Article
Other

Why the Fifth Amendment? By Howard Fast

For Students 9th - 10th
This article, written by Howard Fast in 1954, attacks the government and Senator Joseph McCarthy for leading away from the rights protected by the amendment.
Handout
Illinois Institute of Technology

The Oyez Project: Katz v. United States

For Students 9th - 10th
Katz v. United States altered the meaning of the 4th Amendment, the right to search and seizure, appealing his case in 1967 regarding the investigator's use of electronic surveillance. Oyez features the facts and recordings from the...
Activity
Lectric Law Library

The 'Lectric Law Library's Lexicon: Eighth Amendment

For Students 9th - 10th
This definition page at 'Lectric Library discusses the definition in the context of significant Supreme Court cases.
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: Radical Reconstruction

For Students 5th - 8th
Read about the frustration the Radical Republicans in Congress had with the Reconstruction plans of Andrew Johnson. Find out what legislation they were able to pass over Johnson's veto, and how they attempted to protect emancipated...
Activity
Department of Defense

Do Dea: Ap Us Government and Politics: Unit 2: Bill of Rights Reading Guide [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
A 2-page worksheet where students fill in the blanks with information about the rights and protections embedded in the amendments in the Bill of Rights. They are also asked to explain the meanings of eight terms used in the Bill of Rights.
Primary
US Government Publishing Office

U.s. Government Publishing Office: Eighth Amendment Further Guarantees in Criminal Cases [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
This resource provides the various court rulings as to what has been interpreted as "excessive bail", etc.
eBook
OpenStax

Open Stax: Congress and the Remaking of the South, 1865 1866

For Students 11th - 12th
This section from a chapter on "The Era of Reconstruction" describes the efforts made by Congress in 1865 and 1866 to bring to life its vision of Reconstruction and explains how the Fourteenth Amendment transformed the Constitution.
Lesson Plan
Ohio State University

Osu History Teaching Institute: u.s. Constitution: The Bill of Rights

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders will examine the Bill of Rights of the US Constitution.
Primary
Curated OER

National Park Service: Andrew Johnson Historic Site: Fourteenth Amendment

For Students 9th - 10th
The complete text of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
Activity
Other

Us Courts: Fourth Amendment Activities

For Students 9th - 10th
Activities for the classroom on the 4th Amendment in which students apply landmark Supreme Court cases to contemporary scenarios related to search and seizure issues at school, in the car, and the home. With lesson plan and links to...
Activity
Other

Us Courts: First Amendment Activities

For Students 9th - 10th
Activities for students that make learning about the 1st Amendment relevant by applying landmark Supreme Court cases to contemporary scenarios related to the five parts of the First Amendment and rights to freedom of religion, speech,...
Primary
Thomson Reuters

Find Law: u.s. Constitution: Sixth Amendment

For Students 9th - 10th
This resource contains the text of the 6th amendment. It has several pages of annotations covering the major concepts in the rights of the accused.
Primary
Thomson Reuters

Find Law: Fifth Amendment

For Students 9th - 10th
This resource provides both the text of the amendment and annotations as explanation of various words and phrases.
Lesson Plan
The Dirksen Congressional Center

Congress Link: Lesson Plans

For Teachers 9th - 10th Standards
The Dirksen Congressional Center provides abundant lesson plans on all aspects of the US Congress and the US Constitution. All lessons contain time frames, objectives, and links to material, and are built around Bloom's taxonomy.
Primary
Thomson Reuters

Find Law: u.s. Supreme Court: Mapp v. Ohio (1961)

For Students 9th - 10th
Detailed account of the Supreme Court case of Mapp v. Ohio with the ruling that states are required to exclude evidence seized by illegal search and seizure in violation of the 4th Amendment.
Activity
Thomson Reuters

Find Law: U S. Constitution: Annotation 18: First Amendment

For Students 9th - 10th
Information about the boundaries of seditious speech and the permissibility of governmental measures which are directly concerned with the content of expression.
Website
Ducksters

Ducksters: Us Government for Kids: United States Bill of Rights

For Students 1st - 9th
Kids learn about the Bill of Rights of the United States government. The first 10 amendments to the Constitution.
Activity
Thomson Reuters

Find Law: Article V: Judicial Review

For Students 9th - 10th
A discussion of the proposition that ratification of constitutional amendments is exclusively within the purview of Congress, either because of commitment or because the courts lack basic criteria of determination to pass on them.
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: After the Fact: Virginia, New Yok, and "The Federalist Papers"

For Students 5th - 8th
Read about the necessity for Virginia and New York to support the ratification of the Constitution. See what influenced the vote in Virginia and how the legislature of New York was finally convinced.
Website
Independence Hall Association

U.s. History: The Bill of Rights

For Students 4th - 8th
The Constitution spelled out the powers of the national government, but many Anti-federalists felt there should be equally explicit a guarantee of individual rights. Read about the compiliation of what became known as the Bill of Rights...
Handout
Siteseen

Siteseen: Government and Constitution: 10th Amendment

For Students 9th - 10th
Short, simple summary with the full text of the 10th amendment of the Bill of Rights that states that any powers that the Constitution does not give to the US government, belong to the individual states and the people.
Article
Siteseen

Siteseen: Government and Constitution: Us Senate Facts

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Detailed facts and information on the United States Senate, a part of Congress that has the power to pass, amend and repeal bills that are made into the law of the land.
Website
Ducksters

Ducksters: Us Government for Kids: Constitution Amendments

For Students 1st - 9th
Kids learn about the amendments in the United States Constitution. Seventeen not included in the Bill of Rights of the twenty-seven total.
Primary
Thomson Reuters

Find Law: u.s. Supreme Court: u.s. V. Butler (1936)

For Students 9th - 10th
This Supreme Court case dealt with provisions of the Agricultural Adjustment Act conflicting with the Federal Constitution. Read the complete text of the court's opinions and decision. Registration for a free Findlaw account may be...