Docsteach: u.s. V. Amistad: A Case of Jurisdiction

With the explosion of social media sites, with online threats and cyber bullying, issues of freedom of speech have taken on a whole new aspect. Elonis v. U.S. represents the first time the Supreme Court has considered whether or not...

Who became US Chief Justice in 1801? Which delegate from New York advocated a strict constructionist interpretation of the US Constitution? What is the term given to the chief or one of several import crops regularly grown and sold in a...

Can you bow your head and pray in school? Scholars investigate the issue of school prayer with the Supreme Court case Engel v. Vitale. A short video clip along with paired group work helps viewers form opinions on the matter. They answer...

At what point does the right of privacy end and the government begin? Scholars research rights under the Ninth Amendment to the Constitution. Using the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court case as a starting point, along with small group work...

Just what is jurisdiction and why does it matter? A helpful activity takes academics on a journey to understand how judicial jurisdiction works. Scholars read excerpts from the Constitution and court documents to understand the process...

Students will review the Amistad case and use passages from the case explore the concept of jurisdiction and how a case travels through the federal court system. Also, included are links to the background of the Amistad case, a...

Kids who take the Regents Exam really need to know a lot of information. This is a wonderful exam review tool that includes 26 pages of questions, charts, and suggested readings to help upper graders pass the test. It focuses on all...

Is it illegal to lie about military service? Discuss the ways the First Amendment affects the Stolen Valor Act with a lesson that focuses on the Supreme Court case U.S. v. Alvarez. As high schoolers learn more about the history of the...

In the weeks after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Congress passed the U.S.A. P.A.T.R.I.O.T Act. This law—meant to protect the public—was controversial, as some felt it undermined civil liberties. Using video from President George W. Bush,...

Separate is not equal! Young historians analyze the petition from the U.S. Supreme Court case Mendez v. Westminster filed in 1945 and examine background material about the case. They then compare it to the more famous Brown v. Board of...