After a 72-year struggle, the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution granted American women the right to vote in 1920. Coupled with the Fifteenth Amendment, which extended voting rights to African American men, the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment transformed the power and potency of the American electorate. This article invites the…

"We the People...The Citizen and the Constitution" is a national civic education program that aims to help elementary and secondary students understand the history and principles of constitutional government. The program focuses on the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights and fosters civic competence and responsibility among students in…

There is a necessary connection between civics and economics in education for democracy. This connection should be reflected in school curricula. This digest discusses: (1) federal legislation and programs promoting civics and economics; (2) the connections between civics and economics in the study of the U.S. Constitution; (3) the status of…

Offers three sample lesson plans for elementary grades designed to demonstrate the religious values inherent in the United States Constitution. Each lesson plan focuses on one amendment and includes a discussion of class activities. (DMM)

A three-part handbook for Virginia K-12 social studies teachers presents methods for introducing students to documents and symbols which reflect the principles and ideals of the American democratic system. Although a portion of the material focuses on resources specific to the state of Virginia, information on national documents and symbols can be…

This activity for students in grade 12 aims to increase their knowledge of the U.S. Constitution and its fundamental ideas: checks and balances, separation of powers, Bill of Rights, and the amendments. Students judge the constitutional powers of each brand of government by participating in the power game. The activity explains how the game is…

Although it was not directly named in the U.S. Constitution, federalism is a central principle of U.S. government. It is important for students to learn about federalism to comprehend the U.S. federal system and recognize examples of federalism in other countries. Teaching and learning about federalism is essential to education for citizenship in…

India, a huge land with the second largest population in the world, socially and economically poor, and culturally and linguistically diverse, became the largest democracy in the world on November 26, 1949 with the adoption of the Indian Constitution. The goals of that constitution are: (1) the achievement of national unity and stability; (2) the…

A series of articles celebrating the Bicentennial of the Constitution is presented in two volumes. The first article in Volume 1 is an interview by Bernard Murchland with Barbara Jordan discussing the effectiveness of the original Constitution. The second article, "If I Were President," is an interview by Bernard Murchland with Studs…

When George Washington was sworn in as the first President of the United States on April 30, 1789, the U.S. Constitution had already been ratified, yet the future of the new country was at risk. Some people wanted a bill of rights added to the U.S. Constitution to guarantee individual liberties. Two groups opposed each other--the Federalists…

Contends that "The Federalist" has been an intellectual beacon for the U.S. Constitution since it was written in 1787. Presents a secondary school lesson plan that focuses on the Constitution's ratification process, particularly the development of and campaign for the Bill of Rights. (CFR)

Presents seven annotations from documents found in the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) database about the U.S. Constitution that are appropriate for secondary and higher education students. Documents include mock dialogues, teaching with documents, and a discussion on the impact of the U.S. Constitution bicentennial on teaching.…

Says political writings such as "The Federalist" have generated multiple interpretations and the framers assumptions must be deduced. Provides a typology for such interpretations based on the terms, antidemocratic, liberal, republican, and constitutionalist. Recommends students be taught about the lack of consensus among scholars and key…

Twenty activities and seven educational objectives help teachers inform students of their rights as citizens. Each objective is demonstrated through the use of one or more activities that help students experience the learning for themselves. Each activity consists of teaching procedures and student handouts. Section 1 is an examination of the Bill…

This teacher's guide is part of a media package that also includes 5 video dramas, a 2 CD-ROM set, and a set of 30 student resource portfolios. The teacher's guide contains a semester of learning activities; the five video dramas use real-life situations to illustrate and teach civic events; the student resource portfolios have more than 40…