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…

At the beginning of every school year at Park Forest Elementary School (PFE), it is customary for teachers to invite their students to participate in establishing guidelines for behavior and citizenship in their respective classrooms. Teacher Lorraine McGarry and principal Donnan Stoicovy began the 2012-13 school year, however, by taking this…

This report outlines the case for an education amendment to the US Constitution to reduce radical disparities in the allocation of resources and funds for the education of the nation's public school students. The report argues that an education amendment is the best way to fundamentally reform the "structural arrangements" that are…

Presents excerpts from the speeches and writings of Abraham Lincoln (e.g., various speeches that addressed slavery, a speech on democracy as a universal ideal, and the Gettysburg Address) to show how he evoked a vision of a United States that has inspired, shaped, and defined the country ever since. (SM)

Although the nation's founding documents do not refer explicitly to education, it would be wrong to regard that which is not explicitly articulated as unimportant. The documents themselves demonstrate the founders' trust in the importance of learning, and the "Federalist Papers" provide the basis for the national regard for education.…

This play, designed for grades four to six, is a reenactment of the Constitutional Convention of 1787. It shows how the proposals for equal representation, a governmental balance of powers, and the Bill of Rights led to the ratification of the Constitution. (AEM)

Discusses the U.S. Constitution's endurance throughout the years and states that it must be taught so that all citizens will know the value of their participation in a democratic society. Advocates a "Celebration of the Constitution," teaching it with the respect and vigor it deserves on its 200th birthday. (GEA)

Debates about flag desecration present sensitive issues. This opinion paper examines the defeat of the flag burning amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which would have read "The Congress and the States shall have power to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States." The most talked about points in the…

Presents a lesson plan using "Decision at Richmond," a play dramatizing the debate over United States Constitutional ratification, to demonstrate to students the importance of the unique process used to make political decisions in the United States. (Author/AEM)

Designed to help prepare the nation for a thoughtful observance of the Constitutional bicentennial, this publication contains seven essays on the topic of democracy and the Constitution. "Democracy and the Constitution" (Gordon S. Wood) looks at the popular and democratic rhetoric used to justify the federalist system in the late 1700's.…

Second in a three-part series designed to help prepare the nation for a thoughtful observance of the Constitutional bicentennial, this publication contains seven essays on the topic of capitalism and the Constitution. "American Democracy and the Acquisitive Spirit" (Marc F. Plattner) supports the argument that the framers of the…

Democracy has always been prone to self-destruction, and it was only after the American Civil War that democracy--or at least constitutional representative government--acquired a respectable reputation. There are two very different types of democracies each with its underlying philosophy, value system, and view of human nature. These are…

Knowledge of the United States Constitution was investigated for 111 randomly selected college students. Many students had little or no knowledge/understanding of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. No significant differences were found between those who had read the Constitution and those who had never read it. (SLD)

"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…

Third in a series designed to help prepare the nation for a thoughtful observance of the Constitutional bicentennial, this publication presents six essays addressing the issue of human rights and the Constitution. "How the Constitution Protects Our Rights: A Look at the Seminal Years" (Robert A. Rutland) focuses on James Madison's role…