As soon as World War II ended, the United States and the Soviet Union began a struggle for supremacy. It was against the backdrop of the Cold War that the threat of internal subversion and external attack began to preoccupy Congress. On February 9, 1950, Senator Joseph McCarthy gave a speech in Wheeling, West Virginia, where he claimed to have in…

This digest highlights the Constitutional and statutory foundations of the United States Supreme Court, discusses the changing role of the Supreme Court, and recommends online resources helpful in teaching and learning about the United States Supreme Court. The digest addresses general concerns of delegates at the Constitutional Convention,…

This publication provides census questionnaires and instructions for decennial censuses beginning in 1790 and ending in 2000. It also presents a history of the decennial censuses from 1790 to 2000 and offers individual histories of the U.S. census from the first (1790) to the sixteenth (1940). The publication discusses the seventeenth (1950),…

The scope of the American Presidency and the office's powers can change from one Chief Executive to the next. The Chief Executive is the Head of State, has Executive Powers and Privileges, is the Chief Negotiator in Treaties, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, and leader of his political party. This paper considers European and U.S.…

This 4-day curriculum unit explores U.S. foreign policy between 1787 and 1812. During this time the United States faced a series of foreign policy challenges that threatened its survival as an independent, constitutional republic. Between 1793 and 1815, a nearly continuous series of wars pitting the French against the British engulfed the European…

Suggests ways the U.S. Founding Fathers went about the task of interpreting the Constitution. Discusses literalism, arguments from history concerning original intent, moral reasoning, and the concept of precedent as interpretive techniques used by the founders. Sees this variety of techniques as the basis for the U.S. tradition of discussion over…

Reflects on the author's experiences teaching a course on great documents in American history to high school students, concentrating on teaching the Declaration of Independence and the "Federalist Papers." Countering the students' tendencies toward superficial reading and encouraging deep analysis are the teacher's primary goals. (SLD)

Outlines the history of the doctrine of judicial review, which makes the Supreme Court the final arbiter in questions of constitutional interpretation. Discusses debates over the structure and role of the judiciary at the Constitutional Convention, the impact of Chief Justice John Marshall, and distinctive features of 20th-century judicial…

The text of a speech made by the Staff Director and Director of Education of the U.S. Bicentennial Commission, the paper presents an overview of the Commission's plans for the 1991 celebration of the Bicentennial of the Bill of Rights. "The Bill of Rights and Beyond," the theme of the celebration, conveys the idea that although the 200th…

The Department of the Army has been chosen to be the executive agent for the Department of Defense (DOD) programs celebrating the Bicentennial of the United States Constitution. The DOD commemorative focus is fourfold: (1) to demonstrate the role and relationships of the military in national government; (2) to provide educational and historical…

The proper role and function of the Supreme Court in the United States' system of government has been a matter of great controversy in recent years. "The Federalist Papers," specifically the documents written by "Publius," have much insight to contribute to this debate. In "Federalist #78," Publius makes the case for…

The story of the United States Constitution is told in 12 posters: "The Blessings of Liberty"; "The Articles of Confederation"; "A 'Less Perfect' Union, 1781-1788"; "The Constitutional Convention"; "The Founders' Achievement"; "The Anti-Federalist Argument"; "Ratification";…

The address discusses the meaning and structure of the United States Constitution and how it relates to the importance of citizenship. The Constitution's history is sketched in a brief discussion of its creation, founders, theoretical roots, and the concept of delegation of powers. The idea of limited governmental powers rests on an informed…

This report, a supplement to "The Constitution and the Community: A Resource for Planning Humanities-Based Programs on the United States Constitution," describes resources for community oriented U.S. Constitution bicentennial celebration programs. Part 1 outlines basic planning procedures in terms of: (1) focusing on humanities; (2)…

Reviews case law, constitutional principles, and early American writings which deal with the idea of private property. Concludes that, in the future, the issues of laissez-fare capitalism, government regulation, and the welfare state will require further clarification of our conception of private property. (JDH)