May 17, 2004 marked the fifty years that have passed since the United States Supreme Court handed down one of its most famous, compelling and iconic decisions, "Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas." Certainly the decision itself, labeling the practice of "separate but equal" as unconstitutional, deserves the fanfare…

The opportunity for religious freedom brought the Amish from Europe to North America as early as 1737. And for many generations, conflicts between the Amish and the U.S. government were limited to Amish objections to military service. However, as the government's regulatory power grew in the 20th century, clashes between the Amish and the state…

This teacher's guide is designed to accompany the two-part videotape "One Nation Under God? School Prayer and the First Amendment." The videotape and teacher's guide should help students to: (1) understand the history of freedom of religion and the First Amendment; (2) examine the controversy surrounding school prayer; (3) compare and…

This unit is one of a series that presents specific moments in history from which students focus on the meanings of landmark events. By studying a crucial turning-point in history, students become aware that choices had to be made by real human beings, that those decisions were the result of specific factors, and that they set in motion a series…

The purpose of this Colorado state curriculum guide is to involve elementary school students in meaningful experiences about the U.S. Constitution and to promote democracy, democratic values, and citizenship education in elementary schools. This document provides an interdisciplinary approach to teaching about the Constitution through lessons in…

The primary focus of this legal education module, fourth of five to be integrated into an 11th grade American history course, is on the problems of maintaining a system of government in which officials who make, change, enforce, and apply laws do not unreasonably interfere with fundamental values and interests of the governed. Understandings, or…

In this high school U.S. government and U.S. history curriculum unit, students examine in depth the annexation of the Philippines. Detailed activities are provided to teach students about U.S. foreign policy, the growth of the United States as a world power, and expansion and colonization in the Pacific Ocean. The materials include informational…

Explains that teaching the historical context of women's legal issues allows future voters to make informed decisions. Suggests ways of including the Equal Rights Amendment, sexual harassment, sexual discrimination, and abortion in the high school curriculum. Recommends several anthologies of primary materials for teaching these issues. (LS)

Describes a two-day activity in which elementary students examine voting rights, the right to assemble, and women's suffrage. Explains the game, "Assemble, Reassemble," and a student-produced talk show with five students playing the roles of leaders of the women's suffrage movement. Profiles Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, Susan…

Presents a classroom lesson in which students compare the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 with civil rights legislation from the 1960s and 1970s. Uses role playing and case studies to examine various aspects social and legal discrimination. Includes lesson objectives, instructional procedures, and five student information handouts. (CFR)

The purpose of this curriculum unit is to give students a better understanding of the history of the relationship between women and constitutional issues. The study of women and the United States Constitution is an important reminder of the complexity of a democracy. In the United States, even today, the ideology of freedom and justice is often…

This teaching guide accompanies a curriculum, intended to be used in the middle school grades, that 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, and to provide students with a…

This booklet presents teacher-developed units of study on the American government for eleventh-grade students. The materials are Part I of a set of classroom strategies intended to help secondary students examine American history in light of the issues identified by the American Issues Forum. Students analyze the U.S. Constitution, draw cartoons,…

This document combines a student's workbook and teacher's guide, which were separately published. The beginning-level workbook in United States citizenship instruction is intended for adult immigrants with limited reading skills and/or familiarity with civics concepts. It presents and reinforces the knowledge required to pass the standardized…

Asserts that American revolutionaries so revered the rule of law that they relied on it to help rule their slaves. Maintains that Thomas Jefferson was no exception to this dilemma of justifying slavery while upholding liberty. Describes slavery at Jefferson's plantation, Monticello, within a legal and social structure. (CFR)