60-Second Civics Podcast
972 episodes - English - Latest episode: 3 days ago - ★★★★ - 76 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 4476, What the Norman Invasion Meant: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 51
November 15, 2021 08:00 - 1 minuteWhat did the Norman invasion mean for Anglo-Saxon England? We'll explore the influence of William the Conqueror and the Norman rule in today's episode! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4474, The Anglo-Saxon Era and the Law: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 49
November 11, 2021 08:00 - 1 minuteThe Anglo-Saxon Era lasted until 1066, but its legacy can be seen in British and American law today. Anglo-Saxon kings simply proclaimed the law, although they had accommodated regional customs. Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4471, Anglo-Saxon Society: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 46
November 08, 2021 08:00 - 1 minuteDuring the Anglo-Saxon period, which lasted from about 410 AD until 1066 AD, many different tribes ruled Britain. These tribes featured different social roles, such as "thanes" and "ceorls." Listen to learn more about Anglo Saxon society in today's episode! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4470, The Anglo-Saxons Arrive in England: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 45
November 05, 2021 07:00 - 1 minuteWith the collapse of Roman rule in Britain around 410 AD, small kingdoms emerged throughout Britain. The disappearance of Roman administration of Britain was sudden and dramatic. Learn more now! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4469, The Rise and Fall of Roman Britain: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 44
November 04, 2021 07:00 - 1 minuteOver the next few episodes we will explore the evolution of British constitutional government, especially as it relates to the American colonies and American constitutionalism. Listen to today?s episode to learn about the rise and fall of Roman Britain! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4468, The Enlightenment Thinker Benjamin Franklin: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 43
November 03, 2021 07:00 - 1 minuteBenjamin Franklin was an important Founder of the United States and a man who exemplified the Age of Enlightenment in America. Learn more about his influence during this critical period in today's episode! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4467, Reason and Observation: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 42
November 02, 2021 07:00 - 1 minuteDuring the Enlightenment, some philosophers were very much like scientists as we understand them today. It was the role of philosophers to explore both the world of morality and the causes and effects of nature. Learn more about the role of reason and observation in today's podcast! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4466, The Enlightenment and the Founders: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 41
November 01, 2021 07:00 - 1 minuteThe Age of Enlightenment was a European intellectual movement that celebrated human reason and sought to realize human potential. The Enlightenment spread to America, where it had a significant influence on the American Founders. Listen for more! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4465, The Emergence of Capitalism: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 40
October 29, 2021 07:00 - 1 minuteAs trade, social mobility, and education expanded throughout Europe during the Renaissance, a new economic system arose called capitalism. Learn more about the emergence of this new economic system in today’s episode! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4464, Humanism Shapes the Renaissance: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 39
October 28, 2021 07:00 - 1 minuteOne of the forces that helped define the European Renaissance was humanism. In fact, humanism helped create the Renaissance. Find out how in today’s episode! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4463, The Peace of Westphalia: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 38
October 27, 2021 07:00 - 1 minuteThe Peace of Westphalia of 1648 ended the Thirty Years’ War and started what we think of as modern nation-states. Listen to today’s episode for more! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4462, The Reformation and the Rise to the Modern Nation-State: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 37
October 26, 2021 07:00 - 1 minuteThe Protestant Reformation led to the establishment of new churches that were separate and apart from the Roman Catholic Church. Some secular political leaders saw the religious reform movement as a chance to break away from the political authority of the Holy Roman Empire. Learn more in today???s episode! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4461, The Protestant Reformation: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 36
October 25, 2021 07:00 - 1 minuteThe Protestant Reformation was a movement to reform the Roman Catholic Church that began in the early 1500s in Europe. It was a powerful stimulus to modern ideas about the role of individuals in the Church and the state. Listen to today?s episode to learn more! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4460, The Renaissance and the Start of the Reformation: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 35
October 22, 2021 07:00 - 1 minuteRenaissance is the period in European history when society moved out of the dark ages toward a recognition of the rights of individuals. Learn more about this period and how it influenced the start of the Reformation in today's episode! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4458, Society in Medieval Europe: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 33
October 20, 2021 07:00 - 1 minuteMedieval European society featured social classes that were hierarchical. There was no equality among them and a person generally could not move between social classes, creating a very stratified society. Learn more about this society in today's episode! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4456, The Judeo-Christian Tradition: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 31
October 18, 2021 07:00 - 1 minuteClassical republicanism and natural rights philosophy had a profound influence on the way the American Founders thought about government. However, the Founders were also strongly influenced by the Judeo-Christian religious tradition. Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4454, Popular Sovereignty as Fundamental to Democracy: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 29
