, Foundations of Democracy, and Elements of Democracy.
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Episodes
60-Second Civics: Episode 5059, The 27th Amendment
January 29, 2024 08:00 - 1 minuteThe 27th Amendment was originally introduced with the Bill of Rights, but it was not ratified until 1992. It says that legislation modifying the salary of members of Congress will take effect until after an election of representatives. This gives the American people the chance to vote out of office legislators they think may have excessively raised their salaries. Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5058, The 26th Amendment
January 26, 2024 08:00 - 1 minuteThe 26th Amendment recognized the right of citizens 18 year of age and older to vote. The Vietnam War was a strong contributing factor to the adoption of the amendment, which was ratified in only 107 days, the fastest ratification in American history. Thousands of young people served in the Vietnam War, including many who would die in the conflict. Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5057, The 25th Amendment
January 25, 2024 08:00 - 1 minuteThe 25th Amendment describes the procedure for when a president or vice president dies or is unable to fulfill their duties. It seems like a mundane part of the Constitution, but it has been used many times since its ratification in 1967 Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5056, The 24th Amendment
January 24, 2024 08:00 - 1 minuteThe 24th Amendment outlawed poll taxes as a requirement for voting. After more than 100 years of discriminatory voting practices, the right of African Americans to vote in all elections was finally protected by this amendment, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and a 1966 Supreme Court decision. Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5055, The 23rd Amendment
January 23, 2024 08:00 - 1 minuteThe 23rd Amendment established the right of residents of the District of Columbia to vote for president and vice president. It limits the district to the same number of Electoral College votes that it would have if it were a state, but not more than the least populous state. The District therefore has three Electoral College votes. Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5054, The 22nd Amendment
January 22, 2024 08:00 - 1 minuteThe 22nd Amendment limits presidents to just two full terms in office. It was added to the Constitution in reaction to President Franklin D. Roosevelt's unprecedented four terms in office. Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5053, The 21st Amendment
January 17, 2024 08:00 - 1 minuteAfter more than a decade of Prohibition, Americans were tired of it. So, Congress proposed the 21st Amendment, which outlawed the 18th Amendment and ended nationwide prohibition. The states, municipalities, and counties could still enact their own prohibition laws, however, and many of them did. Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5052, The 20h Amendment
January 12, 2024 08:00 - 1 minuteThe 20th Amendment shortened the period between when the president, vice president, and members of Congress are elected and when they take office. It also specified what would happen if a president-elect were to die between the election and the inauguration. Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5051, The 19th Amendment
January 11, 2024 08:00 - 1 minuteThe 19th Amendment recognized the right of women to vote. The amendment was the result of years of activism by campaigners for suffrage for women. However, until the Voting Rights Act of 1965, African American women faced serious obstacles to voting. Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5050, The 18th Amendment
January 10, 2024 08:00 - 1 minuteThe ratification of the 18th Amendment in 1919 began the era of Prohibition. The amendment banned the andquot;manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors.andquot; This opened up new opportunities for organized crime, which grew substantially during the period. Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5049, The 17th Amendment
January 09, 2024 08:00 - 1 minuteThe 17th Amendment to the Constitution mandates the direct popular election of U.S. senators. Before the amendment was ratified in 1913, senators were chosen by state legislatures. Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5048, The 16th Amendment
January 08, 2024 08:00 - 1 minuteThe 16th Amendment to the Constitution established the national government's authority to establish a federal income tax without having to divide the revenues among the states based on their population. The amendment resulted in a change in the way the national government was funded. Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5047, The 15th Amendment
December 22, 2023 08:00 - 1 minuteThe 15th Amendment to the Constitution, ratified in 1870, sought to ensure the right of African American men to vote. However, grandfather clauses, literacy tests, poll taxes, as well as violence and intimidation, were serious barriers preventing African American men from realizing this right. Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5046, The 14th Amendment
December 21, 2023 08:00 - 1 minuteThe 14th Amendment made a deep and lasting impact on the United States, helping to form a more perfect union. First it recognized the citizenship of African Americans. It also forbade states to deny due process and equal protection of the laws. It did a great many other things, as well. Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5045, The 13th Amendment
December 20, 2023 08:00 - 1 minuteThe 13th Amendment abolished slavery in the United States, but controversy remains over the loophole in the amendment that says that prisoners can be forced to work. Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5044, The 12th Amendment
December 19, 2023 08:00 - 1 minuteThe 12th Amendment requires electors in the Electoral College to make separate choices for president and vice president. Before this amendment, electors voted for two people for president. The winner would become president and the second-place finisher vice president. The election of 1800 convinced Americans that this system needed to change. Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5043, The 11th Amendment
December 18, 2023 08:00 - 1 minuteThe 11th Amendment protects states against being sued by citizens of other states or foreign nations. It supports the idea of sovereign immunity for states, meaning that they are immune to lawsuits that they do not consent to. Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5042, Bill of Rights, Part 10: The 10th Amendment
