See transcripts of the debates of the Federal Convention of 1787, the draft of the Constitution, or see the facsimiles of the original documents. Trace the progress of the Constitution using the historical documents themselves.

This activity can be used during a unit on the U.S. Constitution. Students will analyze the Senate Journal of the First Congress and identify how the document demonstrates content contained within Article II of the Constitution in...

Read about the structure of the U.S. Constitution and the thoughts of the framers behind the formation of each branch.

Primary source document of the Articles of Confederation with explanatory text and photograph of the Assembly Room at the Pennsylvania State House

University of Chicago Press provides a letter from John Jay to Thomas Jefferson in which Jay explains the need to reform the government existing under the Articles of Confederation.

This site contains a list of 43 words from The Articles of Confederation. Teachers can digitally assign this list to their students to reinforce the spellings, pronunciations, and meanings of these words

This resource from the Architect of the Capitol is a government site that focuses on art and architecture in the U.S. Capitol. Features a picture of a marble statue of Sherman.

In this activity students will analyze the Oaths of Senators for the Impeachment Trial of William Jefferson Clinton and identify how the document demonstrates content contained within Article I, sections 1-7 of the Constitution in action.

This interactive lesson gives students a quick snapshot of the Constitution, including the purpose of each article, the powers of the three branches, how a bill becomes a law, and the concepts of separation of powers and checks and...

Read about the history of the United States Constitution, then try the multiple-choice quiz. Includes an audio narration of the text and a link to a biography of James Madison, as well as links to other resources.

In this lesson, students examine and debate the issue of same sex marriage by studying background information, news articles, legal arguments and the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. They then draft an amendment of their own to...

This article gives highlights on the career of this delegate from Pennsylvania to the Constitutional Convention. Ingersoll was considered one of the best lawyers in Philadelphia at that time.

An interesting article on the life of the delegate from Maryland to the Constitutional Convention who eventually walked out (along with his fellow delegate Luther Martin) and fell into the anti-Federalist camp.

Article on Harriet Tubman describes her life and heroism as a leader of the Underground Railroad and of the fight against slavery. Includes questions for discussion and group activity.

Beginning page of a Learning Adventure examines what parts of the Constitution give the branches of the Federal Government their specific powers. Those three parts are Article I, Article II, and Article III.

[Free Registration/Login Required] Students read "The Bill of Rights" and "The Preamble to the United States Constitution" and answer questions on the paired texts.

Articles on technology and access to the law. The author discusses some innovative features of the Code from a legal standpoint, such as the number index system and the stele used to inscribe the laws.

This resource offers a brief biographical entry on a delegate from Georgia to the Constitutional Convention, William Few, Jr., who later served as a United States Senator.

Article on Cleopatra explores the controversy and debate over what she was really like while looking at the larger idea of governance. Includes questions for discussion and group activity in which students debate.

Look at the tensions and differences of opinion that existed among early American states and citizens. Learn about the Articles of Confederation, why the first "constitution" didn't work, and how compromise led to the Constitution.

Article on equal rights and the series of events leading to the passage of the 15th Amendment. Includes questions for discussion and an activity in which students re-create the Voting Rights Convention.

A detailed, 5-page article giving an in-depth look at the problems in Kansas after the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act.

This website was created by faculty, students, and staff to publicly present information about Columbia's historical connections to the institution of slavery. This article focuses on King's College, soon to be Columbia College, in the...

Article on Queen Elizabeth I and the obstacles she faced as she tried to establish an official English Protestant church. Part of a three article series on Making a Difference. Includes questions for discussion and small group activity.