The paper presents a rationale, major concepts, and basic vocabulary related to citizenship education. The aim of the document is to aid elementary and secondary school classroom teachers as they develop and implement citizen education programs. The paper is presented in five major sections. Section I explains the purpose of the paper. Section II outlines the need for citizen education from the points of view of historical trends, current interest, and social problems. Section III focuses on assumptions behind new citizen education including that programs should stress democratic values (freedom, concern for others, equality, justice, and rationality); transmit knowledge about the structure and function of American government; be comprehensive and interdisciplinary; have clear affective as well as cognitive objectives; and be attractive to teachers, students, parents, and the public. Section IV identifies major issue areas--authority, leadership and participation, values and principles, scope of community, development process, societal problems; and political/social perspectives. In addition, it discusses content, learning theory, objectives, and instructional modes and design. The final section reiterates major purposes and content of the paper. (DB)