C-SPAN
On This Day: 26th Amendment is passed by Congress
The Twenty-sixth Amendment greatly altered voting rights in the United States. Engaging video clips explain why the amendment was created and how it has impacted voter turnout over the years.
C-SPAN
On This Day: Constitution Day
Constitution Day celebrates the evolving principles that guide our nation from 1789 all the way to today. The resource celebrates Constitution Day with an overview of the principles and laws that guide the government. Scholars see events...
C-SPAN
On This Day: Prohibition
Before Prohibition, America was literally awash in alcohol, according to one historian of the topic. When the Eighteenth Amendment was enacted, loopholes allowed Americans workarounds, such as the ability to make up to 250 gallons of...
C-SPAN
On This Day: The Ratification of The Bill of Rights
The cherished rights included in the first ten amendments to the Constitution almost didn't happen! Pupils tour via video a National Archives exhibit on the Bill of Rights, as well as listen to how a modern judge applies them. Once...
C-SPAN
On This Day: Ratification of the 21st Amendment
What led to the end of Prohibition? In a word: money. To use the words of one historian: the government was desperate for tax revenue in the midst of the Depression. With a series of curated videos, scholars examine the causes of and the...
National Constitution Center
Classroom Discussion Starter: Freedom of Expression
The Ku Klux Klan wants to hold a rally on the Antietem battlefield. Should the federal park permit the rally? Or does the First Amendment have limitations? Scholars ponder these questions and more using a discussion starter video and...
TED-Ed
The Historic Women’s Suffrage March on Washington
March 3, 1913, thousands of women marched on Washington D.C. to demand the right to vote. Learn about the organizers and leaders of the protest with a short video that details how the protest reignited the fight for voting rights and...
National Constitution Center
Classroom Discussion Starter: Search and Seizure
An administrator catches a student smoking in a school bathroom. After the vice principal searches her purse and finds marijuana, she is arrested and later found guilty of drug charges. Was the search legitimate? Scholars consider the...
National Constitution Center
The Fourteenth Amendment
What does equal protection under the law mean? This right is given to Americans thanks to the Fourteenth Amendment, although historical events and Supreme Court cases have led to its refinement over the years. A video resource traces the...
National Constitution Center
Convention, Ratification, and Amendment Process
While the Revolution is perhaps the most famous revolt in American history, do scholars know about Shays' Rebellion? The outcome of the uprising led to the current Constitution. A video resource traces the history of and how the Bill of...
National Constitution Center
The Bill of Rights (Second Edition)
Protecting basic liberties was at the heart of the American Revolution. However, it wasn't until after the Constitutional Convention that the Founding Fathers added a list of rights guaranteed to the people, now our most important legal...
National Constitution Center
14th Amendment with Jeffrey Rosen
What makes the Fourteenth Amendment relevant to today's America? Jeffrey Rosen, president of the National Constitution Center, attempts to answer the question by walking through the clauses of the Reconstruction-era amendment. Due...
National Constitution Center
Classroom Discussion Starter: Freedom from Excessive Punishment
You are the governor of your state. A man has been sentenced to die for first degree murder, but you've been asked to commute the sentence. What do you do? Scholars consider the difficult question using a conversation starter video that...
PBS
The Fourteenth Amendment - Part II
How did the Supreme Court and its interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment contribute to Jim Crow laws? Find out just how much Supreme Court interpretations can affect society by using an informative resource. Learners watch a video,...
PBS
The Fourteenth Amendment - Part I
A history resource includes direct instruction about the Fourteenth Amendment and an instructional video. It also includes ideas for discussion questions and additional reading to learn more.
TED-Ed
How You Could Get Away with Murder in Yellowstone’s “Zone of Death"
Looking for loopholes in the Constitution? Watch a video that describes how one could get away with a crime in the "Zone of Death." Because Yellowstone National Park is considered to be federal land, and it is technically in three...
TED-Ed
Why Is the US Constitution so Hard to Amend?
Over 11,000 amendments have been proposed for the US Constitution, yet only 27 have peen ratified. This short video explains why.
Curated OER
Our Classroom Constitution
Develop a system of classroom rules created by the kids, for the kids with this three-part instructional activity series on the US Constitution. After learning about the structure of the Constitution and the government it...
Crash Course
Women's Suffrage
Discover why some term the period between 1890 and 1920 in the United States a "women's era," a period in which women saw greater economic and political opportunities and an overall shift in gender roles. This video details women's...
Curated OER
The Bill of Rights
Why was the Bill of Rights necessary after the Founding Fathers spent so much time drafting the Constitution? Watch an informative video that explains what the Bill of Rights is and why it is important.
Curated OER
Constitution Lecture 5: Federalism vs. Nationalism
What is the difference between federalism and nationalism and how did those differences shape the US Constitution? This is the focus of lecture five in a series on understanding the US Constitution. Centralized powers, the role of the...
Curated OER
US Government Review Part 1 - 3 Branches of Government
A fun and interesting teacher describes the three branches of the US government. His lecture style and ability to explain with good examples could be a really big help to older students needing a tutorial or extra support in...
TED-Ed
A 3-Minute Guide to the Bill of Rights
If you don't have the time to spend an entire class on the Bill of Rights, or you are looking for a simple overview, this video provides clear and illustrated descriptions of each of the first ten amendments to the Constitution. You may...
Curated OER
American Civil War, 1861-1865
The American Civil War tore the country in two. What made tension grow between the North and the South? How did the war finally begin? What artillery was used? Answer some of these basic questions using this resource. Consider choosing a...