National Constitution Center
Supreme Court Spotlight: Dred Scott v. Sandford
Life was precarious for free and enslaved African Americans, as demonstrated by the tragic Dred Scott decision. The Supreme Court case not only denied an enslaved man's petition for freedom, but also claimed that African Americans—free...
National Constitution Center
14th Amendment with Jeffrey Rosen
What makes the Fourteenth Amendment relevant to today's America? Jeffrey Rosen, president of the National Constitution Center, attempts to answer the question by walking through the clauses of the Reconstruction-era amendment. Due...
National Constitution Center
Classroom Discussion Starter: Freedom from Excessive Punishment
You are the governor of your state. A man has been sentenced to die for first degree murder, but you've been asked to commute the sentence. What do you do? Scholars consider the difficult question using a conversation starter video that...
National Constitution Center
14th Amendment with Tomiko Brown-Nagin
What do marriage equality, protection from racial discrimination, and protection from gender-based discrimination have in common? According to Harvard professor Tomiko Brown-Nagin, the Fourteenth Amendment protects all Americans in these...
National Constitution Center
National Constitution Center: Constitution Hall Pass: The Judicial Branch
Video introduced by Judge Sandra Day O'Connor where she talks about the judicial branch. It then takes us on a tour of the National Constitution Center where we are told about the Constitutional Convention, with statues of the Founding...
National Constitution Center
National Constitution Center: Constitution Hall Pass: The Legislative Branch
Video introduced by John Lewis, a member of the House of Representatives. He discusses the legislative branch of the government, what elected members do, the importance of voting and of lobbying representatives. We are then taken on a...
National Constitution Center
National Constitution Center: Constitution Hall Pass: The Bill of Rights
Video that examines the first ten Amendments to the Constitution which make up the Bill of Rights, their history, and their impact on the lives of Americans. [15:00]
National Constitution Center
National Constitution Center: Constitution Hall Pass: Freedom of Expression
Video introduced by Judge Sandra Day O'Connor where she talks about the Supreme Court's role in making decisions about freedom of speech. We then learn about why a Constitution was needed, the struggle for ratification, and how the three...
National Constitution Center
National Constitution Center: Constitution Hall Pass: The Presidency
Video introduced by ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos where he discusses his work with President Bill Clinton and later his perspective of presidents as a journalist. Students will learn from constitutional experts and a guide why an...