Using generalizations based on pre-U.S. Civil War era history to interpret U.S. social history, this paper presents: (1) the effects of various social institutions in history on civic values; (2) the current role of U.S. colleges and universities as social institutions; and (3) curriculum development suggestions for the preparation of civic education teachers. The historical generalizations are based on the role of religion, the development of U.S. towns and cities, educational practices, the Revolutionary War, social reforms, and the Civil War. No one event or institution has had a long monopoly in shaping the civic values of U.S. youth, but education is the most pervasive current force. Curriculum innovations in schools have recently stressed the use of interdisciplinary courses to teach civic values, but teachers often are not well-trained in this type of instruction which requires information from both the social studies and the humanities' disciplines. A curriculum that could be effective in preparing teachers to teach civic values should stress: (1) history; (2) social and political thought; (3) economics; (4) human motivation and organizational behavior; and (5) placing U.S. history in an international perspective. (JHP)