"We the People...The Citizen and the Constitution" is a national civic education program that aims to help elementary and secondary students understand the history and principles of constitutional government. The program focuses on the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights and fosters civic competence and responsibility among students in…

"We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution," is an educational program developed by the Center for Civic Education. The program instructs students on the history and principles of American constitutional democracy with the primary goal of promoting civic competence and responsibility among the nation's elementary, middle, and…

If students are to fulfill their obligations and rights as U.S. citizens they must develop the ability to make careful judgements, based on a reasoned historical perspective and a meaningful conception of the basic democratic values underlying citizenship in our constitutional order. To this end, an agenda of 12 core civic values that are…

Writers in this journal have presented a number of strategies that sociology teachers can use to facilitate the expression--and serious analysis--of unpopular opinions. This article contributes to this dialog by illustrating the application of a Bill of Rights learning module. In this module, students are expected to create a document that…

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…

To help public schools produce well-educated citizens, the Center for Civic Education (originating at UCLA in 1965) works with elementary and secondary school students and teachers to promote better understanding of such basic democratic principles as due process, federalism, and judicial review. The process transforms student interactions while…

We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution is an educational program developed by the Center for Civic Education (the Center). The program instructs students on the history and principles of American constitutional democracy with the primary goal of promoting civic competence and responsibility among the nation's elementary, middle, and…

Great ideas about law, government, and the rights of individuals, embedded in U.S. founding documents, are the connective cords by which national unity and civic identity have been maintained in the United States from the 1770s until today. To be a citizen is to understand and have a reasonable commitment to the ideas in the founding documents.…

The religious liberty clauses of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States are the most important political decision for religious liberty and public justice in history. Two hundred years after their enactment, they stand out boldly in a century darkened by state repression and sectarian conflict. The controversy now surrounding…

Contends that much of the controversy of contemporary U.S. politics is a replay of the constitutional drama that occurred more than 200 years ago. Maintains that the roles of James Madison and Virginia in the writing and ratification of the U.S. Constitution provide six lessons for teachers and students. (CFR)

This issue of "this Constitution" is devoted to commemorating the bicentennial of the Bill of Rights of the U.S. Constitution. Materials include: "A Chronology of Civil Liberties and Civil Rights in the United States" (Herman Belz); "Constitutional Power to Enforce Individual Rights: The Legacy of McCulloch v.…

Outlines projects organized by the Pennsylvania Humanities Council to celebrate the Bill of Rights bicentennial. Concentrates on a poster exhibit consisting of 12 panels depicting civil rights with accompanying essays. Stresses promoting the Bill of Rights' relevance to students' lives and the humanities role in teaching lessons from history and…