Civic Unrest

From the American Revolution to the French Revolution, from the civil rights era in the United States to Arab Spring in the Middle East, the ongoing battle for freedom and democracy is a profound and fascinating study of the power of human will to change the world. And the story of civic unrest doesn't end with a promise; the revolution doesn't simply stop when protesters go home. Rebuilding, reorganizing, writing a constitution, and establishing new governments are all major milestones on the pathway to democracy. And what happens when the new government fails to provide for basic human needs as it promised its citizens? Some countries continue on a cycle of revolution as citizens struggle to deal with the disruption to everyday life while looking to the future with hope.

Civic Unrest: Investigate the Struggle for Social Change examines both the history behind civic unrest and the methods people use to fight for basic human rights, such as freedom of speech and the right to vote. Civic Unrest not only discusses the different reasons for and methods of revolution, it also offers young readers the opportunity to learn about the structure of the U.S. government, the text and meaning of the U.S. Constitution, and how these elements were decided upon by the Founding Fathers. The author compares democracy to other forms of government and provides brief depictions of the people involved in inciting a population to rebel to gain the freedom they deserve. Activities use elements of history, civics, and mathematics, including interpreting data, creating maps, debating issues, and creating artwork. These are incorporated into the book to both enrich learning and encourage students to ask questions, make inferences, and draw conclusions while allowing for a more hands-on immersion in the complex elements of democracies.