Library of Congress
Loc: New Nation: The Constitution [Pdf]
This teacher's guide provides a list of resources for information about the Constitution and its signers.
Council for Economic Education
Econ Ed Link: Constitution Costs
This lesson helps students understand the basic services provided for Americans in the United States Constitution and the necessity of a system of taxation to fund those services. Students will debate the pros and cons of having...
Library of Congress
Loc: The Constitution: Drafting a More Perfect Union
This lesson provides discussion, culminating, and extension activities to enhance student understanding of the Constitution, and the Committees of Detail and Style. Students have the opportunity to compare the work of those two...
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Montana: Give Me Liberty the Montana State Constitution
Compare the meanings of "freedom" and "liberty." Students watch a video about what liberty meant to Thomas Jefferson, then consider different definitions of the word "liberty" by analyzing founding documents of both the United States and...
US Government Publishing Office
Ben's Guide to u.s. Government: The President of the United States (9 12)
Summarizes the role of the President as the Head of the Executive Branch and the powers and duties assigned to him by the Constitution. Provides links to further information.
Constitutional Rights Foundation
Constitutional Rights Foundation: Leadership: u.s. History
Lesson and activity looks at leadership in U.S. history focussing on presidents, past and present, to determine what makes a good leader. Questions for discussion and class activity guidelines included.
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
Supreme Court Historical Society:texas v. Johnson (1989)
A complete unit on constitutional law that uses the court case of Texas vs. Johnson, in which Gregory Lee Johnson was convicted of desecration of a venerated object after lighting an American flag on fire. The case became an argument...
Library of Congress
Loc: American Memory: George Washington to James Madison, 1787
Read George Washington's observations of the delegates, particularly the Anti-Federalists, at the Constitutional Convention, and the objections the opposition presented, which Washington cites in the letter. View an image of the original...
Vocabulary.com
The Bill of Rights
This site contains a list of 50 words from the Bill of Rights of the United States Constitution. Teachers can digitally assign this list to their students to reinforce the spellings, pronunciations, and meanings of these words.
Harry S. Truman Library and Museum
Harry S. Truman Library & Museum: Three Branches of Our Government
This slide and the six that follow it (use the advance button near the bottom of the screen) offer an explanation of each of the three branches of government and the duties they perform, including discussion of the tensions arising from...
iCivics
I Civics: u.s. V. Nixon (1974)
This mini-lesson covers the basics of the Supreme Court's decision that then-sitting President Nixon had to turn over some recordings of his presidential communications to a court of law. Students learn about the Watergate break-in, the...
Other
Streetlaw: Introduction to Law and the Legal System
This website, a unit introducing the law and legal system, is organized into six chapters where you can learn about laws, lawmaking, citizen advocacy, dispute settlements, the court system, and lawyers.
iCivics
I Civics: Benjamin Franklin Mini Lesson
"The First American", Benjamin Franklin, is the only Founding Father that signed all three major documents that founded the United States of America. Students explore the many roles he took during the founding of America.
PBS
Structure of Congress and the Legislative Process Lesson
This lesson explores the structure of Congress and the legislative process. There is an introduction, a research activity, an assessment, and a role play activity.
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...
University of Groningen
American History: Biographies: John Locke
The University of Groningen provides information about the 17th century British liberal philosopher. Includes concise biographical information and a link to the text of "A Letter Concerning Toleration." Read about what part of his...
US Government Publishing Office
Ben's Guide to u.s. Government: President of the u.s. Requirements & Term
A short paragraph on the requirements for holding the president or vice-president position. There is also a paragraph on the number of terms they can serve.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: The First Amendment
This resource presents lessons on the First Amendment. It contains many resources for use with children, and links to primary source documents.