In this lesson, students will learn about the actions of Paul Revere during his midnight ride in April of 1775. They will study how his diligence in working towards American independence helped to advance the cause and use this example to better understand how they can be diligent in their own lives.

In this lesson, students will gain an understanding of how the doctrine of incorporation broadened the application of the First Amendment. They will also gain an understanding of the facts of landmark Establishment Clause Supreme Court cases, evaluate arguments about the scope of the Establishment Clause, and assess the Supreme Court's interpretations of the First Amendment with respect to religion in public schools.

In this lesson, students will explore the evolution in the United States from religious toleration to religious liberty. Students will examine the difference between the two, analyze documents concerning both, and evaluate the significance of this change.

Case background and primary source documents concerning the Supreme Court case of Reno v. ACLU. Dealing with whether or not the First Amendment protected obscene or indecent speech on the internet, this lesson asks students to argue whether or not Congress should be able to ban "indecent" or "patently offensive" speech on the Internet.

In order to enjoy our tradition of rights in the United States, we must also fulfill responsibilities to assure that all can benefit from the liberty and equality on which the United States was founded. Many of the rights we can exercise have concrete responsibilities of actions we must take to assure the common good. This lesson will examine the differences between rights and responsibilities, and how both relate to the concept of the common good.

The Declaration of Independence, based in part on the philosophy of John Locke, was an “expression of the American mind”. Going back to Magna Carta, British nobles had petitioned the monarch demanding limits to his power. But Locke argues and the Declaration of Independence asserts that legitimate government is based on the consent of the governed. Locke’s ideas were too democratic, too revolutionary for his time in England, but a century later they had a firm hold in the American colonies, and in 1776 they were the basis of the original and most fundamental American statement of rights, the Declaration of Independence.

Case background and primary source documents concerning the Supreme Court case of Roe v. Wade. Dealing with a citizen's Constitutional right to privacy and liberty, this lesson asks students to evaluate the Court's constitutional reasoning in Roe v. Wade.

The benefits of freedom are safest when officials cannot make arbitrary and unpredictable laws. The rule of law means that laws are stable, limited in scope, and applied to every citizen, including those who make them.

Case background and primary source documents concerning the Supreme Court case of Schenck v. United States. Dealing with the First Amendment's free speech protections and whether it has limits during wartime, this lesson asks students to evaluate the Supreme Court's limitations of free speech set forth in Schenck.

In this lesson, students will consider the perspective of Angelina Grimké regarding the injustices of slavery. They will consider ways in which they can promote or fight for justice in their own lives.

In this lesson, students will explore the life of Thurgood Marshall and follow the development of his identity. Through his example, students will understand how they can develop and refine their identity in their own lives and, through this refinement, help advance freedom for themselves and others.

How has the Supreme Court decided cases in controversies related to the Bill of Rights? Students will examine how the Supreme Court has decided landmark cases related to the Bill of Rights.

Case background and primary source documents concerning the Supreme Court case of Texas v. Johnson. Dealing with the First Amendment's freedom of expression protections, this lesson asks students to argue whether or not burning the American flag is so offensive as to be outside the legitimate marketplace of ideas.

Case background and primary source documents concerning the Supreme Court case of Tinker v. Des Moines. Dealing with students rights and the First Amendment's protection of free speech, this lesson asks students to evaluate the extent to which the First Amendment should protect symbolic speech, and the degree to which that protection should be guaranteed to students in public schools.

In this lesson, students will explore the views of the founders concerning the relationship between Church and State. They will examine quotes from the founders regarding the relationship of Church and State, as well as analyze excerpts from primary source documents concerning this relationship.

After teaching federalism, as a formative assessment, have students read through through the opinion of the Supreme Court Case Lopez v. United States . Students should be able to explain how federalism is applied in this case and be able to identify the advantages and disadvantages of federalism citing examples from the case.

Analyze excerpts from John Lockeâ"s Second Treatise on Government, the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and Abraham Lincolnâ"s writings to recognize the main principles of the Founding documents that guide the American Experiment to the present day.
Evaluate the significance of constitutional principles in facilitating self-government for ordered liberty by formulating a response to the lesson-guiding question: Explain the relationship between the apple of gold and the frame of silver. What is the significance of the principles outlined in each Founding document?

The Founders wanted to be sure they preserved the right to keep and bear arms as they established their new sovereign government. Americans asserted a natural right to defend themselves and their property against all threats, including tyranny of any kind, foreign or domestic. The Second Amendment in the Bill of Rights was included to reflect the concerns of many citizens in a number of states. This lesson explores the origins of this amendment.

In this lesson, students will explore the events and philosophies from British and colonial history that shaped the Founders' ideas about natural rights as well as the rights of Englishmen. They will also see how these rights affect all of our daily lives in a free society.