National Constitution Center
Fourth Amendment And Privacy
The Fourth Amendment protects from unreasonable search and seizures, but it is not all encompassing. The resource give academics a good overview of the rights protected in the Fourth Amendment and why it was important to protect those...
National Constitution Center
First Amendment Religion Part II
The Freedom of Religion video dives into the meaning of the Free Exercise Clause. Scholars learn how the Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause work together to allow religious liberty and prevent the government from favoring...
National Constitution Center
First Amendment Religion Part I
An informative resource shares background information on the importance of protecting religious freedom. Individuals learn how some American colonies forced religion upon people, giving rise to the desire to worship freely without...
National Constitution Center
First Amendment Speech and Press Part II
It's hard to overstate the importance of protecting speech and freedom of the press. Scholars learn how free speech is an important part of an individual's natural rights and a way to form opinions. The video also discusses ways the...
National Constitution Center
First Amendment Speech and Press Part I
The First Amendment does not always protect free speech. An informative video focuses on how the government has interpreted free speech over the years and efforts like the Sedition Act to limit free speech. Academics learn how our...
National Constitution Center
First Amendment Overview Part II
The First Amendment Overview video delves into examples of citizen's rights. Young academics learn how First Amendment rights have been protected in real-life examples. The video also explains that the rights laid out in the Amendment...
National Constitution Center
First Amendment Overview Part I
The Declaration of Independence details the natural rights guaranteed by the First Amendment. The video explains these rights, including freedom of speech and non-violent protest. Scholars learn why specific rights were guaranteed and...
National Constitution Center
14th Amendment Discussion Starter: The Black Codes
The Black Codes and Jim Crow Laws were rules that served the same purpose: to restrict the rights of African Americans. Young historians watch performers read Black Code laws from different states to explain how African Americans were...
National Constitution Center
14th Amendment Discussion Starter: The 39th Congress Debates
The ratification process for the Fourteenth Amendment that granted citizenship to everyone male born in the United States was contentious. The video reenacts a portion of the 39th Congressional debates focusing on the ratification of the...
National Constitution Center
14th Amendment Discussion Starter: The Emancipation Proclamation
In 1863 life forever changed for African American slaves when the Emancipation Proclamation was announced. An interesting video clip shows two actors reading excerpts from the Emancipation Proclamation and a letter by a slave named Annie...
National Constitution Center
Classroom Discussion Starter: Freedom of Expression
The Ku Klux Klan wants to hold a rally on the Antietem battlefield. Should the federal park permit the rally? Or does the First Amendment have limitations? Scholars ponder these questions and more using a discussion starter video and...
National Constitution Center
14th Amendment with Eric Foner
The Civil War ended slavery, but what was the status of the newly freed people? Renowned historian Eric Foner explains how the Fourteenth Amendment—written to answer this question—created a foundation for the rights of all citizens. The...
National Constitution Center
Classroom Discussion Starter: Search and Seizure
An administrator catches a student smoking in a school bathroom. After the vice principal searches her purse and finds marijuana, she is arrested and later found guilty of drug charges. Was the search legitimate? Scholars consider the...
National Constitution Center
The Fourteenth Amendment
What does equal protection under the law mean? This right is given to Americans thanks to the Fourteenth Amendment, although historical events and Supreme Court cases have led to its refinement over the years. A video resource traces the...
National Constitution Center
The Thirteenth Amendment
While the end of the Civil War marked the end of slavery with the Thirteenth Amendment, the questions of the Reconstruction remain unanswered today. Slavery first became a matter of debate at the Constitutional Convention. Today, we...
National Constitution Center
Federalism
Federalism divides power to protect individual rights while giving the government enough power to be effective. The concept comes from a balance the Founding Fathers struck between authority and freedom. Scholars explore the relationship...
National Constitution Center
The Legislative Branch
A visit to Washington, DC inspired Congressman John Lewis; a video visit to Congress and the Constitutional Convention just might inspire your learners. Using an intriguing video, viewers learn why and how the Founding Fathers created a...
National Constitution Center
The Constitutional Convention
The Founding Fathers are larger than life in history books, but an engaging video resource brings them up close to your pupils. As viewers meet the founders in the National Constitution Center's Signers' Hall, they learn about the...
National Constitution Center
Convention, Ratification, and Amendment Process
While the Revolution is perhaps the most famous revolt in American history, do scholars know about Shays' Rebellion? The outcome of the uprising led to the current Constitution. A video resource traces the history of and how the Bill of...
National Constitution Center
The Bill of Rights (Second Edition)
Protecting basic liberties was at the heart of the American Revolution. However, it wasn't until after the Constitutional Convention that the Founding Fathers added a list of rights guaranteed to the people, now our most important legal...
National Constitution Center
The Bill of Rights
While the Founding Fathers drafted the Constitution to preserve liberty, not everyone was on board. The dissenters refused to sign on unless the Constitutional Convention added a Bill of Rights. Viewers explore these important civil...
National Constitution Center
Separation of Powers
After the Revolutionary War, the Founding Fathers were in a pickle. They needed to create a government, but how could they protect the people from a tyrant? The separation of powers was their answer! A video resource explores the history...
National Constitution Center
The Executive Branch
While the president is perhaps the most famous politician, why did the Founding Fathers create the office? While it has evolved over time, the presidency has its roots in the American Revolution. A video resource—created for Constitution...
National Constitution Center
Article III: Justice Breyer on the Supreme Court
After oral arguments and the lawyers go home, what actually happens in the Supreme Court? Justice Stephen Breyer describes how members of the court discuss cases and write opinions behind the scenes. Though their discussions involve...