Economics and Nature of Government Course for High School Students

Economics and Nature of Government Course for High School Students

Reading Level

Ages 14 and up.

Course Credits

For most educational settings, this course will satisfy a full economic credit and 1/2 a government/civics credit.

Study Time Frame

While this course can be completed in one semester, Bluestocking Press typically suggests taking two semesters to complete this course. See below for details.

ABOUT THE COURSE

ECONOMICS

Course provides an excellent introduction to economics for high school students.

Clearly written and remarkably easy to understand, the books included in the Course explain:

•Money (its origin and history)
•The dollar (its origin and history)
•Investment cycles
•Velocity of money
•Business cycles
•Recessions
•Inflation
•The demand for money
•Austrian and Monetarist schools of economic theory
•And more

GOVERNMENT and CIVICS

America’s Founders were most concerned with establishing a government that ensured the greatest economic prosperity and the greatest liberty for individuals.

The structure of government that they created was designed to curb the ever-encroaching nature and growth of government, which the Founders believed was the basic nature of all governments.

Most civics/government books do an adequate job of explaining the structure of America’s government. However, what is often lacking is the “nature” of government — which was of major concern to America’s Founders. The books in this course provide the side of the story (the nature of government) that is most often missing from government/civics textbooks.

OVERALL

Completing the books in this course will give students insights into which political philosophies are most consistent with free markets and higher law principles, and what plans the promoters of the various political philosophies have for individuals’ money and liberties.

Students will also learn the legal and economic models Mr. Maybury believes are most reliable for restricting government and what happens when society abandons free markets and higher law principles and replaces these with fascism.

ABOUT THE UNCLE ERIC BOOKS

The Uncle Eric books, written by Richard J. Maybury, are written for young and old alike.

Using the epistolary style of writing (using letters to tell a story), Mr. Maybury plays the part of an economist writing a series of letters to his niece or nephew.

With stories and examples, he gives interesting and clear explanations of topics that are generally thought to be too difficult for anyone but experts.

ABOUT THE BLUESTOCKING GUIDES

Bluestocking Guides are designed to reinforce and enhance a student’s understanding of the subject matter presented in the primer. Comprehension Questions are given for each chapter – these include:

•Definition
•True/False
•Short Answer/Fill-in questions

Answers are located in the back of the study guide.

Application Exercises are also provided, depending on the chapter and the topic covered therein. Generally, Application Exercises ask the student to apply the knowledge learned from the corresponding chapter to “real world” situations so that the student may personalize the information and better retain and apply the knowledge gained from the primer. Application Exercises are typically comprised of one of the following types:

•Discussion
•Essay
•Research assignment

Suggestions for further study (books, movies, etc.) are included in many of the guides.

In addition to assisting the student in the retention of the subject matter, the study guides will serve as documentation of course completion.

WHAT’S INCLUDED

TIME FRAME FOR STUDY

Bluestocking Press’ publications were designed with flexibility in mind so that they could be used in a variety of educational settings. That said, we typically suggest the following options when using this course, depending on the student, the course layout, and the time-frame available.

NUMBER OF SEMESTERS

While this course can be completed in a single semester, Bluestocking Press does recommend taking two semesters to complete this course when possible.

However, if a student is short on time and needs to completely the course in a single semester, then we suggest that the student focuses the time available on reading the entirety of primers while using the comprehension questions in the Guides to help ensure the student is digesting the key points presented in each chapter in the primers. If time allows, the student or teacher can select a few of the longer assignments from each Guide that are most applicable to the student’s studies.

When completing this course over two semesters, students should have more time available to devote to the longer assignments in the Bluestocking Guides (essay, discussion, research, etc.) in addition to fully reading the primers.

In either case (one semester or two), Bluestocking Press suggests completing the books in this course in one of the following orders:

BY SUBJECT MATTER

By reading the books in the following order, students will start with the economic titles, and once those are finished the student will move onto the government/civics portion of the course.

Start with A Bluestocking Guide: Economics, referencing the articles in Economics: A Free Market Reader as instructed in the Guide.

About 1/4 of the way through A Bluestocking Guide: Economics, students will be instructed to begin reading Whatever Happened to Penny Candy? as well.

Once the above three books are completed, students can complete The Money Mystery and A Bluestocking Guide: Solving the Money Mystery.

Lastly, students will finish this portion of the course with The Clipper Ship Strategy and A Bluestocking Guide: Applying the Clipper Ship Strategy

Semester break if applicable

Capitalism for Kids

Whatever Happened to Justice? and A Bluestocking Guide: Justice (with Jonathan Mayhew’s Sermon when referenced).

Are You Liberal? Conservative? or Confused? and A Bluestocking Guide: Political Philosophies.

Ancient Rome: How It Affects You Today and A Bluestocking Guide: Ancient Rome.

FOUNDATIONS FIRST

By reading the books in the following order, students will start with the books that give the foundations for the rest of the books in the course, and then move on to reading those books’ “sequels.”

Start with A Bluestocking Guide: Economics, referencing the articles in Economics: A Free Market Reader as instructed in the Guide.

About 1/4 of the way through A Bluestocking Guide: Economics, students will be instructed to begin reading Whatever Happened to Penny Candy? as well.

Once the above three books are completed, students can complete Whatever Happened to Justice? and A Bluestocking Guide: Justice (with Jonathan Mayhew’s Sermon when referenced).

Capitalism for Kids

Semester break if applicable

The Money Mystery and A Bluestocking Guide: Solving the Money Mystery.

The Clipper Ship Strategy and A Bluestocking Guide: Applying the Clipper Ship Strategy

Are You Liberal? Conservative? or Confused? and A Bluestocking Guide: Political Philosophies.

Ancient Rome: How It Affects You Today and A Bluestocking Guide: Ancient Rome.