October 14, 2021 07:00 - 1 minutePopular sovereignty is a fundamental idea of democracy. It is also a simple idea: The people are the ultimate source of the authority of government. Find out more in today's episode! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4453, Popular Sovereignty and the American Colonies: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 28
October 13, 2021 07:00 - 1 minuteOne idea from natural rights philosophy that gained traction in the American colonies was popular sovereignty. Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4452, Individual Rights and the American Colonies: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 27
October 12, 2021 07:00 - 1 minuteGiven the abundant natural resources and freedom the colonists enjoyed, natural rights philosophy strongly influenced many of the American Founders. Find out more about natural rights philosophy in the colonies with today's episode! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4451, John Locke's Conception of Natural Rights: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 26
October 11, 2021 07:00 - 1 minuteThe Declaration of Independence, which reflects Locke's view of natural rights, states that people consent to government to protect certain natural rights, identified in the Declaration as inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4448, Civic Virtue, Moral Education, and Small, Uniform Communities: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 23
October 06, 2021 07:00 - 1 minuteCivic virtue was and continues to be an important concept that American Founders drew upon from classical republicanism. We explore this concept and related aspects in today's episode! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4447, Structure of Roman Republican Government: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 23
October 05, 2021 07:00 - 1 minuteThe Roman Republic inspired and informed the American Founders' own thinking about government. Learn more in today's episode! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4446, The Foundation of Moral Education in the American Colonies: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 22
October 04, 2021 07:00 - 1 minuteClassical republican writers supported the idea of moral education and this was echoed in the American colonial experience. Learn more in today’s episode! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4444, Cincinnatus and George Washington: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 19
September 30, 2021 07:00 - 1 minuteThe stories of Cincinnatus and George Washington were told for many years in the early American republic as examples of civic virtue. Listen to today’s episode to learn more! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4443, Cato as an Example of Civic Virtue: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 18
September 29, 2021 07:00 - 1 minuteThe founding generation of Americans admired heroes of classical antiquity as examples of civic virtue. Cato the Elder is one such hero. Learn more about this figure in today’s podcast! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4442, The Role of Citizens in Classical Republics: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 17
September 28, 2021 07:00 - 1 minuteClassical republicans, who heavily influenced the American Founders, believed that citizens played a central role in government’s functions. Learn more about the civic duties of citizens in these republics and how they differ from today in our latest episode! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4441, Small, Uniform Communities in Classical Republicanism: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 16
September 27, 2021 07:00 - 1 minuteClassical republicanism placed great emphasis on the importance of small, uniform communities as being essential for the success of good government. But why was this? Find out in today’s episode! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4438, World: How Can You Support the Flourishing of the Wider World? Gary Sheng, Part 5
September 24, 2021 07:00 - 1 minuteHow can you engage in ways that make a positive impact on people in your even wider world, your state, region, country or even beyond? Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4437, Community: How Can You Support the Flourishing of Your Local Community? Gary Sheng, Part 4
September 23, 2021 07:00 - 1 minuteHow can you engage in ways that make a positive impact on people in your wider world a.k.a. your local community? Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4436, Social Circle: How Can You Support the Flourishing of People You Know? Gary Sheng, Part 3
September 22, 2021 07:00 - 1 minuteWorking on yourself is a lifelong journey, along the way you will also want to make a habit of seizing the opportunities to support the wellbeing of the people in your life. Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4435, Self: How Do You Change Yourself to Change The World? Gary Sheng, Part 2
September 21, 2021 07:00 - 1 minuteHow do you make a difference in the world? While social media glorifies certain types of civic engagement that can seem overwhelming, Gary Sheng of Civics Unplugged is here to show you that anyone can engage civically where your actions make a big difference. Listen to this series for more! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4434, Introduction: How Do You Make a Difference in the World? Gary Sheng, Part 1
September 20, 2021 07:00 - 1 minuteHow do you make a difference in the world? While social media glorifies certain types of civic engagement that can seem overwhelming, Gary Sheng of Civics Unplugged is here to show you that anyone can engage civically where your actions make a big difference to the people around you.??Listen to this series for more! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4433, Terrorism, Social Media, and the First Amendment: Free Speech and Civil Liberties after 9/11: David Hudson, Part 5
September 17, 2021 07:00 - 1 minuteWhat can and should the government do to control organizing on social media? And, does the government have any powers under the Patriot Act? Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4432, The Issue of Profiling: Free Speech and Civil Liberties after 9/11: David Hudson, Part 4
