Social Studies

When Braintree native John Adams, who would serve as the nation's first Vice President (1789-1797) and second President of the United States (1797-1801), drafted the Massachusetts Constitution in 1780, he placed public education at the center of the state's understanding of government: "Wisdom and knowledge, as well as virtue, diffused generally among the body of the people [are] necessary for the preservation of their rights and liberties. . . . [Thus,] it shall be the duty of legislatures and magistrates, in all future periods of this commonwealth, to cherish the . . . public schools.” (Chapter V, Section II).

Thomas Jefferson once said, "The nation that expects to be ignorant and free in a state of civilization expects what never has been and never will be." 

Both Adams and Jefferson believed that learning and democracy went hand in hand. An effective democracy demands educated citizens who can make informed and wise decisions. 

Whether it is voting on a local issue or understanding the workings of government to protect the peoples' interests, Social Studies education is essential for us all. Social Studies courses in the Braintree Public Schools offers a diverse range of content and skills including, but not limited to: 

• Civic Knowledge, Skills, and Dispositions

• Financial Literacy and Economic Systems

• Geography

• Historical Perspectives

• Addressing and Solving Real-World Challenges

• Understanding of and Respecting All Cultures