As part of a study of voting rights in the US, class members examine Constitutional amendments connected with voting and the role of the Electoral College in the election process.

Here is a fantastic resource on the civil rights movement! It includes reading materials and worksheets, and particularly highlights major legislation and the role of the judicial branch in the federal government in addressing the...

Students determine how free press principles can be compromised. For this global studies lesson, students read an article titled "Free and Independent Press." Students respond to discussion questions regarding the article.

The youth vote. Rock the Vote. Vote-By-Mail. Electronic voting. Class members investigate issues facing today's voters, and the ways they have adapted over the years to optimize voter turnout.

Churches have been tax-exempt since the founding of America, but should they be? Pupils ponder the question as they browse the website in preparation for a class debate or discussion. They research the history of tax-exemption for...

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick refused to stand for the National Anthem in 2016 as a form of protest. Were his actions appropriate? Using the provided website, pupils attempt to decide for themselves by reading the main...

This resource contains an annotated look at the different topics covered within the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Click on any subtopic link for in-depth information about that part of the First Amendment.

Actual text of the 21st Amendment along with an explanation of its meaning. Part of the Annenberg Classroom Civics Education. Links to related resources.

Explains how the Ku Klux Klan came into existence and how they terrorized African Americans as well as those who sympathized with them. The Klan would suppress the black vote so that Democrats had a better chance of winning an election...

Learn about the historically important 1873 Slaughter-House Cases on civil rights, which became the first Supreme Court interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment.

How does the constitution resolve a conflict between the government's property rights and the right of groups to engage in religious practices on lands they consider sacred? The Supreme Court answered that question in favor of the...

Looks at the Prohibition Era in the United States when it was illegal to sell or import alcoholic beverages. The ban was lifted when the 21st Amendment was passed in 1933.

This site provides the text of all the amendments to the U.S. Constitution. The first ten are the Bill of Rights.

Here is an article on the Reconstruction, which touches briefly on several issues that arose during this period, specifically in Texas: President Johnson's Reconstruction plan, assimilation and rights of freed slaves, the 13th and 14th...

The United States Congress offers a biography of Hiram Revels, the first African-American Senator.

A fantastic teacher resource site for helping students explore the main issues of the landmark case of Tinker v. Des Moines. It includes background summaries, excerpts of opinions, activities, and in-depth lessons.

The OYEZ Directory offers hyperlinks to Supreme Court cases. Choose the topic you'd like to search under, like "Attorneys," or "Civil rights," for example.

An in-depth look at the different types of contempt of court, in the United States legal system.

The city of Pawtucket, R. I., annually erects a Christmas display in a park owned by a nonprofit organization and located in the heart of the city's shopping district. The display includes, in addition to such objects as a Santa Claus...

Facts and case summary for Texas v. Johnson, 491 U.S. 397 (1989). Flag burning constitutes symbolic speech that is protected by the First Amendment.

An overview of the NAACP v. Alabama case, which charged Alabama with violating the First Amendment. The NAACP sued the state for not allowing the organization to exist within the state.

This Landmark Supreme Court Cases and the Constitution eLesson focuses on a case involving expressive conduct, and what is for many a deeply cherished symbol of America, the U.S. flag. In a closely divided (5-4) ruling, the Supreme Court...

This encyclopedia article from Wikipedia gives some background history to the creation of the Bill of Rights and contains a transcription of the first ten amendments to the Constitution in their original form.

This 3-page article provides a general overview of George Washington recognizing the equal status of Jewish Americans in 1790.