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Unit Plan
C3 Teachers

Democracy in Danger: Should the Right to Vote Be Protected in the Constitution?

For Teachers 12th
High school seniors investigate what national, state and local rules say about voting. After examining the Constitution's articles, clauses, and amendments, researchers look at videos, listen to podcasts, and read articles to gather...
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Lesson Plan
K20 LEARN

Ancient Philosophy: Greeks or Romans?

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
While often not recognized, the ideas of ancient Greek and Roman philosophers still echo today. Using a series of videos and graphic organizers, individuals explore how ancient Greeks and Romans have influenced current Western political...
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Lesson Plan
K20 LEARN

Electoral College: Does My Vote Count?

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
How can a candidate get the most votes, yet still lose the race for the presidency? This is has happened more than once in American history, including in the elections of 2000 and 2016. Using an activity for creating group notes, young...
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Lesson Plan
K20 LEARN

Slavery in the Constitution

For Teachers 8th - 11th
Young historians may be surprised to learn that the Constitution of the United States includes provisions that protect the institution of slavery. Groups examine four clauses of the Constitution, as well as other primary sources, and...
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Lesson Plan
Newseum

‘45 Words' Video Lesson

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed Standards
A short video introduces viewers to the political struggles involved in passing the First Amendment and the many challenges it has faced since its passage.  Viewers then discuss how to balance issues of freedom of the press, national...
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Lesson Plan
Center for History Education

The Louisiana Purchase: Real Estate Deal of the Century?

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
It's about real estate! Almost overnight, Thomas Jefferson's Louisiana Purchase about doubled the size of the young United States ... but was it constitutional? Using a variety of secondary and primary sources, including Jefferson's own...
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Lesson Plan
Center for History Education

Helping to Move On? An Analysis of the Reconstruction Amendments

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Reconstruction amendments: a helping hand or another form of slavery? An inquisitive lesson compares the Reconstruction legislation that ended slavery, granted citizenship, and protected voting right for African American men. Scholars...
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Interactive
DocsTeach

Prohibition and Its Consequences

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Organized crime and speakeasies ... just another day during Prohibition. An intriguing activity explores the world of Prohibition and its consequences on life in the United States. Scholars analyze primary sources and place them on a...
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Lesson Plan
Center for History Education

The Founding Fathers and the Constitutional Struggle Over Centralized Power

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Believe it or not, the Constitution was America's second attempt at a democratic government. Academics travel back to the past to explore the shortcomings of the Articles of Confederation that would eventually lead to the Constitutional...
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Activity
Smithsonian Institution

Young People Shake Up Elections (History Proves It) Educator Guide

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Vote, it's your civic duty! The resource provides several videos about voting in the United States. Scholars watch a series of topics ranging from youth participation to civic action. The educator's guide provides teachers with...
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Interactive
DocsTeach

Extending Suffrage to Women

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Votes for women! The activity highlights the push for the Nineteenth Amendment giving women the right to vote. High school scholars learn how the Fifteenth Amendment giving African American men the right to vote helped to spark the...
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Lesson Plan
Judicial Branch of California

Balancing Act: The Three Branches

For Teachers 5th Standards
What do hula hoops and the American system of government have in common? Using hands-on station activities, pupils consider the roles of the three branches of government. A script for teachers and writing prompts help round out a...
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Interactive
DocsTeach

Alfred Sinker and the Writ of Habeas Corpus in 1861

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Scholars learn how the judicial system treated under-age Civil War soldiers using historical analysis. The resource uses court documents to help historians understand why Habeas Corpus was used in the case of Alfred Sinker and why he was...
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Interactive
DocsTeach

U.S. v. Amistad: A Case of Jurisdiction

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Just what is jurisdiction and why does it matter? A helpful activity takes academics on a journey to understand how judicial jurisdiction works. Scholars read excerpts from the Constitution and court documents to understand the process...
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Interactive
DocsTeach

The Voting Record of the Constitution

For Teachers 5th - 8th
A piece of the past helps shape the future. Learn what historical documents reveal about the past using an engaging activity.  Academics participate in a role-playing scenario, view the voting record of the Constitutional Convention,...
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Interactive
DocsTeach

Senators' Pay in the First Congress

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Senators are public servants but they do get paychecks. The activity focuses on historical analysis and a treasury document from the first Congress. Scholars read the document, answer questions, and participate in group discussion to...
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Interactive
DocsTeach

Comparing the Magna Carta and English Bill of Rights with the U.S. Bill of Rights

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Just how alike are some historical documents? Discover the similarities between the Magna Carta and the United States Bill of Rights in a fast-paced activity. Historians learn the importance of both documents and the lasting impact they...
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Lesson Plan
Teaching Tolerance

The True History of Voting Rights

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Explore what voting rights really are in an intriguing lesson that explores the history of American voting. The resource examines the timeline of voting rights in the United States with group discussions, hands-on-activities, and...
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Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

Oyez! Oyez! Oyez!: Simulating the Supreme Court

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Learners have freedom of speech—or do they? Using an actual court case and research materials on the Supreme Court, young legal scholars examine the Supreme Court's role and history. Then, they argue a case the court declined to hear and...
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Lesson Plan
Teaching Tolerance

Critiquing Hate Crimes Legislation

For Teachers 9th - 12th
The high school lesson explores what hate crimes are and how the government has responded to those crimes. Academics read legislation, analyze political cartoons, and complete hands-on-activities to understand what motivates individuals...
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Interactive
News Literacy Project

So, What’s the First Amendment?

For Students 7th - 12th
The First Amendment to the US Constitution protects people's rights to speech, the press, and religion. Using the resource, scholars discover how. They take a brief online quiz to determine how well they understand the First Amendment. 
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AP Test Prep
College Board

Balance of Power Between Congress and the President

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Three branches of government help create a system of checks and balances. A helpful resource provides a series of articles regarding the balance of power between the legislative and executive branches of government. Historians answer...
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Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

A Day for the Constitution

For Teachers 6th - 12th
The "Constitution Day and Citizenship Day" law requires schools receiving any federal funding to provide educational programming on the history of the American Constitution. The lesson plans, materials, videos, questions, and activities...
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Lesson Plan
C-SPAN

Should Your State Modify Its Voter Registration Laws and Methods for Submitting a Ballot?

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
What is the balance between democracy and security? Using articles and videos that examine state voting procedures, learners explore the difficult question. After looking at voting regulations in their state and nationally, they consider...