Age of Enlightenment

Students explore the framework of government and examine the Constitution to see its impact on their lives.

Did you know that the United States Constitution was adopted after many state constitutions were already in place? Young scholars examine facts about the influence of states through an informative and interesting resource. Groups then...

Here is a great secondary source reading that includes the primary ideas and philosophies of the famed Enlightenment philosophers: Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Charles Montesquieu, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. In additional to discussing...

Explore the unique structure of the federal system of government in the United States. Class members will learn about how most nations were organized before the establishment of the Constitution, how power is currently divided...

Sit back, relax, and transport to 1787! This lesson on the Constitution begins with guided imagery of the Constitutional Convention. The class reads A More Perfect Union: The Story of Our Constitution in an...

A government of the people, by the people, and for the people! Invite your class to really analyze the concept of consent of the governed and why it is one of the foundational principles of the United States Constitution and of...

Supreme Court justices debate the meaning of the US Constitution, but we expect teachers to explain it to scholars with far less training and experience. A daunting task for sure, but it's not insurmountable with resources that simplify...

Constitution Day celebrates the evolving principles that guide our nation from 1789 all the way to today. The resource celebrates Constitution Day with an overview of the principles and laws that guide the government. Scholars see events...

The Founding Fathers are larger than life in history books, but an engaging video resource brings them up close to your pupils. As viewers meet the founders in the National Constitution Center's Signers' Hall, they learn about the...

Even the most inspiring documents in American history had to go through a few drafts before they were ready for publication. Reinforce the importance of the writing process, as well as the collaborative nature of democracy, with an...