US National Archives
National Archives: The Constitution in Action: Article Ii
This activity can be used during a unit on the U.S. Constitution. Students will analyze the Senate Journal of the First Congress and identify how the document demonstrates content contained within Article II of the Constitution in...
US Mint
United States Mint: Branches of Power
Save the federal government from Oppressor Sam, and learn about the US Constitution to restore the three branches of government.
The Dirksen Congressional Center
Dirksen Congressional Center:congress for Kids: Introduction to the Constitution
Explore the history of the United States Constitution: information about the writing the Constitution, the Great Compromise, the Constitution's signers, the Bill of Rights, the Amendments to the Constitution, federal powers, checks and...
Indiana University
Center on Congress: Learn About Congress
Learn about the role of the US Congress, how it works, its history, and the principles behind its creation and operation. Wonderful set of resources including FAQs, short articles and video clips, "interactive learning modules" (i.e., a...
iCivics
I Civics: Constitutional Principles
The Founding Fathers created a government based on a set of fundamental principles carefully designed to guarantee liberty. This lesson lets students look at the Constitution from the perspective of its foundational principles and make...
iCivics
I Civics: The Constitutional Convention Mini Lesson
Students explore how the U.S. government was created in the years following the Articles of Confederation.
iCivics
I Civics: Executive Roles: Money Doesn't Grow on Trees?
Students learn the role of the executive branch in creating and carrying out laws and how the executive and legislative branches work together to create a new coin.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Checks on the Presidency: Advanced
This resource from Khan Academy provides advanced-level practice questions over the checks on the US President. These questions are intended for students taking high school or college level American Government and Civics courses,...
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Checks on the Presidency: Foundational
This resource from Khan Academy provides foundational-level practice questions over the checks on the US President. These questions are intended for students taking high school or college level American Government and Civics courses,...
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Checks on the Judicial Branch: Foundational
This resource from Khan Academy provides foundational-level practice questions over the checks on the government's judicial. These questions are intended for students taking high school or college level American Government and Civics...
Other
American Civil Liberties Union: Constitution Day Activities
Six activities teach students about the U.S. Constitution. Learn about checks and balances, the Bill of Rights, some of the history of the document, and how each of the states became a state. The site also provides teacher resources,...
Library of Congress
Loc: The Constitution: Counter Revolution or National Salvation
Using primary texts and prior study of Colonial America and the Revolution, students examine "what type of government would best represent the ideals of the American Revolution." Worksheets, discussions, and role-playing within this...
Digital History
Digital History: Writing a Constitution [Pdf]
This site is from a unit called 'Writing the US Constitution.' It looks at the documents that preceded the Constitution, and the major issues that were debated while the Constitution was being created.
Digital History
Digital History: Majority Rule vs. Checks and Balances [Pdf]
It is interesting to read how the delegates to the Constitutional Convention thought as they debated important issues such as the checks and balances that should be written into the new Constitution. Read these conversations based on...
University of Groningen
American History: Outlines: The Federal System
Outline of the principles embedded in a Federal System of government attempting to balance states' rights with the need for a central government.
University of Groningen
American History: Outlines: Checks and Balances
Overview of the principle of checks and balances proposed in the Federalist Papers.
Digital History
Digital History: Republicanism
The framers of the Constitution had a great distaste for the monarchial society of Great Britain. See how this was reflected in the checks and balances they wrote into the Constitution in an effort to create a working republic.
Digital History
Digital History: Completing a Final Draft
Read about the committee that produced a final draft of the Constitution to present to the entire Constitutional Convention. Find out what the delegates to the convention kept in the final draft and what they changed.
Digital History
Digital History: u.s. Constitution and Organization of the National Government
Read about the structure of the U.S. Constitution and the thoughts of the framers behind the formation of each branch.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: Balancing Power Between State and Federal Governments
In this lesson plan, students will consider "The Federalist Debates: Balancing Power Between State and Federal Governments." The plan includes worksheets and other student materials that can be found under the resource tab.
US Government Publishing Office
Ben's Guide to u.s. Government: Learning Adventures: Three Branches of Government
Learning adventure guide on the three branches of government. Students read about the functions of the Legislative, Judicial and Executive branches and then play the learning game.
Other
Us Congress: Congress, the Court, and the Constitution
Transcript of a congressional hearing, held in 1994, to discuss whether Congress had given too much power to the Supreme Court, against the express intent of the Founding Fathers. This transcript is lengthy but informative, containing...
US Government Publishing Office
Ben's Guide to u.s. Government: Branches of Government
Students will visualize how the Constitution organized our 3 branches of government and the role each plays in our government. This infographic breaks down the powers of each branch and shows how they perform checks on the other...
Other
A Republic, if You Can Keep It
An essay by U.S. Congressional Representative Ron Paul of Texas on the state of the American republic delivered at the dawn of the twenty-first century. He argues for the strong separation of powers among the three branches of government...