American Citizenship Education Program for Informed and Engaged Learners
Learn Civics with Confidence
Civics Fundamentals gives learners, educators, and adult students a clear way to understand American government, history, and civic responsibility. Our citizenship education program uses the U.S. citizenship test as a guide, helping participants build knowledge through short, focused lessons that explain both the answers and the reasons behind them.
As an American citizenship education program, we believe civics learning should be available to everyone, and we make learning practical, accessible, and meaningful. Whether you are preparing for a class, strengthening your understanding of the nation’s founding principles, or exploring a U.S. citizenship practice test online, our course helps you study at your own pace with reliable educational support.
2 out of 3 Americans can’t pass the U.S. citizenship test —
Can you?
Civics Fundamentals is a free, online course designed for educators to use with students and adult learners. It teaches the basics of American civics using the U.S. citizenship test as a guide.
The course includes 128 short video lessons hosted by Judge Douglas H. Ginsburg, U.S. Court of Appeals, Washington, D.C., U.S. Court. Each video presents a test question, gives the answer, and then explains the historical background behind it in detail.
Civics Fundamentals includes a pre-test, formative assessments for each academic section, and a comprehensive final exam.
Free for teachers. Free for students. Free for everyone.
Build Knowledge That Lasts
Our free civics course will help learners go beyond memorization. Each lesson encourages critical thinking, deeper understanding, and stronger civic awareness. With videos, assessments, and teacher-friendly resources, Civics Fundamentals supports classrooms, independent learners, and anyone who wants to understand how America’s government works. Civics Fundamentals provides a simple path to start learning, test your knowledge, and become more confident in the ideas, rights, responsibilities, and institutions that shape American life.
We’re strengthening civics education in America one student at a time.
We’re strengthening civics education in America one student at a time.
Civics Fundamentals is a free program crafted with care and expertise to promote informed citizenship by meaningfully engaging, educating, and empowering all learners to enhance their civics education.
The course comprises a series of professionally produced two-minute videos from the host of the PBS series A More or Less Perfect Union with Judge Douglas Ginsburg. Each of the 128 video lessons is crafted to accompany the 128 questions from the U.S. Citizenship Test to gauge and improve your knowledge of the concepts presented.
These videos go beyond rote memorization, encouraging learners to discover the meaning and importance of the questions by exploring the “Why?” of U.S. civics.
The course enables educators to easily incorporate the videos and lessons into their existing curriculum and track student progress.
In addition to the videos, educators can access resources such as lesson plans, teacher guides, classroom activities, assessments, and more.
Learners come away with a deeper understanding of critical civics concepts and the knowledge they need to be informed and engaged citizens.
Our Purpose
Civics Fundamentals was developed to promote informed citizenship by meaningfully engaging, educating, and empowering all learners to enhance their civics education.
- A series of professionally produced two-minute videos cover each of the 100 test questions and include content from the PBS series A More or Less Perfect Union with Judge Ginsburg.
- Videos go beyond rote memorization, encouraging learners to discover the meaning and importance of the questions by exploring the “Why?”
- The course allows educators to easily incorporate the videos and lessons into their existing curriculum and track student progress.
- In addition to the videos, educators can access resources such as lesson plans, teacher guides, classroom activities, assessments and more.
- Learners come away with a deeper understanding of critical civics concepts and the knowledge they need to be informed and engaged citizens.
Can YOU Pass?
60% of Americans cannot pass this civics test that demonstrates a basic understanding of American history and how our government works. This is the same test that immigrants must take to become a naturalized citizen of the United States.
1. Register for Free
3. Take the Course
2. Take the Pretest
4. Take the Final Quiz
About your host: Judge Douglas Ginsburg
Judge Douglas Ginsburg is an American jurist and academic who serves as a senior judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
Judge Ginsburg is passionate about helping all current and aspiring Americans to understand the history and structure of the United States government.
That’s why he partnered with izzit.org to develop the Civics Fundamentals course to be a free, engaging, standards-aligned course to help all learners develop the foundational civics knowledge they need to be well-informed citizens.
About izzit.org
At izzit.org, we believe that education enhances the power of individuals to solve problems for themselves, their families, communities, and society at large.
To support this belief, we offer high-quality, no-cost educational materials designed to help all learners develop important problem-solving skills in critical thinking, civil discourse, and scientific methodologies.
About izzit.org
At izzit.org, we believe that education enhances the power of individuals to solve problems for themselves, their families, communities, and society at large.
To support this belief, we offer high-quality, no-cost educational materials designed to help all learners develop important problem-solving skills in critical thinking, civil discourse, and scientific methodologies.
FAQs
Civics Fundamentals is a free online learning platform that helps students, teachers, and adult learners understand American civics through lessons based on the U.S. citizenship test.
Anyone can use the citizenship education program, including students, educators, adult learners, homeschool families, and individuals who want to strengthen their understanding of American government and history.
Yes. Civics Fundamentals offers a free civics course to make high-quality civics learning accessible to teachers, students, and lifelong learners.
Yes. Learners can use the U.S. citizenship practice test online to assess their knowledge and understand the questions related to American civics.
The free civics course covers American government, history, constitutional principles, civic responsibilities, and key concepts included in the U.S. citizenship test.
Civics Fundamentals provides educators with ready-to-use videos, lesson support, assessments, and resources that can fit into existing classroom instruction.
Yes. Adult learners can use Civics Fundamentals to review civics basics, prepare for citizenship-related learning, or build a stronger understanding of American public life.
The program uses citizenship test questions as a guide, helping learners understand the answer, the background, and the civic meaning behind each topic.
No. Civics Fundamentals is designed to be simple, clear, and accessible, making it helpful for beginners as well as learners who want a refresher.
Learners can visit civicsfundamentals.org, register for free, begin the course, take the pre-test, watch lessons, and continue through the final assessment.