Provides a high school level lesson plan on the concept of federalism. The springboard for the lesson plan is a copy of a 1956 letter by a North Carolina cotton merchant which describes why he and other Southerners would not support Dwight Eisenhower's re-election after the federal government's encroachment on Southern states' rights to establish…

Provides a lesson plan and primary source material for exploring whether Richard M. Nixon should have been prosecuted for obstruction of justice following his resignation from the Presidency. Contains a reproduction of the special prosecutor's memorandum that lists the factors which support or detract from a decision to prosecute Richard Nixon.…

This booklet is designed to help student participants in Close Up's Washington and Williamsburg Special Focus Program make connections between colonial Williamsburg (Virginia) and the present. Students are encouraged to see Williamsburg as a historical backdrop by which to study four fundamental ideas that have shaped the development of the United…

This special theme issue of "Update on Law-Related Education""tells about the past, present, and future of equal legal representation for all in our society." It is dedicated to the history and heroes of legal aid for the poor and the need to further that cause if the United States hopes to achieve equal justice for all. In his…

This book, intended for juveniles and young students, provides an encyclopedic collection of reference information about the U.S. Supreme Court. The articles are arranged alphabetically to aid in looking up words, ideas, or names. Lists of "see also" entries are located at the end of articles to refer the reader to related subjects. The…

Reviews the characteristics and landmark cases of the Warren, and Burger eras of the U.S. Supreme Court. Describes the changes taking place under Chief Justice Rehnquist and assesses the future of the Supreme Court with the addition of Justice Antonin Scalia. Maintains that the trend toward judicial activism will continue. (JDH)

Reviews a collection of decisions rendered by the Burger Court during its waning months. The decisions involve (1) criminal procedures, (2) racial bias in jury selection, (3) search and seizure, and (4) the exclusion of jurors who have reservations about the death penalty. (JDH)

This article chronicles the history of judicial review, tracing it back to the early 17th century in England. Also included are sections on recent Supreme Court cases, and the colonial experience with judicial review. (JDH)

This curriculum considers the social history of Illinois during the years of 1836-1861 by studying Abraham Lincoln's legal papers from his time as a lawyer. Nearly 100,000 documents have been discovered in the archives of local, county, state, federal courts, libraries, and other repositories. The documents include detailed information about the…

Debates over the separation or accommodation of religion and government have divided the United States since its founding. This collection of over 70 primary documents represents the ideas and issues on the interpretation of the United States Constitution's First Amendment clauses pertaining to establishment and free exercise of religion. The…

Presents Clarence Earl Gideon's petition for counsel as a primary source document to be used in social studies units on the Bill of Right's Sixth Amendment. Examines the constitutional issues of due process and right to counsel. Outlines teaching activities that develop vocabulary and analyzes Gideon v. Wainwright as a case study. (CH)

States that the civil rights movements served as a catalyst to women in working for their own rights. Points out that the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Women's Rights Project, modeled after the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Legal Defense fund, led the litigation battles for women's rights. Lists…

Sketches the history of U.S. child labor legislation through the 1920s and 1930s. Presents two historical documents for classroom use: a typescript of Georgia's child labor law from the early 1920s and a visit report by the Children's Bureau to a Georgia school superintendent. Suggests assignments, questions, analysis, and research. (DK)

The definition of religious freedom from the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom (1786) to the most recent U.S. Supreme Court decision is not clear and well-defined. The two religious clauses found in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (those denying Congress the right either to establish religion or to prohibit its free exercise)…

Suggesting racial discrimination hurts Whites and Blacks, Bell argues that the compromises on slavery in the U.S. Constitution set precedents for continual sacrifice of Black rights to White interests. Argues sense of racial superiority among poor Whites allows them to accept their lesser share in society. Highlights key civil rights cases,…