Active citizens are a hallmark of this nation from the founding fathers and the suffragettes to civil rights workers and environmentalists, and many others in between. These American dreamers had the idealism, passion and perseverance to bring their visions to reality in the face of resistance. Where does such activism originate? National assessment results indicate that civics is not inborn; it needs to be taught overtly through example, participation, and consistent practice. This author explains how active citizenship can be integrated into content technology by creating awareness of issues and acting on them in appropriate topics of study. She offers ideas on how to integrate civics lessons into the subject areas of reading, writing, math, social studies and science.