A substantive New York Times article about the U.S.A. Patriot Act, military tribunals, racial profiling, and the Bill of Rights forms the basis for a discussion of the complex interplay of fundamental American rights and the aftermath of...

How important are symbols and symbolic gestures in society? Middle schoolers have an opportunity to analyze the importance of symbols on American currency with a lesson that investigates the controversies surrounding redesigning the $5,...

Your history students will be on the edges of their seats during this fascinating presentation, which details the abolition movement and slave life during the Antebellum period in the American South. Students will be left agape at the...

Everyone knows that the Declaration of Independence is important, but what does it actually say? Members of American history classes analyze the Founding Fathers' arguments against British tyranny and for a more perfect union with a...

The Bill of Rights is much more than an important piece of paper! The rights cover everything from freedom of speech to the right to remain silent if arrested. Scholars find out their own rights by answering the questions in the form of...

Young scholars view examples of political advertisements during the years of 1952 through 1964. After viewing, they discuss how the Cold War and the threat of Communism affected the development of the United States. They compare the Cold...

Eleventh graders review the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, and explore the major debates during the writing of the Constitution. They review vocabulary and compare primary source documents to study the three branches of...

Sixth graders explore the United States Constitution. In this social studies lesson, learners discover how a bill is made into law, study the election process, and identify specific elements of the Bill of Rights.

Students examine the structure and function of the United States government established by the Constitution. They also explore the problems the country faced under the Articles of Confederation.

Inauguration Day is a time-honored tradition to celebrate the transition between presidential inaugurations. How much do you know about the history of the ceremony itself? High schoolers test knowledge about Inauguration Day with an...

Article II, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution takes center stage in a lesson plan that asks class members to assume the role of state senators, debate a resolution to amend the U. S. Constitution to permit naturalized citizens to run...

Which right does the Constitution weigh more heavily: the sanctity of the American flag as a symbol of national unity, or the right to burn the flag in protest? The 1989 Supreme Court case of Texas v. Johnson explores a...

Eleventh graders investigate the role of New York state during the American Revolution. In small groups, they research a particular region within colonial America, analyze primary source documents, complete Document Analysis Sheets, and...

What's the difference between civil and criminal law? How do the court proceedings differ in these two types of trials? How do the standards of proof differ? Why do these differences exist? As part of their examination of the...

This is a fantastic activity that prompts learners to think like educators and consider the value of a historically based film beyond just the accuracy of information. Your young historians will work in groups to do a close reading and...

Class members research citizenship in Ancient Rome and in the United States and use the provided graphic organizers to compare the rights and responsibilities of citizens in these two democracies.

What does "freedom of speech" mean to your class, especially in the context of Internet communications? In round-table discussion format, middle and high schoolers address the issues discussed in "State Legislatures Across U.S. Plan to...

So many US Constitution clauses, so little time. The 17th installment in a 20-part series teaches pupils about the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Amendments. Learning through activities such as group work, connecting to current events, and...

Declaring war is not as easy as some may think. High schoolers learn about Congress's limits regarding war by reading important clauses in the US Constitution. Various independent and collaborative activities reinforce learning, making...

After a lecture on ratifying the Constitution, this worksheet would be perfect to reinforce your government (or U.S. History) students' new knowledge. The activity contains ten knowledge-level and comprehension-level questions. This...

Answering comprehension questions during or after reading an informational text can help focus the reader's attention. Here are 5 True/False and 5 multiple choice questions related to the Congress, bicameralism, and basic governmental...

Students explain the differences between the three branches of government. Using the structure of a democracy, they listen to text about the United States Constitution. They discover how their government affects their lives in negative...

Students explore the implications of habeas corpus. In this Civil War lesson, students analyze the writ of habeas corpus by Lincoln during the war. Students examine primary sources from Lincoln and Chief Justice Taney. Students design...

Students demonstrate understanding of the issues related to the creation and ratification of the United States Constitution and the new Government it established.