Explores the differences between the U.S. Constitution and British constitutional law. Specifically examines the concept of the U.S. Bill of Rights in relation to the United Kingdom common law doctrine of parliamentary sovereignty. (BSR)

The history of the United States Constitution is outlined in this account of the 1787 Constitutional Convention. The document is grouped according to 12 topical headings, which follow a brief account of the participation of George Washington and James Madison. Section 1 deals with the conceptualization and development of the Articles of…

This book contains three major essays that consider the origins of the Bill of Rights, the first 10 amendments to the United States Constitution. In "The U.S. Bill of Rights in Historical Perspective," Donald S. Lutz examines the intellectual context of the Bill of Rights by analyzing the changing ideas about rights in colonial,…

The roots of the Bill of Rights, the first 10 amendments to the United States Constitution, are examined in this document. Attention is directed to English law, specifically the Magna Carta and England's Bill of Rights of 1689, as providing much of the underpinnings for the U.S. Bill of Rights. The text of 15 articles proposed by anti-federalists…

Warns against reinforcing what is called the "sacred mythology" of the "miracle at Philadelphia," and urges teachers to tell the full story of the flaws, fights, and decades of legal and political work required to bring the original constitution in line with the U. S. Declaration of Independence. Supports this argument with a…

This article examines the history and thinking of the Federalists and Anti-Federalists in order to explain the formation of the ideas which allow the U.S. Constitution to provide for an effective government without sacrificing vital individual liberties. (JDH)

Describes a project for middle school students that uses the computer to support student investigation of constitutional issues, called "Putting Rights on Line for 21st Century Citizens." (SR)

A selected, annotated bibliography of more than 300 publications pertaining to all aspects of the problem of privacy in the computer age is presented. The largest part of the entries are for the years 1965-1967. The report is divided into three parts: an essay overview of the problem of privacy and the computer; the bibliography, in which the…

In the United States, the Bill of Rights is most often thought of as the charter that establishes individual rights in categories such as "freedom of expression" and "rights of the accused." In this essay it is argued that this conception of the Bill of Rights, while perhaps acceptable for constitutional law, does not provide…

In 1791, the United States Constitution was amended, in what became known as the Bill of Rights. The 4 landmark Supreme Court cases highlighted in this 28-minute videotape will help students discover how the actions of one individual can affect the rights of every United States citizen. The video includes stories of how ordinary citizens took…

The relation between the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and the provisions of the Bill of Rights or the first 10 Constitutional amendments is discussed. (RM)

These newsletter volumes deal with topics in U.S. history, world history, and U.S. government relating to the Bill of Rights. The newsletters present background information for classroom reading, in some instances provide a list of topical issues, and offer activities for discussion and writing. Some of the topics considered in the newsletters…

Presents a brief conceptual background on the First Amendment freedoms and due process. Offers three case studies to help students explore the issue of balancing First Amendment freedoms with the governmental responsibility for the common good. (JDH)

The fall 1990 issue includes essays that recapture some of the presentations and thinking of the 1990 American Bar Association annual conference on higher education, entitled "American Citizenship and the Constitution." The idea of community was a recurring theme of the conference, and is the focus of three essays included in the Fall…

Discusses faculty seminars on the philosophical roots of the U.S. Bill of Rights. Explores the argument between the Federalists and Anti-Federalists over respective views on the Bill of Rights. Traces the historical and philosophical origins of Republicanism. Provides an outline of themes and readings for each seminar. (RW)