To participate constructively in civic life, “you really have to understand why people do the things that they do,” says Kansas Government teacher Bryan Little. MAHG studies deepened the way Little teaches the Constitution, which the framers structured to withstand the power-hungry tendencies of human nature.

The story of the Sand Creek Massacre (November 28, 1864) shows how cultural misunderstanding, political ambition, poor communications, and white settlers’ incessant demand for western land led to shameful acts of violence against Native Americans. It also shows how some Americans refused to participate in the violence.

Teachers tell us that students find the Electoral College the most perplexing feature of our constitutional system. Today, we offer an explanation of why the Electoral College exists, how it works, and what happens when the electoral count in any state is contested.

Polls and pundits predict that this year’s presidential election will be close. Reviewing the history of the tense presidential election of 1800 helps us understand how Americans have managed such contests in the past. The changes in our system since 1800, and the involvement of thousands of Americans in monitoring, counting, and certifying the vote, should reassure us that our electoral system will once again operate reliably.