C-SPAN
Bell Ringer: The Power of the Supreme Court to Check the President
Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Sawyer is considered to be one of the Supreme Court's landmark cases because it demonstrated the checks and balances inherent in the three branches of the United States government. A short video sets...
C-SPAN
Bell Ringer: Identifying Roles of the President
Three short videos introduce viewers to three of the roles play by the United States President. In his role as Commander and Chief of the armed forces, President Regan discusses the Grenada Invasion. President Trump demonstrate his...
C-SPAN
Bell Ringer: Nominating Judges and Impact on a President's Policy Agenda
Designed as a check on the judicial branch of the United State government, the president has the power to nominate judges to the federal bench. Four film clips serve as a bell ringer to introduce a study into the nominating process and...
C-SPAN
On This Day: Executive Order 9066 and Japanese-American Internment
Forced to leave, branded a security risk, held at gunpoint. It's hard to imagine this happened in the US. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, thousands of Japanese-Americans on the West Coast were forced in internment camps. Using video...
National Constitution Center
Separation of Powers
After the Revolutionary War, the Founding Fathers were in a pickle. They needed to create a government, but how could they protect the people from a tyrant? The separation of powers was their answer! A video resource explores the history...
National Constitution Center
The Executive Branch
While the president is perhaps the most famous politician, why did the Founding Fathers create the office? While it has evolved over time, the presidency has its roots in the American Revolution. A video resource—created for Constitution...
TED-Ed
How Do Executive Orders Work?
What is an executive order? Why was it created? How does it differ for other tools available to the executive branch of the government? Introduce the concept with a short video that outlines the what, when, and why of the executive orders.
Curated OER
US Government Review Part 1 - 3 Branches of Government
A fun and interesting teacher describes the three branches of the US government. His lecture style and ability to explain with good examples could be a really big help to older students needing a tutorial or extra support in...
Curated OER
Constitution Lecture 6: Who is the Ultimate Arbiter?
Is there one ultimate arbiter who has the final say on issues or questions related to whether as act is constitutional or not? Lecture six discusses the powers each branch of the government has in making final judgments on constitutional...
TED-Ed
Inventing the American Presidency
"If you could start from scratch, how would you redesign the oval office?" The formation of the United States government was a carefully calculated and collective process. With this video, your class will imagine themselves as founders...
Curated OER
The US Government
This is an unusual video, but it contains some helpful tools that could be useful for teaching elementary aged children the basics of the US government. There is no narration to accompany this clip, but the slide show at the beginning is...