US Department of State
Info Usa: Foreign Trade and Global Economic Policies
U.S. foreign trade and global economic policies have changed direction dramatically during the more than two centuries that the United States has been a country. In the early days of the nation's history, government and business mostly...
Other
Federal Executive Departments
A complete list of the executive departments and their branches. Clicking on the name of the department will take you to that home page.
Other
Data: Empowering People
Find, download, and use datasets generated by the executive branch of the U.S. federal government to learn about our nation and the world.
C3 Teachers
C3 Teachers: Inquiries: The President
A comprehensive learning module on government that includes three supporting questions accompanied by formative tasks and source materials, followed by a summative performance task. Students look at leaders at the different levels of...
Thomson Reuters
Find Law: u.s. Constitution: Article I
Complete text of Article I, sections 1-10, of the U.S. Constitution, establishing the Legislative Branch of the Federal government.
The White House
The White House: Council of Economic Advisers
Official website for the United States Council of Economic Advisers, which advises the President on economic matters. Use the links on the left side to get more background on the Council. Has a link for kids.
This Nation
This nation.com: Executive Order 13132 of August 4, 1999
This Executive Order signed by President Bill Clinton on 8/4/99 is an order that describes the balance between state and federal governments, as warranted by the Framers of the Constitution and federalism.
University of Missouri
Exploring Constitutional Conflicts: The Reach of Congressional Power
Read about the privileges and powers exercised by Congress from a constitutional law perspective. Includes examples of many cases which have tested the limits of Congressional power in the history of the United States. Many links to...
The Dirksen Congressional Center
Dirksen Congressional Center:congress for Kids: Introduction to the Constitution
Explore the history of the United States Constitution: information about the writing the Constitution, the Great Compromise, the Constitution's signers, the Bill of Rights, the Amendments to the Constitution, federal powers, checks and...
US Department of State
Office of the Historian: Constitutional Convention and Ratification
Among the many weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation was the inability of the government to conduct foreign policy in an effective manner. Find out how the Constitutional Convention addressed this issue by allowing the Executive...
Alabama Learning Exchange
Alex: Montgomery Field Trip Tour Book
During this lesson, students explore the functions of our government through the Internet, slideshow presentations, and by visiting Alabama's capital city of Montgomery. Students will use their field trip as a guide to create a tour book...
Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg Learner: Democracy in America: The Constitution: Fixed or Flexible?
This unit explores the timeless qualities of The U.S. Constitution, the opportunities to amend it, and how it is a pillar of the American identity, through these activities, videos, and outside resources.
The Dirksen Congressional Center
Congress Link: Lesson Plans
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.
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: The Tough Issues
Read about the change of plans when delegates to the Philadelphia convention decided to write a new constitution to replace the Articles of Convention. See the ideas delegates had to address concerns of large and small states.
Other
A Republic, if You Can Keep It
An essay by U.S. Congressional Representative Ron Paul of Texas on the state of the American republic delivered at the dawn of the twenty-first century. He argues for the strong separation of powers among the three branches of government...
Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg Classroom: The Constitutional Convention
Travel back to 1787 and become a delegate to the convention in Philadelphia. As the Founding Fathers struggle to decide how the young nation will be governed, explore how very different men representing their states' conflicting...
Digital History
Digital History: The Age of Constitution Writing [Pdf]
See how colonial and state constitutions differed and how the idea of a social contract between a government and its citizens is reflected in the state constitutions. The second half of this site gives an abbreviated text of the Articles...
Library of Congress
Loc: The Constitution: Counter Revolution or National Salvation
Using primary texts and prior study of Colonial America and the Revolution, students examine "what type of government would best represent the ideals of the American Revolution." Worksheets, discussions, and role-playing within this...
Wikimedia
Wikipedia: Separation of Powers
Discusses what separation of powers is, what it looked like in the past, and how it is interpreted in countries around the world and in the United States.
Travel Document Systems
Tds: Egypt: Economy
Find out what the Egyptian government is doing to jump-start its economy. Although based on agriculture, see how the economy is branching out into other sectors to provide jobs for millions of Egyptians. Information is from the U.S....
Tennessee History For Kids
Tennessee History for Kids: Part Four, New Nation and Statehood
This website page includes information regarding how Tennessee became a state beginning with King George III's Proclamation of 1763 and ending with Tennessee becoming a state and moving the capitol to Knoxville.
US Senate
The U. S. Senate: Senators of the 108th Congress
This site from the United States Senate provides a current list of the Senators of the 108th Congress. You can sort by state, name or party, view biographical and contact information and much more.
iCivics
I Civics: Nationbuilder in Chief
Students learn about some of the decisions and actions the first presidential administrations took to make sure the United States would be strong enough to last.
A&E Television
History.com: How the u.s. Constitution Has Changed and Expanded Since 1787
Through amendments and legal rulings, the Constitution has transformed in some critical ways. The U.S. Constitution, written in 1787 and ratified by nine of the original 13 states a year later, is the world's longest-surviving written...