US Army Center
U.s. Army Center of Military History: Nicholas Gilman
A detailed article on the life of Nicholas Gilman, one of the delegates from New Hampshire to the Constitutional Convention. He later served as a Congressman and Senator.
US Army Center
U.s. Army Center of Military History: John Langdon
This article summarizes the life of John Langdon, one of the delegates from New Hampshire to the Constitutional Convention. It gives details on his personal life, military and political careers.
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: Political Experience
Read about how the state governments in the new American nation served as the laboratory to try out new ideas of governing and treating citizens. See how remarkably similar the ideas put forth in state constitutions were to each other.
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: The Tough Issues
Read about the change of plans when delegates to the Philadelphia convention decided to write a new constitution to replace the Articles of Convention. See the ideas delegates had to address concerns of large and small states.
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: A Cast of National Superstars
A brief look at some of those who served as delegates to the Philadelphia Convention, which morphed into a constitutional convention. Pay attention to the class of people who made up the delegates.
Library of Congress
Loc: Thomas Jefferson: Establishing a Federal Republic
This Library of Congress article states that Jefferson, although serving as U.S. minister in France while the U.S. Constitution was being written, still influenced its outcome and wording through correspondence. Read this brief overview...
Yale University
Avalon Project: The Federalist Papers
With this resource, you can search by keyword for particular subjects within the Federalist Papers, or you can access by number each of the Papers. Also available are links to four related documents: The Annapolis Convention, Articles of...
Thomson Reuters
Find Law: Annotation 10: Sixth Amendment: Assistance to Council
This article uses specific court cases to show how the right to counsel at trial was developed into the present day standard.
Read Works
Read Works: We the People
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about the Constitution of the United States. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
![James Madison's Vision of Liberty [Pdf] Article](https://static.lp.lexp.cloud/images/attachment_defaults/resource/large/FPO-knovation.png "James Madison's Vision of Liberty [Pdf] Article")
Cato Institute
James Madison's Vision of Liberty [Pdf]
An article by the CATO institute about James Madison's vision for his writing and contribution for the U.S. Constitutional Convention. Includes information on his views of a limited government for citizens' rights.
Read Works
Read Works: Branching Out
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about Constitution Week and the three branches of government. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Ohio Test Prep
Ohio Test Prep: Module 3: Historical Documents
Ohio test preparation material on the important historical documents from which the principles of U.S. democracy are reflected. With video tutorials, practice, and assessment.
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Constitutional Rights Foundation: Centralized vs. Decentralized Rule: The Articles of Confederation
Activity comparing the Articles of Confederation to the Constitution. Using a variety of articles, students research and create a chart with explanations and critical comparisons of the two governing documents.
The Dirksen Congressional Center
Congress Link: Lesson Plans
The Dirksen Congressional Center provides abundant lesson plans on all aspects of the US Congress and the US Constitution. All lessons contain time frames, objectives, and links to material, and are built around Bloom's taxonomy.
Library of Congress
Loc: Policies and Problems of the Confederation Government
This teacher resource includes imagesand historical documents, alllowing readers to trace the creation of our government from the Continental Congress through the Articles of Confederation. An overview helps to clarify the policies and...
Other
Feminist.com: Taking a New Look at the Woman Suffrage Movement
An article on the historical aspects of the women's suffrage movement, with a feminist viewpoint.
University of Chicago
The Founders' Constitution: Alexander Hamilton to James Duane
The original text from the University of Chicago Press of a 1780 letter from Alexander Hamilton to James Duane, who later became a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, on the weaknesses of the existing U.S. government under the...
Thomson Reuters
Find Law: Powers Denied to the States
Resource explains how during the time of the Civil War the Supreme Court used Article I, Section 10, Clause 1 of the U.S. Constitution to show that the Confederation formed by the seceding States had no legal existence. The site also...
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Constitutional Rights Foundation: The War of 1812: America's First Declared War [Pdf]
Article discusses the War of 1812 as America's first declared war and what that meant for the future of the U.S. Includes questions for discussion and small group activity.
Other
Real Democracy: Proposed Article of Amendment Xxvii
Read a "proposed" Article of Amendment XXVII - Nonpartisan Direct Representative Democracy, Government Electorate, Voting and Education Networks. Read this example of a proposed amendment for the establishment of direct democracy and a...
A&E Television
History.com: Continental Congress
From 1774 to 1789, the Continental Congress served as the government of the 13 American colonies and later the United States. The First Continental Congress, which was comprised of delegates from the colonies, met in 1774 in reaction to...
Utah State University
American Journey: Comparison of Articles of Confederation and the Constitution
Two informative charts, one of which compares the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution, the other which lays out the positions of the Federalists and Anti-Federalists concerning the Constitution.
Library of Congress
Loc: The New Nation, 1783 1815
The links in the New Nation, which is provided for by the Library of Congress, will lead you to sets of selected primary sources on a variety of topics,such as the Constitution, governmental policy on Native Americans, and problems and...
Wikimedia
Wikipedia: United States Bill of Rights
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.