Civics and Government: Essential Knowledge for the GED Test and Everyday Life

Sep 14, 2026

Upload by Jasmine

Civics and Government: Essential Knowledge for the GED Test and Everyday Life provides a webinar-focused overview of core U.S. civics concepts tied to real-world citizenship and GED preparation. It addresses what students need to know, summarizes what the test requires, and highlights common questions through a structured Q&A flow. The session contrasts strong baseline understanding—such as the Bill of Rights and rule of law—with gaps that affect civic literacy and trust in government institutions, supported by ABA 2023 survey references.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages40

Reading Time1 h 41 min

AccessFree to download

Today’s Focus

What does the research say?

What does the test require?

What do students really need to know?

Session Q&A

The Good News

The Bad News!

Trust in Government

What People Want!

Civics and Government: Essential Knowledge for the GEDTest and Everyday Life Tuesdays for Teachers – May 20, 2025 Debi Faucette, SRM and PD Manager Susan Pittman, Education Consultant Adora Beard, SRM and Executive Community and Outreach Partner Manager 2 Before We Get Started During the webinar, please: 1. Keep your sound and video muted. This will limit background noise . 2. Ask questions using the chat function . 3. Keep in mind that the session is being recorded for future viewing. 3 Think About It! • Like Pearl Harbor for their grandparents, and the Kennedy assassination for their parents, 9/11 is an historical event . • The primary use of a phone has always been to take pictures . • There have always been indecisive debates regarding the future of the Electoral College. • Because of Richard Reid’s explosive footwear at 30,000 feet, passengers have always had to take off their shoes to slide through security o the ground. • PayPal has always been an online option for purchasers . | • With flyovers, honor guards, and “God Bless America,” sporting events have always been marked by emphatic patriotism.
• YouTube has become the video version of Wikipedia.
• Quarterback Troy Aikman has always called the plays live from the press booth.
• Congress has always banned human cloning completely.
• Blackboards have never been dumb. | | | --- | --- | | | | What does the research say? What does the test require? Today’s Focus What do students really need to know? What can you do? Session Q&A The Good News •87% know that the first 10 amendments to the Constitution are called the Bill of Rights •88% know that the Declaration of Independence marked independence from Great Britain •84% know the rule of law means no one is above the law •78% know the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives is next in line after the president and vice-president •69% know the three branches of government can check the powers of the other two The Bad News! American Bar Association (ABA) Survey of Civic Literacy, 2023 Trust in Government A lack of civics knowledge goes hand-in-hand with a lack of trust in government institutions—research has shown that these states reinforce each other. ©SANDRA DAY O’CONNOR INSTITUTE FOR AMERICAN DEMOCRACY | OCONNORINSTITUTE.ORG What People Want! American Bar Association (ABA) Survey of Civic Literacy, 2023 What People Want! American Bar Association (ABA) Survey of Civic Literacy, 2023

FAQs

What is the main focus of the session?

The session centers on essential civics and government knowledge for GED preparation and everyday life, including what students really need to know.

What do students commonly know well according to the session’s data?

The session reports strong familiarity with the Bill of Rights (first 10 amendments), the Declaration of Independence’s independence from Great Britain, and the rule of law.

How does civics knowledge relate to trust in government?

The session states that a lack of civics knowledge is linked to lower trust in government institutions, and that research shows the two reinforce each other.

Sep 14, 2026

Upload by Jasmine