In 1876 Americans held a Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) to celebrate the nation's birth 100 years earlier. Machinery Hall drew the most admiration and wonder. Alexander Graham Bell exhibited the first telephone, and Thomas Alva Edison presented the automatic telegraph, one of more than 1,000 inventions he would patent in his…

Minutes of a hearing of the Senate Subcommittee on the Constitution are presented, beginning with opening statements from four United States senators (Hatch, Grassley, Thurmond, DeConcini) concerning the significance of the United States Constitution and its doctrine of the diffusion of powers. The core of the minutes includes the prepared…

This executive report describes the Commission's purpose, plans, and activities to commemorate the Bicentennial of the Constitution in 1987, emphasizing educational opportunities and the enlargement of public understanding and appreciation of the Constitution. The parts of the report include: the Commission (establishment, membership,…

The original United States Constitution of 1787, specifically in the communication related provisions of Article 1, deals extensively with communication issues, and provides an illustration of the tensions that existed between freedom and suppression. Philosophically, there was support for freedom of expression while in real world events there was…

Many historians call the Civil War the central event in U.S. history. The formation of the U.S. Constitution corrected the autonomy of individual states that the Articles of Confederation did not harness. The young country struggled for 75 years to find a graceful balance between the power of the federal government and that of the states. The…

From the earliest times when commodities such as tobacco and beaver pelts were used as money, to the present when credit and debit cards are commonplace, money has played a central role in the U.S. experience. This booklet provides an historical overview of the concept of money as it has evolved in the United States. The booklet is divided into…

The guiding principle behind President George W. Bush's Faith-Based and Community Initiative is that faith-based charities should be able to compete on an equal footing for public dollars to provide public services. President Bush believes that the federal government, within the framework of U.S. Constitutional church-state guidelines, should…

Despite efforts by the federal and state governments to battle social distress, there are many people who still suffer from poverty and despair. People are calling out for help. For years, faith-based and community groups have been assisting these people and others in need. The federal government has not often been a willing partner to these…

James Madison's thoughts on various interpretations of the Constitution maintain that public opinion is the ultimate method of legitimizing the document. The Constitution must prevail against mere public opinion, but public opinion may be used to establish the meaning of the Constitution when conflicting interpretations exist. The public good and…

Offers a collection of seven lesson plans and 33 activity ideas for the celebration of the Constitutional bicentennial. The lesson plans and activities span grades K through 12. (JDH)

Offers a concept learning lesson in which secondary students explore the subject of federalism. Application exercises are used at the end of each main section in order for students to apply what they have learned. (BSR)

Presents a two-day lesson which helps students understand the distinction between government and private action and, for more advanced students, to apply past court decisions to a hypothetical situation involving commerce and contract rights. Includes a checklist of 25 items which examines government involvement in students' everyday lives. (GEA)

Presents a lesson which has students examine constitutional guarantees regarding freedom of religion. The lesson uses key U.S. Supreme Court cases, the Constitution, and the Northwest Ordinance to involve students in examining the issue of prayer in public schools. (JDH)

From the 1860s through the 1870s the U.S. frontier saw many Indian wars and skirmishes. A study and report on the conditions of the Indian tribes, released in 1867, led to an act to establish an Indian Peace Commission to end the wars and prevent future Indian conflicts. In the spring of 1868 a conference was held at Fort Laramie (Wyoming) that…

In 1917, after much agitation for alcohol prohibition by many temperance societies and organizations, the House of Representatives wanted to make Prohibition the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and sent the amendment to the states for ratification. Thirteen months later enough states said yes to the amendment. It was now against the law to…