We the People: the Citizen and the Constitution instructs students in the history and principles of American constitutional democracy, allowing them to study the Constitution and the Bill of Rights in depth. The program promotes civic competence and responsibility among the nation’s elementary, middle, and secondary school students.
We the People
We the People - Overview
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About the Program
Developed under the auspices of Chief Justice Warren Burger in the 1980s, the program has since been managed nationally by the Center for Civic Education—a non-profit, nonpartisan organization that provides the format for the We the People program, produces supporting textbooks and materials, and organizes an annual national student competition each spring.
In the three decades since its inception, We the People has been hailed for its effectiveness in engaging and educating young people on the U.S. Constitution and our government, instilling in them not only the knowledge, but also the skills and dispositions to participate constructively and continually in the civic life of our nation. The design of the instructional program and its innovative culminating activity—the simulated Congressional hearing, have been consistent elements of the program's success.
We the People promotes:
- Civil Discourse & Teamwork: Students work together and engage in reasoned and sound debate with their teams.
- Evidence-Based Reasoning: Students research using primary source documents.
- Critical Thinking: Students are encouraged to challenge assumptions and think from all sides.
We the People - Participation
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The Proof is in the Participation
Since its inception, We the People has been consistently recognized as a standout in civic education:
In repeated studies, Educational Testing Services found We the People students “significantly outperformed… [other students] on every topic.”
Assessments by experts at Georgetown University and Stanford University found We the People students performed “significantly higher” on tests of civic knowledge and showed a “greater commitment to democratic principles.”
The U.S. Department of Education praised We the People as “contributing to excellence in education.”
Perhaps nothing is more telling than the statistic that over 90% of We the People alumni vote in every election, which is nearly twice the rate of their peers.
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Final Assessment
Simulated congressional hearings serve as the final assessment of the We the People program and provide an excellent opportunity for students to improve their public speaking—as well as their research and analytical skills—through demonstration and practical application of the knowledge learned through the curriculum.
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Competitions
Simulated congressional hearings also take on a competitive element. For classes at the middle and high school level, participants from each school can advance to regional and state level competitions. The high school champion class from each state is then invited to National Finals in Washington, D.C.
Competition Dates
Regionals
2026 Dates Coming Soon!
State Finals
2026 Dates Coming Soon!
National Finals
2026 Dates Coming Soon!
Invitational
2026 Dates Coming Soon!
"This program empowers students to dig deeper into their understanding of Virginia history, analyze events that have shaped our nation, and embrace where we go from here. I’m consistently blown away by the knowledge, dedication, and professionalism of our students."
–Maggie Jackson, Volunteer Judge
About the Curriculum
Textbooks
We the People: the Citizen and the Constitution textbooks and ebooks are available in Levels 1, 2, and 3, from the Center for Civic Education. We the People textbooks provide upper elementary, middle, and high school students with a course of instruction on the history and principles of our constitutional, representative democracy. Critical thinking exercises, problem-solving activities, and cooperative-learning opportunities help develop students’ intellectual and participatory skills and fosters attitudes needed to participate as effective, responsible citizens.
SOL Correlations
Levels 2 and 3 of the We the People curriculum have been fully mapped to the Virginia Standards of Learning for middle and high school.
- Middle School SOL Correlations - 2015 & 2023 Correlations coming soon
- High School SOL Correlations - 2015 Correlation | 2023 Correlation coming soon
Curriculum Units
Each textbook is broken down into six curricular units, organized around essentials questions. Students who take part in organized competitions will be assigned to a particular unit along the following topics:
Units 1-3
Unit 1
Level 2: What were the Founders’ basic ideas about government?
Level 3: What are the philosophical and historical foundations of the American political system?
Unit 2
Level 2: What shaped the Founder’s thinking about government?
Level 3: How did the Framers create the Constitution?
Unit 3
Level 2: What happened at the Philadelphia Convention?
Level 3: How has the Constitution been changed to further the ideals contained in the Declaration of Independence?
Units 4-6
Unit 4
Level 2: How was the Constitution used to establish our government?
Level 3: How have the values and principles embodied in the Constitution shaped American institutions and practices?
Unit 5
Level 2: How does the Constitution protect our basic rights?
Level 3: What rights does the Bill of Rights protect?
Unit 6
Level 2 What are the responsibilities of citizens?
Level 3: What challenges might face constitutional democracy in the 21st century?
Competition Info & Resources
We the People competitions in Virginia are for middle and high school We the People teams. Schools are encouraged to hold in-school competitions as practice for regional/qualifier and state competitions. Participation in a qualifying competition is required for high schools to compete at the state level. Schools may elect to compete in one of four qualifying competitions, held in December. The top 8 scoring high schools in the qualifiers and any participating middle schools are invited to compete in the state competition. The winning high school class represents Virginia at the We the People National Finals in April.
Questions & Handouts
- 2024-25 We the People High School Questions - 2025/26 questions will be released in August 2026
- 2024-25 We the People Middle School Questions (Virginia only) - 2025/26 questions will be released in August 2026
- Preparing students for We the People
Additional Resources
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Questions?
We're happy to help! For more information about Virginia Civics Coalition, Project Citizen, We the People, and Professional Development cohorts, please contact Amelia Bochain, Virginia Civics Programs Coordinator.
Volunteer
We are always looking for competition volunteers to serve as judges, facilitators, and timers. We also welcome program alumni to join us as a volunteer with competitions, classroom support, and Virginia Civics operations.