Each issue in this bicentennial series features articles on selected U.S. Constitution topics, along with a section on primary documents and lesson plans or class activities. Issue 14 features: (1) "The Political Economy of the Constitution" (K. Dolbeare; L. Medcalf); (2) "A 'New Historical Whooper': Creating the Art of the…

Senate Joint Resolution 2 calls for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to allow voluntary silent prayer or reflection in public schools. The hearing report consists of testimony on the proposed legislation by expert witnesses, prepared statements by various individuals and organizations, and newspaper article reprints and Supreme Court opinions…

Implications and ramifications of the religion clauses of the First Amendment are examined. Supreme Court rulings of the last six years concerning many issues, including government and privately sponsored nativity scenes in public places, public aid to parochial schools, and equal access of religious groups to public school facilities, are…

This reference volume provides information on gun control and gun rights, including resources on the debate surrounding the Second Amendment and individuals and organizations focused on gun issues, along with statutes, court cases, events, and publications surrounding this current topic. Highlighted are the important organizations and their…

This social studies curriculum guide broadly examines the relationships between the media and the military during wartime. It is divided into three units and includes 25 activities. The first unit, "Media and Conflict," begins with an examination of the historical context of the U.S. press and media and international conflicts. The…

Describes the National Bicentennial Competition on the Constitution and Bill of Rights, a Center for Civic Education project. Includes two project lessons which focus on the U.S. Constitution as an instrument to protect individual freedom at the middle school level, and feature the founding philosophy of the Constitution at the high school level.…

Maintains that "New York Times v. Sullivan" (1964) was the greatest political libel case ever decided by the Supreme Court. Asserts that it is a monument to the idea that open political discourse is the best guarantee of democratic self-governance. (CFR)

Presenting U.S. history teachers with a set of 26 lessons, this book is designed to help educators teach about the Bill of Rights and to assist students in understanding important events and concepts related to the Bill of Rights. The book begins with the fundamental concepts of government, law, and historical roots of the Bill of Rights and…

Designed to supplement students' study of the Bill of Rights and the First Amendment, this text can help them identify the First Amendment as a blueprint for a tolerant society. The introduction explains the purpose of the book and describes its contents. The first chapter discusses events leading to the First Amendment's creation. The chapter…

The recommendations put forth in this document were developed at a symposium in which policy and decision makers from education, government, publishing, legal, judicial, and philanthropic organizations gathered to address the following three questions: (1) Is the study of the Constitution and Bill of Rights critical to meeting the nation's…

This curriculum, intended to be used in the upper elementary grades, introduces students to the study of constitutional government in the United States. It is designed to help students understand the most important ideas of the constitutional system and how they were developed. Its intent is to provide students with a knowledge of how the…

This document presents learning materials designed to support school and community activities dealing with the Bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution, and particularly with New York State's role in the nation's constitutional history. The following materials concerning school and community activities are included: "'Congress Shall Make No…

Ideas and information that can enhance education about the constitutional rights of individuals in U.S. history and the current system of government in the United States are included in this book. The resource guide contains nine distinct parts dealing with aspects of learning and teaching about the Bill of Rights in both elementary and secondary…

The definition of religious freedom from the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom (1786) to the most recent U.S. Supreme Court decision is not clear and well-defined. The two religious clauses found in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (those denying Congress the right either to establish religion or to prohibit its free exercise)…

The lesson's goal is to enhance student understanding of basic civil rights and liberties through a comparison of the basic documents undergirding the laws of the United States and the Federal Republic of Germany. The lesson contains: (1) a quiz on the basic rights in the United States and West Germany; (2) an outline of the civil rights and…