Students get a valuable opportunity to debate the significance and purpose of Miranda rights by examining the Supreme Court case that led to the warning that police routinely issue.

Reading U.S. Supreme Court opinions can be intimidating. Yet, in the digital age, it has never been easier to access them. The average opinion is about 4,750 words, and is one of approximately 75 issued by the Court each year. It might be reassuring to know that opinions contain similar parts and tend to follow a similar format. There are also…

The trial of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg on charges of conspiring to spy for the Soviet Union remains one of the defining moments of the Cold War era. The dramatic allegations of stolen atomic secrets and networks of Communist spies riveted the public's attention. The determination of government prosecutors reflected a widely shared belief that the…

At the heart of the Western intellectual tradition, particularly the value it places on the critical analysis of civic life, or social studies, lies the story of a trial. If the story of a trial lies at the root of social studies, then it comes as no surprise that many teachers find that trials can serve as excellent teaching tools, especially for…

This article presents an interview with Edward Biester, an attorney and a member of the ABA Section of Antitrust Law, who recently led the Section's initiative to develop a curriculum for high school students. In this interview, Biester discusses the history of American antitrust laws, looks at some of the contemporary issues, and highlights the…

This article looks at three examples of children's and young adult literature that offer entertaining, accessible, and at times provocative, explorations of the rule of law in very different settings. Lewis Carroll's classic, "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," finds Alice confronting a host of procedural irregularities and abuses of power within…

This article describes the Partnership for 21st Century Skills. This Arizona high school magnet law program offers the ideal 21st century education--one that teaches skills through core subjects and interdisciplinary themes, uses innovative learning methods, and emphasizes higher order thinking skills. Students agree that the program has helped…

The process of voting is a fundamental right and privilege of any democracy. In fact, "Merriam-Webster" defines the word democracy as "a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free…

The writ of habeas corpus has been a critical tool for balancing the rights of individuals with the government's responsibility to protect the nation's welfare. In this article, the authors discuss the writ of habeas corpus and how it affects the federal government and hundreds of prisoners who are held as enemy combatants. Elementary, middle, and…

This review of key Supreme Court cases dealing with school integration can foster class discussion on racial progress and the role of the courts in determining educational policy. A teaching activity is included. (Contains 10 notes, 3 resources, and 7 cases cited.)

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.…

Discusses distributive justice in teaching social studies. Argues that utilitarianism is an inadequate basis for distributive justice because it does not allow for the primacy of civil or natural rights. Suggests addressing such issues in class to encourage student consideration of fundamental principles and their application to contemporary…

Designed for Grades 3-5, this lesson plan aims to let the students learn how the Constitution of the United States provided the framework for the country's democratic form of government. Students will learn how the Constitution provided for representation within the government. A short story about the Boston Tea Party gives the background related…

Presents a lesson plan for teaching about immigration through the use of primary documents. Includes background information on the history of immigration and the process of naturalization, teaching suggestions, discussion questions for students, and copies of primary documents. (DSK)