September 16, 2021 07:00 - 1 minuteWhile it's not directly a first amendment issue, our guest, David Hudson, highlights one of the unfortunate aftermaths of 9/11: the rise of profiling. Listen to today's episode for more! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4431, The New Role of Government Surveillance: Free Speech and Civil Liberties after 9/11: David Hudson, Part 3
September 15, 2021 07:00 - 1 minuteFollowing 9/11, how did mass governmental surveillance impact American civil liberties? Find out in today's episode with David Hudson! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4428, The Roman Republic as an Example and a Warning: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 14
September 10, 2021 07:00 - 1 minuteThe Roman Republic began in the sixth century BC and lasted until the first century BC and the establishment of the Roman Empire. The Roman Republic was both an example and a warning for the American Founders. Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4426, The Roman Republic: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 13
September 08, 2021 07:00 - 1 minuteThe Roman Republic was the ancient society that exercised the greatest influence on the American Founders. Historians during the founding era thought that the Roman Republic had done the best job of promoting the common good; that is, doing what was best for the society as a whole. Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4424, Popular Sovereignty and Higher Law: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 11
September 06, 2021 07:00 - 1 minuteIn democracies, the sovereign people are the ultimate authority that grants all powers exercised by government. This is called popular sovereignty. Popular sovereignty requires that the whole body of citizens consent to be governed by the constitution that they authorize and under which they live. Constitutions are forms of higher law. Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4423, Constitutional Government Is Limited Government: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 10
September 03, 2021 07:00 - 1 minuteA constitution limits the powers of government by defining and distributing its powers. However, just because a nation has a constitution does not mean that it has a constitutional government. Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4422, What Is a Constitution? Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 9
September 02, 2021 07:00 - 1 minuteA constitution is an authoritative law through which the sovereign people of a democracy authorize a government to be established and grant it certain powers. Learn more in today's episode! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4418, Why Aristotle Wasn't a Fan of Direct Democracy: Ideas that Informed the American Founders, Part 5
August 27, 2021 07:00 - 1 minuteAristotle identified democracy as a corrupt form of government by the many poor. By "democracy," Aristotle meant direct democracy, where people make public policy directly. This is different from the type of government we call democracy today, in which, for the most part, we elect representatives to make public policy for us. Listen to today's episode to learn more! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4412, Self-government in Virginia: Back-to-School Basics, Part 11
August 19, 2021 07:00 - 1 minuteIn the more than 150 years of European settlement of the British North American colonies, by 1776 Americans had developed many different ways of organizing local governments. Today's episode will cover self-government in the colonies, especially the House of Burgesses in Virginia. Listen now! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4410, Who Influenced the American Founders? Back-to-School Basics, Part 9
August 17, 2021 07:00 - 1 minuteAmerica's Founders learned about government from their experiences in self-government as subjects of the British Empire. They also learned about government by reading history and philosophy, particularly that of ancient Greece and Rome and the works of sixteenth and seventeenth-century philosophers. Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4408, Agriculture in Colonial America: Back-to-School Basics, Part 7
August 13, 2021 07:00 - 1 minuteMost Americans during the colonial period lived in small villages or on farms. The size of farms varied widely, from small plots of land in New England to immense plantations in the South with thousands of acres. Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4407, The Diversity of the American Colonies: Back-to-School Basics, Part 6
August 12, 2021 07:00 - 1 minuteThe American colonists came from a variety of countries and for various economic, religious, and social reasons. Learn more about the diverse group that came to settle in the colonies with today's episode! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4406, Native Americans and Colonial America: Back-to-School Basics, Part 5
August 11, 2021 07:00 - 1 minuteThe American colonists were not the first people on the North American continent. Native Americans had lived on the continent for at least 24,000 years. Listen to today's episode to learn a little more about Native Americans during colonial times! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4405, Opportunities in the Early American Colonies: Back-to-School Basics, Part 4
August 10, 2021 07:00 - 1 minuteMany new arrivals viewed colonial America in the 1770s as a land of opportunity. Learn why in today's episode! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4404, Portraits of Some American Founders: Back-to-School Basics, Part 3
August 09, 2021 07:00 - 1 minuteWho were the American Founders? Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4403, The American Founders: Back to School Basics, Part 2
August 06, 2021 07:00 - 1 minuteThe American Founders drew on a number of basic ideas and experiences to create the kind of government they believed would best protect the natural rights of Americans and promote the common good. Get introduced to some of the Founders in today's episode! Center for Civic Education
60-Second Civics: Episode 4402, An Adventure in Ideas with We the People: Back to School Basics, Part 1
August 05, 2021 07:00 - 1 minuteThe history of the American people has been a great adventure in ideas and in trying to make these ideas a reality. Over the next few weeks, 60-Second Civics will explore the important philosophical ideas and historical events that influenced the writing of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Center for Civic Education