Traditional social studies simulations model legislative bodies, courts, or elections, replicating the current U.S. system without exploring its origins or purpose. Self-Government Works takes a different approach, guiding students through the process of discovering, building, and sustaining their own systems of self-governance. Rather than reenacting history, it parallels the American experience, allowing students to confront oppression, break free, create a government, and maintain it. As they study American history, students actively engage in real classroom self-governance, gaining a deeper understanding of why the U.S. system exists and how it functions.