The Founders meant for the First Amendment to protect a wide array of expressive activities. The Supreme Court, recognizing changes in society and technology, has applied the First Amendment's protections in some ways that are broader than ever. Student speech in public schools, however, poses unique questions. This lesson will help students to understand the operation of the First Amendment in both their school and in the wider context of society, and it will help foster students' appreciation of their rights, preparing them for responsible and effective participation in their school, community, and nation.

For much of American history, the Supreme Court had very little to say about the Second Amendment until 2008 when the Court heard arguments in the case of District of Columbia v. Heller. Richard Heller challenged the city's total ban on handguns on Second Amendment grounds. The Court agreed with Heller finding the ban unconstitutional.

55 min
This lesson addresses the virtue of justice, which requires that rules are applied and enforced equally for everyone. Students will analyze the virtue of justice by evaluating a letter from Jourdon Anderson to his former slave owner. They will consider how Jourdon received justice for himself and for his family and how they can seek justice on behalf of themselves and other people.

This lesson explains the five major accomplishments of the first Congress. Students learn how the Constitution provided a general framework for the government.

Congressional Apportionment: The United States Senate consists of how many members? The answer is fairly simple: with two members apiece representing each of the fifty states, the total is one hundred. How about the House of Representatives? The answer is much more complicated.

The process of how a bill becomes a federal law is more than a series of linked steps. It is the fundamental way people in a democracy get involved and work through their elected officials to meet needs and solve problems to benefit themselves and other Americans. Through this lesson, students will learn about the dynamic process of federal lawmaking and how it relates to them.
The estimated time for the lesson is three to five class periods. It is aligned to the National Standards for Civics and Government.

After completing several activities students will be able to explain how a bill becomes a law.Enduring Understanding:The constitution established principles that guides the government decision making ability providing the framework through which we can evaluate our nation's progress and suggest means for improvement.

On January 1, 1863, Abraham Lincoln legally changed the status of over 3 million people from “slave” to “free.” But his emancipation proclamation wasn’t a law — it was an executive order. The framers of the American Constitution made this power available to the executive branch. But what exactly is this tool, how does it work, and what’s the extent of its power? Christina Greer explains. Questions available for teachers to use.

ÒHow is Power Divided in the United States GovernmentÓ TED Talks provides a quick review lesson with a video, a couple of comprehension questions and an open ended discussion question about the first 3 articles of the Constitution.

WARNING: this video is NOT particularly rigorous, but it might be used best as a warm up review for seniors, or perhaps in a flipped classroom, a reminder for students who will be coming in the next day for a deeper discussion or for absent students to catch them up, or ELL students, or struggling students.

An Introduction to the Humanities

Short Description:
This multimedia reader examines how people use a humanities lens to make sense of what they experience, as well as share their experiences with the rest of the world. The information is presented using a pedagogical approach called reverse teaching, which introduces artifacts in their historical, social, political, personal, and other contexts. Along with the narrative, questions for creative and critical thinking prompt the reader to practice self-exploration.

Word Count: 36397

(Note: This resource's metadata has been created automatically by reformatting and/or combining the information that the author initially provided as part of a bulk import process.)

In September 1787, Elizabeth Willing Powel approached Benjamin Franklin after the signing of the Constitution and asked, “Well, Doctor, what have we got? A republic or a monarchy?” Franklin famously answered, “A republic, if you can keep it.” In this lesson, students examine their place in America’s democratic republic and explore the role Franklin played in the creation of America’s founding documents, including the Declaration of Independence, the Treaty of Paris (1783), the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution. Students will interact with these documents in creative ways. Lesson activities include primary source document analysis, writing, annotation, discussion, and found poetry.

Zoom in on digital copies of the original documents. Each includes classroom resources and lessons. Lesson idea: Assign groups one of the nine documents then have them give quick presentation about them--be sure each group highlights the importance of the document.

An inauguration is the act or ceremony of bringing someone into a position or an office. Every president of the United States has been inaugurated, dating back to the first executive, George Washington. These inaugurations symbolize a peaceful transition of power between administrations. Although the Constitution provides an oath for the new president to take, all other elements of the modern presidential inauguration grew from traditions, changes, and preferences that evolved over 200 years. As the president's residence, the White House plays an important role in inaugurations. Gain a deeper appreciation of presidential inaugurations and transitions at the White House by learning about the history behind the Oath of Office, inaugural parade, parties, and more.

This documentary, featuring Justice Stephen G. Breyer and leading constitutional scholars, chronicles two key moments that defined our understanding of the role of the judiciary: the Cherokee Nation's struggles before the U.S. Supreme Court in the 1830s to preserve its homeland in Cherokee Nation v. Georgia, and Cooper v. Aaron (1958), which affirmed that states were bound to follow the Court's order to integrate their schools. (34 min)

This lesson explores the role of the judiciary in relation to the legislative and executive branches and how judicial independence has evolved since the founding of the nation. Two significant cases covered in the lesson, Cherokee Nation v. Georgia (1831) and Cooper v. Aaron (1958), exemplify the importance of an independent judiciary. Students will use their knowledge based on watching the Annenberg Classroom video âAn Independent Judiciary.â

This nonpartisan tool has allowed learners of all ages to engage with the text of the Constitution, discover how experts agree and disagree about its history and meaning, and explore arguments on all sides of the constitutional debates at the center of American life. Also helpful for resolving arguments at the dinner table. Download the app at Apple Store or Google Play.

In this video from the Center for Civic Education, Maria Gallo explains the fundamentals of teaching the We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution program to high school students. Maria is the director of professional development and special programs for the Center. She is joined by Mark Gage, director of publishing and digital content, who explains the wide variety online resources that support We the People. For more information about We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution, visit https://www.civiced.org/we-the-people.

The We the People curriculum is an innovative course of instruction on the history and principles of the United States constitutional democratic republic. The We the People programâ"s culminating activity is a simulated congressional hearing in which students "testify" before a panel of judges acting as members of Congress. Students demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of constitutional principles and have opportunities to evaluate, take, and defend positions on relevant historical and contemporary issues. Teachers may engage their students in a noncompetitive simulated congressional hearing or a competitive hearing at some levels in certain states.

In this video from the Center for Civic Education, Maria Gallo and Patience LeBlanc explain the fundamentals of teaching the We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution program to middle school students. Maria is the director of professional development and special programs for the Center. Patience is an instructional coach at Frisco High School near Dallas, Texas, and has been a We the People teacher for twenty years. Maria and Patience are joined by Mark Gage, director of publishing and digital content, who explains the wide variety online resources that support We the People. For more information about We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution, visit https://www.civiced.org/we-the-people.

The We the People curriculum is an innovative course of instruction on the history and principles of the United States constitutional democratic republic. The We the People programâ"s culminating activity is a simulated congressional hearing in which students "testify" before a panel of judges acting as members of Congress. Students demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of constitutional principles and have opportunities to evaluate, take, and defend positions on relevant historical and contemporary issues. Teachers may engage their students in a noncompetitive simulated congressional hearing or a competitive hearing at some levels in certain states.

This discussion guide is for use with the video âIs the Supreme Court Different?â which features a conversation with Linda Greenhouse, the Knight Distinguished Journalist in Residence and Joseph M. Goldstein Lecturer in Law at Yale Law School, who is interviewed by Theodore W. Ruger, dean of the University of Pennsylvania Law School, at the Fair and Impartial Judiciary Symposium on October 26, 2019, at the Penn Law School.