This 30 to 40 minute drama for secondary school students takes place in the Pennsylvania State House, Philadelphia, on September 17, 1787, the day the Constitutional Convention ended. James Madison serves as the drama's spokesman. The drama focuses on five major points: (1) the Colonial Confederation's situation at that time, which necessitated…

Given the role that initiatives and referenda have played in state and local governance, it is interesting that there has never been a national initiative or referendum in the United States. The reason for this is that the Constitution of the United States does not provide for direct citizen initiation of, or direct popular votes on, either…

The paper discusses the political events and issues that affected North Carolina and the nation between 1776 and 1789. Attitudes and philosophies on government and its centralization form the foundation for North Carolina's traditional and firm opposition to centralization of power and changes in government structure. North Carolina's…

A series of articles focus on enduring Constitutional issues and methods for teaching about these in the classroom. Article 1 explores the nature of the judiciary as it has developed under the Constitution. Article 2, by discussing the uses of the Constitution in plays of the Federal Theater Project of the 1930's, examines the Constitution as a…

Presented in this document are a student's study guide and an accompanying teacher's manual. The purpose of the study guide is to present information on (1) what the U.S. Constitution means, (2) how the U.S. government is organized, (3) why the Constitution is a living document, and (4) why the Constitution is a source of pride for U.S. citizens.…

Equipping students intellectually to become active participants in society through an understanding of the past is this text's goal. Based on expository and inquiry methods that encourage active participation by students, the document stresses the development of analytic and evaluative skills. The activities built into the lesson plans include…

Reviews school curriculum treatment of the Constitution noting inadequacies of early instructional methods and textbooks and a dramatic decline of education about the Constitution which began during the progressive education era. Presents the results of surveys which indicate a lack of constitutional knowledge among our youth. Concludes with a…

Emphasizing the educational importance of the bicentennial celebration of the signing of the U.S. Constitution, Miller reviews various curriculum materials related to the topic. Recommends works for all grade levels, citing, among others, LESSONS ON THE CONSTITUTION, LAW AND THE BICENTENNIAL, and computer software entitled THE UNITED STATES…

Discusses traditional concepts of tradition, religion, commerce, and family life. Points out innovative philosophies held by the Founding Fathers which shaped the Constitution. The subsequent moral revolution needs to be reconsidered in light of the Founding Fathers' intent. (PS)

Examines the Supreme Court's historical treatment of the Bill of Rights and the Fourteenth Amendment to better understand the meaning of the Constitution's founding. That the Constitution does not offer an absolute protection is supported by analyzing a broad outline of the Constitution and several court cases involving due process. (TRS)

This paper consists of preliminary notes for a lecture on the commonalities between the history of constitution-making in the Republic of Mexico and the United States. The paper discusses the first Mexican Constitution of 1824 and notes that Mexico has had many different constitutions. It also notes that, despite the U.S. and Mexican shared…

California State Standard 5.7 is delineated in the following manner: "Students describe the people and events associated with the development of the U.S. Constitution and analyze the Constitution's significance as the foundation of the American republic." Students answer six questions about the Constitution and present suggestions for…

Beginning in the mid-19th century, several generations of woman suffrage supporters lectured, wrote, marched, lobbied, and practiced civil disobedience to achieve what many people considered a radical change in the U.S. Constitution. Militant suffragists used tactics such as parades, silent vigils, and hunger strikes. In 1870 the 15th amendment to…

From the outbreak of World War I in Europe until the signing of the Versailles Treaty, President Woodrow Wilson's administration proposed and implemented an extraordinary number of programs that affected people in their everyday activities. In August 1917 Congress passed the Food and Fuel Control Act, also known as the Lever Act, which gave the…

By late winter 1933, the United States had already endured more than 3 years of economic depression. During the previous summer, the Democratic Party platform had unveiled a generalized plan for economic recovery. President Franklin D. Roosevelt set about to prepare the nation to accept expansion of federal power since he recognized that the…