December 15, 2023 08:00 - 1 minuteThe 10th Amendment addressed the fears of some Framers of the Constitution that creating a Bill of Rights might lead people to believe that the national government has more powers than those specifically enumerated in the Constitution. It states that those powers not specifically delegated to the national government are reserved to the states or the people. Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5041, Bill of Rights, Part 9: Ninth Amendment
December 14, 2023 08:00 - 1 minuteThe first eight amendments to the U.S. Constitution contain specific guarantees of rights. But the Ninth Amendment simply says that the rights contained in the Constitution do not limit or reduce any other rights the people have. We'll learn about competing theories about what exactly the Ninth Amendment means in today's 60-Second Civics podcast. Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5040, Bill of Rights, Part 8: Eighth Amendment
December 13, 2023 08:00 - 1 minuteThe Eighth Amendment to the Constitution prohibits excessive bail and fines. It also prohibits cruel and unusual punishment, which the Supreme Court has interpreted since in various ways over the years. Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5039, Bill of Rights, Part 7: The Seventh Amendment
December 12, 2023 08:00 - 1 minuteThe Seventh Amendment to the Constitution guarantees the right to a jury trial in most federal civil cases. It does not apply to the states, but most state protect this right in their constitutions. Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5038, Bill of Rights, Part 6: The Sixth Amendment
December 11, 2023 08:00 - 1 minuteThe Sixth Amendment to the Constitution protects several rights to help ensure a fair trial, including the right to a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury. Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5037, Bill of Rights, Part 5: The Fifth Amendment
December 08, 2023 08:00 - 1 minuteThe Fifth Amendment to the Constitution is designed to limit the federal government's power to prosecute people for crimes and to protect the rights of the accused. In this episode of the 60-Second Civics podcast, we explore each of the rights protected under the Fifth Amendment. Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5036, Bill of Rights, Part 4: The Fourth Amendment
December 07, 2023 08:00 - 1 minuteThe Fourth Amendment to the Constitution provides a constitutional guarantee against unreasonable searches and seizures by the government. In this episode of 60-Second Civics, we explain what this means and provide some examples. Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5035, Bill of Rights, Part 3: The Third Amendment
December 06, 2023 08:00 - 1 minuteThe Third Amendment to the Constitution prohibits the quartering of soldiers in private homes. This might sound strange to us now, but it was a reality for American colonists in the pre-Revolutionary era, who were deprived of this right by the British authorities even though it was a right allowed to their British brethren. Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5034, Bill of Rights, Part 2: The Second Amendment
December 05, 2023 08:00 - 1 minuteThe Second Amendment deals with both the power of states to organize and maintain a militia, now known as the National Guard, and the right of Americans to keep and bear arms. Learn more on today's 60-Second Civics podcast. Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5033, Bill of Rights, Part 1: The First Amendment
December 04, 2023 08:00 - 1 minuteWhat rights are part of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution? Find out on today's podcast. Today's episode is the first in a 10-part series on the Bill of Rights. Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5032, Issues Facing Native American Communities Today: Native American Heritage Month, Part 15 (rebroadcast)
December 01, 2023 08:00 - 1 minuteIn the final episode of our Native American Heritage Month Series, Terry Mason Moore, enrolled member of the Osage tribe, discusses current and future issues facing Native American communities and all Americans today. Listen for more! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5031, Tribal Sovereignty and Native American Citizenship: Native American Heritage Month, Part 14 (rebroadcast)
November 30, 2023 08:00 - 1 minuteNative Americans are citizens of three governments: Their tribe, their state, and the United States. Learn more about the history and dynamics of Native American citizenship from the Center for Civic Education???s board member, Terry Mason Moore. Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5030, Being an Enrolled Member of the Osage Nation: Native American Heritage Month, Part 12 (rebroadcast)
November 29, 2023 08:00 - 1 minuteIn this episode, Terry Mason Moore discusses her life growing up as an enrolled member of the Osage Nation in Oklahoma. Listen to learn more about her family, experiences, and culture have shaped her life! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5029, How Native American Cultures Enrich the United States: Native American Heritage Month, Part 13 (rebroadcast)
November 28, 2023 08:00 - 1 minuteAccording to Terry Mason Moore, enrolled member of the Osage Nation, Native cultures are vibrant and living cultures with a long history of interaction and engagement with the non-native people of the United States. Learn more about how these cultures enrich all peoples in our nation! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5028, What Is Native American Heritage Month? Native American Heritage Month, Part 11 (rebroadcast)
November 27, 2023 08:00 - 1 minuteIn continuing our Native American Heritage Month series, we are joined by a very special guest, Terry Mason Moore, an enrolled member of the Osage Nation, an attorney, and a member of the Center of Civic Education Board of Directors. In this episode, she discusses what National Native American Heritage Month entails and its importance. Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5027, Native American Activism: Native American Heritage Month, Part 10 (rebroadcast)
November 24, 2023 08:00 - 1 minuteIn 1968 several hundred members of Native American tribes met to discuss issues affecting their communities. The American Indian Movement, or AIM, emerged out of this meeting, which has set the stage for more modern activism among Native Americans today. Listen for more! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5026, Tribal Recognition: Native American Heritage Month, Part 9 (rebroadcast)
