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Graphic
US Senate

Trends in Congressional Appropriations [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
Provides numerous graphs accompanied by explanations of the government spending since the 1960s. Focuses on the restraint of the 1990s but shows the steady growth in the last forty years. Link to .pdf file. Requires Adobe Reader.
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Lesson Plan
iCivics

I Civics: Government Spending

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This lesson focuses on a variety of topics related to government spending, including the federal budget, mandatory versus discretionary spending, and government debt.