How do you make change in a democracy?
Now that students understand what a democracy is and how some democracies function, it is time to consider how people can make change in a democracy. This is where our study of ancient democracy and early US democracy really start to part ways. In lesson six, students will learn that while there were obviously people who did not like the way the government was run in ancient Athens, or their own place in it, there was very little that non-citizens could do to make change.
But the early US government differed, because a method by which the government itself could be changed was written into the US Constitution. US activists from the 1780s onward have used this knowledge to push their democracy into becoming more inclusive over time. In lesson seven, students will have the opportunity to study examples of activism by non-voting citizens and learn some of the methodologies these activists have used to push for change. This lesson is critically important to students of The Academy, because most will not be eligible to vote for at least a few more years when they are taking this course. This lesson is designed to show them that they still have a voice and the power to make change.
