Which best describes why American Government is a required course in most U. S. high schools?
A. Citizens must learn to carefully select candidates for public office.
B. Citizens must know the three branches of government to get most professional jobs.
C. Knowledge of basic American government is required for citizenship.
D. Knowledge of basic rights is necessary when applying for college.
The answer is A. Citizens must learn to carefully select candidates for public office.
What is your answer?
I think A or D, because B and C don’t really make since. But I think it might be A
D is way wrong!
A is possible.
What about C?
I didn’t really think it was C, just because most people couldn’t even tell you the basics of American Government, and the question asks why it’s required in MOST U.S high schools, not all of them, so if it was required for citizenship, why wouldn’t it be required in ALL high schools?
You're right. I think the question hinges on the definitions of "required" and "citizenship". Technically that knowledge is not required. But ethically, I believe it is required. A person ignorant of government is not a true citizen.
Thank you, Ms. Sue! I agree people ignorant of their government aren’t really citizens. Personally, i think if you’re in the US, you should be required to take American Government but i guess a lot of people feel it isn’t important.
I think American government is required in most schools. It's not required in all schools because curriculum is left up to the individual school districts and the states.
I never took anything like American Government although I did take a subject about American History once. I was a navy brat though and never attended the same school for more than two years until high school. I may have missed it in Honolulu or San Diego or Annapolis or Springfield or Greenwich or Boston. So far local officials have allowed me to vote. I am pretty sure I voted for the right person last time although it has not always been so clear in retrospect.
The best answer to this question is C. Knowledge of basic American government is required for citizenship.
To understand why American Government is a required course in most U.S. high schools, we can look at the purpose of the course. The primary goal of the course is to provide students with a foundational understanding of the structures, principles, and processes of the American government.
One key reason why American Government is a required course is that knowledge of basic American government is necessary for citizenship. In order to become a U.S. citizen, individuals are required to pass a naturalization test, which includes questions about American government and civic knowledge. By taking the American Government course in high school, students can lay the groundwork for this knowledge, preparing them for their future roles as engaged and informed citizens.
While the other options provided (A, B, and D) all have some relevance to the importance of studying American government, they do not capture the comprehensive reason behind why it is a required course. For example, option A suggests that learning about American government helps citizens carefully select candidates for public office, which is indeed an important aspect of democracy. Similarly, option B suggests that knowledge of the three branches of government is necessary for getting most professional jobs, which can be true for certain professions that directly deal with government or public policy. Option D suggests that knowledge of basic rights is necessary when applying for college, and while understanding rights is important, it is not the sole reason for making American Government a required course.
In summary, while there are multiple reasons why studying American Government is valuable, the main reason why it is a required course in most U.S. high schools is to provide students with the necessary knowledge and understanding of American government for citizenship.