iCivics
I Civics: Anatomy of the Constitution
This instructional activity gives an article-by-article overview of the structure and function of the U.S. Constitution. Students learn about the duties and powers of the three branches, the amendment process, and the role of the...
Other
Why the Fifth Amendment? By Howard Fast
This article, written by Howard Fast in 1954, attacks the government and Senator Joseph McCarthy for leading away from the rights protected by the amendment.
The Dirksen Congressional Center
Congress for Kids: Amendments
Read a brief synopsis of the Amendments to the Constitution and then complete the matching activity by clicking on the link at the bottom. Includes other links in the section titled "play more" at the bottom of the second page.
![Do Dea: Ap Us Government and Politics: Unit 2: Bill of Rights Reading Guide [Pdf] Activity](https://static.lp.lexp.cloud/images/attachment_defaults/resource/large/FPO-knovation.png "Do Dea: Ap Us Government and Politics: Unit 2: Bill of Rights Reading Guide [Pdf] Activity")
Department of Defense
Do Dea: Ap Us Government and Politics: Unit 2: Bill of Rights Reading Guide [Pdf]
A 2-page worksheet where students fill in the blanks with information about the rights and protections embedded in the amendments in the Bill of Rights. They are also asked to explain the meanings of eight terms used in the Bill of Rights.
Scholastic
Scholastic: Explaining the Bill of Rights
Read about the need for a Bill of Rights to be added to the Constitution. Find out what each of the first ten amendments means.
Thomson Reuters
Find Law: u.s. Supreme Court: u.s. V. Butler (1936)
This Supreme Court case dealt with provisions of the Agricultural Adjustment Act conflicting with the Federal Constitution. Read the complete text of the court's opinions and decision. Registration for a free Findlaw account may be...
Scholastic
Scholastic: u.s. Constitution Changes With the Times
Clear, concise overview of the "voting" amendments to the Constitution. Includes quotes from 20th century Justices and Presidents about Amendments they thought were needed.
Siteseen
Siteseen: Government and Constitution: 10th Amendment
Short, simple summary with the full text of the 10th amendment of the Bill of Rights that states that any powers that the Constitution does not give to the US government, belong to the individual states and the people.
Thomson Reuters
Find Law: u.s. Supreme Court: Escobedo v. Illinois (1964)
A detailed description of the United States Supreme Court decision on the appeal of the case Escobedo v. Illinois, which ruled on the right to have counsel under the 6th and 14th Amendments to the Constitution.
Thomson Reuters
Find Law: u.s. Supreme Court: Griswold v. Connecticut (1965)
This Supreme Court case dealt with the issue of contraception. View the the Supreme Court opinion as delivered by Justice Douglas.
Curated OER
National Park Service: Andrew Johnson Historic Site: Fourteenth Amendment
The complete text of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
Other
Us Courts: Fourth Amendment Activities
Activities for the classroom on the 4th Amendment in which students apply landmark Supreme Court cases to contemporary scenarios related to search and seizure issues at school, in the car, and the home. With lesson plan and links to...
Other
Us Courts: First Amendment Activities
Activities for students that make learning about the 1st Amendment relevant by applying landmark Supreme Court cases to contemporary scenarios related to the five parts of the First Amendment and rights to freedom of religion, speech,...
Other
Us Courts: Sixth Amendment Activities
Activities for the classroom in which students apply landmark Supreme Court cases to contemporary scenarios related to the right to counsel and right to a fair trial. With plan for teachers, word bank, and links to related resources.
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: After the Fact: Virginia, New Yok, and "The Federalist Papers"
Read about the necessity for Virginia and New York to support the ratification of the Constitution. See what influenced the vote in Virginia and how the legislature of New York was finally convinced.
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: The Bill of Rights
The Constitution spelled out the powers of the national government, but many Anti-federalists felt there should be equally explicit a guarantee of individual rights. Read about the compiliation of what became known as the Bill of Rights...
Thomson Reuters
Find Law: Fifth Amendment
This resource provides both the text of the amendment and annotations as explanation of various words and phrases.
Thomson Reuters
Find Law: u.s. Constitution: Sixth Amendment
This resource contains the text of the 6th amendment. It has several pages of annotations covering the major concepts in the rights of the accused.
Thomson Reuters
Find Law: u.s. Supreme Court: Mapp v. Ohio (1961)
Detailed account of the Supreme Court case of Mapp v. Ohio with the ruling that states are required to exclude evidence seized by illegal search and seizure in violation of the 4th Amendment.
Thomson Reuters
Find Law: u.s. Supreme Court: Naacp v. Alabama (1958)
Use this site to learn about this Supreme Court decision delivered by Justice Harlan in 1958 that dealt with the NAACP conducting business in Alabama and failure to reveal its membership lists.
PBS
Wnet: Thirteen: Freedom: A History of Us: Forgetting the Constitution
Read the story of a young Japanese-American girl whose family was sent to an internment camp after Pearl Harbor.
Other
Justia: Hollingsworth v. Perry
The California Supreme Court held that limiting marriage to opposite-sex couples violated the California Constitution; state voters then passed a ballot initiative, Proposition 8, amending the state constitution to define marriage as a...
Thomson Reuters
Find Law: Article V: Judicial Review
A discussion of the proposition that ratification of constitutional amendments is exclusively within the purview of Congress, either because of commitment or because the courts lack basic criteria of determination to pass on them.
University of California
Back on the Chain Gang
This is a very short article but is an argument against the chain gang as a method of punishment, an idea that is regaining popularity.