What makes us accept our government? This concept examines why citizens accept or reject the authority of governments, institutions, and international bodies, using real events to explore the sources of legitimacy (elections, tradition, law, performance) and what happens when those sources are questioned or collapse. From disputed elections to protest movements to institutional crisis, these lessons build students’ ability to ask not just what a government did, but whether people accepted its right to do it and why that distinction matters.
In the Brazil runoff election on October 25th, Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, who led the first round with 47%, faces President Lula. In this current events lesson for Grades…
The UN General Assembly's high-level week produces declarations, speeches and private diplomacy, but what does it actually accomplish? In this current events lesson for Grades 6-12, students weigh…
A differentiated lesson on what freedom of the press protects, why it matters, and what people can do when they believe it has been violated. This lesson is…
Every two years, Americans elect a Congress that can reshape what a president is able to do, but without removing the president. This background lesson explains how that…
A U.S. Senate committee voted to hold a former health official in contempt after he refused to answer questions. Students use the case to ask a bigger civic…
When a leaked exam forced more than two million Indian students to re-sit, a satirical youth movement rose up and toppled a cabinet minister. Students weigh the movement's…
In one week in July 2026, Ukraine replaced its defence minister, its commander-in-chief and its chief of the General Staff. Ukrainian protesters opposed one of those decisions and…
In June 2026, the US Supreme Court ruled 6–3 in a case called Mullin v. Doe and allowed the government to end Temporary Protected Status for people from…
When Japan's youngest female mayor announced maternity leave, she exposed a system with no rule for the situation. This classroom-ready lesson turns that debate into a study of…
When the US President phoned FIFA to reverse a player's red card at the 2026 World Cup, sport's promise of neutral, independent rules collided with political power. A…
In June 2026, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer resigned less than two years after a landslide win and without losing an election. This ready-to-teach lesson uses his fall…
A ceasefire deal was signed, then the two sides sat down to negotiate peace while openly threatening each other with force, and disagreed over whether a core promise…
In 2025, Nepal's Gen Z took to the streets after the government banned social media… and brought down a Prime Minister. Six months later, a 35-year-old rapper won…
After eight years of decline, global democracy scores stabilised in 2025 – but what does that actually mean? This differentiated lesson for grades 6-12 uses the EIU Democracy…
What happens when you can't trust the results of an election, and how can you build that trust back? Peru's 2026 election hit turbulence before a single vote…
Hungary's 2026 election ended 16 years of Orbán's rule in a historic landslide. Three differentiated readings explore legitimacy, power, sovereignty and what truly makes an election democratic.
In December 2025, Australia became the first country to ban under-16s from major social media platforms — putting the legal burden on tech companies, not families. This lesson…
Thailand voted yes to a new constitution — but does a yes vote mean the people are truly in charge? A differentiated lesson on sovereignty and legitimacy for…