November 23, 2023 08:00 - 1 minuteSeveral hundred Native American tribes in the United States are currently seeking official tribal recognition from the federal government, a process that often takes decades to complete. Federal recognition is important for tribes because it formally establishes a government-to-government relationship. Learn more in this episode! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5025, Vacillating Policy Toward Native American Tribes: Native American Heritage Month, Part 8 (rebroadcast)
November 22, 2023 08:00 - 1 minuteThe national government policy vacillated between respecting the sovereignty of Native American tribes and seeking to dismantle tribal governments and to integrate their members into the United States. Listen for more! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5024, Removing Obstacles to Native American Voting: Native American Heritage Month, Part 7 (rebroadcast)
November 21, 2023 08:00 - 1 minuteThe Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 extended the right to vote to all Native Americans, but many encountered obstacles to voting, serving on juries, and giving testimony in courts. Learn more about how these obstacles were removed in this episode! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5021, Native American Activist Marie Louise Bottineau Baldwin: Native American Heritage Month, Part 4 (rebroadcast)
November 16, 2023 08:00 - 1 minuteMarie Louise Bottineau Baldwin was a Native American activist, attorney, and advocate of women's right to vote. Learn more about her life and work in our latest Native American Heritage Month episode! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5020, The Power of Native American Women in the Colonial Era: Native American Heritage Month, Part 3 (rebroadcast)
November 15, 2023 08:00 - 1 minuteEuropeans were surprised that Native American women had so much power and influence, particularly within the Haudenosaunee nations. In those nations, women held political power within the tribes, appointing and removing chiefs at their discretion. Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5019, Native Americans During the Colonial Era: Native American Heritage Month, Part 2 (rebroadcast)
November 14, 2023 08:00 - 1 minuteWhile Native Americans had lived on the North American continent for at least 24,000 years, the arrival of colonists brought great conflict and change. Learn more about Native Americans in the colonial era in this episode! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5018, Native American Tribes in Early America: Native American Heritage Month, Part 1 (rebroadcast)
November 13, 2023 08:00 - 1 minuteIn honor of Native American Heritage Month, we are rebroadcasting some 60-Second Civics episodes highlighting Native American history, culture, and experience, starting with Native American tribes in the early U.S. Hundreds of different groups of Native Americans had inhabited the continent for thousands of years, including the Eastern Woodland tribes. Learn more about the some of these tribes in this episode! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5017, Out of Many, One: The Elements of Democracy, Part 17
November 10, 2023 08:00 - 1 minuteThe people who agree together to form a democratic state may be, and often are, of varying ethnic, religious, national or racial backgrounds. They unite under a common civic identity, but retain their unique ethnic identities as well. Listen to today's 60-Second Civics podcast to learn more. Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5016, Minority Consent: The Elements of Democracy, Part 16 (rebroadcast)
November 09, 2023 08:00 - 1 minuteWe all know that in a democracy, the people are the rulers. But does this mean all the people? What about majority rule and the rights of minority groups? Listen to learn more! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5015, Who Are the People in a Democracy? The Elements of Democracy, Part 15 (rebroadcast)
November 08, 2023 08:00 - 1 minuteDemocracy means andquot;rule by the people,andquot; but who are andquot;the peopleandquot; in a democracy? Find out in today's episode! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5014, Limited Powers of Democratic Governments: The Elements of Democracy, Part 14 (rebroadcast)
November 07, 2023 08:00 - 1 minuteIt is an abuse of power for a democratic government to claim more powers than the people have delegated to it.??Therefore, limited government is an important aspect of democracy. Listen to learn more! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5013, Alienation and Consent: The Elements of Democracy, Part 13 (rebroadcast)
November 06, 2023 08:00 - 1 minuteMany citizens in modern democracies fail to vote or participate in other ways that express their consent to be governed. This sign of alienation of individuals and groups from the political system represents a widespread problem in modern democracies. Listen for more! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5012, The People Delegate Authority: The Elements of Democracy, Part 12 (rebroadcast)
November 02, 2023 07:00 - 1 minuteIn a democracy, the people delegate their authority to government, but only as much is necessary to fulfill the purposes for which states are established. Listen for more! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5011, Authority Flows from the People: The Elements of Democracy, Part 11 (rebroadcast)
November 02, 2023 07:00 - 1 minuteIn a democracy, political authority flows from the people to the state--not from the state to the people. Why is this the case? Learn more in this episode! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5010, Popular Sovereignty: The Elements of Democracy, Part 10 (rebroadcast)
November 01, 2023 07:00 - 1 minutePopular sovereignty is a basic idea of democracy and means that the people are the ultimate source of the authority of their government. Listen for more! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5009, Fundamental Rights: The Elements of Democracy, Part 9 (rebroadcast)
October 31, 2023 07:00 - 1 minuteLiberal democracy recognizes the importance of the individual and that all persons have certain fundamental rights. Learn what these rights look like in today's episode! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 5008, The Rule of Law: The Elements of Democracy, Part 8 (rebroadcast)
October 30, 2023 07:00 - 1 minuteThe rule of law is a primary element of constitutionalism. An essential means of limiting government is establishing a rule of law, beginning with the constitution itself, which is a fundamental law. Listen to learn more! Center for Civic Education