Student activities, teacher background information, and lesson ideas for teaching about law in social studies classrooms are presented. The first section provides students with a worksheet for determining the dates and historical significance of 15 great events (or documents) in U.S. history. A teacher resource list matches each event to pages in…

The author examines the influences of classical Greek and Roman literature and law upon court decisions in the United States during the first decade following the adoption of the Constitution. References to Greek and Roman literature, history, and mythology by Virginia's High Court Chancellor George Wythe and by several Justices of the Supreme…

This monograph briefly examines justice in the United States as it has evolved historically in four areas: (1) the right to vote; (2) the right to freedom of expression and freedom of the press; (3) the rights of persons accused of crimes; and (4) the right to equal protection under the law. Each area is analyzed. Historical background information…

This resource guide contains six units of study on citizenship education for use at the secondary level. The purpose of the units is to help students examine the political and legal processes of American society and the rights, responsibilities, and roles of its citizens. The units can be used as the basis for a one-semester elective course in…

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)

Offers a lesson plan for teaching upper elementary and middle school students about the First Amendment. The lesson begins by inviting students to censor government criticism in the local newspaper and may be expanded to include an introduction to the Bill of Rights. (JDH)

This lesson presents an overview of the U. S. Constitution's provision of impeachment as the method for removing the president, vice president, federal judges, and other federal officials from office. The lesson outlines and discusses the impeachment process. It also offers historical background on the framing of the Constitution and on Presidents…

This lesson presents the historical background of Abraham Lincoln's selection of Andrew Johnson as his running mate in the election of 1864. The lesson considers the climate in the U.S. Congress after President Lincoln's assassination. The details of the impeachment and trial of President Andrew Johnson are given. The lesson presents three…

Discusses the changing legal status of women from the American Revolution to the present. Divides discussion into five major constitutional periods. Describes the "Broken Barometer" theory in which laws passed for the benefit of women are actually an indicator of their past needs rather than their present concerns. (RW)

Presents the Bill of Rights of the United States Constitution. Provides teaching suggestions, a review quiz, and includes the five points of the Miranda Warning. (CFR)

Focuses on the rationale for campaign finance reform, preventing corruption or the appearance of corruption in the electoral process, and the need for balancing the constitutional rights protected by the First Amendment. Discusses the issues of disclosure, contribution limits, issue advocacy, and soft money. Includes teaching activities and…

On May 17, 2004, the United States will observe the fiftieth anniversary of the Supreme Court's landmark decision in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas. By invalidating the doctrine of "separate but equal" in the field of public education, a doctrine that had been approved by the same court nearly sixty years earlier in Plessy…

In 2004, Commissioner of Education D. Kent King appointed a statewide task force to study Missouri high schools and make recommendations on strengthening the ways they help students prepare for life after high school. The State Board of Education adopted the following recommendations in 2005 and 2006. The State Board of Education increased minimum…